Jacksonville Wins Their First Playoff Game in a Decade
This was the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars debuts in the playoffs. The Bills Mafia stormed into Jacksonville ready to root on their beloved Bills. They were still running on a high after Andy Dalton and Tyler Boyd sent the Bills to the playoffs for the first time since 1999, ending a 17-season streak without making the playoffs. While for the Jacksonville Jaguars they made it back to the playoffs after not making it since 2007 after losing to the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round. So, coming into the game both fan bases were ready to cheer on their respective teams to end their droughts.
In the first and second quarters of the game, both teams struggled to get drives going. Tyrod Taylor had to scramble around to keep drives alive, while Blake Bortles couldn’t hit an open receiver no matter how open he was. Credit does have to go to the defenses on some of the drives because they did play well on both sides and they both had good game plans coming in. At halftime both teams traded field goals and went to the locker room nodded at three.
The Jaguars had the ball to begin the third quarter and they had a quick opening drive and it was much of the same where they couldn’t get a drive going. But, they got the ball back and they finally got a long drive to go. It was a gutsy call from head coach Doug Marrone where it was 4th-and-goal on their 1 yard line, where it was a game where it was a struggle to score points, they went for it. They called a play action pass, where Bortles found Ben Koyck in the back of the end zone and the Jaguars took the lead. That drive was an 8:52 drive and little did we know that would be the game winning touchdown.
Fourth quarter was like most of the game where both defenses would traded blows and not letting the offenses do anything. Tyrod Taylor would literally get thrown to the ground on the final drive of the game and they would evaluate him for a concussion so back up Nathan Peterman would come in and try to have a Buffalo Miracle, but stud corner Jaylen Ramsey had other plans, picks Peterman off and that would seal the game. The Jaguars would win 10-3 and punch their ticket to the divisional round and head to the Steel City and play the Steelers.
The Buffalo Bills cinderella story ended in Jacksonville, but the Bills Mafia should be excited for what the future holds because they have a great roster with a great head coach that’s only going to get his team even better for next year. While for the Jaguars they will play Sunday afternoon against the Steelers where they meet again. These two teams met in Pittsburgh in October where the Jaguars routed the Steelers 30-9. The Jaguars have a legit, talented defense that if the offense can play well, they have a great chance of upsetting the Steelers and to move onto the AFC Championship Game.
Passing Yards:
Tyrod Taylor: 17-37, 134 YDS, 1 INT.
Blake Bortles: 12-23 87 YDS, 1 TD
Rushing Yards:
LeSean McCoy: 19 CAR, 75 YDS
Blake Bortles: 10 CAR, 88 YDS
Receiving Yards:
LeSean McCoy: 6 REC, 44 YDS
Dede Westbrook: 5 REC, 48 YDS
