Blake Bortles throws 30th touchdown on the season (video)

Blake Bortles continues to grow as a passer, throwing his 30th touchdown pass of the season, as the Jacksonville Jaguars handle the Indianapolis Colts.

Blake Bortles in his second year with the Jacksonville Jaguars has already set a franchise record for most touchdown passes in a season. He connects with tight end Julius Thomas at 12:53 remaining in the fourth quarter to go up decisively on division rival Indianapolis Colts at home, 36-16.

At 4-8, the Jaguars are fighting for their playoff lives in the AFC South, two games back of both the Colts and the Houston Texans, both at 6-6 entering Week 14. Jacksonville hosted a Colts team that almost never loses divisional games in a must-win scenario for the Jaguars’ playoff hopes.

In 2015, it has been the improved passing game of Bortles and his great receiving talent of wideouts Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, along with Thomas, that has given the Jaguars more hope than they have had in several seasons.

Bortles took advantage of a weak Colts defense and found an opening to deliver an easy three-yard strike to Thomas for a decisive touchdown. Entering 2015, no Jaguar had ever thrown for more than 26 touchdown passes in a season. Even with Jacksonville being below .500 for the entire season, the improvement in his second year with the Jaguars has Bortles already in the franchise’s record books.

Jacksonville may not end up catching either Indianapolis or Houston in the division, but both divisional foes have to concerned for how well the passing game of the Jaguars has been in 2015. Under offensive coordinator Greg Olsen, Bortles is becoming the franchise quarterback the team hasn’t had since Mark Brunell over a decade ago. Jacksonville lives to fight another day with their home victory over the Colts.