Win Probability Added: +15.80
NEP: +8.31
The Jacksonville Jaguars must have been licking their lips in advance of this matchup. An injury to starting Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian thrust rookie project passer Paxton Lynch -- one of the few quarterbacks who has had as little success as the Jags’ Blake Bortles -- into the starting gig once again. This could’ve been an entirely winnable matchup against the defending world champions, and the upstart Jaguars kept the game within a touchdown midway through the third quarter.
Then, you know, Blake Bortles did Blake Bortles things.
On third-and-four, the Jaguars split three wide receivers out around the 50-yard line and looked to get a simple chunk gain and keep the chains moving. Instead of hitting wide receiver Allen Robinson in stride, Bortles locked in on the star wideout, nearly got sacked and then fired in the pass late -- but right into the breadbasket of Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby. With a clear field ahead of him, Roby high-stepped into the end zone from 10 yards out to put Denver up by two touchdowns.