Jags shut down Bills in defensive battle
Playoff win is first for Jacksonville since 2007 season.
Blake Bortles put together one decent drive all day, doing as much with his legs as his arm, and the defensive-minded Jacksonville Jaguars eked out an ugly and sometimes unwatchable 10-3 victory against the Buffalo Bills in an AFC wild-card game Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla.
In the postseason for the first time since January 2008, the third-seeded Jaguars (116) advanced to play at No. 2 seed Pittsburgh on Sunday.
The sixth-seeded Bills (9-8) will head home after ending the longest current playoff drought in North American professional sports.
Bortles was a big reason Jacksonville won the game and a big reason it was so close.
This was far from a passing clinic. It was more like a painful exercise in overcoming poor passing.
Bortles was off most of the day, misfiring short and long, but made up for it with 88 yards rushing. He scrambled for a long first down run after fumbling the ball late, prompting a Bills assistant to slam a clipboard and eliciting a huge grin from Bortles.
“We weren’t sharp, we made some bad plays and did some stupid stuff, but we found a way to win and that’s all that matters,” Bortles said.
He completed 12 of 23 passes for 87 yards, with a touchdown. His TD pass to backup tight end Ben Koyack late in the third quarter was his best throw of the game. It also was a gutsy call on fourth-and-goal from the 1.
Bortles did the rest on the ground, scrambling for first downs and helping Jacksonville win its first playoff game at home since the 1997 season.
“You know, when we got beat last week at Tennessee, I didn’t run at all, so I thought we got beat without kind of shooting all of our shots, so I said it made it difficult, so let’s find some ways to move the ball and do some different stuff,” Bortles said.
The Bills had plenty of chances down the stretch, but a huge penalty against Charles Clay and then a tackle that knocked quarterback Tyrod Taylor out of the game ended any threat of a comeback.
Taylor slammed his helmet hard against the ground after getting thrown down by Dante Fowler Jr. He had to be helped off the field and forced backup Nathan Peterman into the game with 1:27 remaining. All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey tipped and then intercepted Peterman’s third pass, and the Jaguars ran out the clock.
“We prepare hard and we study a lot of tape, we practice hard,” Jaguars defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. “We’re battle-tested, so we know that if we just keep playing ball, good things will happen.”
The Bills finished with 263 yards, with 119 of those coming from hobbled running back LeSean McCoy (ankle).
The Jags had a measly 230 yards. Leonard Fournette ran 21 times for 57 yards.
Packers name GM: The team is promoting director of player personnel Brian Gutekunst to general manager, replacing Ted Thompson. Gutekunst has been Green Bay’s player personnel director for nearly two years, though he has been with the Packers’ player personnel department for nearly two decades.
Titans sticking with Mularkey: Tennessee owner Amy Adams Strunk shot down speculation that Mike Mularkey’s job is at risk, saying her coach is going nowhere after helping the Titans get their first playoff win in 14 years. “I regret that outside rumors gained a life of their own,” Strunk said.
Saturday’s Games Sunday’s Games
(At) Heat 103, Jazz 102: Josh Richardson’s layup with 5.1 seconds left capped a Miami rally from eight points down in the fourth, Donovan Mitchell missed what would have been the winner at the buzzer. Tyler Johnson and Goran Dragic each scored 16 points for Miami, which has won four straight — all by single digits, the Heat’s longest stretch of such games since November 2012. Richardson (team-high seven assists) and Hassan Whiteside (10 rebounds) each had 14 points, and James Johnson added 13 points and 11 rebounds. Mitchell scored 19 of his 27 points in the second half, but couldn’t save Utah from dropping its seventh straight on the road. Rodney Hood added 17 points for the Jazz.
Knicks 100, (at) Mavericks 96: Kristaps Porzingis scored 29 points and Jarrett Jack made the tiebreaking basket with 31.2 seconds left as New York ended a three-game losing streak and sent the Mavericks to their third straight loss — all at home. Harrison Barnes scored 25 points on a night the Mavericks honored former point guard Derek Harper by retiring his jersey.
(At) Suns 114, Thunder 100: Devin Booker hit 5-of10 3-pointers for 26 points, T.J. Warren added 23 points and Phoenix overcame a triple-double by Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook (26 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds). Dragan Bender came off the bench for the Suns and hit 6 of 8 3-pointers, finishing with 20 points. Paul George added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Thunder.
Spurs at Trail Blazers: Late
Hawks at Lakers: Late
Today’s Games