Marrone opts to stick with Bortles as starter

JACKSONVILLE — The slumping Jaguars will stick with erstwhile UCF and Oviedo High star Blake Bortles as the team’s starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia (3-4) in London.

Coach Doug Marrone made the announcement Monday, one day after benching Bortles early in the third quarter of a 20-7 loss to Houston.

Marrone says he “spoke to both quarterbacks this afternoon and told them Blake will be our team’s starting quarterback. I believe this gives us the best opportunity to win.”

Bortles fumbled on Jacksonville’s third play in each half, leading to 10 points for the Texans and prompting Marrone to switch to USC alum Cody Kessler.

Marrone said after the game he would open up the QB job for the second time in as many years. Marrone also benched Bortles in the 2017 preseason, only to give him back the job nine days later.

Marrone took even less time to go back to Bortles this time around even though the Jaguars (3-4) have lost three in a row and four of five.

Meanwhile, recently acquired running back Carlos Hyde is ready to try to make a difference after seeing just how bad things have become for his new offense, according to the Florida TimesUnion.

The Jaguars failed to score Sunday in the first half for the third straight game, a first in franchise history. They had one drive net more than 50 yards, lost three turnovers and entered the red zone a single time.

“We couldn’t really move the ball, and that was hurting the defense,” Hyde said from his locker Monday, speaking to the media for the first time since being acquired from Cleveland for a 2019 fifthround pick on Friday afternoon. “Those three-and-outs, that puts a lot of pressure on the defense right there, and turning the ball over.