The Sports Xchange

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville Jaguars young quarterback Blake Bortles seems ready to play against the Houston Texans Sunday with a grade 1 AC joint sprain.

Head coach Gus Bradley said Monday not to be alarmed if Bortles didn’t practice Wednesday, but he practiced in full despite his ailing right shoulder.

“I planned on practicing the whole time, so nothing has changed there,” he said.

Bortles said it’s important for the offensive line to see him in the huddle every play.

“It’s important to me that those guys have faith I’ll be in the huddle every play,” he said. “I’ll be at practice working as hard as I can every single play. I’m going to practice until they tell me I can’t.”

He said he suffered the injury late in the first half in Tampa Bay when he scrambled.

Bortles explained it was a combination of the defender landing on him and then landing on the ground that caused the injury.

He said the adrenaline was flowing so it didn’t bother him.

“I felt it a little bit, but (it) wasn’t a big deal,” he said.

“This morning they (doctors and trainers) said he felt pretty good and he could go, so it was great,” Bradley said.

The problem for Bortles is what happens when he takes a big hit on his shoulder and he’ll be playing against Texans defensive end J.J. Watt, who is always capable of making big plays on a quarterback.

Bortles is coming off a game in Tampa where he put up some big numbers, but still suffered a 38-31 loss. He completed 23 of 33 passes for 303 yards and four touchdowns and a 125.4 passer rating.

This will be his third game against the Texans and he lost both games late last year, scoring 13 and 17 points in losses of 27-13 and 23-17.

In those two games, he passed for only 205 yards and 117 yards.

Against the Texans in his third start against them, he will try to show he’s making a lot of improvement in his second year.

SERIES HISTORY: 27th regular-season meeting. Texans lead series, 15-11. The Texans swept both games last year after losing both in 2013 when head coach Gary Kubiak was fired. The Texans will be starting their third quarterback in their last three games against the Jaguars. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Case Keenum started the two games last year and Brian Hoyer will start Sunday’s game against the Jaguars. Keenum passed for 250 yards and two touchdowns with one interception in last year’s 23-17 win over the Jaguars in the final game of the season.

GAME PLAN

–The strength of their offense is Blake Bortles throwing to Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. Since T.J. Yeldon’s status is uncertain with a groin injury, the Jaguars figure to do a lot of throwing if the offensive linemen can protect Bortles and neutralize J.J. Watt.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH

–Jaguars RT Jeremy Parnell vs. Texans DE J.J. Watt.

Since Watt didn’t have a big day against Indianapolis, he may be primed to be disruptive against the Jaguars.

–Jaguars CB Davon House vs. Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins.

Since Hopkins is the second leading receiver in the league with 42 catches (Julio Jones has 43), he will be a good test for House.