Can Jaguars overcome Blake Bortles in January?
Play #2
We move to the fourth quarter, with the Chargers leading 17-14 with 1:34 on the clock. After getting a miracle fumble, Jacksonville has the ball but has gone backwards, putting it in 3rd and 25 from the Los Angeles 37-yard line.
The Jaguars are in 11 personnel and a balanced formation. The Chargers are in man coverage with Jahleel Addae (bottom safety) playing a robber role and Boston dropping deep into Cover 1. Los Angeles is rushing four toward Bortles.
The route combinations are mirrored on both sides. The inside receivers (Lewis, left and Hurns, right) are running out routes. The perimeter receivers are both running deep digs. Fourette releases from the backfield and hooks up in the flat.
Against this coverage, Bortles has to recognize that Los Angeles is susceptible to the out routes. The safeties will be helping on the digs, especially with this down and distance. The Chargers are more than willing to give up 5-7 yards and force a game-tying field goal attempt. Bortles should be happy with that outcome as well.
As coverage would dictate, the out routes are open, especially for Hurns. Hurns, going against a rookie corner in Desmond King, has King turned the wrong way. This is an easy five-yard gain and potentially a bit more.
However, Bortles doesn’t see Hurns because he drifted left out of a clean pocket. The throw is now to Lewis, who is also open against a safety in Adrian Phillips.
Meanwhile, we see Lee circled. He’s surrounded by a pair of defenders with Boston ranging over the top. If there is one man who shouldn’t see a target here, above anybody else, it’s Lee.
Lewis is even more open than before and Bortles has an easy throw to him. Instead, he throws into the Bortles Triangle down the field, with three Chargers defenders just waiting. There is literally nowhere to throw this football without a high risk of turnover.
This is the end result. Bortles threw into triple coverage, robbing his team of a field goal attempt. He also overthrew Lee by 12 yards on a ball that never should have been released.
If Los Angeles wasn’t completely inept, this game is over. Instead, the Jaguars got the ball back once more and forced overtime. Incredibly, the Jaguars won a game that included Bortles throwing two interceptions after the two-minute warning.
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Final thought
Bortles has a big arm, but he’s undone by an appalling lack of both fundamentals and pre-snap abilities. A veteran at this juncture, the former third-overall pick has to be able to understand basic coverages and let the defense dictate where the ball should be thrown. Repeatedly, he fails to do this.
Bortles is at his best when the play breaks down and it turns into schoolyard football. When there is structure and the defense holds its integrity, Jacksonville will always struggle to throw with No. 5 at the helm.
Against lesser opponents, the Jaguars will win games with their punishing defense — especially the pass rush/secondary combination — and Fournette. Against better teams, Jacksonville will struggle to drive consistently and should they fall behind, the threat of Fournette, a ferocious pass rush and a great secondary is neutered.
So far this season, the Jaguars are 5-1 against sub-.500 teams and 1-2 against playoff-caliber competition. The only win came in Pittsburgh, and was dependent upon five interceptions including two pick-sixes. In that game, Bortles threw for 95 yards. Unfortunately for Jacksonville, those types of games aren’t commonly repeated.
Come playoff time, teams will stack the box and force Bortles to throw. If history is any indication, that won’t end well.