Blake Bortles talks Gus Bradley, Greg Hardy
The Jacksonville Jaguars are in the midst of another losing campaign, but perhaps there is finally light at the end of a very long tunnel.
In his second year at the helm, 2014 first-round pick and quarterback Blake Bortles seems to be making strides. Bortles, 23, has already thrown for 2,193 yards and 17 touchdowns this season in eight games. Last year, Bortles played in 14 games and only tossed 11 touchdowns along with 2,908 yards. While the accuracy still leaves something to be desired at 56.3 percent, the youngster is clearly on the rise.
Earlier this week, Bortles took time to speak with FanSided about the direction he and his team are headed, why the front office would be crazy to fire head coach Gus Bradley, and how he would feel about Greg Hardy as a teammate. Bortles also spoke about a project he’s working on with Microsoft.
Q: What has been the biggest difference for you from last season to this?
A: Preparation. Nathaniel Hackett, offensive coordinator Greg Olson and Chad Henne are guys I owe a lot to. They have put in a lot of work to week in and week out to have me prepared. I think they get me ready for every possible look I could see throughout the game. … The game is slowing down. The light is definitely going on. I would say the light is getting better.
Q: How far are the Jaguars from turning the corner and being competitive?
A: We are right there, a small step away. Things are headed in the right direction. What Gus has done here and in the building, changing the culture is something really special.
Q: This is coach Bradley’s third year, and the losses are still piling up. Do you think the front office is going to make a move?
A: Obviously that’s their decision but I think it would be a huge mistake. I think what he has done is unbelievable. … As someone involved in it you have to understand that it takes time and that we are striving for something special. With the team we have and how young we are, you can’t ask for something now.
Q: While the team is still losing, it seems you have some really nice receivers. Can you speak to their potential?
A: They are definitely special players. Both Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson are special. Obviously this past week you get to play against Antonio Cromartie and Darrelle Revis and they played really well. They have week in and week out. It’s been really cool to watch them grow and get better, to watch them grow and develop. … They are two unbelievable teammates.
Q: How do you keep your competitive edge knowing that the season has gone poorly so far?
A: We talked about it. Coach Bradley talked about the big picture and how the division is wide open and all that. We are not going to let our record dictate how we play the final half of the season. We’re going to attack it and play each game like it is the Super Bowl.
Q: Would it bother you to have Greg Hardy as a teammate?
A: It’s a tough thing. I don’t know enough about it. I’ve seen some of the stuff and pictures … I don’t know enough to really comment about it.
Q: Tell us about what you are doing with Microsoft. What’s it about?
A: Microsoft has obviously been a partner of mine for over a year and we have a mutual bond. They have a cool contest called the Imagine Bowl to submit technology ideas for both on and off the field. There are really cool prizes including a trip to the Super Bowl.