Giving Props To Jameis
January 2nd, 2018
Salutes America.
That clapping you hear in the distance? Joe knows where it is coming from.
It’s from the high-rise Manhattan basilica of chewing-with-his-mouth-open, soup-gulping, California train-romancing, anti-football proliferation, outhouse-admiring, airline-napping, steerage-flying, Yogi Berra-worshiping, urinal picture-taking, video game-playing, Taylor Swift-listening, pickpocket-thwarting, Bucs-uniform-frowning, Allie-LaForce-smitten, Big-Ten-Network-hating, pedestrian-bumping, olive oil-lapping, popcorn-munching, coffee-slurping, fried-chicken-eating, oatmeal-loving, circle-jerking, craft beer-chugging, cricket-watching, scone-loathing, college football-naïve, baseball-box-score-reading, NPR-honk, filthy-hotel-staying, fight-instigating, barista-training, social activist Peter King of SI.com fame, as he looks over the masses of unwashed who clamor for his words.
King decided to bless America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, for overcoming three picks and guiding the Bucs on a 95-yard, game-winning drive capped by a 39-yard pass to Chris Godwin to beat the Saints.
(Who said Jameis can’t throw deep?)
King basically believes that drive, that touchdown throw, may be the coming out of Jameis as an elite NFL signal-caller.
Applause to Jameis Winston for hanging in and making some big throws to help carry the Bucs past New Orleans. That gives hope that Winston can rebound from making the same bad decisions he has made for three seasons in Tampa Bay. Not saying he can’t change, but when then-offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter first met with Winston pre-draft in 2015, he talked to him about learning to be more careful with the football. He’s talked to Winston about 19 times since, about the same stuff, and there it was again, a pick into traffic in the first quarter against the Saints. Winston, though, rebounded from his nightmare ending last week and shaky sections of this game to have enough to win late.
That drive to Joe is exactly why Jameis was so sought after by the Bucs. Stuff like that turned Jameis into a college legend and why the Bucs hoped he alone could turn around the fortunes of a team that recently has the look, smell and appearance of Cleveland South.
Now if he can just learn to hang onto the ball and not fumble so much (not exactly like learning to split an atom) all should be well.
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:20 am
Just give the young man a decent defense and a legit running game (please for the sake of all mankind keep Barber please!) and they can survive a few bad turn overs from JW. We can all agree he won’t change his ways, so accept it and help him with those 2 things and they will win more games.
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:26 am
Who said Jameis can’t throw deep? My television. It witnessed MANY overthrows. I love JW ATL death but he HAS to fix that
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:32 am
BuccaneerByBirth Says:
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:26 am
Who said Jameis can’t throw deep? My television. It witnessed MANY overthrows. I love JW ATL death but he HAS to fix that
^^^ That will never happen. Can still win and get into the playoffs without a deep ball just ask Mariota 🙂
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:36 am
Irony. JW throws a accurate DEEP BALL for the game winner against the team he ate the Ws. That’s a way to end the season. I’m happy for the guy all he has been thru this season and come up with a play like that. 2018 can’t come fast enough
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:43 am
When you look at his full body of work, Jameis appears to be the guy who either strikes out or hits a home run…..sure, when he’s good he’s really good, but when he’s bad…..well, everyone knows what that looks like……the key word for JW is “consistency” and that’s what he needs to find……
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:54 am
Good point Tom, “consistency”! To sit here and just ignore the 3 HORRIBLE, bone-headed interceptions is just sticking your head in the sand. It’s not often that teams overcome that many turnovers.
The interception that sticks out is the one to the left sidelines where he had a freakin’ ETERNITY to throw the ball. DUMB!
So, as beautiful as that strike was to Godwin, he still has to clean up a few things.
