Jacksonville Jaguars Week 3 Stock Report

The entire Jacksonville Jaguars team saw a rise in stock on Sunday, but that's obvious. Instead, it's important to focus on the players on an individual level and see who took a boost from a strong Sunday performance and who will need to improve despite the win.

The Jaguars' 23-20 win over the Miami Dolphins wasn't expected by many, but it made a statement: The Jaguars are improved and can be a legitimate opponent for anyone in the NFL.

The Dolphins weren't expected to be AFC Champions, but they are a talented team that is likely to make the playoffs despite the loss. There is no hiding the fact that the Jaguars beat a good team this past Sunday.

It was a collective team effort that saw both sides of the ball (and special teams) contribute to a solid win. It's time to look at some of the individual performances that made the difference on Sunday.

Blake Bortles Leads the Offense and Sees Stock Continue Upwards

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

After a Week 1 performance that saw him throw two interceptions and struggle compared to his preseason performances, quarterback Blake Bortles rebounded against the Dolphins with his best NFL regular-season showing.

He was crucial on all five scoring drives, and he looked comfortable rising to the task. He had his fair share of misses and needs to work on hitting his receivers in the chest, not above the head, but his turnover-free afternoon led the offense to 23 points and a win.

After the past six to seven years, it seems impossible that the Jaguars could have a legitimate option at QB in Bortles. He's certainly not perfect, but the preseason and Week 2 have been encouraging and have shown the type of progress you hope for.

Offensive coordinator Greg Olson didn't have a great debut in Week 1, but his play-calling in Week 2 certainly benefited Bortles, as well as the rest of the offense. A perfect balance in rushing and passing gave Bortles room to work against Miami.

This week's trip to Foxborough, Massachusetts, to face the New England Patriots will be one of Bortles' biggest challenges yet. However, having a good performance and a win in the bank may lead to another confident display from the sophomore QB.

Rashad Greene Struggles Late, Injury Concern Sees a Major Drop in Stock

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Jaguars wide receiver Rashad Greene had a rough Sunday. He had two catches for seven yards and had two drops to match. To make matters worse, he injured his thumb late in the game, which has led to surgery and a spot on the injured reserve/designated to return list, as reported by Florida Times-Union's Hays Carlyon.

Greene scored the only touchdown in the 20-9 Week 1 loss to the Carolina Panthers, and it seemed like he could be in for a very productive season. Instead, another game with drop issues followed by an unfortunate injury will hamper his season.

Greene's move to IR let wide receiver Bryan Walters back on to the main roster, and he'll take over the slot receiving job. Considering Walters' fantastic hands in the preseason, Greene's importance and place in the team could be in jeopardy should Walters excel.

Walters doesn't offer the versatility that Greene does, but he didn't have issues with drops this preseason either. Greene needs to properly recover, but Walters has a golden opportunity in the meantime.

Sam Young Exceeds Expectations, and His Stock Exceeds New Heights

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Tackle Sam Young was thrust into the starting left tackle position after typical starter Luke Joeckel suffered an ankle sprain in Week 1 and, to many peoples' surprise, including myself, excelled against the Dolphins and was an integral part of the offense's success.

The run blocking wasn't perfect from Young and his teammates, but Bortles didn't get sacked all game, and Young deserves as much credit as any. Handling the Dolphins' plethora of pass rushers such as defensive end Cameron Wake was going to be difficult, but he weathered the storm.

Young only had 10 starts coming up to Week 2, and six of them were in 2014, in which he put in mostly mediocre performances. Despite the signs pointing toward an average, possibly below-average performance, Young was one of the best Jaguars offensive linemen on Sunday.

It now creates an interesting situation for the Jaguars: Do they start Joeckel in Week 3 if he's healthy? Or is Young the right choice?

It obviously depends on whether Joeckel can recover in time, but either way, Young has made a worthy case for himself this past Sunday. 

Jared Odrick's Clutch Plays Earn a Spike in Stock

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive end Jared Odrick had a quiet but important game coming into the final five minutes on Sunday. He was getting pressure on Miami QB Ryan Tannehill and was generally a pain in the Dolphins' backsides.

But Odrick caused even more trouble for his former team. In what was the Dolphins' second-to-last drive, Odrick blew by his blocker and got to Tannehill just short of the end zone for a sack that put the Dolphins at their own 1 and a 2nd-and-long.

Typically, that's all you can ask for from your DE. However, Odrick made another crucial play by deflecting Tannehill's pass and forcing a fourth down and a punt that allowed the Jaguars to drive down the field and score the game-winning field goal.

It's unlikely that Odrick will make massive plays like that on a weekly basis, but he's got a knack for being an issue for opposing offenses. As long as he keeps being the thorn in the side of the Jaguars' opponents, he'll eventually get opportunities to make plays like he did on Sunday.

Nick Marshall Proves He Can Play in Big Games and Gets a Stock Bump in Return

Phelan M. Ebenhack/Associated Press

When corner Nick Marshall was picked up as an undrafted free agent, many were skeptical. Sure, the former Auburn QB was a terrific athlete, but could he offer enough on defense and special teams to make the final roster?

He answered the call and performed well enough to make it through final cuts and to have a legitimate purpose on the Jaguars' squad. Special teams would be his game, but he could potentially see time at cornerback as well.

That turned out to be the case this past Sunday when CBs Davon House and Aaron Colvin were injured, forcing Peyton Thompson and Marshall to come into a close game late and help the Jaguars defense. 

Each did his part, and the Jaguars defense was able to keep the Dolphins off the scoreboard late and help the offense secure a victory. Like Young, Marshall wasn't expected to excel when called upon, but he looked ready and able.

He also had a fantastic day on special teams, making an important and impressive tackle on wide receiver Jarvis Landry in punt coverage, while also securing the ball for a fair catch on the Jaguars' go-ahead field goal drive.

All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter @evanreier.