Jaguars fire OC, bench Blake Bortles after 7th straight loss

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Jaguars sacked offensive co-ordinator Nathaniel Hackett and quarterback Blake Bortles one day after the team's seventh consecutive loss.

Coach Doug Marrone fired Hackett and benched Bortles on Monday, making sweeping changes to one of the league's worst offences.

"I felt I needed to make a change to get us an opportunity to win some games," Marrone said. "It's not a knee-jerk reaction. I really feel like at the end of the day we've got to try to get better production out of our passing game or more consistent production in our passing game."

Marrone promoted quarterbacks coach Scott Milanovich to play-caller and backup quarterback Cody Kessler.

Milanovich spent five seasons (2012-16) as head coach for the Canadian Football League's Toronto Argonauts before landing in Jacksonville last year. Kessler lost all eight starts for Cleveland in 2016.

Marrone expects Milanovich and Kessler to energize a lacklustreoffence when the Jaguars (3-8) host Indianapolis (6-5) on Sunday.

"Hopefully he can stay healthy and win some games for us," Marrone said. "My plan is for him to go in there and play."

Staying healthy could be a challenge for Kessler considering Jacksonville will be without three starting offensive linemen, including left guard Andrew Norwell (ankle) who was placed on injured reserve Monday. Norwell joins centre Brandon Linder and left tackle Cam Robinson on IR.

The Jags also could be without running back Leonard Fournette, who was suspended one game without pay for leaving the sideline, running across the field and throwing punches at Buffalo Bills defensive end Shaq Lawson .

Fournette has three days to appeal.

NFL Vice-President of Football Operations Jon Runyan sent Fournette a letter detailing his wrongdoing, saying "sportsmanship is the cornerstone of the game and the League will not tolerate game-related misconduct that conveys a lack of respect for the game itself and those involved in it."

"Video of the incident shows that you were not a participant in the play and that you ran from your sideline to the opposite side of the field to insert yourself as an active participant in a fight," Runyan added. "Once you entered the fight area, you struck a member of the opposing team. Your actions adversely reflected on the NFL and have no place in the game."

It would be the seventh game Fournette has missed this season and 10th in two years.

Marrone refused to use Fournette's absences or anything else as an excuse for the team's offensive struggles.

Bortles didn't throw for 150 yards in four of the last six games. He had 104 yards through the air against Pittsburgh two weeks ago and 127 yards against the Bills. Marrone benched Bortles twice in two years, only to give him the job back both times.

Now, though, it seems Bortles could be done in Jacksonville.

Finances might be the only reason he sticks around. The fifth-year starter signed a three-year, $54 million contract in February and is due to count $21 million against the salary cap in 2019. Cutting him would cost Jacksonville $16.5 million against the cap.

But it's clear Marrone has lost faith in Bortles, who regressed this season.

Marrone felt Hackett should have done more, too. Marrone and Hackett had been together for nine years, including stops at Syracuse (2010-12), with the Bills (2013-14) and in Jacksonville (2015-18).

Hackett ended up being the first scapegoat in Jacksonville's ultra-disappointing season. He failed to get Bortles and the offence to play anywhere close to the level they did early in the season or in 2017. Injuries have been the biggest issue, but not enough to save Hackett's job.

"Obviously, you feel terrible, especially as an offensive player," centre Tyler Shatley said. "I feel like a lot of that's on us. He had great game plans and stuff; we just have to execute better."

The Jaguars rank 22nd in the NFL in total offence, averaging 346.5 yards a game, but have been on a steady decline the last two months. They rank 29th in points, averaging a paltry 17.9 a game.

Bortles' lack of production has been the primary problem. He has 13 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions this season, incapable of putting the offence on his shoulders when things go wrong around him.

He also has been hamstrung, most notably by a lack of playmakers and numerous injuries. Jacksonville is without three left tackles, two tight ends, the team's leading receiver from 2017, the team's starting centre and played six games without Fournette.

"It sucks that somebody had to get let go," defensive tackle Malik Jackson said. "I thought he was doing a wonderful job. But it's the nature of the business. We need to start winning or we all need to look in the mirror about who can let go. It sucks."

Marrone could have made other changes. The defence looks little like it did in 2017, prompting some to question co-ordinator Todd Wash's future, and special teams have been a non-factor all year.

But Marrone opted to address the offence.

"Any time you're losing, it's not just on one person," Marrone said. "It's on everyone, and obviously when I say that I understand and take responsibility for that. It starts with me as the head coach. ... Obviously none of us are doing a good enough job right now. We have an opportunity to play five games and get back on track and break this losing streak."

___

More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Mark Long, The Associated Press