FOXBORO — Tom Brady did catch one break this week. The Patriots quarterback, who possesses the most famous right thumb in the universe at the moment, likely won’t be at full strength tomorrow in the AFC Championship Game against the Jaguars at Gillette Stadium.
And, yes, that is the Jags defense that ranked second in the NFL in points and yards allowed, takeaways and sacks. A wounded digit is unquestionably less than ideal against such a defense.
But there’s another important element at play here. The Jaguars run a cover-3 defensive scheme that is exploitable by a savvy quarterback and a smart offensive coordinator.