Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your day:
I'm not sure the Jaguars quite know what to do in this situation.
All season long, it's clear that Jacksonville has been using slights, either perceived or real, as fuel. The Jags has been undeniably sparked by their haters, using those doubts expressed by other teams as a way to propel themselves all the way to the AFC title game.
But this week, Jacksonville has run up against the sort of opponent it's never seen before -- a team that has no interest in running them down, disrespecting them, or otherwise looking past them. In fact, the Patriots, as they usually do, are saying nothing but good things about the Jags. We've heard multiple Patriots players call them elite. Matthew Slater suggested God had a hand in helping create Jalen Ramsey. Devin McCourty called Blake Bortles "a winner." Sure, you'll get the occasionally innocuous quote from the likes of Adam Butler, who acknowledged Ramsey made a "bold statement." But for the most part, it's been nothing but verbal bouquets from the Patriots.
The whole thing is clearly messing with their heads. How else do you explain this Tweet from Jacksonville's Tevin Smith?
Bruh this the oldest trick...pump us up in the media but in the buildin I kno what’s really bein said. ✊?Respect ? https://t.co/1I0954GF8C
— Telvin Smith (@TelvinSmith_22) January 16, 2018
Faulk was a beast at LSU #AllEyezOn3 pic.twitter.com/Jj3sjVeS0R
— '03 Kliff Kingsbury (@fearthe_beard11) January 18, 2018