Blake Bortles made his first start as a pro in Week 4 and played pretty well, especially given how bad the Jacksonville Jaguars have been. Above, he does his best to avoid a sack by sitting on the head of San Diego Chargers pass rusher Jahleel Addae, thus avoiding being sacked (even though he eventually was).
All told, it was a strong debut for Bortles, who is playing behind what is probably the worst offensive line in the league. Bortles’ performance in Week 4 has pushed the Jaguars’ odds this week against the Steelers to a relatively small +7.
Bortles immediately showed his elusiveness, getting sacked just three times against the Chargers – a big improvement from the average of six sacks a game his predecessor was taking.
Speaking of sacks, the Jags might even have a chance in Week 5 against a Steelers team that has, like Jacksonville, been letting people at their quarterback all season long. Pittsburgh’s Big Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked 11 times this season. Meanwhile, the Jaguars pass rush has the league’s fifth-best sack rate through four weeks, getting to the quarterback on 6.86% of drop backs.
It’s a little early to get on the Jacksonville bandwagon, but there are signs of life. Allen Hurns continues to make plays, and Cecil Shorts has played well, though he is battling an injury. If Toby Gerhart could do anything at all for the Jaguars, and help alleviate some of the pressure coming on Bortles’ weak O-line, things might get interesting on Sunday.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
