Hey Kool Aid! Maroney Runs Patriots To AFC Title Game

The Result

The Jacksonville Jaguars came to play and they played for most of the game. But when it came to crunch time the little things hurt them. Bad penalties, bad decisions by their coach and in the end the pressure on a fairly inexperienced quarterback added up to yet another win for New England Patriots as they beat the Jaguars 31-20 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro MA on Saturday night in the AFC Divisional round.

Led by the all round play of running back Laurence Maroney who ran for 122 yards and had another 40 yards receiving and Tom Brady who was damn near perfect as he went 26 of 28 and threw for 3 TD’s. His two incomplete passes were actually a pair of drops.

The offense tonight was more of the precision spread it around offense we’ve seen in the past from this team instead of the high powered offense they had this year. Four different players had rushes and 8 different players had receptions as Jacksonville concentrated on Randy Moss who had just 1 catch for 14 yards but had more receiving yards than Ben Watson who caught two TD passes.

The Jaguars hung tough as Garrard was pretty good himself and he had to be as the Jaguars decided they were going to rely on the pass as he went 22 of 33 for 278 yards 2 TD’s and 1 INT. He had several passes that went for 10 or more yards including big gainers of 34, 29, 25, 19, 18 and 15 yards. That’s too many single plays that become first downs and give up too much field position.

The Patriots did what they had to do to win and they did that for the 17^th time this season.

Scoring Plays

Jacksonville	7	7	3	3	20
New England	7	7	14	3	31

1^st Quarter

• JAX – Garrard 8 yard pass to Jones – kick good – Jaguars 7-0
• NE – Brady 3 yard pass to Watson – kick good – tied 7-7

2^nd Quarter

• NE – Maroney 1 yard run – kick good – Patriots 14-7
• JAX – Garrard 6 yard pass to Wilford – kick good – tied 14-14

3^rd Quarter

• NE – Brady 6 yard pass to Welker – kick good – Patriots 21-14
• JAX – Scobee 39 yard field goal – Patriots 21-17
• NE – Brady 9 yard pass to Watson – kick good – Patriots 28-17

4^th Quarter

• JAX – Scobee 25 yard field goal – Patriots 28-20
• NE – Gostkowski 35 yard field goal – Patriots 31-20

Offensive Player of the Game

Laurence Maroney ran 22 times for 122 yards and 1 TD he also caught 2 passes for 40 yards.

Defensive Player of the Game

Vince Wilfork had 5 tackles and Rodney Harrison had 4 tackles, 3 assists, knocked one pass down in the end zone and had a late INT to help seal the win.

Turning Point(s) of the Game

• Jacksonville in the 4th quarter inside the red zone decided to go for a field goal instead of trying for the touchdown on 4th and goal at the NE 7.
• The defense holding in the red zone and forcing a field goal attempt after Randall Gay knocked down the ball in the end zone.
• Rodney Harrison’s INT with just over four minutes left and New England up 11 points.

Offensive Leaders/Notes

In addition to Maroney, Tom Brady was 26 of 28 for 262 yards and 3 TD’s and Wes Welker had 9 catches for 54 yards and 1 TD.

• On 1^st and 10 at NE 26 QB Tom Brady was sacked for a loss of 4 yards on the 1^st drive
• On 2^nd and 14 from NE 22, RB Laurence Maroney takes a screen pass 33 yards to JAX 45
• On 3^rd and 2 at JAX 37 RB Kevin Faulk dropped for a 3-yard loss.
• On 4^th and 4 from JAX 40 Brady throws 14 yards to Randy Moss for 1^st down at JAX 26.
• Maroney ran for 5 yards on 2^nd and 3
• Brady threw to Jabar Gaffney 11 yards to JAX 3
• Brady throws 3 yards into the back on the end zone to a leaping TE Ben Watson for a TD
• On 2^nd drive Faulk gets a catch for 5 yards and a rush for 5 yards to get a 1^st down at JAX 19
• On 3^rd and 1 at JAX 10 Maroney carries for 9 yards to JAX 1 for 1^st and goal.
• JAX stops Maroney shy of the goal line on 1^st and goal as the quarter ends.
• 2^nd and goal Maroney runs for 1 yard TD
• 3^rd NE drive, on 2^nd and 4 from NE 25 Brady fakes a screen and hands to Faulk for 1^st down at NE 30
• Brady throws 9 yards to Wes Welker for 3^rd and 2 at NE 38
• Gaffney 4 yard catch for 1^st down at NE 42
• Brady throws 12 yards to Kyle Brady for 1^st down at JAX 46
• On 2^nd and 5 Maroney runs for 7 yards to JAX 34
• Run end around to Welker for 1^st down at JAX 21
• On 2^nd down Logan Mankins gets called for a chop block 2^nd and 23 at JAX 34
• On 3^rd and 14 Brady throws to Welker for 8 yards for 4^th and 6 at JAX 17, NE attempts FGA missed from 34 yards.
• –Half Time-
• 5^th drive, Maroney runs for 2 yards on 2^nd and 1 for 1^st down at NE 29
• on 3^rd and 3 at NE 36 Brady passes 8 yards to Faulk to NE 44
• On 2^nd and 2 from JAX 48 Maroney runs 22 yards to JAX 26
• Nice catch for 7 yards by Faulk on 2^nd and 10 to JAX 19
• Brady throws 13 yards to Gaffney for 1^st down at JAX 6
• Brady throws 6 yards to Welker for TD on a great play action fake by Brady and Faulk
• 6^th drive on 1^st down at NE 24 Brady was roughed for 15 yards and 1^st down at NE 39
• Maroney runs for 29 yards for 1^st down at JAX 26
• Maroney runs for 11 yards for 1^st down at JAX 15
• On 3^rd and 4 from JAX 9 Brady throws to Watson for TD
• On 7^th drive, 2^nd and 9 Brady under pressure throws 48 yards to Donte Stallworth to JAX 26
• On 3^rd and 1 at the JAX 17 Welker drops a first down catch forcing a FGA
• 8^th drive, 3^rd and 8 at NE 33 Stallworth breaks free after a quick out for a first down to NE 43 to seal the win
• Patriots forced to punt with 30 seconds left

