Jaguars stick with Bortles as starting QB

The Jaguars are sticking with Blake Bortles as their starting quarterback. Head 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 Cody Kessler. Marrone said after the game he would open up the QB job for the second time in two 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, saying he will start Sunday against Philadelphia (3-4) in London.

The Jaguars (3-4) have lost three in a row.

Vinatieri hurt:

Adam Vinatieri’s recordbreaking quest could be on hold.

The kicker re-injured his right groin during the Colts’ victory over Buffalo on Sunday. He underwent an MRI exam Monday and head coach Frank Reich said he might miss Sunday’s game against the Raiders at the Coliseum.

Vinatieri first appeared on the injury report in Week 5 before facing his former team, New England. The 43-year-old looked fine in the game, making a 54-yard field goal and finishing with six points to move 20 shy of breaking Morten Andersen’s record of 2,544 points.

The Colts’ kicker added three field goals in Week 6 against the Jets and another against the Bills — though he also missed two extra-point tries for the first time in his 23-year career. He needs five points to pass Andersen.

Briefly:

Miami head coach Adam Gase says receiver Albert Wilson’s hip injury, sustained Sunday against the Lions, is likely seasonending. Receiver Kenny Stills injured his groin late in the game, and Gase ruled him out of Thursday’s game at Houston . ... First-year head coach Steve Wilks emphatically said the Cardinals are not going to trade cornerback Patrick Peterson, moments after a Twitter report that said Peterson, 28, had asked Arizona to trade him by the deadline next Tuesday. ... Buffalo head coach Sean McDermott said rookie quarterback Josh Allen will miss his second game because of a sprained elbow and Derek Anderson will start against the Patriots.