Only Jameis Can Stop Bucs
July 9th, 2017
Pointed words for Bucs QB.
It’s all on Jameis.
That’s the word from Sean Wagner-McGough of CBS Sports. Wagner-McGough is a big fan of what the Bucs have done both this past offseason and in recent drafts. He actually believes the Tampa Bay offense should be in the stratosphere of the NFL with the Steelers and the Belicheats.
However, Wagner-McGough notes, there is but one obstacle preventing that from happening. And that is America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston.
But the one player who will hold them back from reaching their playoff aspirations is Winston — unless, of course, he finally cashes in on his potential, which made him the top pick over Marcus Mariota two years ago. That’s because, to this point in his career, Winston has yet to play like a top signal caller. Winston is the Buccaneers’ fatal flaw, the exhaust port built into the Death Star. He can be exploited. …
With that in mind, this isn’t intended to be a hit piece on Winston. Again, no one — not even Winston himself — knows if he’ll eventually transform into a top quarterback. This doesn’t mean Winston is forever destined to be a middling player.
Instead, this is intended to look at why Winston is the Buccaneers’ biggest question mark heading into the 2017 season, for which there are legitimate reasons for playoff hype. Based on the evidence he’s given us in his 32 career games, Winston enters the season as the most likely player to hold back the Buccaneers’ offense from making the jump to light speed.
Wagner-McGough then goes into great detail, using video and graphics, why he’s not sold on Jameis as an NFL quarterback.
Joe does agree in this instance. Joe nearly wore out several keyboards over the past two years typing how schlock receivers were holding Jameis back. Can’t use that line any longer.
Now, Jameis has weapons. Legitimate NFL top shelf weapons. Can he make opponents pay?
July 9th, 2017 at 12:20 am
Interesting article Joe. I was just talking to another guy on the site that will probably love this lol. I think you hit the nail on the head about the recievers and their not being an excuse. I am almost expecting hiccups; it’ll be and always will be how he adapts. Him and Mike Evans seemed to have a little off chemistry his rookie year but he still put up numbers. He seems to be willing to adapt and work extra with recievers. I hope Desean, OJ, and Godwin are willing to take extra reps. Hopefully your camp notes shed light on this!
July 9th, 2017 at 1:16 am
Agree stop turning that ball over and he’ll be ok
July 9th, 2017 at 1:54 am
I admit that I was waiting with baited breath when we drafted Winston. I simply wasn’t sure if he or Mariota would be the best “long term” solution. Now, stepping into year three it is more clear to me that Winston is, in fact the better choice of the two. He is better because he does take chances, has that x-factor (aka intangibles) and a will to be the best. If he gets that extra 1/2 second after the majority of snaps……….look out NFL. GO BUCS
July 9th, 2017 at 2:25 am
He says Winston hasn’t developed into the QB they though they were getting two years ago.
If that is the basis of the article and “whats holding the Bucs back” then I don’t need to read any more.
Does he think Jameis should throw for 5,000 yards in each his two seasons? He has the 2nd best rookie season in history and was the first QB in history to hit the 4,000 Mark his first two years. Of course we all know this but apparently Mr Wagner-Mcgoughber doesn’t.
Jameis isn’t holding us back, no, he is carrying us. I’d say we got who we thought we were getting and more.
July 9th, 2017 at 2:36 am
I hope this guy is 100% correct in his premise. I read the article, its a flawed argument, but if Jameis is the weak link in the chain… we are in for one heck of a season.
What is amazing to me is how the national pundits were so quick to put Freeman up in the top tiers after one season, but with Jameis, they really want to keep him down.
July 9th, 2017 at 2:54 am
Dumb article …
July 9th, 2017 at 3:58 am
What Alaskan said^^^…Mcgouber, lmao…very funny but true. This Mcgouber guy just has no F’ing clue who he’s writing about. GO BUCS!!!
