A brief history of the Patriots ruining the Jaguars’ hopes and dreams
COMMENTARY
New England might not know it, but Jacksonville Jaguars fans really resent the Patriots. That’s because Drew Bledsoe and Tom Brady have been at the center of three of the most excruciating losses in Jacksonville history.
Playoff runs in the 1996, 2005, and 2007 seasons all gave hope to a young franchise. All were stopped cold – literally – by the Patriots.
I would know; I’m one of those Jacksonville natives who wistfully wonders what the world would have been like if the Jags had beaten the Pats in those years. (The Jags did stomp the Scott Zolak-led Patriots in the 1998 playoffs.)
Here’s a rundown of those big Patriots-Jaguars slugfests as told in ‘What ifs’ that we Jaguars fans return to every so often.
What if James Stewart hadn’t fumbled in the 1996 playoffs?
Willie McGinest (55) and Pio Sagapolutele celebrate after tackling Jags QB Mark Brunell.
In just their second year of existence, the 1996 Jaguars stormed to a Wild Card berth under the leadership of coach Tom Coughlin (now with the Giants) and quarterback Mark Brunell (now crying on ESPN). The Cinderella Jaguars beat the John Elway-led Broncos in one of the biggest upsets in NFL history to advance to the AFC title game, where they faced Drew Bledsoe and the Patriots.
The cold and 30 mph wind caused sloppy play on both sides, and the Patriots turned that into a 13-6 lead late in the fourth quarter. With the Jaguars near a tying score, Brunell threw a ghastly pick in the endzone.
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Still, the Jags had one last chance. With just over two minutes left and the team near midfield, James Stewart took a handoff to the left side. A defender popped the ball into the hands of Otis Smith, who took it back to the endzone for a game-sealing touchdown.
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The game was also marred by some stadium technology problems (sound familiar?). A fuse blew in a transformer, dimming the stadium lights and causing a lengthy delay. We can all be thankful ESPN wasn’t yet the news-making behemoth it is now and that “Power outage-gate’’ never became a thing.
What if David Garrard had started instead of Byron Leftwich?
Jacksonville QB Byron Leftwich found himself on the turf after being leveled by the Patriot defense.
In the 2005 season, the Jaguars rode an easy schedule to a 12-4 record and a Wild Card-round matchup against the two-time defending champion Patriots.
As would become a trend, Jaguars’ quarterback Byron Leftwich injured his ankle and missed the last month and a half of the season. Backup David Garrard took over and won four of the last five games, playing efficient, error-free ball that let their strong running game and defense shine.
Despite Garrard’s steady play, coach Jack Del Rio decided to make Leftwich the starter against the Patriots.
Predictably, Leftwich looked “rusty and indecisive,’’ the AP wrote in their game recap, and the Jaguars scored just three points. The Patriots dominated to a 28-3 win.
What if Dennis Northcutt hadn’t dropped that touchdown pass?
Jaguars’ Marcedes Lewis goes down from a hit by Patriots’ Randall Gay.
The divisional round of the 2007 playoffs brought together a Jaguars team led by Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew, and the efficient play of David Garrard against the undefeated Patriots.
The first half was an offensive clinic for both sides, as Brady didn’t miss a single pass, and Garrard missed just two. Garrard threw his first touchdown pass while parallel to the ground with a defender wrapped around his ankles.
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Not to be outdone, Brady took a 21-14 lead with a unique play action, in which he faked that he’d missed the snap and then threw to Wes Welker in the endzone.
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Then came the fatal moment for the Jaguars: A brutal dropped pass.
“It was over when… Jaguars WR Dennis Northcutt dropped a potential third-down touchdown pass in the third quarter, preventing Jacksonville from matching the Patriots point-for-point,’’ the NFL.com summary of the game writes.
I can’t find video of this play, but my foggy memory is that Northcutt ran a deep post route and the ball bounced off his hands just before he was hit by a Patriots safety.
Instead of getting a tying score, the Jags kicked a field goal. The Patriots then scored another touchdown, and the game got out of reach. The Pats cruised from there to a 31-20 win.
Sure, that Patriots team was in the midst of one of the best seasons in league history. Tom Brady completed 26-of-28 passes, setting a new record for efficiency.
Still, you’d have a hard time finding a Jaguars fan who doesn’t think Jacksonville might — might — have won that game if not for an alligator-armed Dennis Northcutt.
Call it the Curse of Northcutt. Jacksonville hasn’t been to the playoffs since.
Gallery: The Patriots’ 2015 schedule.
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