Max Kellerman won't explicitly say he thinks the Jaguars will beat the Patriots in the AFC championship. Instead, he's covering his hot take with caveats. How disappointing.
Over the weekend, Kellerman, who declared 18 months ago Tom Brady was "going to fall off a cliff," decided to taunt Patriots fans on Twitter.
"And hey, Pats fans: congratulations on your 40 year old QB looking good (for the first time in 7 weeks), at home, against Tennessee, in the cold," he tweeted.
On "First Take" Monday, Kellerman wasn't as forceful, saying he's "considering" picking the Jaguars. The guy who seems to predict Brady's demise on a weekly basis is suddenly being careful with his words. It's cowardly.
"This Bill Belichick version of the Patriots doesn't always muster a great pass rush," Kellerman said. "You know (Belichick) is going to take away the run. You know (Leonard) Fournette is going to be keyed on. So really, it's going to come down to the Patriots saying, 'OK Blake Bortles, let's see you make some plays with your arm to beat us.' And Blake Bortles just showed he's capable of doing it. You've got to take the Jags very seriously."
You can tell Kellerman wants to pick the Jaguars. He's making the argument for them. His uncharacteristic tepidness is bizarre.
Perhaps a memo was sent around to the sports debate men. Shannon Sharpe toed the line on FS1's "Undisputed" as well, picking the Jaguars only if Blake Bortles plays well.
"If (Bortles) can do exactly what he did yesterday, Skip Bayless, they will beat the Patriots on Sunday," Sharpe said.
"If Blake Bortles can do exactly what he did yesterday, the Jaguars will beat the Patriots on Sunday." — @ShannonSharpe pic.twitter.com/oiLibkm1yv
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) January 15, 2018So if the Jaguars' quarterback plays well, they'll win the game. How bold and gutsy.
These mid-morning sports talk warriors don't have a place if they're not being ridiculous. Nobody wants to hear judicious Max Kellerman or Shannon Sharpe. Here's hoping they return to their insane Patriots hate as the week progresses.