July 9th, 2017 at 4:05 am
Actually tnew, I thought it was a fairly straight-forward article, as far as it went. His contention that the Bucs “playoff dreams live or die with Winston” is correct IMO, as is his assertion that Jameis is “inconsistent” (reinforced by his statement that “too often he’s either brilliant or terrible”). We’ve all seen both sides of ‘good-Jameis, bad-Jameis’ over these past 2 seasons. And we’re all very much expecting to see more of ‘good-Jameis’ this year than we do ‘bad-Jameis’.
And I’m convinced that we will. The reason? Dirk Koetter … plus the fact that Jameis has better weapons this year & has gained 2 years worth of valuable experience. Jameis will probably never be Drew Brees hitting on 70% of his passes during a season, but he’ll be good enough to execute Dirk Koetter’s game plans. Coach knows Jameis’ limitations better than any of us, and he’s very very good at creating mismatches which will help Jameis minimize some of his deficiencies (yes, like less-than-desirable accuracy at times).
Media & fans have a tendency to compare Jameis with Brady, Roethlisberger, Brees & Ryan, but folks aren’t comparing apples-to-apples when they do that. They’re comparing a young Jameis (who entered the NFL with only 2 yrs of college football) with highly-experienced QBs. But compare Jameis with them in their early years. Brady for instance won 3 Super Bowls in his 1st full 4 years (2001-2004). Impressive, but Brady wasn’t nearly as good then as he is now. During those 4 yrs Brady averaged close to 62% completions & slightly less than 3,500 yds per season. He averaged 26 TDs per season and 13 INTs … 1 INT for every 2 TDs.
Pats won SBs in 2001, 2003 & 2004 for 3 reasons IMO. First, awesome defense (#6, #1 & #2 defense in their SB yrs … #17 defense in 2002 when they missed the playoffs). Second, excellent running attack that consumed between 45-50% of their plays during their SB yrs, but only 38% in 2002. And third, Brady managed the games very well & took what the defense gave him. Lots of short passes just to keep the chains moving. His WRs & TEs didn’t put up league-leading numbers, but they were ‘functional’ … as were his RBs. And oh yes, he had a reasonably strong OLine to protect him.
July 9th, 2017 at 4:11 am
That sounds a little unnecessarily negative on Winston. I think he’s been pretty great for a young QB, minus a few awful games. Yeh, he needs to cut way back on the turnovers, but Jameis makes plays and wins games. The needle is pointing way up heading into year 3.
July 9th, 2017 at 4:41 am
Fair point. The turnovers that put the defense in a bad spot defending a short field really piss me off.
If nothing else this season, we should find out if Winston is everything we hope he is.
July 9th, 2017 at 5:31 am
Defense.. Joe’s headline of “Only Jameis can stop the Bucs” is a more fair statement. When your statements are, “Jameis has yet to develop into the QB they thought they were getting two years ago”, I want to know who in the Bucs organisation truly is displeased with any part of Winston’s development, in any way. Look at the videos, he selected,
First one, (second game of season) free release pressure coming from the side of the play. If he steps into the throw, his knee is exposed and he could have an ACL injury. This to me is more a decision problem. Not accuracy. Drive the ball into the feet of the receiver and go to the next play. Another thing regarding that play, WTF is Winston doing, not getting out of that play. He has to make some sort of adjustment to keep Sims in or call a timeout.
The second video (week 4) Evans clearly stopped his route. One of them made a bad read. Either Jameis to see this as a continuing route or Evans (who looks like the culprit here) for stopping his route early. Only the coaches know the answer here but the author indicates this as a lack of accuracy and a bad decision.. Just not the case.
The last video (week 1) looks bad for Jameis on accuracy of the deep pass, but he did throw one in this game to Jenkins that couldn’t have been better. Would have liked to have seen this play a little longer and really see what happened. It looks like a clear miss on Winston’s part, but I can’t tell what was supposed to happen because the WR comes in very late and I can’t track exactly where the ball went.
Bottom line, he is being critical of Jameis development without any game after week 20 and at least two of his citations are not accurate.
