JACKSONVILLE – Blake Bortles is again what he was 10 days ago:
The Jaguars' starting quarterback.
Bortles, who started the Jaguars' last 45 regular-season games before Head Coach Doug Marrone opened up the position following an August 17 preseason loss to Tampa Bay, will start the team's 2017 regular-season opener at Houston on September 10.
The team announced the decision early Saturday morning.
Chad Henne started the Jaguars' preseason loss to Carolina Thursday, playing five first-half series with the first-team offense. Bortles played five second-half series behind the first-team offensive line with many second-team skill-position players in the game.
Henne completed eight of 14 passes for 73 yards and no touchdowns with no interceptions. Bortles completed 12 of 16 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown with an interception.
Bortles, the No. 3 overall selection by the Jaguars in the 2014 NFL Draft, had started the first two games of the 2017 preseason and has started every Jaguars regular-season game since Week 4 of his 2014 rookie season.
Henne, who started 22 games for the Jaguars from 2012-2014, has served as Bortles' backup every game since Bortles became the starter.
The Jaguars are scheduled to visit the Atlanta Falcons Thursday in the 2017 preseason finale. Teams often do not play starters and front-line players in the preseason finale.
