Top 10 playoff games of the Brady/Belichick era (Part 1)
By Mike Caliri
9. 2017 AFC Championship Game vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
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Boxscore
Vegas Line: Patriots -7.5
The storyline going into the 2017 AFC Championship Game was the match-up between the prolific Patriots offense and the Jaguars’ punishing defense. Trash-talking star cornerback Jalen Ramsay of the Jaguars also added significant fuel to the fire ahead of this game.
With size and physicality, the Jaguars’ secondary made it tough for Brady and the passing game to get anything going, but undisciplined play by that same secondary also led to opportunities for the Patriots when they needed them most.
An unnecessary roughness call on a helmet-to-helmet hit that knocked tight end Rob Gronkowski out of the game, as well as a pass interference call on the very next play, eventually led to a crucial Patriots touchdown.
The Jaguars still led 14-10 at halftime, on the road at Gillette Stadium.
By the fourth quarter, the Patriots found themselves down even further by a score of 20-10, but their defense would not allow the Jaguars to score for the rest of the game.
Brady made several impressive throws in the clutch: including a 3rd and 18 bullet across the middle of the field to Julian Edelman, a 31 yard flea flicker complete to Phillip Dorsett, and multiple big throws and catches by “Playoff” Danny Amendola.
Amendola ended up catching two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including one of the best catches of the season that Patriots fans will surely remember for a long time.
Another play that New Englanders will no doubt remember for a while is the incredible leaping play by Stephon Gilmore that knocked the ball away from Jaguars receiver Dede Westbrook, and essentially sealed the game for the Patriots, who advanced to their third Super Bowl in four years.