Tom Brady, Patriots still a cut above Jaguars

Blake Bortles fact: The Twitter account, @BortlesFacts, has more than 79,000 followers.

Other @BortlesFacts: The Jaguars quarterback is undefeated in 194 countries, has thrown 102 touchdown passes to a combined 10 NFL teams and never has been suspended by the NFL for deflating footballs.

But perhaps the most important Bortles fact of all is that he’s never injured his hand four days before playing in the AFC championship game.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady did, and the mysterious injury to his throwing hand might prove to be the difference in the game and point spread. The extent of the injury remains unclear, as Brady and New England coach Bill Belichick were tight-lipped about it Friday.

Asked if Brady would be a game-time decision for Sunday’s game, Belichick replied, “Today is Friday.”

There is no prop bet, “Can Tom Brady beat the Jaguars with one hand?” posted at Las Vegas sports books. But the line has moved in Jacksonville’s direction since New England opened as a 9-point favorite. The number was as high as 9½ before money on Jacksonville dropped it to 8½. After Brady missed practice Thursday, more money on the underdog dropped the line to 7½.

Back to Bortles facts. Despite being praised for his play in Sunday’s 45-42 win over the Steelers, he completed only 14 of 26 passes for 214 yards and a TD. Bortles, who has thrown 64 career interceptions, has gone two straight games without throwing one. But he’s only gone three straight games without a pick twice in his four-year career.

Belichick will take away Jacksonville’s running game and dare Bortles to beat him through the air. The last quarterback to beat the Patriots in his first postseason was Jim McMahon, who was backed by the 1985 Bears defense, considered by many to be the best in NFL history.

Jacksonville’s defense is stout, but it gave up 42 points to Pittsburgh and was carved up by Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for 469 yards and five TDs.

Boston radio host Michael Felger, citing sources, said Friday that Brady has “No fracture. No ligament. Just a cut from hitting the buckle on someone’s helmet. Four stitches around the knuckle, should not affect him.”

We’ll take the discounted price and roll the dice on the Patriots, who are riding a 10-1 run against the spread this season and a league-leading 28-8 ATS streak the past two seasons.

NFC championship play (home team in CAPS):

■ Vikings (-3) over EAGLES: Minnesota is much better than the Falcons, but the spread is the same as last week’s playoff game in Philadelphia, where the Eagles held off Atlanta 15-10. Since Mike Zimmer took over as Vikings coach in 2014, they have the league’s best spread record at 44-22. Zimmer will take away Philadelphia’s rushing attack and force quarterback Nick Foles to solve Minnesota’s top-ranked defense. The Eagles will break out the dog masks again, but the Vikings are the ultimate playoff underdogs, going 0-4 in Super Bowls and losing five straight NFC title games. Besides having slight edges at quarterback, coach and on defense, Minnesota appears to have destiny on its side after pulling off the Minneapolis Miracle.

Last week: 3-1 against the spread

Season: 46-46-1

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on Twitter.