WBOB Original Reads

Game Preview: Jaguars at Patriots (Thursday)

8/8/2017

After reporting to training camp on July 26, the New England Patriots will open the preseason at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, Aug. 10, at Gillette Stadium. Prior to the preseason opener, the Patriots will host the Jaguars for two days of joint practices on Monday, Aug 7, and Tuesday, Aug. 8. 2017, marking the sixth straight year that the Patriots will conduct joint practice sessions with a preseason opponent and the first time with Jacksonville.

The Patriots and Jaguars will square off for just the third time in the preseason, with the two teams splitting their first two meetings. New England defeated Jacksonville, 47-12, in their most recent meeting (Aug. 11, 2011), while the Jaguars won their initial preseason matchup, 31-0 (Sept. 2, 2004). Overall, the Patriots own a 10-1 record in regular and postseason play against the Jaguars, including 3-1 in the playoffs. The two teams most recently met at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 27, 2015, when New England scored a 51-17 victory.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

TELEVISION

This week's game will be broadcast by the Patriots Preseason Television Network and can be seen in every New England state, as well as Alaska and Hawaii. The preseason network's flagship station is WBZ-TV CBS in Boston. WBZ-TV's Dan Roche provides play-by-play and is joined by former Patriots tight end Christian Fauria in the broadcast booth. Former Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham will provide sideline analysis along with WBZ-TV's Steve Burton. Patriots Football Weekly's beat writers Paul Perillo and Andy Hart will also provide insight and analysis.

PATRIOTS PRESEASON TELEVISION NETWORK

Massachusetts
Boston, Mass. WBZ-TV Ch. 4
Springfield, Mass. WWLP-TV Ch. 22
Connecticut
Hartford, Conn. WTNH-TV Ch. 8
Maine
Portland, Maine WMTW-TV Ch. 8
Bangor, Maine WVII-TV Ch. 7
New Hampshire
Manchester, N.H. WMUR-TV Ch. 9
Rhode Island
Providence, R.I. WPRI-TV Ch. 12
Vermont
Burlington, Vt. WCAX-TV Ch. 3
Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska KYUR-TV Ch. 13
Fairbanks, Alaska KATN-TV Ch. 2
Juneau, Alaska KJUD-TV Ch. 8
Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii KFVE-TV Ch. 5

RADIO

98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 40 stations can be found here. Play-by- play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak, who will provide color analysis. The games are produced by Marc Cappello.

PATRIOTS LOOK TO KICK OFF ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON

The 2017 New England Patriots have the chance to set or tie several NFL team records, including:

The Patriots have posted a winning record for 16 consecutive seasons. With nine or more wins in 2017, New England will pass the San Francisco 49ers (1983-98) and Dallas Cowboys (1970-85) for the most consecutive winning seasons with 17 since the 1970 merger.
The Patriots have made the playoffs for eight straight seasons (2009-16), tied with Green Bay (2009-16), Pittsburgh (1972-79), LA Rams (1973-80), Dallas (1966-73) and San Francisco (1983-90). If they make the playoffs in 2017 they will tie Dallas (1975-83) and Indianapolis (2002-10) for the most in NFL history.

SERIES HISTORY

The Patriots and Jaguars will meet in the preseason for the third time and for the first time in the preseason since the 2011 preseason opener. All three preseason games have taken place at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots are 7-0 against the Jaguars in the regular season and 3-1 against the Jaguars in the postseason.

The last regular season meeting between the two teams was played on Sept. 27, 2015, when the Patriots won, 51-17, at Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots have won all seven of the regular season games between the clubs. The two teams have faced each other four times in the playoffs, including the 1996 AFC Championship Game at Foxboro Stadium. The Patriots lead the Jaguars 3-1 in postseason games.
The first playoff game between the two teams was the 1996 AFC Championship Game at Foxboro Stadium. In that contest, the Patriots beat the Jaguars, 20-6, to advance to Super Bowl XXXI. The Jaguars claimed a 25-10 win in the 1998 Wild Card playoffs, the Jaguars only victory against New England. The Patriots won, 28-3, in a 2005 Divisional Playoff game and 31-20 in a 2007 Divisional Playoff game.

SERIES BREAKDOWN

Overall Record (including 3-1 in playoffs), 10-1
Record in New England, 7-0 (3-0 in playoffs)
Foxboro Stadium, 3-0 (1-0 in playoffs)
Gillette Stadium, 4-0 (2-0 in playoffs)
Record in Jacksonville, 3-1 (0-1 in playoffs)
Total Points, Patriots 303, Jaguars 173
Patriots Largest Margin of Victory, 34 points (09/27/15)
Patriots Largest Margin of Defeat, 15 points (01/03/99)
Highest Combined Point Total, 68 points (09/27/15)
Lowest Combined Point Total, 26 points (01/12/97)
Games Decided by Seven or Fewer Points, Four
Current Win Streak, Patriots, seven games
Bill Belichick vs. Jacksonville, 7-2 (7-0 with New England)

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

The Patriots have an all-time record of 93-47-1 (.663) against the teams that make up the AFC South. It is the only division in the NFL where the Patriots own a winning record against each team. New England owns winning marks against Tennessee (24-16-1), Indianapolis (51-29), Jacksonville (10-1) and Houston (8-1).

QUICK HITS

The Jaguars are one of just four teams against which the Patriots own an undefeated regular season home record (4-0). The Patriots are 5-0 against Baltimore, 4-0 against Chicago and 3-0 against Houston.

PASSING PERFORMANCES

Tom Brady has faced the Jaguars five time in his career in the regular season. Brady has also played Jacksonville two times in the postseason.