The Jaguars were dominating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in last season’s AFC title game back in January, but then Brady woke up.
With the Patriots down 10 points in the 4th quarter, Brady led the Patriots on two touchdown scoring drives, and in the process, he threw for 138 yards and two touchdowns in that final quarter as the Pats beat the Jaguars 24-20 to advance to Super Bowl 52.
While the Jaguars lost the game, their wide receiver Dede Westbrook felt Jacksonville was the better team.
“Most definitely, one-thousand percent,” Westbrook told the Go4it podcast hosted by Paul Gant. “And with that being said, because everybody knows we have the best defense in the NFL, and not only that, we were out executing them at one point on offense as well. That’s the reason I say that.”
Jacksonville had one last chance to take the lead late in the 4th quarter, but Stephon Gilmore knocked away a Blake Bortles’ pass intended for Westbrook. A pass that the 2nd-year wide receiver believes he should have caught.
“I let that pretty much slip through my hands, instead of going up and being a big-time receiver and making a play,” Westbrook said. “No disrespect or anything to the Patriots or nothing, but Gilmore made a great break on the ball, but as a receiver, that’s my ball, and I’m supposed to have it.”
Westbrook has moved past that moment and is looking to have a breakout season in 2018:
“Now, it’s pretty much out of my head,” Westbrook said. “I’m ready to go and make a lot more plays to put us back in that same position, but a little farther as far as going to the Super Bowl and winning.”
The Jaguars should have won that game, but Tom Brady willed the Patriots to victory.
Going into 2018, Jacksonville has the talent to get back to the Super Bowl, especially with that dominating defense. The key will be Bortles, who just got paid in the offseason. If he plays well, and that defense continues to dominate, the Jags could easily be hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in 2018.
Listen below to the interview with Westbrook at the 38:52 mark: