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          NFL Nation

          Brady, Gronkowski, Belichick stand in way of Jaguars' Super Bowl run

          • Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff WriterJan 14, 2018, 11:18 PM
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              Michael DiRocco is an NFL reporter at ESPN. DiRocco covers the Jacksonville Jaguars. He previously covered the University of Florida for over a decade for ESPN.com and Florida Times-Union. DiRocco graduated from Jacksonville University and is a multiple APSE award winner. You can follow DiRocco on Twitter at @ESPNdirocco.
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          PITTSBURGH -- The Jacksonville Jaguars advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the third time in franchise history by beating Pittsburgh 45-42 at Heinz Field on Sunday. The Jaguars will play the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium next Sunday.

          Reasons to be excited: How can you not be excited about a Jaguars team that was 3-13 a year ago and is now just 60 minutes away from the Super Bowl? Especially when it comes to quarterback Blake Bortles. Nobody in the league has taken more crap from opposing players and the media than Bortles, but he delivered on Sunday in the biggest game of his career. He led two fourth-quarter touchdown drives, and the final touchdown (a pass to Tommy Bohanon) was a play that he checked out to. Bortles has been up and down all season, and there has long been the question of whether he can deliver with the game on the line. He answered that Sunday.

          Reasons to be concerned: A defense that finished second in the NFL in passing and scoring gave up season highs in total yards (545) and passing yards (462) and allowed three fourth-down touchdowns. The Steelers have one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL, so some of that can be justified. However, Pittsburgh did a lot of damage with shorter passes and screens, and that's an area in which New England excels. Running back Leonard Fournette injured his right ankle (the same one he injured earlier in the season), so that's something to monitor throughout the week. The Jaguars need him as healthy as possible.

          What's next: Only Tom Brady, the greatest quarterback in NFL history and owner of five Super Bowl rings. In his house, where the Patriots are 21-4 all time in the postseason. Plus, there's the Rob Gronkowski factor. He, at times, is uncoverable and a matchup nightmare. Despite just playing the Steelers, this will be the Jaguars' toughest defensive test. The Patriots' defense on Saturday night sacked Marcus Mariota eight times and limited Derrick Henry to 28 yards on 12 carries. The Jaguars are just 1-10 all time against the Patriots, including a 1-3 mark in the playoffs.