Mistake-prone Chiefs blame themselves for crushing loss at Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Kansas City won’t have to dig deep to figure out where things were awry in Jacksonville on Monday night.

Patrick Mahomes had an interception returned 99 yards for a touchdown and the Chiefs were flagged 13 times for 109 yards in a 31-28 loss to the Jaguars. Four of those penalties came in the final 1:45.

The mounting mistakes proved to be the difference in a back-and-forth game, the fifth one of the NFL’s Week 5 decided in the final 30 seconds.

“Whether I agree with them or don’t agree with them, it doesn’t matter,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “They called them. And so you have that many penalties, you give up field position. You can out stat them to death, but it doesn’t matter. It’s the score that matters, and we’ve got to take care of business there.”

Mahomes did that for most of the night — until he made one critical mistake.

He looked like he was about to put the Chiefs (2-3) ahead 21-14 late in the third quarter. But linebacker Devin Lloyd stepped in front of Mahomes’ pass intended for JuJu Smith-Schuster at the goal line and took off the other way for his league-leading fifth takeaway of the season.

“They showed blitz, Pat didn’t see him and it ended up an interception,” Reid said.

Lloyd juked Mahomes and Hunt, then got up to full speed along the Jaguars’ sideline. He picked up a block from Josh Hines-Allen and then held the ball tight as Tyquan Thornton tried to knock it loose at the 5-yard line.

It was the longest interception return by a linebacker in the regular season in NFL history, and the 14-point swing proved huge.

“It was a great call by them defensively, and obviously a great play by him getting the pick,” Mahomes said. “I’ve got to find a way to tackle him or slow him down after the interception.”

Equally troubling for the Chiefs were the penalties, including a kickoff out of bounds by Harrison Butker and two on Kansas City’s final possession. Chamarri Conner also was flagged for pass interference in the end zone, setting up Lawrence’s wacky touchdown run that turned out to be the game-winner.

Still, Mahomes & Co. got another chance. But Jack Cochrane was flagged for holding on the kickoff, negating a 34-yard return, and then the Chiefs were called for a delay of game.

For the Jaguars (4-1), the late penalties on the Chiefs had to feel like some sort of payback. They argued that there were two obvious no-calls in the game. They disagreed with officials waving off a pass interference flag on Travis Kelce’s 2-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, and they no couldn't understand why no flag was thrown after Jaguars receiver Parker Washington was knocked to the ground before Trent McDuffie intercepted a pass from Lawrence.

The Chiefs scored two plays later to tie the game at 21 and retake the momentum.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill (23) can't catch the ball for a interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy watch during the first half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) gets past Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) as he runs the ball during the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong officials on Wednesday proposed expanding oversight of building maintenance projects and stronger fire safety steps after a blaze in November killed at least 161 people and displaced thousands.

The blaze that spread across seven towers in an apartment complex raised questions about corruption, negligence and government oversight in the city's building maintenance projects, piling pressure on Hong Kong leader John Lee’s administration and Beijing’s “patriots-only” governance system for the city.

In the newly elected legislature's first meeting, Lee said the fire exposed the need for reform and pledged that the investigation by law enforcement agencies and a judge-led independent committee would be thorough.

“We will fairly pursue accountability and take disciplinary action based on facts against anyone who should bear responsibility, regardless of whether they are from within or outside the government, or whether they are junior or senior staff,” Lee said.

To combat bid-rigging, Lee's administration proposed that the Urban Renewal Authority play a greater role in helping homeowners choose contractors for building maintenance projects.

Officials planned to set up a preselected list of consultants and contractors based on official background checks and past reviews from homeowners. The authority would facilitate homeowners in tendering and bid evaluation more.

The government also suggested requiring big renovation projects to hire a third-party professional to supervise the work, necessitating fire department's approval before shutting down major fire safety installations, and banning smoking on any construction site.

Proposals for law changes linked to the smoking ban were expected to be submitted for the legislature's review within the next few weeks, while officials were still discussing some of the other suggestions with the Urban Renewal Authority.

Authorities have pointed to substandard netting and foam boards installed during renovations at the Wang Fuk Court apartment complex as factors that contributed to the fire in November. They also said some fire alarms did not work in tests.

Political analysts and observers worried the tragedy could be the “tip of an iceberg" in Hong Kong, a city whose skyline is built on high-rise buildings. Suspicions of bid-rigging and use of hazardous construction materials in renovation projects across other housing estates have left many fearing the disaster could be repeated.

A man walks past the burnt buildings after a deadly fire that started Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong's New Territories, Friday, Nov. 28 2025. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

FILE - Smoke rises after a fire broke out at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong's New Territories, Nov. 26 2025. (AP Photo/Chan Long Hei, File)