Dodgeball Dandy
December 5th, 2016
Tampa Bay’s only Hall of Fame voter is a thrice-weekly columnist for JoeBucsFan.com, and he has his name on award-winning Tuesday and Thursday podcasts. Today, eye-RAH! Kaufman explores what the Chargers had to say about America’s Quarterback, Jameis Winston.
BY IRA KAUFMAN
As an escape artist, he’s never going to be confused with Russell Wilson. He’s never going to beat Marcus Mariota in a 40-yard dash.
But after 28 NFL starts, Jameis Winston has Buc fans crowing about his exceptional pocket presence and an athleticism that wasn’t talked about nearly enough when he left Florida State and turned pro.
Did you see Philip Rivers trying to turn the corner Sunday? He looked like Lurch from the Addams Family, lumbering toward the sidelines.
Winston doesn’t lumber.
“No.1, he’s a very good quarterback,” Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman said after Winston authored a comeback victory on the road. “Like I told Jameis after the game, he’s got that shiftiness. He’s got an interesting running style. It’s hard to bring him down and as far as his feet in the pocket, it’s unbelievable.”
As far as Buc supporters are concerned, those are happy feet.
Winston has been dropped only twice in 75 pass attempts during the past three weeks, and while protection was exceptional against the Chiefs and Seahawks, San Diego applied plenty of pressure.
Scouting Shame
Rookie Joey Bosa played a solid game and registered the only San Diego sack. He went to bed Sunday evening dreaming about the man who got away.
“He was tough to get down all day,” Bosa admitted.
When Winston found Mike Evans for a two-point conversion pass, he slipped Bosa’s rush and bought more time.
On an earlier completion to Evans, Winston rolled left and had enough arm strength to launch an accurate, off-balance throw.
Some scouts had serious questions about Winston’s mobility at the next level. Shame on them.
One scouting report on Winston said he “lacks athleticism to extend plays for very long outside of the pocket.”
Really?
Everyone agreed Winston’s fierce will was off the charts coming out of college. His love for the game was well documented and indeed, he looks like a guy who would play just for the joy of competition.
But there’s more. A lot more.
Winston’s keen pocket presence left a string of Chargers dazed and confused. They thought they had him in their sights, only to see Winston feint, jab and side-step his way out of danger, always keeping his eyes down the field.
“That’s one of the keys of the game we talked about all week long,” said Chargers coach Mike McCoy. “Coming into the game, we understood that Jameis does a phenomenal job in the pocket of getting out of plays that you think are sacks and minus plays. We are going to be sick looking at this film.”
Strain To Contain
Some Buc fans were alarmed when Winston was timed in 4.97 and 4.9 at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine. Those fears have proved baseless because he has functional speed and an uncanny knack for frustrating pass rushers.
“I’ve seen the numbers of sacks that we could have had,” McCoy said. “With his physical strength, his arm strength, being able to throw some of those balls away — turn the film on. Week in and week out, that’s what he does, and that was a big point of emphasis going into this game. Don’t allow him to do that. He makes some big plays when he gets out of there.”
As the Saints come marching in Sunday afternoon, the Bucs are poised for a breakthrough season. The defense is making plays, Bryan Anger keeps flipping field position, but most of all, No. 3 is having a blast — showing all of us how to play dodgeball at the NFL level.
December 5th, 2016 at 11:12 am
Admit it… when the pocket collapses, and Winston starts scrambling, you start expecting a big play.
I know I do.
December 5th, 2016 at 11:13 am
Man you guys are writing some good stuff!
December 5th, 2016 at 11:16 am
I love that we are all starting to talk positives and the mood surrounding the team is upbeat. It makes winning far easier if the players are enjoying themselves.
December 5th, 2016 at 11:17 am
Great Article Ira!
We need to appreciate just how GREAT his pocket presence and how ELUSIVE he is! If you can’t appreciate that, then put go watch some Vikings highlights and look at Sam Bradford…. Then say 10 Hail Mary’s and 10 Our Father’s… Then slap yourself 5 times…
LETS GO BUCS!!
December 5th, 2016 at 11:18 am
I’m proud to be 1 of maybe 5-6 posters that have fought the good fight with Jameis Winston the Messiah since pre-draft 2014. Can’t even begin to share the hate hurled at The Messiah.
But it’s all good cuz one thing us day 1 disciples know with certainty is that Jameis needs the haters and the doubters. He needs them like a fat kid needs cake.
So thank you to all the fkn haters he can’t do it without you.
December 5th, 2016 at 11:18 am
imagine what he could do w/ a receiver that can really get down the field behind the defense….
for once, i can’t WAIT until the offseason.
December 5th, 2016 at 11:23 am
it isn’t just god given either. remember all the flack he was getting for working with the QB coach he chose, and emphasizing drills that simulated messy pockets and disruptive pass rush? alot of the media was either scratching their heads or saying he got bad advice from a QB coach who wanted to put the spotlight on his methods instead of his pupil.
all those brooms and other props at his pro day and pro day prep is paying off when he does stuff like that 2 point conversion to mike evans
December 5th, 2016 at 11:26 am
DB55 at least we were on that same side for Winston lol. I’m done with the McCoy debates. Just happy we’re winning.
