2018 NFL playoffs: 6 bold predictions for Jaguars vs. Patriots game

The Jacksonville Jaguars (12-6) are facing the New England Patriots (14-3) for the chance to go to THE SUPER BOWL and we’ve got BOLD PREDICTIONS.

Here’s how the Big Cat Country team thinks about the Jaguars’ chances in Pittsburgh this Sunday.

Alfie Crow

I’m feeling it. The Jaguars are built to beat a team like the Patriots. They can cover with their back seven. They can rush with just four and not bringing extra blitzers. The Patriots don’t really have any “wow” passing threats like the Steelers did, outside of Gronk, and Tom Brady has shown if you start hitting him early he will have a rough go of it. The Patriots offensive line isn’t great and Brady isn’t mobile at all. If the Jaguars offensive line can show up like they did against the Steelers and Fournette is healthy I think the Jaguars can come away with a win in Foxborough. This isn’t they unbeatable Patriots of three, four years ago, but the mystique is still there.

Score: Jaguars 24-16

Ryan Day

I’ll make this short and sweet.

The greatest quarterback of all time coached by the greatest head coach of all time will win this one.

Score: Jaguars win 24-21

Laurie Fitzpatrick

The Jaguars defense came through early against the Steelers and it’s going to take a similar performance next week against the New England Patriots. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski are going to be a very tough matchup for the linebackers. Myles Jack, Telvin Smith, and even Jalen Ramsey might be covering Rob Gronkowski and still we have to hope the plays he makes won’t be critical because trust me, he will make plays with the most accurate quarterback of all time throwing to him.

Our defensive line will have to fight every single down to get to Tom Brady next week but that will be the key, being constantly in his face. He hates getting hit every play and the Jaguars might have to take a couple penalties just to get the message across that they won’t let down. If the Jaguars can shut down Brandin Cooks and our offense can keep Leonard Fournette grounding and pounding Jaguars win.

Score: Jaguars win 28-21

Zach Goodall

The Jacksonville Jaguars are hot right now, and are riding this hot streak into a cold New England for the 2018 AFC Championship Game. Although the Pittsburgh Steelers had firepower on their offense, this will be the biggest challenge the Jaguars defense has faced yet with numerous play makers of varying skill sets on the Patriots offense.

If the Jaguars can find a way to rattle Tom Brady and somehow eliminate Rob Gronkowski and Dion Lewis in the passing game, I’m confident they can contain the rest of the Patriots’ versatile offense. That’s easier said than done, though, and I think the Patriots pull this one off.

Score: Patriots win 21-17

Ryan O’Bleness

I’m nervous about this game. Tom Brady is 26-9 in playoff games and remarkably, this is his 12th AFC Championship game — that is only one less postseason game than the Jaguars have played in as a franchise (prior to Sunday), for crying out loud. The Patriots team as a whole is entering its seventh straight AFC Championship appearance. They have the experience.

But guess what?

The Jacksonville Jaguars don’t care about any of that, and they’ll continue to use their us against the world mentality against the defending champs. The Patriots are 3-3 in their last six AFC Championship appearances, and haven’t made back to back Super Bowls since 2003-2004. That trend continues this year. We’re going to shock the world.

Score: Jaguars win 28-24

Jimmy Siettmann

The Jaguars have a shot to go to the Super Bowl. Just let that sink in for a second. I picked against the team last week, and I can’t do it two weeks in a row. I don’t know if this is a team of destiny per say, but they are just be really damn good, and that matters.

The Jaguars have the statistical profile of teams that have beaten the Patriots, including the most recent team in the 2016 Denver Broncos. They disrupted Tom Brady all day, including Malik Jackson, who might as well have tattooed himself on Brady.

This game won’t be the 45-42 shootout, and I don’t think the Patriots have the weapons to beat the Jaguars deep like the Steelers had in Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant.

The Jaguars will be aggressive, and play up on the Patriots, disrupting their routes. Bortles will throw two touchdowns, no turnovers, and A.J. Bouye will seal the deal with a game-winning interception.

I believe they will win, and why not?

Score: Jaguars win 21-20