Defensive Leaders/Notes

In addition to Wilfork and Harrison, James Sanders had 6 tackles and 3 assists and Junior Seau had 5 tackles and 5 assists.

• DB Randall Gay started in place of Ellis Hobbs at CB, Hobbs is nursing an injury but will play
• JAX on 1^st drive, gets 23 yards on 2^nd and 5 on pass to Marcedes Lewis.
• LB Junior Seau drops JAX RB Fred Taylor for a 3-yard loss on 1^st and 10 at JAX 45.
• RB Maurice Jones-Drew Stopped at NE 44 1 yard short of 1^st down.
• Lewis makes a catch at NE 10 for 1^st and goal on 4^th down.
• On 3^rd and goal from NE 8 Garrard throws a TD pass to Matt Jones as he was nearly sacked by Patriots LB Mike Vrabel.
• 2^nd JAX drive DL Ty Warren drops Taylor for no gain on 1^st and 10 at JAX 18
• Garrard throws 19 yards to Dennis Northcutt for 1^st down at JAX 38
• Garrard gets sacked by Warren and fumbles, Vrabel recovers at JAX 29
• 3^rd JAX drive, Garrard throws to Lewis for a 1^st down and he fumbles ball recovered by Jones-Drew at JAX 17
• Jones-Drew runs 10 yards for 1^st down at JAX 34
• Garrard throws to Jones-Drew for 1^st down at NE 48
• Taylor breaks two tackles and runs for 15 yards to NE 33
• Seau gets called for a facemask on next play and JAX has 1^st down at NE 14
• Taylor runs 7 yards for 1^st down to NE 2
• On 1^st and goal Taylor stopped at NE 1 by Tedy Bruschi and Seau
• On 2^nd and goal JAX false start moves ball to NE 6
• Garrard throws 6 yards to Ernest Wilford for a TD
• 4th drive, Patriots stop JAX force a 3 and out with 21 seconds left in half
• –Half Time-
• 5^th drive, on 3^rd and 3 Jones gets 11 yard catch for first down at JAX 49
• Garrard scrambles away from pressure and throws 29 yards to Jones for 1^st down at NE 20. False start puts ball at NE 25
• Rodney Harrison and Vrabel put pressure on Garrard he nearly was sacked as the ball was tipped.
• Northcutt drops a ball at the NE 1 on 3^rd and 11 forcing a FGA
• On 1^st play of 6^th drive, Jones-Drew stopped no gain by Vince Wilfork and Jarvis Green
• On 3^rd and 3 Wilford makes leaping catch and gets drilled by Brandon Meriweather, Harrison gets tagged 15 yards for a spear to NE 42
• Garrard runs for 8 yards to 50
• Taylor gets 3 yards for 1^st down at NE 46
• Garrard throws 25 yards to Reggie Williams to NE 21
• On 1^st and 10 at NE 21 Harrison nearly sacks Garrard again as Garrard throws the ball away
• On 3^rd and 6 at NE 17 Jones-Drew gets an 8 yard catch for 1^st down and goal at NE 9
• Harrison nearly picks Garrard in end zone on 2^nd and goal
• Randall gay knocks the ball away from Jones in the end zone forcing a FGA
• On 7^th drive, Jones-Drew gets 12 yard catch to JAX 27
• On 3^rd and 5 at JAX 32 Meriweather breaks up a pass for Northcutt
• On 4^th and 5 at JAX 32 Garrard throws for 7 yards to Northcutt and then Samuel gets tagged for a late hit penalty to NE 45
• On 1^st and 10 Adalius Thomas bats the pass down
• On 3^rd and 6 Meriweather almost gets a pick
• On 4^th and 6 Harrison intercepts Garrard at NE 31 and returns it to NE 41 holding penalty puts ball on NE 31

