NFL 2018 Week 2 Review - 7 Points & Plays Everyone Is Talking About

7. The Highly Anticipated AFC Rematch

The Jaguars entered the game with a chip on their shoulder, and rightly so, as for 7 long months the players and fans alike have been counting down the days to the AFC championship rematch against the New England Patriots. In last season’s AFC Championship match up the Jags succumbed to the Patriot’s fourth quarter comeback. Having fell falling just 10 minutes short of the Superbowl left a sour taste in the mouths of the Jags organisation. What made the loss especially heart-breaking is the fact that the officials incorrectly called a play dead that could have changed the outcome of the game; Myles Jack wasn’t down!

Fast forward to Week 2 of the 2018 season and with the heat hitting over 100 degrees, the Patriots entered the truly intimidating TIAA Bank. Never has Jacksonville carried this sort of expectation since the early '90s, and even with the unwelcome news that Leonard Fournette was ruled out of the rematch it didn’t knock the confidence and anticipation of the Jags.

Once again, their biggest question from the off-season came under the microscope, asking who was going to step up to lead the offence in the receiving corps? It turns out that everyone stepped up. Keelan Cole had 7 receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown, Dede Westbrook had 4 receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown and Dante Moncrief had 4 receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown. The highlight of the game was Cole’s one handed Beckham-style catch, which will go down as one of the most breathtaking catches of the season.

If there was ever a definition of a perfect called offensive game plan, this would be it. The Jaguars are thriving on having a point to prove and being seen as the underdogs. Pairing the new found, continually evolving offense with the meanest looking defence in the league gives the Jaguars the appearance of the whole package. They could evn find themselves going one step further than last season – the Superbowl.