My biggest beef is his premise that Jameis is “behind” where the Bucs want him to be. I think this could not be farther from the truth..
July 9th, 2017 at 6:47 am
No doubt about JW is inconsistent, even Keotter has said that. This is a QB driven league and it’s hard to see us going much further if Winston doesn’t improve. All the weapons in the world don’t mean anything if he can’t hit them in stride. The Blake Bortles comparisons are very troubling.
July 9th, 2017 at 6:49 am
So Jameis Winston is a “middling player” eh?
1st 2 years with only 1 legit NFL receiver the majority of that time – Winston throws for 4000 yards each of those 1st 2 years in the league ( which no other QB has ever done in NFL history). SMH
I understand the premise – but to say “not even Winston himself — knows if he’ll eventually transform into a top quarterback” is pure rubbish.
July 9th, 2017 at 7:07 am
This is a true statement as it should be – the road to the playoffs and subsequent championships run through the QB. The good news is we’ve got a very good one albeit one that is still learning. There are going to be bumps and there will be highlight reels too.
It is too easy to say before the first snap that Jameis and Jameis alone is the sole factor standing in the way of the playoffs. On paper the weapons look impressive, but nary a shot has been fired. There is work to be done on both sides of the ball – lot of new shiny toys that are still in the box.
I suppose it is only fair that this weight is placed squarely on Jameis’ shoulders. If all goes well, it is he that will stand to command a Derek Carr-like contract. From what I’ve seen so far, he will be up to the task.
I remember the words of Dirk Koetter at 1:00 minute of his last presser that Jameis knows what is expected and knows what he has to do to get there, “we’re hard on Jameis and he’s hard on himself, always improving, but NOT where it needs to be”. So clearly, there is work to be done.
So the writer is correct. Jameis is in the critical path and I suspect he wouldn’t want it any other way. We all need to see some real football (training camp/pre-season) to be able to tell if we truly have a playoff team – Jameis included. However, at this point I have every reason to be optimistic with the makeup of our team. And I like our chances with Jameis at the helm! Conversely, the article could have been written to say that Jameis is the only player that can get us to the playoffs! Go Bucs!
http://www.buccaneers.com/videos/videos/Watch-Dirk-Koetter-Press-Conference/d0d0b72b-cdfb-42dc-be26-2622e9e2a7ee
July 9th, 2017 at 7:09 am
We scored 20 or under 7 times last year….but won 4 of those games. So, our defense showed up then.
I rather think it is defensive consistency that will determine the Bucs fate rather than Winston….I think the
July 9th, 2017 at 7:10 am
I think the offense will score enough to win. Good or bad Jameis.
July 9th, 2017 at 7:35 am
Cant wait for this season to get rolling and this guy see’s its more than just Jameis. Yes he’s important, but theres more than him on the team. All of them can play a roll in stopping our Bucs. But Im not worried. We have some dogs in the fight now led by the man himself. They’ll see!
July 9th, 2017 at 7:45 am
@tnew … “My biggest beef is his premise that Jameis is “behind” where the Bucs want him to be. I think this could not be farther from the truth.” I agree with you 100% … nothing could be farther from the truth. Folks too soon forget how young (and relatively inexperienced) Jameis was when he became a starting QB. He’s made incredible progress IMO, and I fully expect that this year he’ll light it up. Get set for an exciting year. And tampabaybucfan, also agree that our defense will have as big an influence (and potentially bigger) on our won-loss record this year than our offense. Just like it did last year.
July 9th, 2017 at 7:48 am
This is great I love it !! Poor ole James !! Lol keep kicking an knocking my man it just makes him put in more work ( not that he needs motivation ) James was born to be great an to be a leader of men!!! Never fear as long as James is hear!!! He got that want , Will , Desire that every NFL TEAM PRAYS they are getting when they Dratf a QB !! Enjoy guys it’s going to be fun for a long time in Tampa
July 9th, 2017 at 8:21 am
I was ready to bash Sean Wagner-McGough, but he presented a good case…on the surface.
