3 key Patriots who got their mojo back in Jaguars beatdown

The New England Patriots needed to take home a win against Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars, and they did so in jaw-dropping fashion. New England put up 50 points in what may have been the most dominant singular game from any team this season.

After two straight losses against potential playoff teams in the Colts and Bills, New England got back on the right track by overwhelming a team — to the tune of a 50-10 final score — that looked like they were playing a different sport.

In many ways this was a get-right game for a number of players who came up extremely short against Indy and Buffalo — two games that could’ve put the Patriots in the driver’s seat for one of the top seeds in the AFC.

That’s in the past now, though. We’re focusing on the guys who rebounded in spectacular fashion at just the right time. The playoffs technically begin with a Week 18 game against the Miami Dolphins, which will have implications if the Patriots lose and the Colts win. We’re just glad these players are seemingly back on track.

3 New England Patriots who played very well against the Jaguars.

3. S Kyle Dugger

While Lawrence made some very nice throws, he was stuck in an offense that had maybe two or three NFL-caliber players on it and was coordinated by Brian Schottenheimer. Belichick had to be licking his lips at the prospect of facing this combination, and he chose to unleash Dugger to really beat up on the Jags.

Dugger recorded an interception of Lawrence that quickly led to some Patriots points. After a few weeks of poor performances (with an ejection against Indianapolis), it was nice to see the former D-II star pick up his fourth interception of the season against the Jaguars.

Kyle Dugger had one of his best games for the Patriots.

With JC Jackson potentially leaving in free agency and Devin McCourty getting long in the tooth, Dugger is being billed as a major contributor in the secondary for the next decade. With his size and speed combination, Belichick’s trust in him is not misplaced in the slightest.

While Laquon Treadwell and Tavon Austin are not going to break off huge receiving days, Dugger did his part to make sure that they didn’t get one inch of space for Lawrence. Dugger’s hard-hitting and penchant for turnovers could be X-factors that help them go off on a deep postseason run.