Should Jacksonville Declare Blake Bortles A Bust And Move On?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have committed themselves to Blake Bortles as the starting quarterback.  Some people believe that he is a bust.

Mike Freeman of the BleacherReport.com reported his conversation with an unnamed NFC scout.  Blake Bortles was the object of the conversation.  The scout asked why the media does not consider Bortles a bust.

The scout added more:

"“He is a really good guy,” the scout added. “I’ve met him and talked to him. I know he tries. He’s not lazy. He’s just overwhelmed. You can see it on film. He gets confused pretty easily by (defensive) looks that aren’t all that complicated. That’s why his mechanics are a problem. He gets panicked by defenses and the rush and falls back on bad habits.”"

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Bortles’ play on Thursday was very underwhelming.  He completed three passes out of five for sixteen yards.  He played in the first two series of the first quarter due to being a preseason game.

Since Bortles is under extraordinary pressure to improve his play, he must play better.  While the backup quarterbacks are grabbing the headlines, he needs to make big plays.  Rather than let others defend his play, he must become the field general.

Most of all, Bortles needs to win over the Jacksonville Jaguars fanbase.  Jaguars.com writer John Oehser defends him almost daily in his O-Zone column.  Therefore, Bortles must give the Jaguars fans a reason to believe in him.

Why Some People Believe That Blake Bortles Is a Bust

First, he has the propensity to throw interceptions.  He has thrown 51 interceptions since 2014.  As a result, eleven of the 51 interceptions have been returned for touchdowns.

Next, Bortles regressed last season after a good 2015 season.  In 2016, he had less passing yards, less passing touchdowns and a lesser quarterback rating.  Most noteworthy was his inaccuracy and lack of confidence.

Finally, Thursday’s game did not help Bortles’ public perception.  His three completions were safety valve dump offs.  He did not attempt to throw the deep pass and his backups did, for touchdowns.

While many have given up on him, lets hope that He has given up on himself.  The Jaguars are looking to Blake Bortles as their franchise quarterback.  Most of all, please give the fans a reason to believe.