FOXBOROUGH, MA. (NEWS CENTER Maine) – Here are the five things you need to know about the AFC Championship game Sunday at Gillette Stadium when the New England Patriots host the Jacksonville Jaguars at 3:05 p.m.
►LIVE BLOG: Patriots vs Jaguars AFC Championship
1. TOM BRADY IS LISTED AS 'QUESTIONABLE':
Brady injured his throwing hand on Wednesday during a handoff in practice, according to Patriots Football Weekly. A day later Brady was on the field for practice wearing a glove on the hand, something he prefers not to do. Officially he did not participate in practice on Thursday. ESPN reports Brady will start Sunday
2. HISTORY IS ON NEW ENGLAND'S SIDE:
The Patriots will meet Jacksonville in an AFC Championship Game for the second time.
The Patriots beat the Jaguars in the 1996 AFC Championship Game 20-6 -- the first time the Patriots hosted the Conference Championship game.
The Patriots have won all seven of the regular-season games between the clubs. The two teams have faced each other four times in the playoffs, including the 1996 AFC Championship Game at Foxboro Stadium. The Patriots lead the Jaguars 3-1 in postseason games.
The last time the two teams played in the regular season was on Sept. 27, 2015, a 51-17 New England win at Gillette Stadium.
Bill Belichick has never lost a game to Jacksonville when coaching the Patriots.
3. JACKSONVILLE'S DEFENSE IS A CONCERN:
It's a unit that sports the NFL’s No. 1 pass defense, ranked second in points allowed, and includes All-Pro talent at all three levels. Jacksonville had seven returns for touchdowns on interceptions and fumbles during the regular season and another – a 50-yard fumble return by linebacker Telvin Smith – in last week’s win in Pittsburgh.
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey said "[Rob Gronkowski] hasn't played a corner like me before," he told reporters Friday, according to NFL.com. The Patriots lost to the Jags 31-24 in their first preseason game this year.
4. PATRIOTS PAST IN THE AFC CHAMPIONSHIP:
The Patriots are 9-4 in the AFC Championship Game, including a 6-1 record at home and a 5-1 mark at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots extended their streak to seven straight AFC Championship Games with a 35-14 win against the Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Playoffs. It is the 14th AFC Title game in team history. The Patriots will host the AFC Championship Game for the eighth time and for the fifth time in the last seven years this Sunday when they play the Jacksonville Jaguars.
5. FORMER NFL TEAMMATES:
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and Jacksonville executive vice president of football operations Tom Coughlin coached together at the Giants from 1988-1990, advancing to the playoffs twice in three years and winning Super Bowl XXV to conclude the 1990 season.
Patriots DL Alan Branch was teammates with Jaguars DL Calais Campbell for three seasons (2008-10) at Arizona. Together they helped the Cardinals to consecutive playoff appearances in 2008 and 2009, including an NFC Championship victory and trip to Super Bowl XLIII.
Doug Marrone was the head coach of the Bills from 2013-14 when Patriots CB Stephon Gilmore, WR Chris Hogan and DL Alan Branch (2013 only) played at Buffalo.
MAINE CONNECTIONS TO THE PATRIOTS:
► STORY: Mainers help paint field at Gillette
► STORY: How Mainers tailgate a Pats game
► STORY: Maine's Patriots Super Fan
Reminder NEWS CENTER Maine will have a LIVE pregame show from Foxboro on web, mobile, app and the NEWS CENTER Maine Facebook page. Show kicks off at 2PM Sunday.