Blake Bortles gives Jaguars lead with impressive passes (Video)
By Wes Goldberg
There are a lot of expectations for first-round quarterback Blake Bortles. Coming out of UCF, Bortles is handed the job of saving the Jacksonvilel Jaguars franchise–a job that Blaine Gabbert couldn’t do.
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Bortles entered the season as the second quarterback behind Chad Henne, and the plan was that he wouldn’t play this season. Well, the Jaguars forgot one importnat thing: Chad Henne is Chad Henne. So that didn’t last long. Bortles took over as the starter after just two games.
It hasn’t been easy for him, either. In his first game, he played the Indianapolis Colts led by Andrew Luck. Bortles completed 14 of 24 passes for 223 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in a 44-17 loss.
In his second start, Bortles is going head-to-head with Philip Rivers. He has given his Jacksonville Jaguars a 14-10 lead over the San Diego Chargers early in the game.
On the most recent touchdown, the first-round draft pick completed five passes to lead the Jags down the field for the score. One of which was an impressive 44-yard strike to Allen Hurns.
On the very next play, Bortles found Nic Jacobs on a two-yard score on an impressive touchdown pass to the back of the end zone over two Colts defenders.
Bortles is showing his ability to take ownership of drives that he showed at UCF. His poise is one of the reasons he was drafted in the first round, and his physical tools are obvious.
Going head-to-head against Luck and Rivers in your firs two NFL starts is no easy task, especially because the Jaguars defense isn’t especially daunting.
He will have to score points to keep his team in games, and he’s doing a job so far in his second game.
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