Jags’ Bortles under microscope
MARK LONG
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles is being analyzed and criticized like never before.
His mistakes are mostly magnified. His successes are often overlooked. His daily practice stats have become a social media staple.
It’s what happens to top-five draft picks these days, especially those who fail to meet sky-high expectations after three years and countless opportunities.
That’s how Bortles’ five-interception performance made headlines. That’s how his “tired arm” situation looked like a potential benching . That’s how a video of his star receiver expressing a little frustration went viral.
“There’s definitely things to improve on, things to be better at,” Bortles said Tuesday. “I feel comfortable with the system and the scheme and everything that we’re doing . ... As an offence, I think one thing that is overlooked is it’s the first year in the system, so I think that’s something.”
Maybe so, but Bortles and offensive co-ordinator Nathaniel Hackett worked together for the final nine games last season. Plus the entire off-season. Plus three weeks of training camp. Plus a preseason game.
The reality is Bortles is running out of excuses and time. He’s admittedly at a career crossroads, knowing another sub-par season will leave him out of a job in Jacksonville. If Bortles doesn’t change his football fortunes, the Jaguars will part ways with the former Central Florida standout after the season and start over at the all-important position by selecting a quarterback in what appears to be a strong draft class or signing one in what appears to be a solid free-agent fold.
And he’s not off to the best of starts.
“We’re still making mistakes, and we’ve had thousands of reps,” Bortles said. “Imagine if we only had 500, it would be probably way worse. I think the only way to eliminate those mistakes is continue to do it and continue to do it and continue to correct it in meetings until it’s beaten in your head that you know how to do it.”
Bortles played well early in camp and then got crushed locally and nationally after throwing five interceptions during the team’s first padded practice in late July. He bounced back the following day, but has been mostly up and down since. He was pulled from practice Sunday after throwing two interceptions, and coach Doug Marrone initially said Bortles was on a “pitch count.” Marrone backtracked the following day, instead saying he “just saw that his arm looked tired.”
Bortles responded Tuesday by saying “my arm is fine. It feels good. I’ll be all right.”
He added that he’s taken “more reps in this camp than probably the last three years combined.”
One rep got more attention than most Tuesday. Former Pro Bowl receiver Allen Robinson was caught on camera openly ripping Bortles for a poor pass. The video taken by PewterReport.com showed Robinson saying “keep that (expletive) in bounds, bro” after Bortles misfired during a one-on-one passing drill against Tampa Bay.
It was a less-than-ideal look for Robinson, Bortles and a franchise that has won 17 of 80 games over the last five years.
It also continued a narrative of inconsistency for Bortles and the offence.
“I think we’ve shown day-in and day-out how good we can be, and then we’ve shown day-in and dayout how stupid some of the stuff we do is,” Bortles said. “You never want somebody to mess up and say, ‘I don’t know.’ Everybody knows what they ’re supposed to do. They know what their job is and how to do it.
“It’s just kind of a lack of focus of whatever you want to call it . ... When we get all 11 guys on the same page and doing that every single play, we’ll be fine.”
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Tiger Woods had the active ingredient for marijuana, two painkillers and two sleep drugs in his system when he was arrested on a DUI charge earlier this year, a report released Tuesday by prosecutors said.
Police in Jupiter, Florida, released the report less than a week after the golf superstar agreed to enter a diversion program to settle his driving while intoxicated charges. The report’s contents were first reported Monday by ESPN.
The report, prepared by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, says Woods, 41, had THC, the active ingredient for marijuana; as well as the painkillers Vicodin and Dilaudid; the anxiety and sleep drug Xanax; and the anti-insomnia drug Ambien in his system when he was arrested at 2 a.m. May 29 about 24 km from his home in Jupiter. Officers had found him unconscious in his Mercedes-Benz, which was parked awkwardly on the side of the road and had damage to the driver’s side. It’s not clear how he damaged the car. Officers checked the area but didn’t find that he had hit anything.
Woods issued a statement Tuesday saying he had been trying on his own to treat his insomnia and pain from his fourth back surgery, which he underwent in April. He did not specifically address the marijuana issue. None was found in his possession.
“I realize now it was a mistake to do this without medical assistance,” said Woods, who completed an outof-state drug treatment program last month. “I am continuing to work with my doctors, and they feel I’ve made significant progress.”
Woods is scheduled to plead guilty to reckless driving Oct. 25 and enter the county’s diversion program.
Under the plea deal, prosecutors would drop the DUI charge, which is a more severe charge than reckless driving. In the diversion program, Woods will spend a year on probation and pay a $250 fine and court costs. He would also have to attend DUI school, perform 50 hours of community service and attend a workshop where victims of impaired drivers detail how their lives were damaged. Since the program began four years ago, almost 2,400 defendants have enrolled, according to the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office.
If Woods completes the program, he can ask a judge to expunge the reckless driving conviction.
His 79 PGA Tour victories and 14 major titles both rank No. 2 alltime. He has not competed since February because of his back injury and is not expected to return this year. His last win was in August 2013.
Woods said improving.
“I recently spoke to my surgeon and he’s very pleased with how my fusion is healing. I’m right on schedule. I’m now doing some light lifting, riding a stationary bike and putting a little,” he said. his back is