At FSU the biggest difference I noticed immediately between Winston and EJ manuel or prior QBs we had was his pocket presence. Winston could just feel the rush better than any FSU QB’d I’d seen and made subtle movements to extend plays every game when most QBs would be getting sacked. That’s why I thought it was dumb when Chris Berman or whoevver was saying we should take Mariota because he could thrive even with a bad o-line. Mariota took more sacks during college by far I believe when I was looking up the numbers. Running fast in a straight line doesn’t mean much at all in terms of ability to avoid sacks
December 5th, 2016 at 11:33 am
You know what’s worse than Winston and freeman in the same sentence? Winston and Mariota in the same sentence. Mariota isn’t worthy of washing the messiahs feet although the messiah would let him. You guys are making me wanna throw up today.
#RejoiceForTheKingdomOfJameisIsHere
December 5th, 2016 at 11:45 am
I’m bout to listen to old one from RunDMC “so you wanna be down wit kiinngg”.
December 5th, 2016 at 11:54 am
Winston looks like a magician out there. What’s next, a playoff spot pulled out of his hat.
December 5th, 2016 at 11:59 am
Go an check the pics from yesterday’s game on Buccs.com. I’ve never seen so much red at a Buccs away game before in my life.
December 5th, 2016 at 12:06 pm
Nothing seems to faze Jameis. He’s relentless and never gives up. He has an uncanny knack of feeling the rushers closing in and moves the right direction at the right time. He’s like vasoline, slippery, elusive, evasive and bull strong. His upside and future is off the charts. If he continues at this pace and stays healthy, Mr Kaufman will be presenting his case for the Hall of Fame one day. Arguably one of the best draft choices this team has ever made. Just over a month ago this team sucked and then……. Jameis said no more. Lol
December 5th, 2016 at 12:08 pm
#3 is emulating one of his idols, the late Muhammed Ali. #3 is playing rope a dope with the DL back there…now you have me…now you don’t.
In addition to extending plays I believe this also extends #3’s health…he’s not getting clobbered that often…Bosa’s sack was literally a desperation grab of #3’s ankle.
December 5th, 2016 at 12:12 pm
I watched every minute of Florida State football two years Jameis played. When I saw the scouting reports that said he wasn’t mobile I really have to question what it was that scouts were looking at. I really think it was an attempt to smear him after his college antics got him into trouble
December 5th, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Us west coast fans tried to pack Qualcomm as best as we can and be as loud as we could be… Now we challenge YOU guys to go to ray j and pack it as full as YOU can and be as loud as YOU can be!!!
December 5th, 2016 at 12:26 pm
Love all the post…so uplifting and on point.
You nailed it PICK 6, chasing him with the brooms was like Rocky chasing the chicken all purpose driven.
SPBF …floats like a butterfly stings like a BEE!
You know just was considered fast in high school.
Google or go in Youtube and search “Jameis Winston catches his own pass!”
December 5th, 2016 at 12:27 pm
No complaints here, clearly under-rated in that aspect! I just wish we could protect a little better. Imagine having even MORE time in the pocket!
Moreover, that defense is playing inspired football! Great TEAM win!
December 5th, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Jake Plummer was once considered the most mobile QB in the league and he ran about a 4.9 (I think it was 4.87) at the Combine. Jeff Garcia was no sprinter, Josh Freeman wasn’t any faster at the Combine. It’s about agility… and Jameis is extremely agile. Bruce Gradkowski ran a 4.59 at the Combine he’s never been known in the NFL as mobile…. Blaine Gabbert was faster than Cam Newton.
December 5th, 2016 at 12:43 pm
10/4 951..
December 5th, 2016 at 12:43 pm
Ditto BRANDON !
Agility, elusive, keen, aware, swagger and a whole lot of WANT TO😆
December 5th, 2016 at 12:46 pm
Remember long, long ago, when lightning delays, prima donna tight ends and a one year too many WR was all the Bucs could think about. Seems like that was a couple of seasons ago now.
December 5th, 2016 at 12:52 pm
@nosbos,
It almost brought tears of joy to my face seeing that many Bucs fans at the stadium. We had Buc chants going loud through the stadium, in the concourses and on the field. It was a sea of red and I was damn proud to be part of it! Best Bucs crowd I’ve ever seen at an away game. I’m still in disbelief tbh.
Who knew there were so many Bucs fans in SD? I certainly did not. For all my Florida fans, take that energy from the Seahawks and chargers crowds and make ray j rock as hard as we gonna rock drew Bree’s this Sunday! Go Bucs!
December 5th, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Watch the NFL networks show on Roger Staubach. They run around and are shifty very similarly. Roger seemed faster but that’s it. Both are great leaders too.
December 5th, 2016 at 1:03 pm
that extra weight he shed in the off season has improved his footwork….you can tell he put in the work to be better conditioned late in the year….don’t see him huffing and puffing late in the game…..ALL HAIL JAMEIS!!!!…GO BUCS!!!!
December 5th, 2016 at 1:51 pm
Nice article Ira.
I told all the haters and skeptics before we drafted Winston that his pocket presence and elusiveness was off the charts for such a young QB.
Now we are all lucky enough to witness it week in and week out at the NFL level. Jameis slipping away from the best pass rushers on the planet and making plays downfield either with his arm or his feet multiple times every game.
Quoting Tom Cruise in ‘Taps’ as he wails away with the machine gun – ” It’s Beautiful Man…. BEAUTIFUL”
December 5th, 2016 at 3:13 pm
Great article as always Ira.
December 5th, 2016 at 4:12 pm
Has anyone noticed that ever since Doug Martin back we haven’t run that pansy offense that we ran earlier in the year. We’ve really started to open the pass game up and run Dirk Koetter true offense.
Doug Martins presence has helped alone, once he gets going (which he will) our offense will only become more dangerous.