Did DJax Fool With Jameis’ Mind?
September 19th, 2018
Thinks DJax should pipe down.
In two national TV appearances in less than 12 hours talking about the Bucs’ quarterback situation, stud Bucs receiver DeSean Jackson didn’t mince words.
As long as Ryan Fitzpatrick stays hot, ride the hot hand, DJax said.
That’s both fair and logical.
While The Franchise spends his final week in detention, tossed into the corner by NFL strongman Roger Goodell, what happens with America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, when he does return to the team Tuesday?
Some say stay with Fitz until he falters. Again, that’s fair. Others say Jameis shouldn’t play at Chicago because the Bucs will be playing on a short week following the Steelers game on Monday Night Football. That sort of makes sense.
Marcellus Wiley, on “Speak for Yourself” with Jason Whitlock seen on FS1 yesterday, thought DJax speaking about this publicly does nothing but screw with Jameis’ head.
“You are causing a firestorm right now,” Wiley said of DJax. The Bucs “don’t have to make a decision until next week. Let’s see how Ryan plays in this game Monday night playing against Pittsburgh.
“Damage control — you may think your relationship with Jameis is all love, that you are all brothers, I get all of that. But everyone has feelings. For you to take this side publicly, unnecessarily, is going to have some kind of impact on Jameis. And you should be cognizant of that.”
Well, if anyone can handle the heat, it is Jameis. Not only is he a team guy, he probably knows he set himself up for this to happen.
This will likely be a forgotten chapter until or unless Jameis takes the field, or when DJax gets fewer touches than other receivers, or if the connection between the two still hasn’t gelled.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:18 am
Got no problem with what DJax said. I’d be willing to bet Jameis doesn’t either. Winston’s always been a team-first guy, so he’s probably not worried about Fitz one bit right now. He knows he’s 24 and Fitz can’t play forever.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:19 am
All that to say, Jameis is just probably happy the Bucs are 2-0 right now.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:24 am
I was on the get rid of him train. I was wrong. dude is flat out ballin, givin props and ADDING to the locker room chemistry.
last I checked jboo aint there.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:25 am
Never really understood the JW to Djax connection being blamed on “not gelled” or They aren’t familliar with each other or play calling. Was never a problem when they changed qbs in washington. If he’s wide open and you can’t hit him, that’s on the qb. JW and #13 always “gelled” because #13 can stop, dive , boxout ect to make the catch. Of course, no run after the catch. Guys were open last year, just took jw too long to get rid of it or to read it and the ball wasn’t on target. I hope that is improved. I would think if Fitz plays good in MNF, he would start til the bye. I’m not ready to write off Pitt yet, their back are against the wall with drama all around and they will come out swinging plus we will be without 2 starting cbs and still no run game. Go bucs!!!
September 19th, 2018 at 10:34 am
Jameis needs to put on his big boy pants if he can’t handle DJax and the Bucs success without him
September 19th, 2018 at 10:34 am
Jameis needs to be thankful Ryan got his team to a 2-0 start in his absence, especially when his suspension is due to his own poor decisions.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:37 am
Can you imagine when they put Jameis back in and he still can’t get a deep ball to DJax… its going to be pandemonium.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:37 am
Joe, you’re still ignoring the elephant in the room.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:39 am
What’s the elephant?
September 19th, 2018 at 10:42 am
This is a better team with Fitz rn, D-Jax is right.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:43 am
@Miken – agreed. Desean is a GREAT player, and it seems like all of Tampa wanted to run him off or trade him at the beginning of this year, when he was open all of last season but the quarterback could not GET HIM THE BALL. Mike Evans is their best receiver but Djax is the most dangerous – and opens things up the middle for Godwin and Evans to play pitch and catch
September 19th, 2018 at 10:44 am
Off the subject, but I found this interesting. Apparently Minka Fitzpatrick, the dolphins rookie D-back (someone I had hoped the BUCs would have drafted) is trying, or has, trademarked the term “FitzMagic.” He wants to use it on his licensed apparel.
