2. The New England Patriots lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars:
While this doesn’t really impact life in the AFC North, it is sure to put a smile on faces in The Charm City. The New England Patriots nearly mounted a comeback, but the Jaguars kept their composure and won the game 31-20. The Jaguars gave their home crowd a taste of revenge, as the Patriots knocked Jacksonville out in the AFC Championship last season.
The shocking thing here is how the Jaguars won. Jacksonville didn’t win in spite of Blake Bortles, but because he had a great day. Bortles threw for 377 yards and scored four touchdowns and only one pick. The Jaguars played better than the Patriots on all fronts. The Patriots had struggles on both sides of the ball.
The real thing to question is what does this mean? Are the Jaguars now capable of winning with a flashy offensive performance and their dominant defense? Are the Patriots taking a step back? Is it possible that the Patriots aren’t the team to beat in the AFC? While all these questions will be answered later in the season, doubt creeping towards New England is a good thing for everybody else. The Patriots can get all the humble pie they need (says every Ravens fan across the country).