Blake Bortles looked sharp in preseason debut
By Luke Sims
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles impressed in Preseason Week 1 with sharp throws and decisive action, but it was something else that kept us intrigued.
Blake Bortles has the capability to be a great quarterback in the NFL. He can make all the throws and he’s willing to take risks that weed out other, less great quarterbacks. It isn’t perfect football, but it is exciting football.
Coming out in the first game of the preseason against the New York Jets, Bortles was firing on all cylinders. The QB was making impossible throws to his gifted receivers and ultimately finished the day six of seven (one drop in the end zone by tight end Julius Thomas) for 105 yards. Add in that drop from Thomas and Bortles would have had one hell of an impressive night.
It isn’t just the numbers and the obviously clicking he has with Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, though.
When Bortles came out, it was expected he would play 10 to 15 downs and that would be it. But he was hungry and wanted to stay out there and play. He’s a competitor and he wasn’t going to be denied another chance to move the ball down the football field.
So, Bortles got a second series to impress.
At the end of that second series (featuring an amazing grab from Allen Robinson) the Jacksonville Jaguars came away with seven points. In total, Bortles’ led drives put 10 on the board of the total 13 the Jags had at the end of the 13-17 loss.
Bortles is clicking. He’s hungry and he wants to make plays. He wants to be on that football field making sure his team comes out winners.
That hunger, even more than the decisive action and snappy passes, is what impressed me most following the game.
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Sure, it’s the preseason and we don’t want him to get hurt, but it’s good to see that he was out there to win and made sure he could march the football down the field.