FOXBOROUGH — Nothing like a good test early in the season.
On Sunday, the Patriots and Jaguars will face off in a rematch of last year’s AFC title game, a game New England needed 59 minutes to put away a feisty Jacksonville team. That one stuck in the craw of the Jaguars for a few reasons, not the least of which was a memorable play where Jacksonville believed a quick whistle cost linebacker Myles Jack a key fumble recovery.
Regardless of where you stand on that, this is going to be an incredibly compelling matchup for several reasons, not the least of which is the fact it could be a preview of another AFC title game meeting this year. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the Jaguars’ roster:
OFFENSE
Scheme
Nathaniel Hackett is in his second full season as Jacksonville’s offensive coordinator. Blake Bortles, the former punching bag, got the Jaguars all the way to the AFC title game against the Patriots last year, but this is still a run-first offense that will go as far as the likes of Leonard Fournette will take it. Last year, the Jags were the 10th-best team on the ground (137 rushing yards per game) and 24th in the air (168 passing yards per game). Simply put, this is a tough team that would like to control the game with a ground-and-pound offense. The guess here? The Patriots respond with a heavier front, which means more work for the likes of Danny Shelton and Malcom Brown and a relatively lighter afternoon for Keionta Davis and Adam Butler.
(Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Patriots
Scouting Report: Fearsome Jacksonville D leads Jaguars into early-season showdown with Patriots
Bortles floats one against the Patriots last season. (Adam Richins/Boston Sports Journal)
Quarterbacks
Blake Bortles (last week vs. NYG — 18-for-33, 176 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT; 4 carries, 42 yards):
Bill Belichick on Bortles and his mobility:
Offensive Line
LT Cam Robinson (6-6, 320):
LG Andrew Norwell (6-6, 325):
Shaq Mason
C Brandon Linder (6-6, 320):
RG AJ Cann (6-4, 313):
RT Jermey Parnell (6-6, 305):
Fournette can be a beast to try and bring down. (Adam Richins/Boston Sports Journal)
Running Backs
Leonard Fournette (6-1, 228):
TJ Yeldon (6-1, 223):
Corey Grant (5-11, 205):
Tommy Bohanon (6-1, 246):
Receivers
WR Keelan Cole (6-1, 194):
WR Donte Moncrief (6-2, 220):
Marqise Lee
WR DeDe Westbrook (6-0, 178 pounds):
Stephon Gilmore
TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins (6-5, 262):
DEFENSE
Scheme
Todd Wash
Saquon Barkley
Defensive line
DE Yannick Ngakoue (6-2, 245):
DT Marcell Dareus (6-3, 331):
DT Malik Jackson (6-6, 290):
DE Calais Campbell (6-8, 300):
Chandler Jones
Von Miller
Robert Quinn
DL Dante Fowler (6-3, 267):
Jack was dynamite in last year's AFC title game. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Linebackers
WLB Telvin Smith (6-3, 218):
MLB Myles Jack (6-1, 244):
SLB Leon Jacobs (6-2, 225):
Could Jalen Ramsey end up on Rob Gronkowski? (Adam Richins/Boston Sports Journal)
Secondary
CB Jalen Ramsey (6-1, 208):
Rob Gronkowski
Phillip Dorsett
CB AJ Bouye (6-0, 191):
SS Barry Church (6-2, 218):
FS Tashaun Gipson (5-11, 212):
S Ronnie Harrison (6-2, 207):
SPECIAL TEAMS
P Logan Cooke:
K Josh Lambo:
PR/KR Jaydon Mickens (5-11, 170):
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