JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Polar opposites. That’s one way to describe the AFC Championship between the Jaguars and Patriots. New England is one win away from the Super Bowl for the seventh consecutive season. Jacksonville on the other hand is in the AFC title game for only the third time in team history.
One thing the two franchises have in common is that they had two joint practices this summer leading up to the preseason opener for both teams. Early August was nearly six months ago and neither team looks anything like they did back then.
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Patriots head coach Bill Belichick agreed with that line of thinking during a Monday conference call.
“That was a long time ago,” Belichick said. “I think right now what it’s about is getting ready to play this game. That was a different point in time, different emphasis. I don’t know.”
Since then the Jaguars have gone from benching, albeit briefly, starting quarterback Blake Bortles to winning the AFC South with 10 wins in the regular season.
Belichick called Jacksonville’s win over Pittsburgh “very impressive” and he’s not concerned with what happened back in August.
“I think right now what it’s about is getting ready to play this game. That was a different point in time, different emphasis.”