What’s Next: Pursuing The Patriots

The Jacksonville Jaguars get set to play the New England Patriots on Sunday in a matchup that is probably going to be no contest.  The Patriots are set for yet another playoff appearance while the Jaguars continue to flounder.  Entering this game, it can be pretty easy for fans to think little of it and hope that the Jags can simply get on the board.  Yet the Patriots present something that the Jags could really use: a vision of a successful future.

When an organization is founded, one of the first things in any business plan is the vision of the organization.  Once the mission has been accomplished, how is the organization going to look?  I don’t think the Jaguars have that vision solidified just yet.  The Patriots, on the other hand, are the prime example of a team that has reached it vision.

Sure, the Pats will always strive for greater seasons, more records, and ever-elusive perfection, but their resume is already pretty good.  Five Super Bowl appearances with three wins is pretty good.  That comes with knowing what you want.  Bill Belichick and Tom Brady didn’t sit down and say, “Let’s play football!”  They sat down and said, “We’re going to win championships.”  Then they did what needed to be done to get there.

Brady took his opportunity when Drew Bledsoe was injured and ran with it.  Belichick knew what he had in Brady and trusted him as the man to get the team where they needed to be.  Belichick made that move – and many others – decisively and with one goal in mind: winning championships.  Whether he is cutting Deion Branch or bringing him back, there is no doubt that what he is doing is bringing the team closer to achieving its vision (over and over again it would seem).

That is something the Jaguars lack right now.  They need that vision.  They need a solid goal that they can pursue and take action toward.

Sunday’s matchup won’t just be between a successful team and an unsuccessful team.  Sunday’s matchup will be about what the Jaguars could be when they get their act together.  Sunday’s matchup will be about the Jaguars filling the void after New England finally fades from glory.  Sunday’s matchup is about pursuing the Patriots.

– Luke N. Sims