As much as critics like to bash this division as being weak, the fact is the AFC South has half of the remaining teams in the AFC playoffs. The 2017 AFC South champion Jacksonville Jaguars ended a ten year playoff drought, winning their first playoff game since 2007, and hosting their first playoff game since 1999. They shut down the Buffahole Bills, holding them to 3 points. In the other wildcard bracket, the loathsome tacks rallied from a 21-3 halftime deficit to beat the Chiefs 22-21. Once again, the tacks benefitted from a flukish TD and were the beneficiaries of an egregious forward progress negation of a clear fumble by Mariota and recovery by the Chiefs. The call enabled Tennessee to score right before half in a game decided by one point. There was a benefit to that result, however, as the tacks took coach Mike Mularkey off the hot seat, to the chagrin of some tacks fans and the delight of fans of the other AFCS teams. Both the 2017 AFC South Champion Jaguars and the second place stinkin’ tacks go on the road for the Divisional round of the playoffs. The division also rans were busy, as the Houston Texans hired their new GM, Brian Gaine, who came from Buffalo after an earlier stint in Houston. Meanwhile, the Colts continued their search for a new coach, interviewing Baylor coach Matt Rhule.
Predictions wise, I was 1-1 thanks to the flukish yet traditional KC playoff choke and the dominant defensive performance by the 2017 AFC South Champion Jacksonville Jaguars. We’ll see how I do this week.
Tacks (10-7) at
Patriots (13-3)- By Tom Brady’s G.O.A.T standards, December was something of a sub par month for him, throwing, by my count, only 6 TDs to 5 INTs for the month. However, barring an early injury that knocks him out the rest of the game, I see no way they lose at home to the tacks.
Patriots 28-17.
Jaguars (10-6) at
Steelers (13-3)-the 3rd seeded Jaguars travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in a rematch of an earler game, the 30-9 win by the Jaguars, featuring 5 INTs by the Jaguars defense, including two pick 6s. Despite the sentiment that has the Steelers as the favorites going into this contest, the fact is, the Jaguars actually match up better against the Steelers now than they did in week 5 because of the addition of DT Marcell Dareus. Now the Jaguars are far better equipped to stop the run than they were back then, even though the Steeler mysteriously chose not to run in the earlier game. Given the development of guys like Keelan Cole and Dede Westbrook, theoretically, the Jaguars should match up better offensively against the Steelers than they did in week 5, especially considering the devastating injury to stud Steelers LB Ryan Shazier. But two things are working against the Jaguars in this match. First Bortles has not played well in the last three weeks. In theory, that might not be too bad considering the Jaguars minimized him in week 5 and they still beat the Steelers. But then, they ran the ball down the Steelers throats in that game. In one series, the Jaguars ran the ball 14 straight times, and the Jaguars passed the ball once the entire second half. This brings me to the second thing working against the Jaguars: they aren’t running the ball effectively. I don’t know whether it’s because Fournette has hit a rookie wall, he is unhealthy, teams are stubbornly stacking the box with eight or none guys, the OL isn’t getting it done, or what, but the team is not running the ball nearly as effectively as they were earlier. That can spell disaster for a team going against the only defense in the league that registered more sacks than the Jaguars, and I’m not entirely sure how the Jaguars can get it going against the Steelers. One possibility: Steelers DE Stephon Tuitt has an injury which may limit his effectiveness, if not his availability. If he can’t go, he might be replaced by former Jaguar first rounder Tyson Alualu, who should have one of those truck backup warning beepers on his outfit, because he is constantly blown off the ball. Otherwise, the Jaguars will have to show competency in the passing game, certainly more than the 88 yards they passed for last week. The Jaguars defense is certainly good enough to win this game. The question is do they get enough help from the offense. I desperately hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think they do.
Steelers 20, Jaguars 7.
Last week: 1-1
Overall: 33-21
Worst to 1st. Curse Reversed!
