Jacksonville Jaguars: Is Blake Bortles breaking Parcells’ QB Rules?
By Larry Brake
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has remained inconsistent. Could it be because he is violating Bill Parcells’ 11 Commandments for QBs?
The Jacksonville Jaguars, like most other NFL teams, are hoping for an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl. In the 2014 NFL Draft, Jacksonville selected Blake Bortles in the first round to be the face of the franchise. Since becoming the starting quarterback, the Jaguars have been on a roller coaster ride.
Bortles, as a rookie, completed 280 passes for 2,908 yards with 11 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. In 2015, he had 355 completions for 4,428 yards with 35 touchdowns and 18 picks. Last season, he threw for 3,905 yards on 368 completions to go along with 23 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Over the winter, there was much discussion whether Jacksonville would stick with Bortles. Jacksonville picked up Bortles contract option, ending the speculation temporarily. Bortles was named the starter after the job was opened up after his poor performance in the preseason.
Bill Parcells is known as one of the best NFL coaches of all time and his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame stands as evidence. He coached Phil Simms to becoming a two time Pro Bowler and winning the Super Bowl twice. Parcells had 11 rules for his quarterbacks. Does Bortles’ performances, this season, violate any?
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Per Billy Leggett’s blog/website describes those rules:
"1. Ignore other opinions2. Clowns can’t run a huddle3. Fat QBs can’t avoid the rush4. Know your job cold5. Know your own players6. Be the same guy every day7. Throwing the ball away is a good play8. Learn to manage the game9. Get your team in the end zone10. Don’t panic11. Don’t be a celebrity QB"
After a quick glance, Bortles is good with the first three rules, but he struggles with the next three. Bortles is definitely not a celebrity quarterback. His inconsistent play is summed up in rules 7, 8, 9, and mainly, rule 10. Rule 10 says “Don’t panic”, but Bortles does so. He struggles when he feels the pass rush pressure. That is why he throws so many interceptions.
Pro Football Focus Edge (PFF) rates Bortles as an average NFL quarterback. PFF gave him a low grade following his performance in Arizona. Remember, Bortles threw an interception to prevent Jacksonville from attempting a field goal late in the game. Why, because he panicked on that play.
Football Outsiders (FO) ranks Bortles nineteenth in three analytical categories. FO rates NFL quarterbacks for their effectiveness and efficiency throughout the season. Bortles has yet to be ranked in the top 10 in any category since 2014 due to his play.
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For the Jaguars to continue their winning ways, Bortles is going to let the game play out. He gets into trouble when he panics and tries to force things. He has been sacked 19 times overall and 11 times in the four losses. Five of his eight interceptions also came in each of the four Jaguars losses. Any correlation to sacks/pressures and interceptions/losses? Bortles must make better decisions or Jacksonville might possibly miss the playoffs.