JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Blake Bortles may have started his last game in Jacksonville.
Coach Doug Marrone opened up the team’s quarterback competition Thursday night after another inconsistent performance from Bortles, the third overall pick in the 2014 NFL draft.
Bortles completed 8 of 13 passes for 65 yards in a 12-8 exhibition loss to Tampa Bay. All four of his drives ended with punts. The first-team offense now has three points in Bortles’ six preseason possessions.
He misfired to Allen Robinson twice Thursday, including a woefully underthrown pass down the seam that drew boos from the home crowd and caused some head-shaking on the sideline.
“It’s hard to not hear people booing,” Bortles said. “But if they’re cheering or booing, it’s kind of irrelevant, at least for me it is. I think you’ve got to treat adversity and prosperity the same way. They’re not booing for no reason. They’re booing because you didn’t do your job.”