Anytime you win the AFC Championship the game itself represents a pretty satisfying moment. And in all honesty, the Patriots dramatic comeback from a late 10-point deficit required several game-changing plays and potentially memorable moments.
But there can only be one truly satisfying moment and we're going with the play that ultimately ended the game. Danny Amendola had barely had time to celebrate his second touchdown of the day that gave the Patriots a 24-20 lead when the defense suddenly found itself on its heels. Taking over at their 25, Jacksonville needed just two plays to move to the Patriots 38-yard line with just over two minutes to go.
The idea of the miracle comeback being all for naught was becoming a very real possibility, and when Blake Bortles nearly hit an open Leonard Fournette down the left sideline on the next play things began to look a bit scary. But the defense soon settled down and Stephon Gilmore made sure there would be no more miracles on this day.
Kyle Van Noy blitzed up the middle and knocked the ball out of Bortles' hands on second down, creating a third-and-18, and a 4-yard pass put the game on the line. On fourth down from the 43, Bortles was flushed up in the pocket by Trey Flowers, and his pass to Dede Westbrook was underthrown just enough for Gilmore to make a play.
The corner closed quickly on Westbrook and made a tremendous diving tip to knock the ball away, along with the Jags final chance, and gave New England yet another satisfying moment to savor.
