Well, of course. So could a fumble, or a blown coverage, or a missed tackle.


The question is, does Blake have to get better in order to get this team into the playoffs. No, he doesn't. If the people around him get better, we can make the playoffs with the exact same Blake Bortles as we had last year. Heck, if we could have a defense like Seattle, we could go deep into the playoffs with the exact same Blake Bortles. Forgive me for being argumentative, but the issue we are debating is very clearly defined.


"Blake doesn't have to play any better to get us into the playoffs."


No, he does not. He can play exactly the same and get us into the playoffs, if the people around him play better. Because he is not the weak point of this team, and he is not the reason we didn't make the playoffs last year. In fact, I doubt last year's team could have made the playoffs with Tom Brady at QB.

You doubt a hall of famer? Ha thats funny! I hate Brady but even i believe he could have won more ..

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As long as he knows where Arob , Burns and JT are on the field he doesn't need a playbook.

Isn't "knowing where teammates are at any time during a play" kind of the point of the playbook?

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I'm trying to make myself more informed and less opinionated.

Stop saying whatever stupid thing you're talking about and pay attention to all the interesting things I have to say!

Isn't "knowing where teammates are at any time during a play" kind of the point of the playbook?

Semantics

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Semantics

I excel at them.

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I'm trying to make myself more informed and less opinionated.

Stop saying whatever stupid thing you're talking about and pay attention to all the interesting things I have to say!

I agree in the scheme of things,  Bortles is still a strength of the team and last year's defense was a huge weakness.

 

However, there were turnovers Bortles had last year (to be expected under the circumstances) that absolutely KILLED this team-the pick 6 against Carolina, the INT against Tampa, the pick 6 against Houston, the INT right before halftime at the goal line against Atlanta-that were huge differences in thosee games.

 

In light of your post, my point is if we are hovering around the 9-7 mark and still in the playoff hunt, turnovers of that nature could derail any playoff shot.

Hey bullseye, i kinda disagree with your assessment because in those games despite his turnovers we as a team still had a chance to win those games but the defense failed this team not Blake. For instance,  The Carolina game he threw it in the middle of the 3rd quarter and the game was still in the balance and we was only down by 8 pts after the pick 6 but what was the downfall of that game was 3 and 10 with 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter when the panthers went on a 9 minute drive and they sealed the game by kicking a fg late. The other game vs Houston we was down by 10 with 6 minutes to go and the Texans scored 2 straights possessions after we took 14-10 lead in the 4th quarter because the coaching staff didn't have the idea of doubling Deandre. The Tampa game we took the lead in the third quarter but to lose it on 3rd and 15 when they ran the screen passed for 60 yds and Cory Grant fumble in the end zone put the icing on the cake. Finally the Falcon game they tied the game in the 3rd quarter after the int but our defense in the 4th quarter gave up 3rd and 10, 3rd and 17, and 3rd and 13 respectively. Is the turnovers put us in the bind?  I truly agree with you but the reason why we lost those games was the defense not his turnovers. 

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Hey bullseye, i kinda disagree with your assessment because in those games despite his turnovers we as a team still had a chance to win those games but the defense failed this team not Blake. For instance, The Carolina game he threw it in the middle of the 3rd quarter and the game was still in the balance and we was only down by 8 pts after the pick 6 but what was the downfall of that game was 3 and 10 with 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter when the panthers went on a 9 minute drive and they sealed the game by kicking a fg late. The other game vs Houston we was down by 10 with 6 minutes to go and the Texans scored 2 straights possessions after we took 14-10 lead in the 4th quarter because the coaching staff didn't have the idea of doubling Deandre. The Tampa game we took the lead in the third quarter but to lose it on 3rd and 15 when they ran the screen passed for 60 yds and Cory Grant fumble in the end zone put the icing on the cake. Finally the Falcon game they tied the game in the 3rd quarter after the int but our defense in the 4th quarter gave up 3rd and 10, 3rd and 17, and 3rd and 13 respectively. Is the turnovers put us in the bind? I truly agree with you but the reason why we lost those games was the defense not his turnovers.

I tend to agree here. Obviously no one is saying Blake doesn't need to throw less ints, but there were many instances where we had the chance to win even after the ints if the defense just made any sort of stand.


However, looking back, the defensive failures allowed us to pick 5th and land both Ramsey and Jack so....

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IT WAS ALWAYS THE JAGS

Isn't "knowing where teammates are at any time during a play" kind of the point of the playbook?

Or he can just look upfield. Some of his throws on the fly last season were incredible . I like it when he improvises.

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Hey bullseye, i kinda disagree with your assessment because in those games despite his turnovers we as a team still had a chance to win those games but the defense failed this team not Blake. For instance,  The Carolina game he threw it in the middle of the 3rd quarter and the game was still in the balance and we was only down by 8 pts after the pick 6 but what was the downfall of that game was 3 and 10 with 11 minutes to go in the 4th quarter when the panthers went on a 9 minute drive and they sealed the game by kicking a fg late. The other game vs Houston we was down by 10 with 6 minutes to go and the Texans scored 2 straights possessions after we took 14-10 lead in the 4th quarter because the coaching staff didn't have the idea of doubling Deandre. The Tampa game we took the lead in the third quarter but to lose it on 3rd and 15 when they ran the screen passed for 60 yds and Cory Grant fumble in the end zone put the icing on the cake. Finally the Falcon game they tied the game in the 3rd quarter after the int but our defense in the 4th quarter gave up 3rd and 10, 3rd and 17, and 3rd and 13 respectively. Is the turnovers put us in the bind?  I truly agree with you but the reason why we lost those games was the defense not his turnovers. 

I get your argument, but I would maintain that just because the play did not happen at the very end of the game does not mean it wasn't the key play or at least a key play.

 

If you recall that first Houston game, Bortles threw 3 INTs.  I mentioned the pick 6.  But there was another INT that happened right at the Houston goal line right before halftime.  We lost that game by 11, and those two picks cost us 10 points.  Had Bortles NOT thrown the pick 6 and we managed at least a FG on the drive on that earlier INT, then we are talking at least a 24-23 game, maybe a tie game at the end of regulation.

 

Those were game changing INTs that had a direct bearing on actual scores.  It's not as though he threw the picks midfield or around the Houston 30 and Houston moved down the field to score.  one pick took points off the board for us, and the other put points on the board for them.

 

Now I stress I do not absolve the defense for their own failures in the game.  The inability to control Hopkins or provide any more than token pressure on Hoyer leaves me shaking my head in dismay.  Hopefully with the additions we made this offseason, we won't have defensive breakdowns like we did in that game.

 

But 10-14 points lost to INTs in a game decided by 11 points cannot be ignored as a huge factor.

 

Fortunately, I think Bortles' arrow is still pointing way up, and I believe he will be better this year than last.

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Worst to 1st.  Curse Reversed!