September 19th, 2018 at 10:52 am
Yawn
September 19th, 2018 at 10:56 am
Y’all want a QB controversy Jbf so bad. Fitzmagic is a great story and I’m happy we’re 2-0. Hell of lot better than 0-2… Ryan Fitzpatrick is bound to show up sooner or later. Then America’s QB will finish where Fitzmagic left off. Protection Protection Protection. That’s the key to the magic people
September 19th, 2018 at 10:57 am
I guess the uber driver is now sueing jameis
The gift that keeps giving
September 19th, 2018 at 11:01 am
Joe,
The elephant is Walter’s case of Winston Derangement Syndrome.
September 19th, 2018 at 11:02 am
Its now been about 18 hours since the report of the lawsuit against Jameis was filed. Where ya at on that Joe? Does anyone think the Glaziers want to deal with this on going story from the face of their franchise? No chance hes on the roster to collect 22 million next year. I think we will draft another QB and Fitz will be our starter next year with Griffin as a back up. Why? Because as Koetter just said, “I can absolutely trust him”. Not only referring to turn overs but not dealing with Jameis Lying about the event after trying to brush it under the carpet… Like Joe seems to be doing with this report.
September 19th, 2018 at 11:04 am
You mean there’s no lawsuit???
September 19th, 2018 at 11:11 am
The guy was asked a question and gave his honest opinion. If Jameis doesn’t like it, too effing bad! Don’t get suspended dummy!
There’s no controversy here.
Hey Wiley, your thenthitivities are showing!
September 19th, 2018 at 11:14 am
2 words:
Mental Resilience
BTW ….. Fitz got NFC Offensive Player of the week again.
You need to get out of bed!
September 19th, 2018 at 11:32 am
I hope someone tells the players to concentrate at the next game – not on who will play QB in week 4. One game at a time!
September 19th, 2018 at 11:43 am
I’m sure Winston had been doing nothing but listening to sports news and he’ll get back in this year because people are stupid asking for 5 years of Fitz after 2 games. Djack knew he was leading the league in yards and is a bit of a diva so not surprised by his mouth
Hey IRA is this still djack last year in Tampa?
September 19th, 2018 at 11:47 am
The people on this site that thanks JameISNOT Winston will ever step on the field again for the Bucs are idiots. All you have to do is look at the 2019/20.5 million Terms and conditions of his contract! The Buccaneers would be fools to throw him back out there where this low character/no morals clown can fake a soft tissue injury in order to get paid next year. Although, the Uber driver may actually be hoping that happens… More cake for her. 2019 contract is only guaranteed for an injury, why do you think he fired his agent? Get smart fools.
September 19th, 2018 at 11:56 am
Love D-Jax. Wish he could be the leader of this team for awhile but age probably won’t allow it.
If words by D-Jax mess with Winston’s mind, then the problem is Winston, not D-Jax.
Either way, it won’t matter. Fitz plays Week 4 in Chicago. And hopefully Week 6 in Atlanta after the bye.
September 19th, 2018 at 11:58 am
Like JW says:
God is good ok?
September 19th, 2018 at 12:00 pm
Marcellus Wiley is speaking words of wisdom.
Desean Jackson stupidly crossed a line. And he did it on purpose. Of course he doesn’t want Winston back…Fitz throws to him more often. Fitz throws passes that float and land in his hands like a feather.
Winston throws passes with power behind them, and Desean can’t catch them.
Desean is a diva with the potential to be a distraction. He proved it with his statement.
I realize many here want Fitz to stay in if he wins against the Steelers. Heck, if he pulls that off, I think he should play against the Bears for sure (not that I believe he can beat the Steelers).
But hot or not, he has to return to backup status after the bye week. I’m not only saying that because I like Winston. I’m not saying it because I think Winston will get mad (I actually think he would agree to do what is best for the team).