Incidentally, has anyone else noticed that the offense isn’t as ‘herky-jerky’ with DJax on the sideline? Coincidence? People, Godwin is your #2 receiver.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:00 pm
Winston has his problems – he fumbles too much, he throws horrible interceptions, he tries to fit balls in that you shouldn’t – but he’s our best option and there is no way you waste the #7 pick on a QB. That being said, I can’t see a scenario where JW gets consistent enough for a deep playoff run.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:05 pm
Consistency. Jameis needs a lot of work in this area. And I do mean a lot!! HE knows the game and give us 100%, But during the game his errors add up. He will get there. But he needs Team help. You know..like a DEFENSE?
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:09 pm
Mike- What’s this thing you call “defense”?!
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:13 pm
Common sense would tell someone that if the defense performed better the q.v. would not feel pressured to make things happen. The bucs have the 32nd ranked pass defense. Now imagine if they had the 15th.
Common sense ,can’t teach stupid. Fix the defense and the team will benefit across the board.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:19 pm
@Buc- You could also argue that turning the ball over frequently puts your defense in tough situations. For as many games as the defense “lost”, the offense “lost” just as many by turning the ball over.
Bottom line is that it’s a TEAM game. To win consistently ALL facets must be in sync. Blaming the defense for ALL our problems is a little short-sighted. Yea, they were definitely part of the problem. DEFINITELY!
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, gets a pass when the team is 5-11!
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:36 pm
Brett favre!
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:43 pm
Overthrows happen all the time in the NFL, it just that when Jameis does it it makes the haters heart all a flutter.
For example, Brees overthrew a wide open Teddy Ginn when he was ten yards in the clear. Would have broken that game wide open.
Oh the screams if Jameis had done it.
Also, the number of turnovers Jameis has had is not at all outside the norm for a player of his experience level. Just the opposite. Jameis is the rare QB who has far more touchdown passes than picks in his first three years.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:46 pm
2018… Winston or bust. Edge of your seat roller coaster ride.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:47 pm
Doing the defensive stats it showed the Bucs were 2nd in forced fumbles and 2nd in fumble recoveries – so if the defense is getting lots of fumbles and the offense is making lots of fumbles – is there something with the ball going on? Like could it be overinflated?
Also Jameis didn’t have any fumbling issues in 2015 when the offensive line played well – so improve that and it’s not an issue.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:47 pm
For all the turnovers; he has very rarely lost us a game with them in a clutch moment… i.e. a close game and he throws it away in the 4th quarter. He more often than not will put the team in a position to win if the game is close and he has the ball with any reasonable amount of time. Most his big turnover games have all come in blow outs if you go through all of the game logs. This was actually one of the few games that Winston threw multiple bad picks while the game was close.
On the other hand – whenever given a chance to win the game- the defense has collapsed and gotten roasted.
I said this before – but I’d much rather be down with a minute left and needing a Winston drive than be up with a minute left and needing a stop on defense. It isn’t even close.. and that’s stupid lol.. you should be able to protect a lead more often than not in those situations – not lose every time.
Most games in the NFL go down to the wire. This is why I liked Winston for the NFL – he could play clutch in close games and win from the pocket with his mind and arm. That’s typically the type of QBs who win playoff games / close regular season games / etc.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:49 pm
“For example, Brees overthrew a wide open Teddy Ginn when he was ten yards in the clear. Would have broken that game wide open.”
What’s funny is that guy was WAY more open than I recall any of the supposed “open Djax” plays that were missed. That guy was like OJ Howard trick play open – which was obviously an easy pass for Winston to hit or any QB.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:51 pm
Those throws to Godwin and Evans on the final drive were things of beauty. The one to Evans on his corner route was undefendable. Loved it! Jameis will always be a gunslinger, but that’s not always a bad thing.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:52 pm
LOL, the Winston haters still throwing a fit, mad that the last picture of Winston they saw was him blowing off the coaches order to play for a FG and instead trying to win the game.