However, the problem is that ALL of his information is based on Pro Football Focus, a website that even Joe continuously calls into question.
Here is the fault with the case Sean Wagner-McGough makes:
Our Wide Receivers, Running Backs and Offensive Line the last two years.
That’s it.
Yes, Winston made a fair share of mistakes. Even he would hold himself accountable…but his numbers, Interceptions and fumbles would have looked much different if the offensive line had protected him better, if horrible WRs were not dropping passes or batting them into the air (or blowing routes), and if RBs could block or run the ball.
Sure, there were cases when he blew it and it was his fault…all QBs have those moments. But if those three parts of the team had played better, he may well have reached 5,000 yards last year.
For example, as to the fumbles, remember two years ago when our Center kept fumbling the exchange? Remember last year, the miracle scramble? No QB should have to move around like that.
Therefore, I find myself disagreeing with Sean Wagner-McGough on this. While Winston failing would hurt the team immensely, to say “Winston is the Buccaneers’ fatal flaw…” is wrong. The players around Winston have been the flaw.
This year, those players have been replaced. Three of six WRs have been replaced. We have a new RB with potential. The offensive line is ‘fixed’.
And that, my friends, is why I believe the Bucs will not only win the division, but may well go to the Superbowl.
July 9th, 2017 at 8:31 am
I will only agree Winston has no more excuses (I am assuming we find a RB). Jameis now has the weapons he needs, whereas before he clearly did not.
But, as TBBF also mentioned, the D is the big question mark in my mind. We STILL do not know if we have a DE who can get after the QB.
July 9th, 2017 at 8:49 am
tnew agreed, and I’m glad Fameis isn’t receiving the early adulation jefro did sometimes early adulation can be a negative. In jefro’s case it was because it made him feel he had already arrived and clearly cease to put the work in necesarry to being one of the games top QBs. With Fameis that won’t hold true,his drive is lengendary. His first words to the NFL were “I want to be a future HOFr”. When Fameis reads a asinine piece like this one it makes him get back in the lab. A place he might’ve just left prior to reading this dumb s@$!.
July 9th, 2017 at 8:56 am
I recall a journey men QB in Josh McCown being handed the reigns in Chicago after Cutler got hurt. Alshon Jeffery and Brandon Marshall had McCown puttin up numbers that had they’re lockerroom divided as to who should be the QB after Cutler was cleared to return to action. But a promising young QB star in Fameis is questioned as to whether or not he can be productive now being given ME and Desean. Riiiggghtt. FOH. Same people will soon be acting like they were in his corner,pattin him on his back and s@$! after next season. Keep grass cut low Fameis so you can see these snake mutaf@$$!as when they start approaching.
July 9th, 2017 at 9:02 am
That’s what inticed Lovie to go get McCown in the first place. Those BIG BALLER numbers he had put up with Brandon and Alshon the previous season. Ya see you ain’t gotta be great when you surrounded with talent, you mainly just gotta know how to play the d@$! game.
July 9th, 2017 at 9:03 am
We say josh mclown but go back and look at numbers the year before he came to the Bay. Those weren’t clown numbers. Far from it.
July 9th, 2017 at 9:16 am
Its true….hes a leader, and a motivator. When he’s on he’s ON, but when he’s off he’s waaaaaaay off. There are no excuses.
July 9th, 2017 at 9:28 am
Must be waaaayy on a h3ll of lot more according to those compu box numbers. He kinda finds himself in a class all his own when it comes to that passing yardage.
July 9th, 2017 at 9:49 am
Flawed analysis by the bucs sheep…again
Kurt cousins was throwing 4 ints per game and a turnover machine. What happened…
Jay gruden play design and playcalling
Look at at the throws by jameis the last 2 years. Everyone one of them except passes to chuck sims in his first year was in traffic small windows downfield
The top offensive coords believe in short passing high percentage completions to loosen the 2nd and 3rd level passing attack. They put their reciever in 1 on 1 situation in open space with los slants and crossing patterns. This causes qbs to have high percentage and low int turnovers.
