Patriots Breakfast Club: Week 3 Jaguars vs. Patriots

“Keep on rollin’ baby, you know what time it is”

The Patriots enter Sunday afternoon’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars 9-1 all time against them, the only loss coming in 1999. Since then New England has been rolling over the Jags for the past 15 years, so what makes this year any different? Jacksonville heads up to Foxboro to face the defending Super Bowl champs, and while it may not seem like it, they could provide tough matchups in key areas of the game. We all know Bill Belichick will have his boys ready to go, but there are some areas that I will be watching very closely on Sunday.

One of the first things I’ll be looking for is the Patriots pressure on Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles. Last week the defense recorded 8 sacks against the Bills Tyrod Taylor. Now that’s a pretty good number all things considered, but you also have to look at how many yards Taylor gained throughout the day. Close to 250 yards in the air and another 43 escaping the pocket and picking up yards by himself. That’s close to 300 yards for a quarterback that with all due respect wouldn’t be a starter for most teams.

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On Sunday Blake Bortles, the second-year starter for the Jaguars, rolls into Foxboro after an impressive Week 2 victory over the Miami Dolphins. In that game he managed to throw for 273 yards while rushing for 27, and this was against a Dolphins front that included Ndamukong Suh, Cameron Wake, and Olivier Vernon. Pretty damn impressive if you ask me. I’m not sure what Sunday’s game told us more about: Blake Bortles for throwing for close to 275 yards against the Dolphins, or the Dolphins allowing Blake Bortles to throw for close to 275 yards. Most thought the Dolphins would be viable threats to the Patriots this season, especially after the acquisition of Suh, but if last Sunday was any indication of how this season will pan out for the Fins it might be another long season in Miami.

For the Patriots, I think Chandler Jones will have a huge game here on Sunday. He’s looked pretty good so far this season and continues to make positive strides on a weekly basis. If Bortles can be contained to the pocket, I’d gladly take my chances of him throwing up another 275 performance rather than him escaping and running it down the field by himself.

On the other side of the ball for the Patriots, Tom Brady has looked dominate in the two games they’ve played this season, throwing for 750 yards and 7 touchdowns. This past week you started to hear the comparisons to the 2007 team based off the performance against the Steelers and Bills. I think it’s a little early for that kind of talk, but then again when you take a look at the schedule you don’t see many games the Patriots can lose. Add in the fact that the Patriots (and more specifically Brady) are playing pissed off this season because of all the off-field distractions during the offseason, and maybe it isn’t so crazy to think that this team could run the table again.

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Brady and his receivers seems to be connecting on all cylinders already. Of course you have Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, who he can rely on if he needs a big play, but then you also have some newer faces making their presence known in the Patriots offense. Two guys in particular: Scott Chandler, who’s mere presence (6’7, 260 lbs) as the second tight end provides headaches for defensive coordinators when they already have to worry about Gronk. I think you’ll really get to see Chandler’s impact on this team when they’re down in the red zone and Bill Belichick employs the two-tight end set, and essentially makes defenses choose who to guard (and double team).

The other guy I’d look out for is Dion Lewis, who I’m sure everyone and their mothers knew would be a huge impact for the Patriots this season. Lewis has over 100 rushing yards and 151 receiving yards already this season and while he did fumble in both games, Bill Belichick hasn’t put him in the doghouse yet. I’m interested to see how he is utilized this week. In the past we saw Laurence Maroney fumble the ball and then you would usually see the backup RB take the majority of the touches for that game. So for Dion Lewis to keep getting touches means there is something Belichick sees in him. For his sake hopefully he can keep the ball close to him this week against the Jags.

This week I’d expect the Patriots to take care of business against the Jaguars. I do think that Jacksonville will be able to put up some points against the Patriots defense as that seems to be the MO of this group so far. Let up points, but still be able to make the big plays down the stretch. Without Brandon Browner and Darrelle Revis it’s going to be tough for the Patriots to shut teams out, but I think if Chandler Jones and the front seven are able to get pressure and force quick throws I trust this defense to limit that. Brady has a big game (again) and the defense holds the Jags to 21 points, Pats pick up a victory heading into the bye week.

52. Final. 37. 47. 21

Next: Herding Cat: Analyzing the Jaguars Offense Vs. New England

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