Jaguars fired up about Steelers' perceived disrespect

The Steelers denied emphatically, even using expletives, that they disrespected or looked beyond the Jaguars, this after their 45-42 loss Sunday in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.

When Ramon Foster was asked by an ESPN beat reporter if the focus was instead on facing the Patriots the following weekend in Foxborough, he snapped back, "You guys throw all that [crap] out there as far as us overlooking them. We practiced two weeks for Jacksonville. No [bleeping] way we overlooked them. Come on, you know that answer."

If that's the correct answer, it's safe to say the winners weren't buying it. Jacksonville's coaching staff and players apparently put several recent quotes from the Steelers to productive use, in particular Mike Mitchell's remarks three weeks ago to Sports Illustrated that, "We're going to play [the Patriots] again. We can play them in hell, we can play them in Haiti, we can play them in New England. ...  We're gonna win."

Then, before kickoff, Doug Marrone brought to the attention of his players this Le'Veon Bell tweet Saturday that they interpreted as predicting victory:

“I’m like ouuu, boutta play the jags ouuu.” #Winsday pic.twitter.com/MiHpbjBXRN

— Le'Veon Bell (@L_Bell26) January 14, 2018

Mitchell was fuming about the Sports Illustrated quote earlier in the week, maintaining the remark was made off the record. And Bell denied any disrespect for the Jaguars after this game.

But the damage, if it can be called that, was done.

"That's what happens when you talk stuff," Jacksonville safety Barry Church said. "I mean, you have players on their team talking about the Patriots. Acting like they were just about to obliterate us. I mean, it doesn't make sense. That came at us with that disrespect. They just fed us the fuel that we needed to dominate. I'm glad we sent them home."

"We wanted it more than the other team," defensive end Dante Fowler said. "We showed up. We didn't get into all the trash talk like they did this week. We were quiet. Real people are quiet, and then they throw the first punch. They thought they were the bullies. No, we were the bullies, just like we were the bullies last game. See you guys next year!"

The Jaguars won the regular-season meeting here, 30-9, Oct. 8.

Not surprisingly, outspoken -- and excellent -- cornerback Jalen Ramsey ramped it up the loudest.

"Excuse my language, but we don't give a [bleep]," Ramsey said. "We really don't care. We knew what we were going to do. We don't really be worried about all that. Y'all bring that to us. That's honestly the first time that we hear about it. During the week, when y'all brought the Mike Mitchell thing to me, that was the first time I heard about it. We don't care about none of that. Talking is cool. You can do all the talking you want on Twitter, to the media, all of that, but when you get on the field, you're going to have to produce. You're going to have to show us what you're really about. We're confident because we know the work we put in. We know the blessings the Lord has given us. We're going to go out here confident. We're going to go out there swagged up."

To Foxborough, he meant.

Jacksonville's defense, No. 1 in the NFL in the regular season, actually was hit hard by the Steelers' offense, with Ben Roethlisberger throwing for 469 yards, Antonio Brown catching seven passes for 132 yards, and Bell totaling 155 yards from scrimmage.

But those with the most room to talk on the Jaguars' side were quarterback Blake Bortles, 14 of 26 for 214 yards and a touchdown, and running back Leonard Fournette, with 25 carries for 109 yards and three touchdowns despite the recurrence of a right ankle injury that's bugged him for a while but kept him out of only two series.

"I really don't care," Bortles replied when asked about his doubters. "I enjoy going to work every day with the guys in that room and that coaching staff. To be able to come in here and do that against a team like Pittsburgh, it will never change for me."

Asked if he felt vindicated, "I'm just happy to win. There are a lot of guys home on the couch watching this, and I'm sure they're wishing they could play. Having this opportunity to continue feels awesome."

Fournette stuck up for his quarterback, saying, "Blake Bortles has always been getting criticized. It's different now. He has guys who have his back. I'll defend my brother."

He also took his quarterback's side when asked about the flap over the Steelers' remarks: "I don't care about that. Every man has their own persona of how to motivate themselves, but I don't care. My focus is this team and each game. We aren't worrying about two weeks ahead of us."

Coincidence or not, Marrone sounded a similar note when asked about the AFC Championship next Sunday.

"I'm not even thinking about it," he answered. "I don't want any early thoughts. It's out of my head right now. I just want to enjoy this and see what we have to do to get better from this game. Then, we'll prepare for New England."

MATT SUNDAY GALLERY