FOXBOROUGH, MASS. – While most Minnesotans focus on Philadelphia for the NFC Championship Game, I have arrived in New England to cover the other team that heads to Minneapolis for Super Bowl LII.
When the week started, Patriots fans couldn't help but feel overconfident. The five-time Super Bowl champs appeared to catch another break when the Steelers got knocked from the playoffs by the upstart Jaguars. Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy wrote:
I know — and you know — that no team quarterbacked by Blake Bleeping Bortles is going to come into Foxborough and beat Bill Belichick and Tom Brady in an AFC Championship game. … See you at the Mall of America.
But the more I study the Jaguars, the more I like. They are loaded with defensive talent and game changers such as Jalen Ramsey. Yes, Ben Roethlisberger carved up that defense for 469 yards and five touchdowns, but an offense led by Leonard Fournette was good enough to defeat Pittsburgh for the second time this season.
Then, Tom Brady suffered a throwing hand injury during Wednesday's practice. The Globe reported that Brady "jammed his right hand and suffered a cut on a handoff drill." It sounds like it could be a thumb injury. He's expected to play Sunday, but this could have an effect on his usual precision, which would be especially dangerous against Jacksonville.
Brady is scheduled to address the media today at about 12:40 CT. This morning, when asked if he was concerned that Brady would be able to perform to his usual ability, Bill Belichick said, "I don't know. We'll see."
It's definitely a story I'll be monitoring while I'm here. Check back here for coverage through the weekend, and you can follow me on Twitter @JoeCStrib.
