Page 19 - aruba-today-20180106

A19
SPORTS Saturday 6 January 2018
AFC Play Off Lombardi: Super Bowl 4,

23-7 over Minnesota on
Jan. 11, 1970.
Continued from Page 17 if it happens, would be in Hope: Smith had the best
Foxborough. Pittsburgh has season of his 13-year ca-
WR Brandin Cooks added not proven it can cover reer , helped along by the
65 receptions for 1,082 Gronk effectively — he av- best supporting cast he’s
yards. erages over 100 yards re- ever had. WR Tyreek Hill is a
Nope: Brady heads into the ceiving against the Steelers game-changer not only on
playoffs without his favor- in his career. offense but as a punt re-
ite target, WR Julian Edel- The Dope: “It’s time to lock turner, RB Kareem Hunt led
man (knee), who got hurt in and take this as serious as the league in rushing as a
in the preseason. Gronk, we can because we know rookie, and TE Travis Kelce
Cooks and RB Dion Lewis how hard it is to get here has arguably supplanted
have picked up the slack. and the opponents we Gronkowski as the best in In this Nov. 26, 2017, file photo, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback
Blake Bortles (5) runs in a touchdown past Arizona Cardinals
But there are still other in- have to play. We have a the game at his position. safety Budda Baker (36) and strong safety Antoine Bethea (41)
jury concerns with WR Chris lot of belief in each other.” And should anything hap- during the second half of an NFL football game in Glendale, Ariz.
Hogan, RB James White — LT Alejandro Villaneuva. pen to Smith, rookie Patrick Associated Press
and RB Mike Gillislee all 3. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS Mahomes II proved a ca-
ailing. The defense also is (10-6). No Super Bowl ap- pable starter and reliever
very banged up. LB Dont’a pearances. in K.C.’s 27-24 win at Den-
Hightower (shoulder) was Hope: Defense wins cham- ver last week, when he re-
lost for the season in Octo- pionships. The Jaguars turned to lead the team’s
ber, and the list of nagging have one of the best D’s successful 2-minute drill to
injuries has grown through- in the league — they rank beat the Broncos.
out the season. Using the second in points allowed Nope: The Chiefs haven’t
bye week to heal up will (16.8), interceptions (21), won a playoff game at
be huge for New England’s sacks (55) and yards (286) Arrowhead Stadium since
prospects. — and they gave up 10 January 2004, a year be-
The Dope: “I think we’ve or fewer points in half of fore Hunt was born. They
got some work to do. We their games. Defensive have lost games in every
are not where we want to linemen Calais Campbell, manner, too — shut out by
be and that’s what prac- Malik Jackson and Yan- Baltimore in 2010, beaten
tice is for. The great thing nick Ngakoue, corner- by Pittsburgh despite hold-
about it is we’ve got one backs Jalen Ramsey and ing the Steelers without
more chance to be able to A.J. Bouye, and linebacker a touchdown last year,
go out there and play our Telvin Smith are the corner- even losing to the Colts in
best.” — Cooks. stones of a unit that gives a game in which nobody
2. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (13- Jacksonville a chance in punted. Perhaps they’re
3). Last Lombardi: Super every game. just cursed.
Bowl 43, 27-23 over Arizona Nope: QB Blake Bortles has The Dope: “Everybody that
on Feb. 1, 2009. five interceptions the last is left still playing is good.
Hope: The “Killer Bs” are in two weeks, raising con- Everybody is amped up
full flight for the AFC North cerns about his ability to and the season is on the
champions. Roethlisberg- carry the offense in the line. It’s win or go home.
er, WR Antonio Brown, RB clutch. Bottom line is he I think all that just adds to
Le’Veon Bell and K Chris needs more help around the intensity a lot of times,
Boswell are all headed to him. and a lot to the stage, be-
the Pro Bowl — if the Steel- The NFL’s top rushing at- cause the ramifications are
ers aren’t playing in the tack has stalled, slowed so big and so real. But it’s
Super Bowl — and rookie because of injuries to still football at the end of
WR JuJu Smith-Schuster has rookie Leonard Fournette the day.” — Smith.
given Pittsburgh a youthful and the offensive line, and 5. TENNESSEE TITANS (9-7).
jolt. The Steelers averaged Jacksonville’s young re- No Lombardis: Lost Super
29.9 points a game dur- ceivers have started drop- Bowl 34 to St. Louis Rams in
ing the second half of the ping passes, messing up 2000.
season and appear plenty routes and looking far from Hope: QB Marcus Mari-
comfortable when things ready for the playoff stage. ota has found his running
get tight. They went 9-2 The Jaguars are coming mojo again . Mariota ran
in games decided by six off nine consecutive losing a career-best 10 times for
points or less. seasons, so this is new to a season-high 60 yards last
Nope: One of those losses them. week against Jacksonville
was a 27-24 setback to The Dope: “I know he’s in helping the Titans clinch
New England on Dec. 17, going to do everything he their first playoff berth since
a game the Steelers led can to get back on that the 2008 season, his best
at home throughout until horse and lead us the right performance running the
Brady and Gronkowski got way and lead from the ball since breaking his right
going in the fourth quarter. front. And everybody’s go- leg on Christmas Eve 2016.
Roethlisberger threw an in- ing to do their job around Mariota showed some se-
terception in the end zone him and do a little bit more. rious swagger on the key
on a fake spike when kick- It’s time to step it up, and third-and-5 run for 13 yards
ing a field goal and going that’s not just him, that’s that featured a stiff arm
into overtime made plenty everybody.” — TE Mar- on Jaguars safety Barry
of sense. That means a re- cedes Lewis on Bortles. Church befitting the 2014
match with New England, 4. KANSAS CITY (10-6). Last Heisman Trophy winner.q