JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles threw two touchdown passes, including a 67-yarder to Donte Moncrief, and the Jacksonville Jaguars used a dominant defensive performance to handle the New York Jets 31-12 on Sunday.
Bortles ended up with a career-high 388 yards passing, topping 375 yards for the second time in three games. He found T.J. Yeldon wide open for a 31-yard score in the second quarter and then beat a blitz with the deep pass to Moncrief down the sideline. The pass to Moncrief was Jacksonville's lone offensive highlight in an ugly second half. The Jaguars (3-1) had three turnovers that led to nine points for the Jets (1-3), who have dropped three straight.
Jets rookie Sam Darnold was harassed early and often, getting sacked three times and nearly throwing three interceptions. Tashaun Gipson's pick was overturned by a holding penalty on the other side of the field, and Pro Bowl cornerbacks A.J. Bouye and Jalen Ramsey each dropped INTs that would have ended New York's scoring drives.
The Jaguars allowed 178 yards and recorded a safety. The Jets scored their lone touchdown following Yeldon's fourth-quarter fumble, a 2-yard pass from Darnold to Jordan Leggett. Nonetheless, it was hardly the "identity game" the Jets had wanted. It was about what the confident Jaguars expected. They improved to 6-1 following losses in coach Doug Marrone's two seasons.
Jacksonville's biggest concern coming out of the victory was the health of running back Leonard Fournette, who re-injured his strained right hamstring. Fournette missed the last two games while trying to get back to full speed, but tweaked it during his return. Bortles completed 29 of 38 passes, with an interception on a ball tipped at the line of scrimmage.
Fournette ran 11 times for 30 yards before leaving the game for good. Darnold was 17-of-34 passing for 167 yards. The 1-2 punch of Bilal Powell and Isaiah Crowell combined for 26 yards on the ground.
BAD BLOOD?
The Jaguars were upset about something, maybe a late body slam on receiver Dede Westbrook by Jets safety Jamal Adams. Marrone called for a 2-point conversion on the final touchdown, a strange decision in a lopsided game.
FIRST SACKS
Jets defensive lineman Leonard Williams and Jaguars defensive end Yannick Ngakoue recorded their first sacks of the season. Williams took down Bortles in the second quarter. Ngakoue sacked Darnold on the last play of the first half.
BOUYE APOLOGIES
Bouye had plenty to apologize for in the victory. First, he took they blame for Gipson missing out on his first interception of the season. Later, he dropped a sure pick that hit him in the hands.
KEY INJURIES
Jaguars center Brandon Linder was ruled out at halftime with a back injury. ... Jets cornerback Morris Claiborne left game with a stomach illness, and linebacker Josh Martin was ruled out with concussion-like symptoms.
UP NEXT: Jaguars: play at Kansas City next Sunday.
Jags QB Blake Bortles prior to game with Jets (Getty)