Undefeated, but for how long?
About mid-way though the NFL season, when The Sunshine Empire’s favorite football team was floundering in a blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints, I remember thinking that it made no difference. No matter what kind of season that they had, they would just end up facing the New England Patriots in the playoffs.
Well here we are, and the favorite sons of Duval are set to take on the Patriots in . Leading into the playoffs the mindless commentary class where touting the Jacksonville Jaguars as the sexy team that could knock off the Patriots from their historic undefeated throne. Jacksonville lived up to the hype and became the first team in NFL history to beat the Steelers twice at home in the same season. Despite major injuries the depth of their roster has them scoring and making turnovers. The commentary class though seems to be slipping back the narrative that the Jaguars have no chance. The message boards on the Boston Globe’s website seem surprised that New England even has to play anymore games and should be crowned right now.
That being said the game should be a thrilling barn burner and there should be enough points scored to make Steve Spurrier blush and sweat. The game really comes down to the Jaguars secondary and the Patriots linebacking corp. The Jaguars secondary will have it’s moments, but Tom Brady and his receivers will have a field day. The Patriots linebackers have been playing since the late sixties and will be run over by Fred and Maurice. So it comes down to who makes the first mistake. The Patriots don’t make mistakes, so that puts the burden on Jacksonville to play perfect.
If the Jaguars can put together sustained drives and eat up clock they can beat the Patriots. These teams played late last year and where only separated by a field goal. The Patriots will score and score often on the Jacksonville defense, and the key is keeping the ball out of their hands, because you will not stop them when they do. The New England defense is no steel curtain and Jacksonville will score on them as well. They gave up huge numbers in yards per carry and that feeds right into what Jacksonville will want to do.
If you put a gun to my head I would have to pick the Patriots until someone beats them. That being said the Jaguars are the ones that can. Regardless the teal black and gold have made Duval and The Sunshine Empire proud.
Go Jaguars.
Related posts:
- Colts fans lose touch with reality
- On the wretched nature of football broadcasting.
- The Sunshine Empire Returns
- Jaguars To Face Some Guy Named Vick Tonight
- The lay of the NFL landscape after week whatever it is.
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It was strange that a Baltimore native, who relocated to Jacksonville in 1978, would go to the Gator Bowl in 1979 to cheer for Robert Irsay to bring the Colts to Jacksonville, but I did. Jacksonville wasn’t ready for a NFL team yet, it was still a college football town and Irsay was just trying to raise the price a more viable city would pay to get the team.
I returned to Baltimore in 1982 and witnessed the sneaky midnight move in 1984, and then moved back to Jax in 1985. I adopted the Jags as my team in 1995. I can’t say that the Jags have excited me as much as I was as a 15 year old at the Colts-Giants 1959 NFL Championship game in Baltimore, but maybe this year.
Certainly, TV coverage is better now than it has ever been, but the Jags are still subject to being blacked out locally. I’ll never understand why the Jags don’t give away tickets to unsold seats to Navy personel, many who end up retiring in the area and who just might end up as paying fans.
Now, having said that, I remember the year a friend of mine, a Jacksonville native and FSU grad, invited me to a Florida-Florida State party at another person’s home. As the group of beer drinking Florida fans and FSU fans settled into the 1st quarter play, my friend asked the host if he would turn down the sound on the TV and listen to the radio broadcast. “Why”, everybody else asked? Did he think the radio announcers provided better coverage, was that the reason for the request? “No”, he told the group, “You can hear the band better on the radio!” He had been in the marching band when he was a student, and even though he really didn’t like football that much (beer he did like), he was a FSU supporter because of the band!
I am positive that the Jags will either win or lose this game depending on the number of points they score and allow. Put all of your money on one of these teams. It’s a stone cold lock.
Awaiting moderation? Bitch, that comment was as moderate as it gets.