Former Missouri Quarterback Blaine Gabbert showed signs of promise but ultimately came up short in the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-20 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Playing against fellow rookie QB Andy Dalton, Gabbert completed 15 of 28 passes, throwing for 221 yards and a TD. Trailing 16-13 in the fourth quarter, Gabbert connected on a 76-yard bomb on a double move to WR Jason Hill.
After the Bengals responded with a late fourth-quarter touchdown, Gabbert had a chance to complete his first career two-minute drill comeback, one of the primary ways in which QB's are measured on the next level. But on a 3rd-and-1 on their own 42 with 1:19 left and trailing 23-30, Gabbert and center Brad Meester weren't on the same page, and Meester's snap sailed past Gabbert, winding up on the Jaguars 20-yard line.
Gabbert accepted responsibility for the play, but the veteran Meester told reporters to pin the mistake on him:
"He'll try to take some, but I'm not going to let him," Meester said. "It's completely on me. I should be able to know his voice and I thought that was it and I snapped it and he wasn't ready."
The Jaguars are now 1-4, but Gabbert has performed decently for a rookie QB, throwing for 608 yards with 3TD's and 2 INT's and a 49.5% completion percentage this season.