Narrowly missing out on a trip to the Super Bowl, the Jacksonville Jaguars had their 2017 season end with a thud despite the long and exciting ride it proved to be over the course of 16 regular season games and 3 postseason games.
Even with the unexpected success, many began to look around for someone to blame as the team reflected on their loss in the AFC Championship game to the New England Patriots.
His terrific performance notwithstanding, Blake Bortles was the focus for national analysts who wanted to pin the loss on one player. It’s a lazy and ill-conceived narrative, and it got even more fuel over the offseason when the Jaguars decided not only to keep Bortles, but to extend his contract.