鈥?So many times during the Patriots’ run of success over the
past two decades
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another victory.In Sunday’s 24-20 AFC championship victory over the Jacksonville
, the defense got its chance to secure the Patriots’ record 10th Super Bowl
appearance.Jacksonville entered the game with the best red-zone scoring
percentage in NFL, scoring touchdowns on 67.9 percent of trips this season (40
on 56 drives). The Jaguars scored touchdowns on both of their red-zone trips in
the first half, as quarterback Blake Bortles had his way with short and
intermediate routes to pile up first downs.It added up to a 20-10 fourth-quarter
lead, and left Gillette Stadium in stunned silence as New England’s hopes of
getting a chance to defend its Super Bowl title seemed to be dwindling.But
Jacksonville got conservative over the final 30 minutes, much like the Atlanta
Falcons did with 28-3 lead in last year’s Super Bowl collapse against New
England. The Patriots seized on it and the Jaguars’ offense never got closer
than the Patriots’ 25 in the second half.“We put ourselves in position to come
back and just keep fighting
Dallas
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they were going to run the ball, but we kept fighting and it was a
fourth-quarter game.”The most telling example came after the Patriots took their
final lead of the game on Danny Amendola’s 4-yard touchdown catch in the back of
the end zone. The Jaguars initially went back to their success in the first half
, starting the drive with an 8-yard completion from Bortles to Marqise Lee,
followed by a 29-yard pass to Dede Westbrook to set Jacksonville up on New
England’s 38.But the Patriots reset, and after an incompletion by Bortles on
first down, linebackers Kyle Van Noy and James Harrison got to Bortles for a
sack
Anthony
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Robinson recovered the fumble, but it set up a third-and-19.New England kept the
pressure on Bortles and he could only manage a 4-yard completion to James
O’Shaughnessy.“They had maybe one or two plays that we talk about this time of
year,” safety Devin McCourty said. “Sixteen games, a play or two may have
success, but (Patriots defensive coordinator) Matt (Patricia) said it best: It
wasn’t a big adjustment that you needed to do; it was just needing to play
aggressively.”With Jacksonville facing fourth-and-15 on its 43, cornerback
Stephon Gilmore reached in front of Bortles’ pass to O’Shaughnessy to force a
turnover on downs.It was a special moment for Gilmore
Harold Landry
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signing a five-year, $65 million contract in the offseason.“It wasn’t the
biggest play I’ve made, but it was definitely one of the most important,” he
said. “To come from where I came from last year, and be a part of this great
team … I love it and that’s why I decided to come here.”For Bortles, it was his
first loss this season when he didn’t commit a turnover. He was previously
8-0.“We had a two-minute drive at the end of the game to win the AFC
championship
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ask for than that,” Bortles said. “You’ve got to take advantage of that and find
a way to win the game.”And now the Patriots will have a chance at their sixth
Super Bowl trophy, which would tie the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most
ever.McCourty said the defense is invigorated by the opportunity.“This team is
battle-tested,” McCourty said. “You go through ups and downs. You go through
adversity. … We just keep giving ourselves a chance to win, and the hard work
pays off.” The New York Jets have claimed tight end Clive Walford off waivers
from the Oakland Raiders.
The Jets announced the move Monday. It provides New York depth at tight end
after Austin Seferian-Jenkins recently signed with Jacksonville as a free
agent.
Tight ends Eric Tomlinson, Jordan Leggett and Neal Sterling are also on the
roster.
The 6-foot-4 Darius Leonard
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six touchdowns in three seasons with the Raiders after being a third-round draft
pick out of Miami in 2015.
He was waived by Oakland last Friday.
After catching 61 passes in his first two NFL seasons, Walford saw limited
action in new coordinator Todd Downing’s offense last season. Walford missed the
last three games with a concussion that landed him on injured reserve. He had
just nine catches for 80 yards and no TDs.
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