Most of the talk about the Jacksonville Jaguars this week has centered around their defense. The Jags are second in the league in points and yards allowed and tops in pass defense.
ESPN.com believes the Jaguars are built in a way that could hit on some of the areas that the Patriots are vulnerable. With such a talented defense to battle on Sunday it was no surprise to see Tom Brady at the stadium working on his day off on Tuesday. The Boston Herald believes upping the tempo on offense could be the perfect way to combat the Jags. Historically, top offenses against top defenses have been toss ups. MassLive.com looks at how the Jags built such a formidable defense. Jags running back Leonard Fournette was involved in a minor car accident on Tuesday.
The Boston Globe says the status of right tackle LaAdrian Waddle is uncertain for Sunday. The Globe also catches up with Stephon Gilmore, who is right where he wants to be with the Patriots. Speaking of injuries, the Patriots have until 4 p.m. on Wednesday to activate Malcolm Mitchell off IR.
The Boston Herald says Roger Goodell is a Patriots fan, at least for this week.
The Providence Journal believes Jacksonville will do plenty of running on Sunday. While most people feel the Jags will be overmatched on Sunday, the Journal says it will be a step up in competition for the Patriots. The Patriot Ledger says Ricky Jean Francois is enjoying the roller coaster ride since arriving late in the season. The Eagle-Tribune talks to Texans coach Bill O’Brien, who believes Sunday's game will be a great one to watch. NESN.com wonders how much of a factor Tom Coughlin might be on Sunday. Bill Belichick doesn't believe the joint practices the team held back in August will help much with preparations for the AFC title game.
MassLive.com looks as some possibilities to replace coordinators Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia. NBC Sports Boston says they will be tough to replace but the Patriots culture has been established.
In one of the more remarkable stats about the Patriots, the team has 19 players who have always advanced at least as far as the AFC Championship during their careers. The Patriots have persevered while many challengers have come and gone.
The Florida Times-Union notes that this is not the first time the Patriots and Jags have met in the AFC title game. They offer a look at how the Jaguars stack up with the remaining three teams. In terms of matchups, one to watch on Sunday is rookies Cam Robinson against Deatrich Wise.