The last play of the game was excited in that Winston disobeyed Dirk and didn’t play it safe and predictable and put all the pressure on a kicker who just lost the Bucs back to back games.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:54 pm
Ok Saquon is probably out of the question, and probably shouldn’t be our 1st pick even if he’s available, Barkley would be a great addition though, a solid running game is a QBs best friend, but did anyone else see what Sony Michel from Georgia did last night? Sony has been a backup most of his career, and he’s explosive, can catch, and is 5’11 220 pounds with speed to burn. Since Sony was a backup, no doubt he would last till our 2nd pick, unless he goes ballistic at the combine and runs in the 4.3s
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:59 pm
Anyone other than me think UCF got hosed by the committee? They beat Auburn who beat Both Bama and Georgia. Maybe this will force an 8 team playoff.
January 2nd, 2018 at 1:02 pm
Brett Favre is not only the NFL’s all-time leading INT thrower (336), he’s also has the record for the most fumbles by a QB with 166!
Favre had 35 fumbles and 51 INTS in his first 3 years starting, Winston has 31 fumbles and 44 INTs in his first 3 years starting. Winston has more yards, a better QB rating and Winston has scored more TDs (77 vs 74).
I’m not sure on the completion percentage since I didn’t feel like doing the math, but Winston is at just over 61% and Favre was, eyeballing it, around 62.5%.
Finally Winston has had 8 game winning drives through three years, Favre had 9 in his first 3 years as a starter.
So yeah, as many people said before the draft – in Winston you’re getting a Favre like player – and thus far in his career that’s exactly who the Bucs have had. Personally, I’m really really excited about that. I mean I personally hated Favre when the Bucs played him, but to have a young Favre like player on our team – that is exciting.
January 2nd, 2018 at 1:04 pm
As Jim Leavitt once said, UCF can suck my balls.
January 2nd, 2018 at 1:05 pm
What Rod just said.
January 2nd, 2018 at 1:06 pm
Guys – we don’t need a top ten Rb to improve the running game. Find the next Kamara, Cohen, Hunt – those guys who were drafted in later rounds who had game breaking ability. That’s what the Bucs need to pair with Barber and a strong free agent veteran.
More importantly – they need to add a ton of competition and depth to both lines. They need to add premium picks and free agent signings to both lines AND supplement those premium moves by adding quality depth later in the draft and in free agency.
We cannot fix CB and both lines in one offseason. The Bucs need to go ALL IN on the lines, adding a total of 8 new guys to battle the incumbents that they keep – to make a big difference next year.
Fix the trenches and you fix the Bucs.
January 2nd, 2018 at 1:09 pm
SB
UCF got hosed. Any system that doesn’t allow an unbeaten team to compete for a championship is an arbitrary and crap system. Period.
The simplest solution:
Make an 8 team playoff
All Power 5 conference champs get in
The top non power 5 team gets in
2 at large teams
Literally, it’s as simple as that. That makes all power 5 conference champs relevant. It allows the best non power 5 team in. It still lets in 2 teams that didn’t win their conference (like Alabama this year).
January 2nd, 2018 at 1:25 pm
I completely concur Tony. I just wish we could implement your system immediately
January 2nd, 2018 at 1:37 pm
If you just watch and not look for him to fail, which many on here do cause they never wanted here in the first place, he is getting better and better. No he has not solved every issue he has overnight but each year he gets better and the stats will tell you that. It was clear that on Sunday he tried to force the ball to Evans to get him that record which is clearly the immature thing to do. But the facts are the first one Evans would have had a shot at if he keeps running. The second one was not a bad decision Buscfanman as he was wide open for a TD but he just tried to baby it in there instead of just throwing it out in front of him and the 3rd one was just flat a horrible decision with a FG attempt in the bag. But again he has improved with little to no running game, a beat down O line, a horrible defense and the worst kicking situation in the league over the past 3 years. If that does encourage you then you need to get a new sport cause this is exactly what you want out of your QB, consistent improvement, not perfection cause that will never happen but he is looking at his flaws and working on them, what more can he do?
