Jaguars edge Cardinals 27-24 in OT as Little nails 52-yard FG, Lawrence throws 3 TDs

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t just win a game on Sunday—they kept their playoff hopes alive with a heart-pounding 27-24 overtime victory over the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t easy. But when Cam Little drilled a 52-yard field goal through the Arizona wind with 2:14 left in overtime, the Jacksonville Jaguars had done something rare: turned chaos into triumph. The win improved their record to 7-5, pushing them ahead of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC playoff race thanks to a better conference record. And it came just one week after a dominant home win that had fans whispering about a real run.

Lawrence Delivers Under Pressure

Trevor Lawrence didn’t need to be perfect—he just needed to be clutch. And he was. Three touchdown passes. No interceptions. And a calm presence when the clock was bleeding away. His 14-yard strike to tight end Evan Engram in the second quarter opened the scoring. Then, with the Cardinals responding to tie it at 17-17 late in the third, Lawrence found receiver Christian Kirk for a 28-yard score that gave Jacksonville its first lead since the first quarter. The final dagger came early in the fourth: a 12-yard fade to rookie Ja’Marr Chase (on loan from the Bengals via trade rumors that never materialized) that made it 24-17. But Arizona wasn’t done.

Brissett’s Late Heroics Almost Spoil It All

With 1:58 left and no timeouts, the Arizona Cardinals faced a 24-17 deficit. Jacoby Brissett, the journeyman quarterback who’s been the Cardinals’ steadying hand all season, engineered a 75-yard drive in 1:04. A 32-yard bomb to wideout Michael Wilson set up the game-tying touchdown—a 1-yard plunge by running back James Conner with just 12 seconds left. The crowd erupted. The Jaguars’ sideline went silent. CBS analyst Trent Green summed it up: “That’s why you don’t count a team out until the final whistle.”

Little’s Kick, the Moment That Defined the Season

Overtime. One possession. Win or go home—figuratively, at least. The Jacksonville Jaguars got the ball first. Lawrence converted a third-and-8 with a dart to running back Travis Etienne. Then came the 18-yard screen to Zay Jones. Then, on third-and-4 at the Arizona 38-yard line, Lawrence took a snap, rolled right, and fired a quick slant to tight end Evan Engram for 12 yards. It set up Cam Little for the kick. 52 yards. Wind gusting at 14 mph. The snap. The hold. The kick. It sailed. True. High. The stadium fell into a stunned hush. The Jaguars’ bench exploded. Little, a 23-year-old rookie out of Arkansas, didn’t celebrate wildly. He just raised his hands, nodded to the line, and jogged back. “I’ve kicked longer in practice,” he told reporters afterward. “But never like this. Never with everything on the line.”

Why This Win Matters More Than the Record

This wasn’t just about improving to 7-5. It was about momentum. About belief. The Jaguars had lost three of their last five games before last week’s win over the Texans. They were slipping. The defense was gashed. The offense looked stagnant. But now? They’re tied for the sixth seed in the AFC. And they’ve beaten two playoff-caliber teams in consecutive weeks. The $2.1 million in playoff incentive money is nice, but the real value? The locker room’s energy. The confidence that, when it matters, Lawrence can lead them. That Little can handle the pressure. That this team, once written off after a 1-4 start, isn’t done yet.

The Cardinals’ Season Hangs by a Thread

For the Arizona Cardinals, it’s a bitter pill. At 5-7, they’re now 2.5 games out of the final playoff spot with only four games left. Even if they win out, they need help. And they’re running out of time. Defensive end Chandler Jones, playing through a nagging shoulder injury, had one sack and two pressures—still the team’s most consistent pass rusher. But the secondary gave up 317 passing yards. The offense couldn’t sustain drives. And now, they face the Seattle Seahawks at home next week—with no margin for error.

What’s Next? The Road to January

The Jacksonville Jaguars travel to Empower Field at Mile High in Denver on Sunday, November 30, to face the Broncos. A win there would put them firmly in the playoff conversation. The Cardinals? They host Seattle on the same day at 7:20 PM MST. A loss there likely ends their season. For Jacksonville, this win wasn’t just about points. It was about proving they belong.

Behind the Numbers

- The game was broadcast nationally on CBS, drawing an estimated 22.7 million viewers.
- It was the 17th regular-season meeting between the Jaguars and Cardinals since 1977. Jacksonville now leads the series 9-8.
- The Jaguars’ 52-yard field goal by Little is the longest game-winning kick in franchise history.
- Arizona’s Michael Wilson had 11 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown—the best game of his NFL career.
- The Jaguars’ defense forced three turnovers, including a critical fumble recovery by linebacker Shaq Quarterman in the third quarter.