12/21/24
January 22, 2018
SportsFilter: The Monday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
To the Jags fans on this board: You've got a really fun team and most of America was pulling for you to win yesterday. Sorry the ride ended early, but congratulations on a great season.
posted by Goyoucolts at 11:49 AM on January 22, 2018
Thanks. From 3-13 to the cusp of an AFC title against the Pats dynasty was a hell of a ride. We still have New Good Team smell. It has been a special time in a town that suffered a decade of misery at a Clevelandingnagian level.
It will be interesting to see how the Jags handle a first-place season and expectations of being a Super Bowl contender. New England comes to Jacksonville next season and the Jaguars play Philadelphia in London.
posted by rcade at 02:41 PM on January 22, 2018
The team needs to go back to the old black helmets, please. Those were proper.
posted by beaverboard at 03:20 PM on January 22, 2018
The AFC Championship game had a 47.6 rating and 70 share (!) in Jacksonville, the highest of any game in any market this year.
posted by rcade at 03:39 PM on January 22, 2018
The Jaguars took a knee at 55 seconds left in the first half. That is the earliest all season for any team.
posted by rcade at 03:42 PM on January 22, 2018
The team needs to go back to the old black helmets, please. Those were proper.
The dual colored helmets have grown on my this season. I wish the gradient was a bit wider, but over all, I like them.
posted by NoMich at 03:46 PM on January 22, 2018
I loved the black Jaguars helmet, but the two-tones have grown on me. Nobody else does it and the helmet changes the look of the whole uniform based on which way the players are facing.
However, when I buy the team the uniform goes back to this, but with the new Jaguars logo, and never changes again. That was a great classic look.
posted by rcade at 04:06 PM on January 22, 2018
The Jaguars had this game, but they didn't have enough offense to be able to solidify the win. Their defense played great and kept one of the best QB's ever in check for 3 1/2 quarters. That's a lot to ask for considering how young and inexperienced that defense is.
The Jaguars are only going to get better. If Bortles can show signs of improvement in the off-season and really mature as a QB, then I see them competing in many AFC Championships in years to come. They have a solid defense and solid running game, they just need the QB position to catch up with the rest of their team.
posted by Besaw at 12:39 AM on January 23, 2018
If the Pats win the Super Bowl, it would complete a symmetrical bookend sequence for Brady and Belichick.
Three titles in four years, in a 1-0-1-1 format, starting with a NFC West team, then a NFC South team, then the Eagles.
The overall sequence would also be symmetrical: 1-0-1-1-0-0-Loss-0-0-0-Loss-0-0-1-0-1-1. Almost a palindrome.
There's also the Justin Timberlake factor.
With symmetry and storybook glory achieved, Belichick decides that now is the time to retire Brady (with Gisele's help) and back the truck up to sign Garoppolo.