Blake Bortles is the 9th best quarterback in the postseason according to ESPN

The Jacksonville Jaguars biggest weakness is probably at quarterback, but ESPN thinks other teams have it worse than Blake Bortles this postseason.

Most national analysts who don’t really dive into the play of each team have one singular impression of Blake Bortles – he’s one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL.

That’s patently false (Bortles is ranked 12th in QBR) but it’s an easy stance to take because Bortles has yet to prove himself on a big stage.

Heading into the postseason, you would expect a lot of folks to write off the Jaguars because they think Jacksonville has the worst quarterback in the postseason.

They would be wrong.

Field Yates over at ESPN ranked all 12 starting quarterbacks playing this postseason, and surprisingly enough he didn’t have Blake Bortles dead last:

"9. Blake Bortles, Jacksonville JaguarsRegular-season stats: 315-for-523 (60.2 percent), 3,687 yards, 21 TDs, 13 INTs, 55.5 Total QBRIt was a dull finish to the regular season for Bortles, who threw five of his 13 interceptions in the final two games. But that shouldn’t cloud what was a bounce-back year for him, as his confidence escalated in the first full season under head coach Doug Marrone. The run-heavy offense was never going to be a high-arsenal passing attack, but Bortles functioned well within his designated role and had highlight moments in a three-game December win streak that helped cement the Jaguars’ playoff spot."

Yates has Bortles ranked ahead of Tyrod Taylor, Marcus Mariota, and Nick Foles. Honestly, I’m a bit shocked that Yates doesn’t have Bortles at 11, ranked only ahead of Foles.

I think Bortles has had a better overall season than those three guys, but I think Bortles has yet to prove he can lead his team to a come from behind win in the 4th quarter when the stakes are high.

To be fair, Bortles has had very few opportunities in his career to show he can lead a 4th quarter comeback to completion, but he hasn’t exactly excelled in the few chances he’s had.

I have hope in Bortles heading into the postseason, but I’m a realist – I know that he’s not someone you can count on right now in a close contest in the 4th quarter. I think he has it in him, and his opportunity to quiet his critics starts this Sunday in Jacksonville and hopefully ends in February in Minneapolis.