Better Than Cam And Luck?
December 8th, 2015
Are some NFL analysts getting ahead of themselves?
Look, Joe is a big fan of America’s Quarterback, Bucs signal-caller Jameis Winston.
Regular readers probably got that impression when Joe began banging the drum daily for the Bucs to draft Jameis over a year ago.
But Joe has to tap the brakes on his fandom of Jameis when he hears respected NFL analysts labeling Jameis among the NFL elite quarterbacks. That’s what NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks did yesterday.
In their lastest video podcast of the exceptional “Move the Sticks,” Daniel Jeremiah and Brooks break down the games of both Jameis and Marcus Mariota (is anyone else besides Joe sick of the constant comparison? They are totally different quarterbacks, like comparing Dan Marino to Steve Young).
Brooks suggested Jameis is better now than what Andrew Luck and Cam Newton were when they were rookies (sorry, the NFL hates embed codes).
“When I look at Jameis Winston… now I am going to say this and people will think I am crazy,” Brooks said. “He is playing better than the two previous [quarterbacks who were] No. 1 overall picks, Andrew Luck and Cam Newton. He is outplaying them in their respective first two seasons. When we talk about Jameis Winston, he is a special player and he is going to have the opportunity to do special things in Tampa.”
Yes, Joe has to slow down here. While Jameis may be having a better rookie season than Newton, Joe won’t go there with Luck, who really was and is a special, special quarterback.
Does Jameis have a chance to match Luck’s numbers? Sure. But this is where Joe and the stat geeks part ways. The stat geeks get their panties all wadded up when someone talks about quarterback wins. They squeal that wins is not a stat. In Joe’s eyes, it’s the ultimate stat. As Herm Edwards famously said, “You play to win the game.”
If Jameis can somehow get the Bucs into the playoffs, then Joe will believe Jameis has played as well as Luck his rookie year.
Frankly, Joe would like to wait a couple of years before dropping Jameis’ name in with Luck or Newton. But Joe is surely glad the Bucs no longer have the worst quarterback in the division. Thank you, God!
December 8th, 2015 at 12:35 pm
I’d say he’s in their class.
Mariota has flashed but is 2-4 in close games when given a chance to win while Winston is basically undefeated. He had a losing record in close games in college as well; a point I made in offseason:
Mariota lost to Colts after not converting 2 puts that were needed to tie to force OT
Lost on interception down only 1 vs Bills with over 2 mins left
Lost on sack with drive taking way too long due to short passes down 6 vs Jags
Lost of interception down 3 at mid field with minute left against Oakland
December 8th, 2015 at 12:36 pm
2 points not puts lol
December 8th, 2015 at 12:39 pm
With the exception of total passing yards their statistics aren’t all that far apart. I don’t think the gap is as huge as you seemingly suggest. That said, the one stat that Andrew Luck has which is significant is game winning drives. Jameis has three this year. Andrew Luck had seven in his rookie year.
December 8th, 2015 at 12:43 pm
Ok guys..Just hang on to yer skivvies there…Cam and Luck have proven they can do it consistently. Winston’s still got a ways to go here. A long ways…..
Yes, we finally have a QB. But time will truly tell what we have on down the road. For now though, Jameis is playing good and inspiring his team.
December 8th, 2015 at 12:43 pm
Amen!, Joe.
December 8th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
@ Mike James
Take note of the the qualifier at the end.
“Brooks suggested Jameis is better now than what Andrew Luck and Cam Newton were when they were rookies”
Just talking about rookie seasons.
December 8th, 2015 at 12:53 pm
I don’t think Janeis and Luck are as far apart as people think. Especially with how they’ve both played this year. It’s. Still early but JW looks to be a future star.
December 8th, 2015 at 12:54 pm
Meant Mike Johnson
December 8th, 2015 at 1:00 pm
G.O.A.T
December 8th, 2015 at 1:01 pm
Winston is a special player and what he is doing for this team and community is amazing. I work at all children’s hospital, and the rookies just came through by to visit the kids. Jameis lead the group, was all smiles and a class act.
December 8th, 2015 at 1:19 pm
Haven’t seen enough Colts to compare Luck and Winston. Having watched Bucs Panther games have seen lots of Cam.
Newton is more of a dual threat because he is so hard to tackle. His size and body strength are beyond what Jameis can offer. His speed is very fast. His arm strength defies the laws of physics.
I can definitely see where Winston will become a better passer than Newton simply because Cam’s arm strength is so strong that he has some issues taking pace off the ball when he needs to throw with more touch. Winston has already shown he can make some of those touch passes that Cam struggles with and Jameis is only a rookie.
No doubt Jameis is more of a team guy and doesn’t have the ego that Newton does so there could be something said about him being more of a natural leader vs. Newton being more of a “me” guy.
Newton has come into his own for the past 2 or 3 years but I do think he struggled more his first 2 or 3 seasons than Winston is as a rookie.
