By Jacob Sanders
Sanders went 1-3 again last week
putting him to 2-6 in the post-season and 149-103 on the season.
Jacksonville Jaguars VS New England Patriots
A case for the Jaguars:
This Jacksonville defense has been
incredible all season. Whether it’s been shutting down opposing receivers or
sacking the opponent many times (thus the city being dubbed Sacksonville), this
team has opened some eyes this year simply due to their physical approach to
the game and keeping it simple. They win the battles upfront and maintain
control of the game through a physical running game. This wasn’t exactly the
case last week against Pittsburgh but that just goes to show this Jaguars team
can win more than one way. If the Jaguars manage to keep up their physicality in
this game, they have a much beefier and tougher team than the Patriots do.
Speaking of those Patriots…
A case for the Patriots:
This year’s Patriots team hasn’t
been about physicality as much as it has mind games. Per the usual, Bellichick
and his staff love to treat football like a game of chess. They come in with a
gameplan to counteract your strengths and if their gameplan isn’t working, they
don’t hesitate to go to Plans B-Z until they find a winning strategy. Often
enough, their queen of the chess board, Tom Brady, is smart enough at finding
weaknesses during a game on his own and excels at consistently targeting that
weakness. The one here? Gronkowski VS Jacksonville linebackers. There isn’t a
linebacker on the defense that tells me Jacksonville can handle Gronkowski.
Even with Ramsey’s big words about him handling Gronkowski, Gronk is too big of
an athlete for Ramsey to consistently stop him. Thus, if the Patriots O-line
can protect Brady for at least 3 seconds on most snaps, it shouldn’t be too hard
for the Patriots to channel their passing game through Gronkowski and the
dynamic running back duo of Dion Lewis and James White.
Final Verdict:
I normally can appreciate the
NFL’s best organization ever and the greatest dynasty ever. The genius of the
Patriots and the strategies they employ are no secrets to anyone. However, the
theme of the NFL this year has been about physical teams. Even teams that
didn’t make the playoffs such as the Chargers, Seahawks, and the Ravens come to
mind when thinking about how physical NFL teams are this year. This includes 3
of the final 4 teams in the dance. Minnesota, Philadelphia, and Jacksonville.
All 3 of these teams have won with “inferior” QBs because the overall teams are
balanced and play a tough, punishing physical game. Over the last 7 AFC
championships, the 4 games that the Patriots have lost, have been to physical
defenses that take command of the game and disrupt Brady’s rhythm. Count me as
one who thinks this Jacksonville defense can join those defenses who are good
enough to beat Brady at what has been arguably his biggest weakness in the
post-season. Big, physical defenses.
Jaguars 23 Patriots 17
Minnesota Vikings VS Philadelphia Eagles
A case for the Vikings:
Alright alright. Enough with the
whole “Case Keenum isn’t a great QB”. If you ask me, he is the best of the 3
QBs that aren’t HoF caliber in the final four. Keenum has played smart,
situational football all while protecting the football as well. He avoids
turnovers and can find his men downfield when needed. The one-two punch of
Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen has helped with his development but not all
credit can be taken by those two receivers. In addition, the Vikings defense
has smothered opponents this year and has plenty of playmakers that can control
a game even if the Vikings offense stumbles for a little bit. The Vikings have
been one of the few teams this year that have employed the same strategies
since Week 1 and they’re still winning. This is a real team folks. They have
been since Day 1.
A case for the Eagles:
So I’m going to straight up apologize. I gave zero chance for the Eagles to win last week. I thought with Nick Foles and what they showed in last few weeks of the season, that they were doomed. Not so. They man-handled the Falcons with a tough defense and Nick Foles finally getting it together in the second half. If Foles can play the same way he did in the second half last week for an entire four quarters, the Eagles can win this game easily. They have plenty of offensive playmakers and a nasty defensive line upfront to force Keenum to challenge them downfield. Fletcher Cox is a key here. If he can disrupt the Vikings O-line time after time, the Vikings offense will become one-dimensional and predictable. Considering the circumstances though, this game will be much harder for both teams to employ their game plans than one might think.
So I’m going to straight up apologize. I gave zero chance for the Eagles to win last week. I thought with Nick Foles and what they showed in last few weeks of the season, that they were doomed. Not so. They man-handled the Falcons with a tough defense and Nick Foles finally getting it together in the second half. If Foles can play the same way he did in the second half last week for an entire four quarters, the Eagles can win this game easily. They have plenty of offensive playmakers and a nasty defensive line upfront to force Keenum to challenge them downfield. Fletcher Cox is a key here. If he can disrupt the Vikings O-line time after time, the Vikings offense will become one-dimensional and predictable. Considering the circumstances though, this game will be much harder for both teams to employ their game plans than one might think.
Final Verdict:
Alright. I’m a believer. I’ve been
a believer since Thanksgiving Weekend when the Vikings beat the Lions on
Thanksgiving Day. I thought the Vikings two toughest opponents to the Super
Bowl would be the Eagles (when Wentz was still in the picture) and the New
Orleans Saints. I did pick the Saints last week but that was due more to
circumstance than it was in my actual faith in either team. For my money, I
told friends at the beginning of the playoffs that the Super Bowl was going to
be represent by the Saints or the Vikings in the NFC. I’m maintaining that
position and taking the Vikings to be the first team to ever have a home-field
Super Bowl. The Eagles have a great defense but the Vikings defense is better
and should be able to handle Foles more easily than some are thinking. The
Vikings defense is too much fun to watch while the Case Keenum story continues
to amaze everyone each week. You’re lying to yourself if you don’t think this
is one of the best football stories ever. Just assume the Vikings win this game
for a second. The Vikings. A football team with one of the worst post-season histories
in the NFL, would be the first team ever to host a Super Bowl in their own
stadium and will be starting their 3rd string QB while doing it.
Folks. That’s incredible. That’s what makes sports special and why this Vikings
team is special. It’s also why their heading to Super Bowl 52. #SKOL
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