Kobe always wanted jameis to start in the west coast offense to lern that system and than destroy the 20 yard 2nd and 3rd level throws which he was born to do
Cat and mouse game. Short effient throws to bring in the defense create openings downfield
Koetters continuous low percentage bombs to evans in the chicago game was a debacurry in playcalling
July 9th, 2017 at 10:04 am
Posted previously, please ignore.
———————————————————————————-
tickrdr Says:
October 7th, 2016 at 11:04 am
I know everyone is down on VJax and the inability of our receivers to get separation. Please watch the replay of the first interception in the Denver game, especially if you have GamePass and can see the endzone shot on Coach’s view. I invite everyone to come back and tell me that VJ83 does not pass right in front of JW3 ………..WIDE OPEN……….. before he throws in front of the receiver he must have been “locked onto”. I think some of Jameis’ problems is what I refer to as “Rashad Greene syndrome”. Watch Gruden’s QB Camp with Jameis to see what that means.
tickrdr
———————————————————————-
The 2nd linked video is the exact play I was talking about.
tickrdr
July 9th, 2017 at 10:43 am
I agree with this article. I believe we have the WRs, the RBs, the TEs, the OL and an improving D to get to the playoffs. It’s all on Winston now. If he just stays at the level of play as last season I think we have a shot at the playoffs. If he improves like we all think we will, I think we’re a lock. If he regresses we have no shot. It’s all on Jameis, and I think he’ll take the next step, but it IS all on him. I’ll also say that we shouldn’t get down on ourselves if he struggles. He’s only just 23 and has many more years to improve. Making a determination after this season would be shortsighted.
July 9th, 2017 at 10:50 am
Wow a tough crowd!!! As usual I agree with D.R.’s take.
I do not look for #3 to fail but I understand the writers concerns.
I hate always going to the comparison card but #3 is only two years in…and if you look at some players like Bret Favre…you live and die with the sometimes reckless behavior…reckless in the good sense of never giving up on a play.
#3 is never going to be slow steady grinding machine…he’s going to be a swashbuckling BUCCANEER….he’s not a Patriot dinking and dunking…he’s Buc coming for your gold. When you’re a Buc..sometimes you swing from the yardarm…sometimes you cash in bigtime.
He’s the first QB to toss for 4,000 yards in his first two years. He did this with 80% of an OL. Seriously it’s time we stop just paying lip service and realizing what #3 was up against. Joe has documented the WR’s but I don’t think they were his biggest problem.
Our OL was particularly bad….that’s not to throw them all under the bus…60% of an OL just doesn’t cut it. And we were weak at the worst possible spots…RT where the DE’s just had a straight line rush to #3 much of the time…poor Gosdar was so slow and over the hill he couldn’t even get a hand on them.
Hawley played his heart out but he just doesn’t have the physical tools and being weak right in the middle of the line and getting D penetration right at the snap is tough on the QB.
Add in the absence of running game and it’s amazing that #3 accomplished what he did.
#3 WILL improve this year for all the reasons others have already posted. But he still going to toss picks and he’s still going to have some ugly plays…but he’s going to keep adding to an already impressive highlights reel….some freaking amazing plays that very few QB’s can pull off. Let the pundits worry…this is the year #3 finally gets his props.
July 9th, 2017 at 11:06 am
Give me a break….I for one don’t see Jameis as anything close to a finished product. It is only his third year. What will make or break him, injuries and such aside God forbid, but will be his growth and “sharpening the tools in his toolbox”. Since he seems to show the work ethic, and intelligence to do so, I see no reason to not be greatly optimistic. To predict how far he has come during the off season is debatable. But I think he will eventually get us to the promised land.
