After looking poised and accurate in his first two preseason appearances, Jacksonville rookie quarterback Blake Bortles had a lot of pressure on his shoulders heading into tonight’s (August 22, 2014) Week 3 preseason game against the Detroit Lions in the Motor City.

Jacksonville repeatedly stated they would allow Bortles time to learn under the tutelage of veteran quarterback Chad Henne, Bortles earned many reps with the first-team offense by going 18 of 28 in his inaugural NFL appearances.

With a strong performance in Detroit, Bortles would create a tough decision for his team, perhaps going as far as to overtake Henne as the lead man for the job.

And the rookie from Central Florida didn’t disappoint, throwing his first pro touchdown to give the Jags the lead in the third quarter. Bortles finished the night an impressive 10 of 16 for 158 yards and a score, earning a lofty quarterback rating of 116.1.

Here’s a video of an insane across-the-field throw Bortles made prior to throwing the touchdown:

Many of Bortles’ throws were nearly flawless, adding on to the further justification that he was clearly worth the No. 3 pick in May’s 2014 NFL Draft. With numbers piling up for the prized rookie, how much longer will it be before Bortles is named the Jacksonville starter?