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Associated Press
The rest of the AFC finally bridges the gap created by the New England Patriots during 17 dominant seasons. The team lacks game leaders in key positions and can not defend themselves, and even the genius of Bill Belichick and his team is in question.
New England tends to spawn one or two eggs each season, but the 31-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars symbolized something more.
"I think for us it was [a statement game] because we are being neglected, "said Jaguars defensive lineman Malik Jackson, according to Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com." Nobody really believed in us. They thought that they would come here and make us roll, so for us, I think it was a set of statements for people to recognize us. "
Patriotic control of the AFC is loosening. New England should always be considered the team to beat over a stretch of 16 games and in the playoffs. However, the AFC is not as weak as initially thought.
Originally, the Pittsburgh Jaguars and Steelers seemed to be the only two teams worthy of being considered giant killers. However, the Cincinnati Bengals and Kansas City Chiefs engaged in the conversation after an impressive start (2-0). The Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos are also 2-0. The Steelers and Los Angeles Chargers are still waiting thanks to explosive offenses despite the early missteps.
It is still very early in the process, but some of the previous concerns found on these teams are disappearing, while the Patriots become more blatant.
New England Patriots Tom BradyStephen B. Morton / Associated Press
Tom Brady is Tom Brady. The system is built around the 41 year old caller. He will get the ball out quickly and at the right target most of the time. It's hard to imagine a long-lasting attack with Phillip Dorsett and Chris Hogan, the two big receivers on the team.
Instead, the transient offensive revolves around Rob Gronkowski. Gronk shone against the Houston Texans with seven receptions for a total of 123 yards and a touchdown, but the Jaguars pulled him out of the game by lining up All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey or one of their strongest points. The tight end caught two passes for 15 yards.
"I was just trying to open, that's all, no matter who he is [against]"Said Gronkowski, by NESN Zack Cox. "And they just did a good job as a defense, they're fast, they cover well, we just need to be better prepared and I have to play better."
Without Gronkowski, Brady must rely on runners out of the field to do much of the air assault. James White led the team with seven receptions for 73 yards. The problem with this is that the white is not going to stretch the field. Thus, there is less space for wide receivers to work because the defense compresses all open space.
As long as Brady pulls the trigger and Gronkowski is part of the offensive, the Patriots are a threat. Without playing well, New England has serious problems, especially if the defense does not improve.
The Patriots challenged a quarter of the Blake Bortles Jaguars to beat them. He did it easily.
Bortles has probably played the best game of his career with 377 passing yards, four touchdowns and one turnover. The Patriots struggled to handle Jacksonville's wide receiver set and underestimated tight goals relying on their cover defense 1 (man to man with unique security over the top). Starting cornerback Eric Rowe played so badly that the staff decided to put him on the bench after two sets.
"It hurts," Rowe said after the match, according to ESPN.com Mike Reiss, "but I did not do the work."
A macro view of the Patriots shows a team that has been overtaken by two of its last three games. The Philadelphia Eagles at the Super Bowl LII and Jacksonville this weekend have not made the crucial mistakes the Patriots have made over the years. Both remained aggressive and did not let go once they built an advance–that the Jaguars corrected after their defeat in the AFC championship game. Jacksonville regularly used drummers, especially under cross roads, to beat the Patriots' defense for big wins and easy third-place conversions. Doug Marrone's team has converted nine of 13 attempts in third position.
Without these mistakes, the lack of talent in New England has become evident. The defense is not very athletic and relies too much on schematic choices to place it in the right position. He struggles to overcome breakdowns.
And the best passer of the team, Trey Flowers, suffered a concussion. Reiss. If the injury holds him back, Belichick will have even less talent to work.
Meanwhile, sea level continues to rise around the conference.
Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterback Blake BortlesStephen B. Morton / Associated Press
The emergence of Bortles coincides with the development of a stellar support casting. The Jaguars did not need running back Leonard Fournette, who missed the game due to a thigh injury, with T.J. Yeldon and Corey Grant bring more versatility. Grant is electric in the field and presents something completely different from Fournette's bruising style.
In addition, Keelan Cole is becoming a No. 1 receiver. The second-year goal drew seven passes for 116 yards, including a catch of the year. candidate. Cole, Donte Moncrief and Dede Westbrook each found the end zone. The same goes for Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
Jacksonville's unnamed cast brings a punch as long as Bortles does.
No one has ever delivered football like quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The second-year signal caller set a record for the NFL Sunday with 10 touchdown passes through the first two games of the season. In fact, Mahomes launched fewer incomplete passes (five) on Sunday against the Steelers than the touchdowns (six).
Kansas City has always been well under the direction of Andy Reid. It has become clear that the Chiefs will not be retained by a new starting quarterback. Reid's attack is a lot more with Mahomes in mind.
Even Pittsburgh in a lost effort showed some level of offensive resilience and explosiveness to worry the Patriots. Ben Roethlisberger remains a wizard working the pocket and creating when nothing is available. Pittsburgh can score points on any opponent. One or two stops from a poorly performing defense may be enough for a given week.
The chargers are in a similar situation. Their attack is as deep as it is talented, but they could not slow down Patrick Mahomes either. At this point, this should not be considered negative.
Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Andy Dalton (left) and Receiver General A.J. Green (right)Bryan Woolston / Associated Press
The Bengals could be the biggest surprise with their high-end start. A suspicious offensive line did not slow down Andy Dalton, AJ Green or Joe Mixon. Green leads the league with four touchdown receptions, while Mixon is second with 179 rushing yards at the time of publication. In addition, Cincinnati's defensive front with Geno Atkins, Carlos Dunlap and Carl Lawson can be overwhelming.
Denver and Miami seem to be the strangest. Both are on huge starts, but their game may not be sustainable. The Broncos do not have an effective offense. Everyone will know exactly how far the Dolphins progressed against the Patriots in two weeks.
New England is always the best. The Patriots will have to be defeated by several opponents before being considered an elite franchise. Although the road to another appearance at the Super Bowl will be more difficult than ever. Belichick and Co. could still have enough to reach this high level, but they are no longer at the helm of all other organizations.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for the whitener report. Follow him on Twitter: @brentsobleski.
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