Wildcard week - Jaguars at Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars at New England Patriots
Gillette Stadium
Saturday, 7 January
2000 EST on ABC / 0100 GMT on Sky Sports Xtra
The warm-weather Jaguars travel to Foxborough, Massachusetts, where the temperature is not expects to rise above freezing even with the sun out earlier in the day but the Patriots are hot and everybody's dark horse to reach the Super Bowl. The last time these sides met in the playoffs, Jacksonville came out 25-10 winners in the 1998 wildcard round, the only time the Jags have beaten the Pats and one of just four post-season victories in eight attempts by the 11-season-old team.
New England's hopes of an unprecedented third consecutive NFL championship looked ruined by mid-season, when they were decimated by injuries and a 40-21 rout by Indianapolis left their record at 4-4. Key players came back at the right times, though, and the Pats took advantage of a week AFC East division to grab fourth seed in the conference. Still, they have a 12-man injury report for this weekend, with stars such as quarterback Tom Brady (shoulder) and running back Corey Dillon (calf) listed as "probable" and inspirational linebacker Tedy Bruschi as "questionable" but with the game on the line, don't expect any player to hold back in what is the best team effort in the league. As far as their game plan is concerned, coach Bill Belichick is impossible to predict. Last weekend he put back-up QB Doug Flutie in after a touchdown to drop-kick the extra point – the first time that has happened in the NFL since 1941! Expect them to use short, quick passes to try to exploit a defensive line that brings massive pressure.
Jacksonville are in the playoffs for the first time in the last six years, as Jack Del Rio's rebuilding programme finally bears fruit in his third season as head coach. Their schedule for second half of their regular season was hardly testing as they cruised to a 11-5 record, but the Jaguars had already secured tight victories over fellow playoff sides Seattle, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Del Rio has spent the week defending his decision to start Byron Leftwich at quarterback despite his six-week absence with a broken ankle. Replacement David Garrard has won five games since then, but the accuracy of a fully-fit Leftwich is one of the best ways to beat the scheming Patriot defense.
Unfortunately for the Jags, they lack the deep receiving threat which some sides have used to exploit the banged-up New England defensive backfield this year. With running back Fred Taylor past his best, they are also unable to keep the defensive front seven honest. They will be on the lookout for the short-passing game, and Jacksonville won't be able to find an effective plan B. Patriots take it 24-14.
NFLBriefing.com
Gillette Stadium
Saturday, 7 January
2000 EST on ABC / 0100 GMT on Sky Sports Xtra
The warm-weather Jaguars travel to Foxborough, Massachusetts, where the temperature is not expects to rise above freezing even with the sun out earlier in the day but the Patriots are hot and everybody's dark horse to reach the Super Bowl. The last time these sides met in the playoffs, Jacksonville came out 25-10 winners in the 1998 wildcard round, the only time the Jags have beaten the Pats and one of just four post-season victories in eight attempts by the 11-season-old team.
New England's hopes of an unprecedented third consecutive NFL championship looked ruined by mid-season, when they were decimated by injuries and a 40-21 rout by Indianapolis left their record at 4-4. Key players came back at the right times, though, and the Pats took advantage of a week AFC East division to grab fourth seed in the conference. Still, they have a 12-man injury report for this weekend, with stars such as quarterback Tom Brady (shoulder) and running back Corey Dillon (calf) listed as "probable" and inspirational linebacker Tedy Bruschi as "questionable" but with the game on the line, don't expect any player to hold back in what is the best team effort in the league. As far as their game plan is concerned, coach Bill Belichick is impossible to predict. Last weekend he put back-up QB Doug Flutie in after a touchdown to drop-kick the extra point – the first time that has happened in the NFL since 1941! Expect them to use short, quick passes to try to exploit a defensive line that brings massive pressure.
Jacksonville are in the playoffs for the first time in the last six years, as Jack Del Rio's rebuilding programme finally bears fruit in his third season as head coach. Their schedule for second half of their regular season was hardly testing as they cruised to a 11-5 record, but the Jaguars had already secured tight victories over fellow playoff sides Seattle, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. Del Rio has spent the week defending his decision to start Byron Leftwich at quarterback despite his six-week absence with a broken ankle. Replacement David Garrard has won five games since then, but the accuracy of a fully-fit Leftwich is one of the best ways to beat the scheming Patriot defense.
Unfortunately for the Jags, they lack the deep receiving threat which some sides have used to exploit the banged-up New England defensive backfield this year. With running back Fred Taylor past his best, they are also unable to keep the defensive front seven honest. They will be on the lookout for the short-passing game, and Jacksonville won't be able to find an effective plan B. Patriots take it 24-14.
NFLBriefing.com
posted by MG at
3:07 PM
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