JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The anticipation for the ‘Battle at The Bank’ between the Jags and Chargers has been building since last Saturday’s AFC South win against the Titans.
The momentum has been up. The energy has been radiating, and the fans are making it known which team they are backing in the streets of Duval.
In the past week, eager fans flooded stores around town to load up on Jags gear in preparation for the showdown as thousands of fans were expected to create a wave of teal at TIAA Bank Field.
News4JAX crews were front and center at The Bank Saturday afternoon to capture the excitement as tailgates began before the game kicked off at 8:15 p.m.
Amber Cooley is a 12-year season ticket holder and has been cheering for the team ever since.
“We still cheered them on. It’s the hometown team so we make sure that we always take care of them and make sure they come out with a win today,” Cooley said.
Fans who didn’t make it into the stadium were still getting a taste of the action at Intuition. They said although they struggled through losses with the Jags, they will still support them no matter what.
“The word for the Jags is perseverance. We overcome a lot of obstacles. A lot of rough games, a lot of disappointment. But the Jags never stopped fighting,” Jordan Hardwick said. “I feel like Jacksonville is really the trademark of the city, which is rough around the edges. We get the job done when it counts, and we keep fighting until the job is done.”
A sprinkle of Chargers fans was also in the mix of tailgate fun.
“Clearly, we’re getting some boos going on but we got some bolts fans around. We’re traveling out here a little bit, so we got a little bit of family with me,” Logan Terrell said.
Other fans said their devotion to the team could not be stunted by the frigid temperatures. Some fans said they were wearing three layers and using hand warmers to stay warm as temperatures were expected to drop as low as 30 degrees.
Vincent Menendez flew all the way from Tijuana, Mexico to support the Chargers. He said he wasn’t expecting it to be cold in Florida but that didn’t stop him from having a good time.
“It’s going to be 40 degrees tonight, and we’re going to be up in the nosebleeds so it’s going to be a couple of degrees colder, but it’s not going to stop me,” Menendez said.
For other fans, this opportunity to come together was bigger than football.
Two families told News4JAX the event is also about bonding with family.
“It’s electrifying for us to spend this time together. Life is short, and I enjoy every moment,” Arliss Walker Jr. said.