The Right Thumb of God

So, yeah. I'm going to put a positive spin on the Tom Brady's Thumb narrative. Shocking, I know. And here goes...

We'll see Tom Brady this Sunday and he'll be doing Tom Brady things.

I don't know why I wasn't particularly worried about Tom Brady's game day status while everyone else in the pigskin universe was freaking the fuck out but I wasn't. It's Brady. He was going to play. That was never in doubt. Would he be 100%? Well, obviously not (given what we have subsequently learned or at least think we know). Will he be 90%? 69%? (That was for Gronk.) 97%? What would that even mean?

Given early reports the Patriots' offense would attack the Jaguars with an emphasis on running the ball and working the middle of the field with Gronkowski, Brady's thumb might have zero impact on Josh McDaniels' game plan.

I can see the Pats moving the ball early with Dion Lewis and James White running the ball in chunks, maybe a screen pass or that snap pass to Brandin Cooks on a jet sweep, a shot to Gronk between the hash marks and then, around the 50-yard line, play-action and a bomb deep down the sideline to Cooks.

I think Brady's thumb will provide a little extra motivation for the offensive line, perhaps the least respected unit left in the Final Four. The Vikings', Eagles', and Jaguars' offensive lines are held in high regard by pigskin pundits and bobbleheads. The Patriots' Nate Solder, Joe Thuney, David Andrews, Shaq Mason, and whoever's left standing at right tackle (Cameron Fleming); not so much. Somehow, this ragtag bunch of misfits were able to keep Brady clean last week and will be highly motivated to safeguard Brady's raggedy right thumb this Sunday.

Jumping into the randomizer now...

I hope rumors the Jags will put Jalen Ramsey on Rob Gronkowski are true. That leaves A.J. Bouye on Cooks, right? So, who's covering Danny Amendola? Who's covering Chris Hogan? Wouldn't it be the most Patriots thing ever to see Phillip Dorsett have a career day in the AFC Championship game after largely having been an afterthought during the regular season?

Or would Brady simply check to the run and let Gronk punish Ramsey as a blocker?

I think New England's defense will come to play this Sunday. I'll be shocked if Jacksonville scores more than 13 points. Here's why…

Earlier this week, Bucky Brooks noted that not one player on New England's defense could start for the Jaguars. Not one. If you don't think that isn't on a bulletin board in the defensive meeting room at 1 Patriots Place, I don't think you know what the words "bulletin board" mean.

My other reason I expect to see the Patriots' best defensive game of the year is love.

If you've seen the Patriots' "Do Your Job" specials, you may have noticed how many times a player or a coach says, "I love you" to one of their teammates. You may also have noticed the passion and sincerity in these declarations. They mean it.

I think the Patriots' defensive players love Matty P. We all know (or think we know) Matt Patricia will become the head coach of the Detroit Lions as soon as New England's season is over. I think the players want to do whatever they can to delay that inevitability. I think the team as a whole wants to do what the 2004 team did for Charlie Weiss and Romeo Crennel; send their offensive and defensive coordinators off to their new head coaching gigs as winners as much as Patricia and McDaniels want to prove their new employers made a good choice in hiring them.

I think if you believe the Jaguars have the emotional edge in this game, you're in for a surprise come Sunday.

I get it. The Jaguars beating the Steelers and the Patriots - on the road - to get to the Super Bowl would be a great story. Everyone loves the plucky underdog. Everyone west of the Connecticut River is rooting for Jacksonville.

You want to believe the Jaguars can hang 45 points on the Patriots just like they did to the Steelers. You want to believe the Jaguars defense that gave up 42 points to the Steelers will shut down Tom Brady this Sunday.

Here's another thing I get.

The Patriots know all of that. It's New England vs. Everybody this Sunday. Just like it always is.

Everyone is wondering what will happen when the Jaguars punch the Patriots in the face this Sunday but maybe, just maybe, pigskin pundits and bobbleheads should ask how the Jaguars will react if the Patriots land that first blow.