Jacksonville Jaguars: 3 Takeaways from Week 1 vs Texans

HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 10: Leonard Fournette
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 10: Leonard Fournette /
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HOUSTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 10: Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars throws a pass as Joel Heath #93 of the Houston Texans applies pressure in the second quarter at NRG Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TX – SEPTEMBER 10: Blake Bortles #5 of the Jacksonville Jaguars throws a pass as Joel Heath #93 of the Houston Texans applies pressure in the second quarter at NRG Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images) /

3. Blake Bortles’ role seems to be reduced

Perhaps we all should’ve taken Doug Marrone more seriously when he said he wanted to run the ball on every down. Although the Jaguars did, in fact, pass the ball against Houston, they didn’t do so excessively. Bortles only threw the ball 21 times, as he completed 11 of those attempts. That number is actually pretty outrageous. Bortles’ 21 attempts is the lowest amount of throws he has ever had.

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It wasn’t exactly flashy, but guess what: Bortles didn’t throw an interception. I would assume this is a harbinger of things to come. It seems like Marrone’s goal is to make Bortles less of a gun-slinging, risk-taking quarterback, and more of a game-managing, safe one.

To be completely honest, Bortles was everything he needed to be in this game. Sure, fans may miss the deep throws downfield, but having a boring, disastrous game is a good thing for Bortles and his confidence.

The good news is that the approach worked in week one. The bad news, however, is that Allen Robinson sustained a knee injury. Although the diagnosis is currently unknown, there’s a good chance Robinson misses time. So when the Jaguars do find themselves in passing situations, Bortles will have one less option.