Blake Bortles has already made the Jacksonville Jaguars far more fun to watch. But he couldn't quite make them winners during a 33-14 loss to the Chargers in San Diego. Here's what you need to know:
- Philip Rivers' center can't snap the ball correctly. His running game is absent and his pass protection is lackluster. None of it mattered for the third straight week as Rivers went deep early and often on the way to 377 yards and three scores. The matchup helped, but Rivers is playing as well as any quarterback in football. It's amazing how many plays he makes after avoiding pressure or while he takes a big hit.
- Bortles was picked off twice playing catchup in the second half, but he looked sensational for most of the game. He had only eight incompletions on 37 attempts and consistently moved the ball. He also made his usual handful of jaw-dropping escapes to create plays out of nothing. The Jaguars coaching staff looks ridiculous for playing Chad Henne for three games. Bortles makes Jacksonville so much better.
- The Chargers were held to less than 2 yards per rush and only gained 40 yards overall despite leading throughout the second half. Donald Brown has no juice and the line is struggling. They need Ryan Mathews back as soon as possible.
- Toby Gerhart can't blame everything on the offensive line. He tiptoes before the line of scrimmage too often, and it cost the Jaguars on some short yardage attempts in this game. Gerhart is now essentially splitting reps with Denard Robinson.
- Keenan Allen was the star of the game with 10 catches for 135 yards. His footwork and ability to high point the ball are terrific. The Chargers had six pass plays over 20 yards and the presence of Malcom Floyd is a big reason why. Floyd only had one big play Sunday (a 24-yard score), but he adds a vertical element this team needed.
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