Special Teams Notes

• Patriots PK Stephen Gostkowski gets a touchback on the opening KO
• Chad Jackson returning KO’s for NE
• JAX gets a hold during second KOR and will start at JAX 18
• JAX KR Maurice Jones-Drew muffs the 3^rd KO and has to fall on the ball at the JAX 5
• Poor KOR by Jackson after second JAX TD only gets to NE 19
• –Half Time–
• NE Willie Andrews fails to make the NE 20 on the opening KO
• Gostkowski sends KO after 2nd Watson TD to goal line, hold on return puts the ball at the JAX 6
• Patriots KOR team sniffs out a reverse and slams it shut at the JAX 15

Coaching Decisions

• JAX 4^th and 1 at NE 44 Garrard passes to Lewis for 34 yards to NE 10
• NE decides not to challenge the possible sack on 1^st JAX TD. Looks like TD would have stood as play was too close to call.
• NE 4^th and 4 from JAX 40 14 yard pass to Randy Moss
• NE decides to take a knee with 9 seconds left in the half
• JAX inside red zone in 4th quarter decides on FGA on 4th and goal at NE 7
• JAX 4^th and 5 from JAX 32 in 4^th qtr converts on 7 yard pass
• JAX 4^th and 6 from NE 41 Garrard is intercepted by Harrison

Injuries

• JAX WR Marcedes Lewis hip strain, returned – 2^nd Qtr
• JAX LB Darrell Smith -unknown injury, returned – 2^nd Qtr

The Officials

Jerome Boger was the referee tonight. Boger’s crew worked two Patriots games this season, Week 4 at Cincinnati and Week 15 against the New York Jets.

• Jacksonville won the coin toss and elected to receive.
• JAX DB Terry Cousin got away with a personal foul call on Welker with 1:12 left in 2^nd qtr

Game Notes

• The Patriots were with out QB Matt Gutierrez* (3^rd QB), S Eugene Wilson, DB Antwain Spann (hamstring), RB Kyle Eckel (stomach), S Ray Ventrone, OL Wesley Britt, OL Billy Yates and DL Rashad Moore.
• The Jaguars did not dress WR Charles Sharon, RB LaBrandon Toefield, CB Aaron Glenn, S Lamont Thompson, LB Shantee Orr, LB Mike Peterson (hand), G Uche Nwaneri and OL Tutan Reyes.
• *- The player listed as the 3^rd QB can dress and still play. If he plays in the 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd quarter the 1^st and 2^nd QB can not return to the game. If he plays in the 4^th quarter both the 1^st and 2^nd QB remain active.
• The Patriots dressed 7 wide receivers for the game.
• Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is 14-3 in the playoffs, 13-2 with New England.
• The Patriots are the only NFL team to have won at least one playoff game in the last five seasons.
• The Patriots have won 10 consecutive home playoff games and have not lost a home playoff game since December 31, 1978 against the Houston Oilers, 31-14. Overall the team is 45-9 at home since Gillette Stadium opened in 2002.
• This is the Patriots 22nd playoff game since Robert Kraft bought the team in 1994. It is the most in the league over this period.
• The Patriots are 8-5 in divisional playoff games and have won 6 of the last 8 divisional games.
• Patriots Director of College Scouting Thomas Dimitroff has reached an agreement with the Atlanta Falcons to be their new General Manager.
• When Jacksonville scored on their first drive it was the first points given up by the Patriots in a home playoff game on the opening drive.
• When Gostkowski missed the 34 yard FGA with 1 minute left in the first half it was only the second time all season the Patriots did not score when in the red zone.
• Tom Brady was 12 for 12 in the first half for 112 yards and 1 TD.
• Rodney Harrison has interceptions in 4 consecutive playoff games.
• Tom Brady was 26 of 28 for a 93% completion rate best ever in a NFL Playoff Game.

Post Game Press Conferences

Listen to what Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady had to say about the game.

Post game press conferences via patriots.com

Things To Work On For Next Week

Work on eliminating the big gainer. The Jags had too many big yardage plays. Passes that went for 34, 29, 25, 19, 18, 15 and 12 yards and runs of 15, 10 and 9. Just too many single plays for first downs.

Next Week’s Opponent

The Patriots will host San Diego next Sunday at Gillette Stadium at 3 P.M.