Get Down, Jameis
August 27th, 2015
Bucs OC Dirk Koetter said “America’s Quarterback” has to know when to fold ’em.
So far in the young NFL career of America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston, Jameis has a hard time giving up on plays.
This can lead to Robert Griffin III status if Jameis isn’t careful.
In the first preseason game, Jameis slid on the turf at the University of Minnesota like a drunken softball player. Monday night, he ran a lot and got popped a lot doing so.
Eventually, Jameis is going to have to learn to protect himself if he wants to play in the NFL when he is 25.
Jameis seems to understand this, but will he put it into practice?
“It’s something that I’ve got to learn quickly,” Jameis said Wednesday. “It’s going to take time for me to adjust, but I know I’ve got to protect my body and I’ve got to protect this team by staying injury-free.
“You know, I’ve got to learn. I love to compete, I love to be competitive, but at the end of the day, just like Coach Koetter said, you’ve got to know when to just leave it alone. I’m young right now and I love the action – as quarterbacks, we don’t get hit at practice. I want to go ahead in the preseason and get it out of the way.”
That is just it. If Jameis isn’t out there, the Bucs are in a world of hurt. Bucs coach Lovie Smith believes it is harder for a quarterback like Jameis to decide to extend or kill plays.
“But we’ve talked to him about those situations,” Lovie said. “We need to work on him getting down, but sometimes you have to (run). We’re not going put him at risk an awful lot, but, it’s football. You’re going to be at risk a little bit. Believe me, we know who we have there. We want to keep him protected and go from there.”
It is also a goal of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter to wean Jameis into knowing when give up on a play and when not to.
“The way we say it – ‘Know when the journey is over,’” Koetter said. “I grew up in Pocatello, Idaho, and when I was old enough I used to drive to Jackpot, Nevada, to play blackjack. I say know when to cut your losses. Jameis is such a competitor he has a hard time cutting his losses. He doesn’t ever want to cut our losses. That’s good and bad. That’s well documented.
“He’s going to make some plays and we are going to love him and then there are going to be other times that we are going to be saying ‘Get down, get down.’ That’s just how it’s going to be so get used to it. We’re working on it, but get used to it.”
August 27th, 2015 at 8:09 am
If Jameis stays out of trouble in and out of the field, the Bucs hit the Jackpot for years to come!
Go Jameis! Go Bucs!
In Lovie and Licht I TRUST!!!
August 27th, 2015 at 8:09 am
I seriously hope Winston stays healthy or the DOT is going to have to shut down the Sky way bridge temporarily.
August 27th, 2015 at 8:13 am
rayjay- lmao
August 27th, 2015 at 8:22 am
I will gladley put some greenbacks on Mike Glennon winning us games is Winston goes down. I dont WANT that to happen but it a very real possibility. Glennon needed better protection and even more so a proven OC. You think Winston would have a fighting chance with Arroyo calling plays. If so you insane…
August 27th, 2015 at 8:45 am
Ir’s a small sample….but Winston has been hit several times already and the law of averages will take over…..I suspect he will go down at some point in the season….lets just hope it isn’t serious.
We absolutely need a good backup and we have one. We should keep MG8 through this season….trade him and draft a QB in later rounds next year to serve as backup going forward….or find a FA veteran that fits our system.
August 27th, 2015 at 9:00 am
Id rather see Jameis do this when it counts rather than be scared and run out of bounds short on the marker like Glennon did in regular season games
August 27th, 2015 at 9:16 am
The Bucs FO aren’t stupid and sadistic like the Redskins. QB’s are at risk on every play, as is every other member of a football team. It’s just the nature of the sport.
The league rules recognize the importance of QB’s and have altered the rules of contact over the years to protect the “investment” of the owners. It’s up to the QB’s to use those rules to their advantage to stay healthy.
I’m not sure if any starting QB in the NFL can play 16 games without getting hit and hit hard. The opposition can always ignore the rules and play dirty if they think the risk is worth the reward and are willing to pay he fines and deal with the suspensions.
I’d like to see Jameis play with more caution, slide run OB or throw the ball away. The recent spate of holding penalties I suspect are in response to the “protect Jameis at all costs” mantra the coaches have been preaching since OTA’s.