I would say as a rookie Winston is a far better passer than Newton was as a rookie if that’s what the writer was saying he is right.
December 8th, 2015 at 1:52 pm
There has been multiple comparisons of JW to Big Ben, A young Donovan McNab, Vince Young, blah blah the names go one. Let me clear my throat, ahem…JAMEIS WINSTON IS INCOMPARABLE. He is who he is. The greatest QB of our time and by FAR the best QB to ever put a Buccaneer’s jersey on.
December 8th, 2015 at 2:01 pm
Slow down….relax….no need to jump to comparisons this soon….let a season or two go by, then we can have more snaps to make comparisons……player comparisons are complicated because they play for different teams with different lines, coaches, WRs, RBs and opponents….
All we really need to know is that we have Jameis locked up for 5 years. We have already seen enough to know that we have landed our franchise QB.
December 8th, 2015 at 2:24 pm
At some point in the future, Winston will be come the standard to which others are compared to.
December 8th, 2015 at 2:29 pm
folks love to compare…he remind me a lot of big ben when he was a rookie..manages the game, strong arm, sneaky mobile…once the bucs draft a speed wr or bell shows he’s that guy, his deep ball will become a thing of beauty just like big ben…GO BUCS!!!
December 8th, 2015 at 2:30 pm
Agreed, Joe.
December 8th, 2015 at 2:46 pm
What I love about Winston’s game is that he’s having early success as a pocket passer, like Andrew Luck did. Most young QBs have early success with their athleticism and have to be molded into pocket passers in order to have long term success.
Cam Newton is the only current QB who’s made the transition successfully. I guess you could say Russell Wilson is on the right track, but he still has a ways to go. Teams have flat out given up on Kaepernick and RGIII because they can’t cut it as pocket passers. The Bucs don’t have to worry about that with Winston, he’s already proven he has the goods.
December 8th, 2015 at 2:51 pm
@813bucboi STOP COMPARING HIM TO BIG BEN!!!! BIG BEN DOESN’T MAKE THAT RUN ON 3rd and 19!!!!! He is INCOMPARABLE. There is no other QB that possesses his intangibles and plays the game the way he does.
December 8th, 2015 at 2:53 pm
Andrew F#@k is waaaaaaaaaay over rated!!!! Cam had an outstanding rookie year. I hate that ppl even use Luck as a comparison to Jameis. Yes he’s good but I think ppl give him to much credit for so so play. Hell Kirk Cousins is better than Luck. “You like that”
December 8th, 2015 at 3:08 pm
I’m tired of comparisons as well. Obviously #3 is different than MM…different than Luck…perhaps has some similarities to Big Ben but I think #3 is actually a better runner.
#3 is an original when you consider the entire package both on the field and his ability to lead and inspire off the field.
But as far as comparing QB’s by W-L records…while obviously that’s what counts it’s not really a good benchmark.
What would #3’s record look like now if his #1 receiver hadn’t been so incredibly inconsistent and Brindza hadn’t choke. There’s at least two more wins and a record of 8-4!!! What would the experts be saying then?
December 8th, 2015 at 3:09 pm
Amen to you Mr Joe Cool !!!
December 8th, 2015 at 4:02 pm
@ Joe
You are giving Luck way too much credit here. First of all, Luck went to a team that was one year removed from the number one seed in the AFC playoffs. The colts problem was the greatness of Dan Orlovsky (sp) which allowed them to win the lottery for Luck. That’s the very definition of the importance of having a QB or at least a decent back up. Luck step in to a team that Manning had as the #1 seed two years prior. Luck’s team was better all-around than the one Jameis inherited. Jameis walked into a team that has not been to the playoff in about 7 years and a team that did not have a confidence of winning.
Also, Luck is the leader in total turnovers since he has been in the league. He had 10 fumbles to go along with his 18 INTs which is a total of 28 turnovers as a rookie. Jameis is nowhere near that. So for Bucky to say he is playing a better brand of football is not crazy as you say. What is crazy is that you assume that Luck is just better because of his name without looking at it as Bucky is. And I am willing to bet that Jameis’ film looks better than Luck’s film looked as a rookie as well.
December 8th, 2015 at 4:48 pm
@tiny Tim don’t forget Curtis painter helped them lose almost all those games for the colts to get Andrew luck…but to be fair Andrew luck had a crappy offensive coordinator his rookie year.
December 8th, 2015 at 5:26 pm
Bucs would likely have lost also if Luck had played at Indy.
December 8th, 2015 at 5:50 pm
I told all that would listen or read it before the draft that Winston will be BETTER than Luck. Of course the jerky’s out there scoffed at me.
I’ll stand by it.
December 8th, 2015 at 6:25 pm
Great points StPete
December 9th, 2015 at 12:40 am
LOL at that look on JW’s face and the headline!!! OH YOU DIDNT KNOW?
I love it.
December 9th, 2015 at 12:42 am
moderation joe’s? what for?