Blake Bortles can power a run to the playoffs
By Luke Sims
Blake Bortles, like other quarterbacks around the NFL, will have to be the primary impetus behind a Jacksonville Jaguars playoff run.
The time is now for the Jacksonville Jaguars to finally improve. While the goal is simply to get their collective heads above water (.500 or better), everyone has an eye on the playoffs.
A rebuilt defense has been the story of the offseason, especially sexy new additions like Malik Jackson and Tashaun Gipson and young rookies Myles Jack and Jalen Ramsey. But if the team wants to make the playoffs they will have to ride the arm of quarterback Blake Bortles.
This shouldn’t be shocking for fans of the modern NFL. A team can only go as far as their quarterback and even built teams without QBs (see, Houston Texans 2015) can be completely demolished in the playoffs if they are without at least adequate play.
Bortles has proven he can be at least adequate and possibly quite a bit more. He’s only entering year three, but he has the makings of being the kind of quarterback the Jags can ride into the playoffs.
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Conor Orr at NFL.com agrees and highlights Bortles as a reason to believe in his spotlight on
possible Cinderella teams in the 2016 season
. His other selections (the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, and Oakland Raiders) also might have the quarterbacks to get them there.
There is no position more important to the playoffs than quarterback and the Jaguars will finally have a (more) mature talent at the position. It’s taken many years since Mark Brunell and the early successful days of the Jacksonville Jaguars with the closest quarterback being David Garrard. Now it’s time for Bortles to compete against Brunell as a true success by getting the Jags back to the playoffs.
Bortles can do it and 2016 could very well be the year. I’ll settle for getting the team’s head above water, but the playoffs are certainly on my mind as well.