JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars rookie quarterback Blake Bortles recently saw a video clip of himself in college and was stunned.

The guy throwing passes for Central Florida looked nothing like the guy he saw on film from the Jaguars’ preseason games. Right team, right jersey, but Bortles had a hard time believing he was watching himself play.

"It was like watching two different quarterbacks," Bortles said Wednesday.

Blake Bortles showed off his improvisational skills and cleaner mechanics against the Colts. AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

The fact that he almost didn’t recognize himself is the reason he is now the Jaguars’ starting quarterback. His mechanics are cleaner, his arm is stronger, and his throws are crisper. His poise and comfort level are better, and so is his understanding of defenses and what he’s supposed to do on each play.

The guy on tape winging it around for the Knights was relying on athleticism, moxie and ability. The guy on tape in the preseason looked cleaner, more efficient and more polished. He was playing pretty close to the way Jaguars GM David Caldwell and coach Gus Bradley envisioned when they drafted him third overall.

That’s why Bradley made the switch at halftime of last Sunday’s 44-17 loss to Indianapolis after Chad Henne produced 55 yards of total offense and zero points. Bortles threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. More importantly, he led the Jaguars to 17 points -- seven more than the offense had scored in the last eight quarters under Henne.

"I just love his mindset. I love the strength that he has," Bradley said. "He is a tough, hard-nosed competitor and he will attack. The team felt that part of it and I think it’s no coincidence that all of a sudden we blocked a little bit better [and] the receivers played a little bit better.

"… When he came in there things fell into place a little bit better and guys were making plays. Sometimes that happens with a guy that goes in there."

Bortles made several plays, too. He came out of a bootleg after the play fake and nearly ran right into Colts defensive end Bjoern Werner for what should have been a sure sack, but he reversed field, ran to his right, and eventually lofted a pass down the sideline to fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou for a 26-yard gain.

Henne has been in that situation several times during the first three games and the play either resulted in a sack or an incompletion. Bortles’ mobility and the ability to turn a broken play into a positive play is one of the biggest differences from Henne. Considering the struggles of the offensive line this season (17 sacks allowed, 46.7 yards per game rushing), that’s a huge plus.

"He was able to make plays that were not necessarily on time or schedule," offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch said. "That stood out for us and guys were making some plays. It was cool all around to watch it unfold."

That looked a lot like the player that Bortles saw on that college clip. That’s fine, because he doesn’t want to lose that improvisational part of his game and it’s one of the things that intrigued the Jaguars about him. But that’s the only part of that college clip he wants to see on any of the Jaguars tape he watches.

He doesn’t recognize most of what he sees from that older clip.

"That’s just a tribute to all of the work I’ve done with [quarterback coach] Frank [Scelfo] and extra stuff we’ve done together in meeting time with Jedd and Chad," Bortles said. "Learning as much as possible, continuing to get better, and work every day at practice."