January 2nd, 2018 at 2:01 pm
ndog- Nobody should expect perfection but come on. We cannot keep justifying these bone-head plays. You act like he did it in just THIS game. It’s been ALL season long. Simply put, we are only as good as our QB.
We know what he’s capable of, but don’t act like he’s that guy already. Why is it “hatred” when fans ask for better QB play?! It’s ridiculous! Instead, we keep running to make excuses for him.
I like Jameis but my goodness, you have to take off the rose-colored glasses.This was his third season. We went 5-11.
January 2nd, 2018 at 4:05 pm
And you know somethin Bucsfanman? HE’s gonna go even worse than 5-11 if this team does not understand they have only about 5 good Defensive players. We will lose many more games. I don’t how many completions Jameis throws a la Dan Marino (no SB rings) Ths team finshed in the lower 5 of the entire NFL in Defense.
I watch 4 games where all was needed was a stop from getting a TD the last drive. Well, you know what happenned there. 6 games which were easily winnable but for just a tad..of Defense. And DC Smith is a joke. His time has come and gone. I have NO confidence in this franchise now. NONE. The best thing we can do is Fire Smitty. But Koetter won’t, Thats his Hommie. And he will be booted out with him after next year.
January 2nd, 2018 at 4:19 pm
The worst part is we kept Koetter and now will miss out on Matt Patricia. That guy WILL win a SB in the very near future. He makes championship defenses with bottom of the barrel guys. The guy is a rocket scientist (literally)
January 2nd, 2018 at 4:41 pm
SMH…This is a fantasy football site
January 2nd, 2018 at 5:26 pm
@Tony
Agree completely about the 8 game playoff which would also make some currently meaningless bowls relevant again.
Given that Auburn beat Alabama it’s clear that on any given day UCF could compete. If they played the big boys ten times they might lose 8 but they should have a chance to win the two.
Also agree with your take on an RB. If we improve the real problem…the OL and get a unit that can run block…we can always plug in an RB.
January 2nd, 2018 at 9:09 pm
For those who’ve talked about Winston needing to develop consistency, Winston IS consistent. He’s a consistent risk-taker. He’s going to look like both a fool and a genius every game, but as he grows and matures, he’ll look more and more like a genius.
January 3rd, 2018 at 4:34 am
Rod Munch: great points about Favre; and remember, Favre spent a year on the bench for the ATL (who foolishly traded him away which I suspect why a few of the “fans” who post here hate Winston so much, actually ATL trolls) and was 25 by the time he finished 3 seasons starting. Give the kid time; he should continue to improve and yes like Favre he will continue to make mistakes,and these will be pointed out by the “big market” media which is jealous that their franchise do not have a talent like Winston. I really think that is why you read so much negativity about Winston, they’d love to see him run out of Tampa and to a big markeyt franchise. Poster Lamarcus made a great point last week of how if JW played for a Denver, NE or NY team all these so called bad traits like eating W’s and foolish penalties would be lauded as positives; a desire to win and growing pains!
Anyhow, Hopefully Winston minimizes these turnovers and simply makes more great plays ala Favre. One other thing: Drew Brees and Matt Ryan are not exactly young anymore; pretty soon JW and Cam will be the qbs everyone looks at in the NFC South another fact that the JBF trolls hate to admit along with his improving stat lines when he is not banged up from being sacked multiple times ala a Houston QB by the name of Carr….
January 3rd, 2018 at 3:21 pm
6 games.. 6 games that were very winnable games. NE, @ Buf, @ GB, Det, Atl, @ Car. We are 6-10 plays (in those games) away from being an 11-5 team as opposed to being a 5-11 team. We are not an 11 win team, because we are not a good team yet and couldn’t make those plays. But we are not as far off as everyone thinks. We need Chubb at the top of this draft. Even if it takes moving up a couple of spots.