Though the NFL had no complaints about the state of the AFC Championship Game, the two commentators still had a job to do.
Nantz: "The Jaguars' window is closing. If they want to keep their hopes alive, what do they need to do next?"
Romo: "Trust their passing game."
In Romo's view, despite the season-long controversy surrounding Bortles—not just from the outside but also from within his own team—Jacksonville's passing offense wasn't completely hopeless. Ranked 17th in the league, it was at least competent.
Likewise, Kansas City's pass defense wasn't elite either. If not for Revis stepping up with his experience in key playoff moments, they might have already been eliminated by the Patriots in the Divisional Round.
So.
This was the weakness Jacksonville needed to attack. Even if they lacked confidence in their passing game, Marrone had to put faith in Bortles. Only through the air could they open up space for the ground attack—their only chance at survival.
At least, that's how Romo saw it.
"Bottom line—they need to open up their playbook. They can't afford to stay conservative anymore. Time is running out."
So, what would Marrone do?
As the Jaguars' offense took the field again, the EverBank Stadium crowd roared with a mix of desperation and hope.
Bortles. Fournette.
Both had something to prove. This was their battle.
Standing at the edge of a cliff, with no retreat left, their eyes burned with determination.
And yet.
Romo immediately noticed something off. He shook his head.
"Bortles and Fournette aren't communicating. They're playing separately."
"That's a bad sign."
"They're supposed to be partners, supporting each other, fighting side by side. The offense can't repeat the mistakes of the defense."
Otherwise…
Romo didn't need to finish his sentence.
Unfortunately, his worries were proven right, further cementing his reputation as "the prophet of the broadcast booth."
At first, Jacksonville's opening drive in the second half showed promise.
Bortles finally got the passing game going, stringing together short and intermediate throws to move the chains, creating breathing room for Fournette.
With Kansas City's defense occupied by the aerial threat, Fournette's runs started to break through—no longer slamming into a wall every play.
Despite Kansas City's strong defensive effort, Jacksonville managed two third-down conversions, pushing past midfield. They had three first downs.
Momentum was shifting.
But then—
A seven-yard pass by Bortles was tipped by Houston, altering its trajectory. Revis nearly intercepted it.
The Jaguars escaped disaster by mere inches—but the shock of the near-pick sent them into panic mode.
Their strategy instantly became conservative again, falling back into the same predictable pattern—
First down: run. Second down: run or short pass. Third down: pass.
If anyone questioned the logic, Marrone would defend it confidently—
First-down run to test the defense.
Second-down mix of run/pass to keep them guessing.
Third-down pass to convert.
Marrone: "See? It's logical. It's structured."
But in competitive sports, predictability is a death sentence.
It means you've given your opponent the blueprint to beat you.
Kansas City's defense adjusted instantly.
They allowed Jacksonville to win a couple of battles—but never lose control of the war.
After giving up two third-down conversions, they locked in.
On third-and-four, they collapsed the pocket, sacked Bortles, and forced a three-and-out, shutting down Jacksonville's final attempt at a comeback.
In truth, this was one of Jacksonville's better drives—
They converted three third downs.
They finally entered field-goal range and put points on the board.
For the first time in what felt like forever, they had a glimmer of hope.
Nantz and Romo did their best to hype it up.
But—
As Romo had already said—
The game was already over.
The score? The time left?
None of that mattered anymore.
Jacksonville had lost its spirit.
The moment Bortles got rattled and the Jaguars cowered back into their running game, the outcome was sealed.
In the first half, when the game was even, Jacksonville played like they were protecting a lead.
In the second half, when they needed a comeback, they played terrified of falling further behind.
That's wrong.
No—
It wasn't just wrong.
It was an absolute disaster.
From mentality to strategy to execution, the Jaguars failed at every level.
Romo and Nantz tried to salvage the broadcast.
But all anyone needed to do was look at the field.
Fournette looked lost.
Wait… that's it? The game's over?
That's not what he expected.
This wasn't how it was supposed to end.
No epic battle.
No back-and-forth struggle.
No glorious victory.
The Jaguars, who had dominated all season, had completely collapsed in the most important game of the year.
What happened?
Fournette's mind spun. Was it because of that rookie running back?
His eyes searched the field, trying to find Lance—
But his focus was blurred.
All he saw was emptiness.
And then—
The unthinkable.
Fans. Leaving.
It wasn't many—maybe a few hundred out of tens of thousands.
But this was the AFC Championship Game.
The Jaguars had just scored.
Diehard fans should have held onto hope.
They should have never given up.
But some of them did.
Even they didn't believe in a comeback.
That was the real defeat.
The home-field advantage was gone.
Kansas City?
They refused to repeat past mistakes.
Even with a massive lead, they never let up.
And just like that, the gap widened again—
Leading to a fourth-quarter blowout.
30-6.
The 2017 AFC Championship ended not with a thrilling climax—
But with a one-sided beatdown.
The game had brief moments of fire—
The second quarter. The early third quarter.
But like a firework, it had flashed and then fizzled out—
Leaving behind nothing but smoke.
Kansas City steamrolled Jacksonville—without breaking a sweat.
They crushed one of the season's biggest Super Bowl favorites.
And now—
They stood tall as the AFC Champions.
The ultimate dark horse of the season.
For the first time since 1969—
After 48 long years—
The Kansas City Chiefs were heading back to the Super Bowl.
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Powerstones?
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