July 9th, 2017 at 11:46 am
Great article on NFL.com about stars and system players. America’s QB Winston is a star. Dak Prescott a system player. Writer analyzed coaches film on both players.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000818640/article/star-or-system-guy-judging-ezekiel-elliott-dak-prescott-more
July 9th, 2017 at 12:11 pm
I have confidence in Jameis. The real concern for bringing this team down is the leader of the losing culture cancer93 and the rest of the mentally weak hold overs who have quit on multiple coaches and during multiple games. Gmc, lvd, dotson and Martin are the ones who can’t be trusted or counted on history proves it.
July 9th, 2017 at 12:34 pm
No more excuses is right. The team will go as far as jameis takes them. The fire power of this offense is something the bucs have never had
July 9th, 2017 at 1:01 pm
Let’s all remember one thing – football is the ultimate team sport. It takes all 11 guys on the field, firing on all cylinders to make any given play work. Given the quality of the players and the coaching in the NFL, if any one of those players is out of synch by just a little bit, the whole play can blow up. For all his skills and his flaws, Jameis Winston is but one cog in the machine, albeit a vital cog, that is the Bucs’ offense. Like the other 10 guys, Winston will need to play his role to near perfection if the Bucs’ offense is going to “light up” the NFL this year. It’s the level of “team perfection” that the Patriots have to a large degree mastered that keeps them in contention or winning the prize year in and year out.
July 9th, 2017 at 1:09 pm
That article is like 2 months old and has already been linked to from this site.
Yawn. Happy Sunday Bucs fans ! 2 more weeks!
July 9th, 2017 at 3:47 pm
3 will ever be a bust. But will he be top 5???
July 9th, 2017 at 4:14 pm
He’s 23 years old
He’s 23 years old
He’s 23 years old
He’s 23 years old
…
Apparently he should already be a damn HoF’r according to some you schlaps and he hasn’t even started a damn NFL game at 23 year’s old!!
Go back under your rocks!
July 9th, 2017 at 4:24 pm
No JTHV. He does not have to be a HOF. But he needs to keep taking steps forward to be our franchise QB. And that means playoffs. He has a good enough team this year to get us there. No excuses.
Winston needs to lead us to a playoff berths. And if we don’t get there it’s because Jamies didn’t do enough. And if we don’t get there you can take his stats and wipe your rear with them.
July 9th, 2017 at 5:58 pm
this is all stupid, Jamies has never had weapons, save perhaps for Kelvin Benjamin. I am a die hard Nole, was at Jamies first game at Pitt…who did he have name one other, and please dont give my Jack Nicklaus grandson…he is driving a delivery truck now…he was all hype, and overachieved for his size.
Jaboo is gonna have a sick year! Cant wait!
July 9th, 2017 at 8:23 pm
And then there is film study on Jameis to the contrary…showing he can be an elite quarterback.
July 9th, 2017 at 8:55 pm
gotbbux Says:
“this is all stupid, Jamies has never had weapons”
As a Nole…I concur. That’s why I’m so excited to see what he does with so many toys to play with other than just one.
July 9th, 2017 at 9:07 pm
Him’s hands are too small to be an elite qb….hims also needs botox.
July 9th, 2017 at 11:19 pm
Silly season. 2 more weeks till kick off.
July 10th, 2017 at 1:13 am
It’s a team sport and Jameis is a key but this analysis is oversimplified. Jameis is going to make mistakes, linemen will miss blocks and ball handlers will fumble the ball. The thing about Jameis is that he as an uncanny ability to forget about mistakes and get back on track quickly. He has a never die attitude that is second to none. Is he the best QB in the league? No, but I wouldn’t trade him for Tom Brady, Drew Brees or anyone else. When Jameis is on the field we always have a chance. It should be a fun season.
July 10th, 2017 at 4:13 pm
@BigMacAttack-But the thing is the Bucs don’t always have a chance to win with jameis as his turnover problems will always discredit statements like that
July 11th, 2017 at 8:02 pm
Yeah I’m gonna have to disagree with that because sometimes you need to go for it and a lot of turnovers could be blamed on his crappy receivers which there are no more.