Beyond that, Jameis is neither fast or bulletproof. Let’s hope our resident “football junkie” doesn’t continue to ignore the reality of physics and will be around a long time to thrill us with his arm, and not his legs.
August 27th, 2015 at 9:17 am
This is just why we need to keep Glennon on the roster while he is cheap. Unless someone offer’s us a first round pick for him, but that ain’t happening.
August 27th, 2015 at 9:26 am
In my opinion all he really needs to do its learn to slide.also just another thought, wasnt mariota suppose to be the more “athletic” of the 2 and better run? That’s funny seeing that Winston has already ran in 2 TDs in 2 games inn which he has played only 3 full quarters.I can’t wait to see what he does in a full game.
Also its funny how the Brown’s have decided to keep Johnny “Fooseball” out of Saturday’s game due to a “sore elbow.” hmmm…sounds to me like the rest of the NFL teams received the message our defense sent out Monday night on national television via compliments of Andy Dalton.lol.
# GO BUCS! # FIRE THE CANNONS!
August 27th, 2015 at 9:48 am
Yeah, that’s like sitting at a blackjack table until you are wiped out. Winston is learning when to hold them and when to fold them.
August 27th, 2015 at 12:25 pm
This will be a hard lesson for Jameis to learn – because his instict in the heat of battle is to do whatever he can` t`o g`et e`xtra yards, `
August 27th, 2015 at 12:31 pm
oops cont…
…do whatever he can to get extra yards, pick up the 1st down or score. I imagine it is going to take a big hit or 2 that causes him enough concern for his well being before he really understands why the coaches want him to do what is reasonable to protect his body.
August 27th, 2015 at 1:09 pm
I’m growing into a HUGE Koetter fan!
That’s just how it’s going to be so get used to it. We’re working on it, but get used to it.”
But get used to it! I love it. The man is a pragmatist. He realizes this is a very very very tough balancing act. You don’t want Fameis hurt but you don’t want to eliminate his ability to make something happen. It’s always a tough call and especially for poor Fameis who is very competitive and has to make these judgements at warp speed. Very easy to criticize Fameis when you have ten seconds watching a replay where he had a millisecond to make that decision.
He’s a very, very, bright kid he’ll get it. Koetter is a very, very good coach he’ll help Fameis get it without taking all the fire from him. I love this duo!
As for MG8 I agree completely with TBBF. He’s one of the best if not best backups in the league. We need him! But listening to the commentary around the Steelers signing of Vick to replace the vaunted Bruce Gradkowski (is Bruce better than MG8?) and all the pundits were saying how bare the QB cupboard is right now. There are no saviors out there and Glennon is just going to increase and increase in value. We have two years left. Let’s wait until somebody makes us an offer we can’t refuse which should be very high given the lack of talent out there and MG8’s continued improvement. He is going to thrive under Koetter.
August 27th, 2015 at 5:20 pm
If a QB is known as a backup the importance of that position seems undervalued. I wonder what the average time a backup QB stays with the same team, It does seem like teams change them regularly. Other teams probably see Glennon as a backup also, so I’m not sure the expected offer by most fans will be forthcoming. It’s great for the Bucs to have a good backup at QB. He could stick with this Bucs team for longer than many expect, or like what has been said another team’s QB will go down with a serious injury and come calling for MG’s experience and potential.
August 27th, 2015 at 5:37 pm
Bucfan
Excellent point. I think backups used to stay with teams a lot longer when I was a young guy before the salary cap hassles and the CBA currently in effect.
I have NO DOUBT that if we keep MG8 for the next two years, when his rookie contract is up he will not come back to the Bucs because we won’t be able to afford him and because he is also a competitor who wants to start. Trust me in the league so starved for QB’s where Bruce Gradkowski still had a job until injury and aging Michael Vick is the most desirable option…MG8 IS going to get his shot to start for somebody. And good on him. Our tough call is when in the next two years do we pull the trigger? If we never and then lose him at the end to someone who wants’ to start him I still maintain we will have gotten a tremendous value for a 3rd round pick.