Defense strikes early, then Bortles wins it late

Late TD pass subdues Buffalo’s comeback at Wembley Stadium.

Jacksonville’s defense came up big in the first half, and quarterback Blake Bortles came through late to rally the Jaguars to a 34-31 win over Buffalo on Sunday at Wembley Stadium.

Bortles threw a 31-yard winning touchdown pass to Allen Hurns with 2:16 remaining, after Buffalo safety Corey Graham intercepted a pass and returned it 44 yards to put the Bills ahead in a seesaw game that was streamed live on Yahoo’s website.

“To be able to stay calm and to have a big lead and give it up and be able to come back and score to win the game is huge,” Bortles said. “I think it speaks to the personality of this team, and it’s cool to be a part of.”

Bortles’ throw, his second TD pass of the game, came with open space for him to run for a first down. But instead of going on his own, he saw Hurns heading toward the end zone and let it fly.

“What we’re seeing in Blake is that he does keep his eyes downfield,” Jaguars coach Gus Bradley said. “His eyes are always downfield looking for opportunities.”

The Jaguars (2-5) won their first game in London after losing in each of the past two seasons at Wembley, the home of England’s national soccer team. The Bills (3-4) were playing in the British capital for the first time.

EJ Manuel started at quarterback for the Bills for the second straight game because of the absence of injured Tyrod Taylor, one of the many injuries dogging Buffalo.

Manuel’s early lapses allowed Jacksonville to take a 27-3 lead, but the backup QB turned things around for a while and led the rally until the Jaguars took over for good in the final minutes.

“It was bad football,” said Manuel, who is 6-10 as an NFL starter with four straight losses. “Not playing sound and trying to force balls in that I can’t do. Turnovers for scores was very tough.”

Bortles was 13 of 29 for 182 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The defense added two touchdowns in a 7-second span and set up another for T.J. Yeldon, who finished with 116 yards.