Fans gear up for big Pats game

Local fans give their take on AFC title matchup

FOXBORO – Outside Gillette Stadium and excluding the Jacksonville community, a coronation is well underway.

Are the Jaguars a team of destiny? Not in the eyes of Las Vegas oddsmakers. Once Sunday’s AFC Championship Game matchup was confirmed, the 2018 NFL postseason version of Cinderella was tagged as a 9.5-point underdog.

Surely a team that’s won back-to-back road playoff games would command some degree of respect from the national audience. Alas, it would seem the buck stops here for Jacksonville, a team perceived with having no chance of coming into the Patriots’ den and stunning the defending Super Bowl champs.

Inside the Patriots locker room, the Jaguars are being taken quite seriously. Respect along the lines of “this is the best team we’ll see all year” was distributed by the players and Bill Belichick on Wednesday afternoon. The road to Super Bowl LII isn’t as easy as a layup, which is what many so-called expects would like you to believe.

“Jacksonville is a great football team,” is how Belichick began is media session Wednesday. “In watching the Jaguars on film over the past few days, they’re really good in everything.”

Are the Jaguars a serious threat to the Pa- triots’ big-game plans? Or are the boys from Florida nothing more than a mere speedbump on the way to New England capturing what would be the franchise’s 10th AFC Championship? Those questions were posed to several fans shopping at the Patriots ProShop on Wednesday, and at other spots around the Blackstone Valley.

Photo by Brendan McGair Mark Bergstorm, of Bridgewater, says: “Jacksonville’s defense is good, but I don’t think they’re as good as everybody thinks they are. I think the first half will be close as they’ll be some feeling-out to do. The second half, the cream will rise to...

Photo by Brendan McGair Sarah Morris, of Newport says: “I feel that any team we run into at this point can give us a game. Honestly, I think it’s going to be a Vikings-Patriots Super Bowl and I said that at the beginning of the season. I’m already focusing on that, so I guess...

Photo by Brendan McGair Jenn Reals, of Brighton, says: “The Patriots have overcome bigger obstacles. They’ll pull through, especially with homefield advantage on their side. If anything, we’re the more experienced team. The Jaguars won’t be able to handle the pressure of...

Photo by Brendan McGair Jacko Greatorex, of Charlestown, says: “I’m not worried at all. The Jaguars are going to be a speedbump and the Patriots should cover. We’re fine. It’ll be an entertaining game, but the Patriots will win by 14 points.”

Ernest A. Brown photo Shanna Cherry, of Pawtucket, responds “I do have faith in Tom Brady and the Patriots winning both Sunday in the AFC game and going all the way for another Super Bowl victory.”

Ernest A. Brown photo Joe Mollis, manager of the Supercuts in Cumberland responds “I absolutely do have confidence in the Patriots going all the way this year and I think Tom Brady will be leading the way.”

Ernest A. Brown photo Daniel Johnson, of Cumberland, responds “I love the Patriots and have full confidence in them winning on Sunday as well as in the Super Bowl on February 4th.”