ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck doesn't think the Jaguars can beat the Patriots in the AFC championship. But the ex-quarterback does believe Jacksonville can keep the game close.
In his weekly interview Monday with "Kirk & Callahan," Hasselbeck said the Patriots will struggle to score on Sunday against the No. 1-ranked defense in the league.
"I don't think they win, but I do think they have the ability to make it more competitive than the Divisional game in Foxborough," he explained. "Part of it is how creative Todd Wash –– the defensive coordinator for Jacksonville –– ends up being. I was asked a while back about who could be the best matchup for the Patriots in the AFC. I think one of the big things you've got to deal with –– you've got to deal with Brady, obviously. But you say, 'These guys have good interior defensive linemen that have matched up well against everybody. ' That's probably not a great matchup for the center and guards of the Patriots. Interior pressure could be key The only thing you have to deal with is, you have to match up with Gronk. If you go back to what the Broncos did when Aqib Talib was in Denver, they put Talib on Gronk. They treated him special, because he's a special player and we're going to do that. Jalen Ramsey has similar skills to Talib: he's big, he's physical, he's fast. I would not be surprised to see him on him."
Though the Jaguars allowed 42 yards and 556 yards to the Steelers, they forced two turnovers and dominated Pittsburgh at times. The Jaguars look like they can contain the Patriots, especially if they pressure Tom Brady without blitzing.
But Blake Bortles remains Jacksonville's weakness, and Hasselbeck thinks it will prohibit them from pulling off the upset.
"When the Jags are on offense, they're going to have to catch some breaks," Hasselbeck said.
Unlike the Steelers, the Patriots also won't be handing the Jaguars bulletin board material. While it's difficult to say how much that factored into the game's outcome, it does look like Pittsburgh underestimated Jacksonville.
