Patriots vs. Jaguars Game Day Newsletter Sept 16 Patriots_Digital | Page 78

AP IMAGES
That started in the offseason when the
organization improved areas impacted by that
loss and other similar losing results a season ago. and linebacker Telvin Smith. Third-year
linebacker Myles Jack is now the every-down
middle linebacker and calls the defense.
All-Pro left guard Andrew Norwell joined the
team in free agency to provide added punch in the
running game. Tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins
joined in free agency to provide a consistent
middle-of-the-fi eld threat in the passing game
and help in run blocking. Veteran free agents
– tight end Niles Paul and safety Cody Davis –
added to the special teams coverage, while the
team drafted a new punter, Logan Cooke. A strong football team that fell just short a
season ago just got better, and the circumstances
surrounding the ending of their season drives
them to not only get back to that game, but to go
beyond and make sure Owner Shad Khan hoists
the Lombardi Trophy. Make no mistake, if it was not
the standard before, it certainly is now – especially
coming minutes away from playing for it.
The young receivers from a season ago are a
year older and more experienced – Keelan Cole,
Dede Westbrook, Jaydon Mickens – and they are
now joined by veteran free agent addition Donte
Moncrief and second-round draft pick DJ Chark Jr.
The game-wrecking defense lost only a couple
of key pieces and has already shown last week
what they can be in 2018. They now have eight
players with Pro Bowl experience – cornerback
A.J. Bouye, defensive lineman Calais Campbell,
defensive tackle Marcell Dareus, safety Tashaun
Gipson, defensive tackle Malik Jackson, defensive
AP Images
end
Yannick Ngakoue, cornerback Jalen Ramsey
Even with that goal still hanging out there for
this franchise, and with all those additions and
remedies to cure what ailed the team late in the
season and in the postseason last year, here is all
the Jaguars can do today…
They can open TIAA Bank Field for the regular
season. They can continue to improve on things
from last week’s road win over the New York
Giants. They can improve to 2-0 with a win over
New England. They can solidify themselves
as early-season contenders in the American
Football Conference for 2018. They can knock off
the GOAT head coach Bill Belichick and the GOAT
quarterback Tom Brady - fi nally. AP IMAGES