Selling: Blake Bortles is a bust
Bortles had a miserable day playing against the Carolina Panthers, but then again that sounds like something we’ll be saying about opposing quarterbacks who face this dominant unit on a weekly basis.
Even after Luke Kuechly left with a concussion, Carolina’s defense was in attack mode, dictating the pace of the game.
Bortles put up similar numbers to Manning on this day, passing for 183 yards on 40 attempts, adding a touchdown and two interceptions. One of the interceptions was not necessarily his fault, as his arm was hit when he threw the pass.
It’s actually very strange that he did throw the ball that much, considering Jacksonville was successful on the ground, averaging 4.6 yards per rushing attempt. Offensive coordinator Greg Olson should take note of this for future reference.
Bortles will bounce back from this difficult lesson. He was outstanding during the preseason and will continue to build on that progress. And, don’t forget, he is without the team’s star tight end Julius Thomas, who is expected to return to action around Week 4.