Leonard Fournette On 2017 AFC Championship Loss toTo Patriots: 'He Was Not Down!'
The memory of the fiercely contested 2017 AFC Championship Game will forever be etched in the mind of former Jacksonville Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette.
That game holds a lasting impact for both Fournette and New England Patriots fans, as their team secured a memorable 24-20 victory over the Jaguars. The game-deciding touchdown catch by former receiver Danny Amendola propelled New England to Super Bowl LII, where they suffered a 41-33 defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles.
As a rookie, Fournette played a pivotal role in the game, recording 24 carries for 76 yards and scoring a touchdown. His score allowed Jacksonville to seize a commanding 14-3 lead. However, one particular play continues to haunt Fournette, where fortune favored New England.
In the fourth quarter, the Jags led 20-10 when the Patriots executed a trick play involving Amendola receiving a quick pass and then throwing it to running back Dion Lewis on the other side of the field. As Lewis dashed into open space, Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack swiftly closed from behind and stripped the ball from him. Jack managed to recover the fumble and got up for a long return but, unfortunately for Jacksonville, the play was prematurely whistled dead by the officials.
New England scored on the drive and wound rallying for a 24-20 victory. The non-fumble left an indelible mark on Fournette, who still recalls the missed opportunity to perhaps seal the game.
During his appearance last week on NFL Network's Good Morning Football, Fournette expressed his lingering displeasure.
"Myles Jack was not down," Fournette said. "That's the famous quote we always say. He was not down."
Contemplating the hypothetical scenario where Jack had been ruled up sparks curiosity about the outcome had the Jaguars faced the Eagles in Super Bowl LII. Such a matchup would have pitted the infamous clash of Nick Foles against Blake Bortles, leaving fans to speculate on the alternate course of events.
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