The more I look at this game the more I find it hard to see how any team moves the ball. If the Pats had Edelman it would be a different story as he add another layer to our offense.
People have pointed out we did most of our damage last year after Gronk went down. Much of that was due to the catches and penalties Cook forced.
Cook, Amendola, Dorsett, Hogan, White, Lewis to me is better than Gronk, Dorsett, Hogan, White, ???, ???
Patterson might gives us a few yards but it won't be much.
When I look at how the Pats match up vs the Jags I don't see anything we can hope to do well besides pass to White.
Gronk can fight through Texans double team but not a Jags double team. Either Hogan or Dorsett will be taken away completely by their other CB pretty much. So it comes down to Brady moving them down the field with one of those WRs and White all game. Unless the Jags are dumb enough to give Gronk a fair amount of true 1v1 chances. Add in their pass rush and I don't see this offense being able to do much no matter how well Brady plays.
When it comes to their offense I think this D is better equipped to handle it than last year. They are a run first team. Having Hightower back along with the emergence of Bentley can't be understated for this game. Add in Shelton hopefully having a good game and the DE depth being better. This front 7 is leaps and bounds better than last year. I hated our LBs last year of Van Noy/Roberts/M. Flower. Now we have Hightower/Van Noy/Bentley. While losing Butler hurts Jones has shown he is capable and really hasn't missed a beat so far. It is hard for me to say the DB situation looks much different than in did in last years AFCCG until I see proof of that.
If our pass rush can get pressure on Bortles he can potentially be forced into mistakes, but their OL is pretty good.
I don't see either team scoring over 20 points. Which is why both probably will haha.
