The Jaguars had a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead during the AFC championship game. They had played a nearly perfect first half and their running game during the first two quarters was effective. The Jags defense even flustered Tom Brady and managed to sack him twice. But then when the Patriots bounced back with a touchdown drive late in the first half, they gave the ball back to Jacksonville with 55 seconds and two timeouts to work with at their own 25-yard line. And they decided to kneel, despite having plenty of time to work to move into field goal position and an offense that had played incredibly well.
The Jaguars decided to kneel with 55 seconds remaining in the first half and 2 timeouts.
No team had taken a knee with over 50 seconds remaining in the first half this season.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 21, 2018
But this is what the Patriots do, and have done, for almost two decades. They consistently turn good teams into shells of themselves. The Patriots don’t find themselves in bad positions very frequently, but when they do, they have the ability to make the other team doubt itself and slowly implode.
Teams Trailing by 10+ Points in 4th Quarter in Playoff Game – Last 10 Seasons
Patriots: 3-4
Rest of NFL: 3-70 pic.twitter.com/5hU3zPJKVs
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 21, 2018
There is no point believing that any team could beat the Patriots. Not to say it can’t and won’t happen — the Eagles did look good during their 31-point win against the Vikings in Philadelphia — but the Patriots have the ability to make even the most skilled football team look like just any other football team.
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