Josh Lambo says Jacksonville Jaguars' AFC Championship game loss leaves bad taste
Jaguars host Patriots in rematch, live on Sky Sports Action from 9.25pm on Sunday
Monday 17 September 2018 13:22, UK
The Jacksonville Jaguars are on a mission to be the 'best ever'.
Tantalisingly close to a first-ever Super Bowl last season, the Jaguars suffered a heart-breaking AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots, but their players told Sky Sports this offseason they are using that devastating defeat as motivation for the 2018 season and in their quest to go down as one of the NFL's greatest defenses.
That quest continues with a chance for revenge against the Patriots in Week Two - watch live on Sky Sports Action from 9.25pm on Sunday - and kicker Josh Lambo says the team certainly haven't forgotten the events of eight months ago, where the team surrendered a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead.
Live NFL
"That bad taste is definitely still in our mouths from being a few points, a few minutes, a few calls away from at least making it to the Super Bowl," said Lambo, speaking at 'NFL Madden 19 Skills Camp'.
"Losing the way we did, you sometimes wonder if it would have been a bit easier to not even have made the playoffs. Being that close, feeling like you can smell, touch the Lombardi Trophy, it was like it got snatched away.
"It was difficult for a while. But our coaching staff, our organisation have done a really good job of making sure we're using it as motivation; we know we have what it takes now, know we could have won that game - beaten the Patriots - and this year we're looking to make the tweaks necessary to go further."
The early signs are encouraging, with the Jaguars getting off to a winning start against the Giants in New York, in which Lambo kicked a couple of field goals and that stellar defense racked up two sacks, six quarterback pressures, and eight tackles for losses.
But, Lambo and the team as a whole know it won't be as easy for them to fly under the radar this season, having been written off by most last year following on the back of a 3-13 record in 2016.
"We're playing for continued respect this year," Lambo added. "We're where we are for a reason; it was no fluke that we got to where we got to last year. We're out to prove that.
"Other teams will see us coming this year, we'll have an asterisk next to our name on the fixtures schedule, but we're not worried about other teams, we're only concerned with ourselves.
"We're not focusing on the Lombardi trophy, or even the playoffs right now. Our focus is in the right spot, directed properly on winning our division."
As well as this weekend's rematch with New England, another date marked on the Jaguars schedule - certainly Lambo's - is their latest International Series game at Wembley, against defending Super Bowl champions the Philadelphia Eagles, in a mouth-watering Week Eight match-up.
For Lambo the opportunity is particularly special due to his soccer-playing background, having represented the USA at both under-17 and under-20 level in the World Cup, even coming face to face with, and keeping a clean sheet against, an Eden Hazard-led Belgium.
"London is something I'm really looking forward to," said Lambo. "Being able to play at Wembley, albeit a different sport, is going to be really special. I will be very excited.
"Unfortunately, I didn't play in the first two group stage games of the under-17 World Cup in 2007 in South Korea but, thankfully, the coaching staff decided to put me in against Belgium and, just before I went out onto the pitch for warm-ups, my goalkeeping coach said: 'Hey, no pressure kid, but you need to have a shut-out'. I played against Eden Hazard, Christian Benteke, kept a clean sheet, and actually almost scored!
"I launched the ball up to our forward, it went over his head and the defenders', but this 17-year-old goalkeeper they had was about 6ft 5in! So, he managed to jump back and just about tip it over the bar as it was heading for the back of the net.
"Hitting goal kicks certainly made the transition to the NFL easier. When my contract with FC Dallas expired, there were no other contracts that were really attractive to me. So, I decided to go back to University but, talking to my mum about it, she jokingly suggested I try kicking field goals, and I thought, 'Okay, let's try it'."
Lambo spent two years with the Chargers before being released by the team on the eve of last season. Los Angeles' loss was Jacksonville's gain, with Lambo successful with 23 of his 24 field goal tries from his 13 games with the team in 2017.
One step further, and the Super Bowl, is the aim for this season, but given the choice, would Lambo choose winning the Vince Lombardi trophy with a game-winning kick or a penalty save to lift the World Cup?
"The more pressurised situation would for sure be the Super Bowl, kicking the game-winning field goal, because that's all on you. The World Cup penalty shootout - you're never expected to make a save, if you do it's a massive bonus," said Lambo.
"But If I was to choose one or the other to be successful, it would absolutely be a World Cup shootout. Representing your franchise in the NFL is wonderful, but representing your country is something extra special.
"I was gutted for England this summer. I was pulling for them. I'd have for sure loved to have seen a France v England final as my wife and I were actually in Paris while the final was on. The city just went mad!
"England had a great campaign. Kind of similar to the Jags - not very high expectations, but going all the way through to the semi-final, losing in heart-breaking fashion."
Jacksonville's first opportunity to avenge that loss is on Sunday with the visit of the Patriots.
Josh Lambo was speaking at 'NFL Madden 19 Skills Camp' as part of the promotional tour for the 2018 International Series games in London. Lambo will be playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, 28th October at Wembley. All 32 NFL teams, included those playing in London will feature in the new EA SPORTS Madden NFL 19, available on Xbox One, PS4 and mobile NOW.
