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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – Tom Brady came off the court with his helmet in one hand, grass stains on his shirt and a frustrated look on his face.
It was a different feeling for the quarterback of the New England Patriots – at least against Jacksonville.
Brady lost for the first time in nine starts against the Jaguars, a 31-20 loss Sunday with Blake Bortles surpassing league MVP and five-time Super Bowl champion.
Jacksonville was the only AFC team to never beat Brady. The Jags (2-0) finally managed in a resumption of the league match of last season.
Brady and the Patriots (1-1) should soon bounce back. They will play Detroit without a win next week.
"It's a long year," said Brady. "I think you have a bad day against a good team, it's a recipe to lose."
Brady completed 24 of 35 passes for 234 yards, with two touchdowns and a turnover. He was sacked twice, including once in the fourth quarter by Dante Fowler, who caused a fumble. He said the offensive performance of New England could still be improved.
"I do not think it's where we are or what we've done at different times in a season," Brady said. "We have to make improvements, and I think September and October are what they serve. I think there are a lot of practices we need and a lot of time that we need to understand what we are doing well and what we are not doing very well. But you must try to win in the meantime. And today, obviously, it was not enough.
The Jaguars, who can reach 3-0 for the first time since 2004 next week against Tennessee, have done everything right.
They held the tight wing Rob Gronkowski twice for 15 yards. They slowed the New England racing game to 3.4 yards per race. They allowed only two games over 25 meters.
And Bortles delivered the best match of his five-year career.
Bortles got 377 yards and four touchdowns. He made perfect passes in the end zone to Donte Moncrief, Keelan Cole and Austin Seferian-Jenkins in the first half.
"We're going against Blake in the trials," said Calais Campbell, the Jaguar defenseman. "He has a few days where he is just off and he gets us. If he can have us, he can find anyone because we feel good about ourselves. I know what will happen. If he continues to seize opportunities, he will be a great player.
"I just had popcorn every time the ball was in Bortles' hands. I say, "He's going to do something big," then he runs and turns, and dude, that was awesome.
Here are some other things we learned from the game:
COLE STEPS UP
Cole scored the key block in Westbrook's big play that sealed the win and turned out to be the receiver of the team. He finished with seven catches for 116 yards and a score. He made a spectacular one-handed blow to Jacksonville's second training session and beat Eric Rowe for a 24-yard touchdown and three games later that allowed Rowe to qualify.
"Keelan has made an incredible game on the sideline," said coach Doug Marrone. "Everyone saw that. He's a guy who's been very firm to us, who really worked hard. … The first year is difficult. You are trying to find your way. This second year, you sort of prepared yourself, and he was good from the start, very focused and did a good job for us. "
HOUSE
The Jaguars can set a franchise record next week by winning their eighth straight home game. They will host Tennessee next Sunday. Jacksonville has not lost at home since falling to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6 of last season.
REGISTER HEAT
The teams played in the hottest match in the history of the Jaguars. The temperature at the time of sending was 97 degrees, with a heat index of 107 degrees. According to the NFL, it was the hottest game since Green Bay played in Arizona in 2003.
MAIN INJURY
The Patriots lost two of their best defenders to concussions. Defensive end Trey Flowers left the game in the first quarter and injured Patrick Chung was injured in the second period. The left tackle of the Cam Robinson Jaguars was injured in the left knee in the first quarter and was helped out of bounds.
FOLLOWING
The Patriots play in Detroit, where former New England defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is now the head coach.
The Jaguars welcome rival AFC South, Tennessee, in the second of three consecutive home games.
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