I’m saying that because of the setback in Winston’s development. If you don’t play him, he doesn’t take the next step in his development, and he is incredible close to making the leap.
Fitz will be 36 in November. Sure, there are older QBs in the league who are doing great…but they are first ballot hall of famers. Fitz cannot maintain this. He is not Nick Foles (who is 7 years younger and not the same as last year).
So why not ride the hot hand? Development. The Bears are a good game to bring Winston back, before the Falcons game. They are a good team to start off his return with, so I suggest the Bucs start Winston right away in a warmup game to be ready for the Falcons.
September 19th, 2018 at 12:03 pm
Raise your hand if you’re upset that you think JW is getting his feelings hurt by DJax
September 19th, 2018 at 12:07 pm
Yeah, JW is such a “team guy” that at first he denied the Uber story, never bothered to tell the Bucs about it until it became public, then said the driver was mistaken, then issued a fabricated “apology” after the results of the investigation were revealed. All this crap about Fitz body of work over 14 years being mediocre need to realize that JW’s 3 seasons have been mediocre as well. One QB brings embarrassment and shame to the organization and the other is the ultimate feel good story that has the respect of his teammates.
September 19th, 2018 at 12:15 pm
You can’t take the guy with the highest passer rating in the NFL out of the game. Period.
September 19th, 2018 at 12:15 pm
wow, and I thought 87 was nuts
congrats bonzai, you have surpassed him. you go boi!
September 19th, 2018 at 12:17 pm
My how we tend to forget Jameis last few games last year when he was healthy. Wasn’t his QBR one the highest over that stretch. I of course say you have to play Fitz through week four, the let’s see. The ATL game it may not matter who the QB is, the defense will need to ball out, period
September 19th, 2018 at 12:17 pm
Start Winston against the bears cause Fitz won’t last the game. That defense is lights out right now.
September 19th, 2018 at 12:24 pm
Fizpatrick is not the future of this team . He have done this before go ask a jets fan . They are laughing at y’all to think that fizpatrick will lead this team to the Superbowl. When Winston comes back he is going to ball out. It’s not just fizpatrick I think it’s the play calling also . Winston had basic plays and perditible plays with 2 wr and 1 tight end. Now fizpatrick keep 4 to 5 players to throw to that’s differents , but people that really don’t know football would say fizpatrick is a good quarter back. Lol lol lol go bucs……
September 19th, 2018 at 12:31 pm
This is why you’re wrong Bonzai.
#1 You sit Fitz and put in Winston and if Winston struggles in the least bit, for whatever reason, his confidence, as well as his teammates and fans, is going to take a hit.
#2 Who’s to say he is mentally and physically ready to just jump back in? Maybe he is, maybe he isn’t
#3 The switch is made and Winston stinks it up and bring back in Fitz, maybe his confidence is shaken as well so instead of having one hot QB on the field and maybe a QB with the potential to be hot if he got on the field, we’re left with two QBs that no longer have confidence.
#4 There are no WARM UP games. Every game counts. Period. There is no warm up time, you are either ready to play or you aren’t. And to suggest that he comes back in against the best defense we will likely play this season and look bad so everybody can doubt his abilities is asinine. IF he were to play, the best time would be after having two weeks to prepare for the Falcons. Their D is average, he is familiar with them, and he’ll have the extra week to get sharp. Chicago on a short week isn’t smart.
#5 THiS is part of his development. A huge part of what he needs to develop is maturity. From eating W’s, to the Evans-Lattimore incident last season, to all the off field crap he’s been involved in, he needs to grow up. Watching an actual grown up play the position as well as realizing that it can all be taken away in an instant may really help him in the long run. He is an entitled athlete. Always has been.
#6 As far as Fitz, it doesn’t matter his age, Gannon was 34 when Gruden took over in Oakland the first time and handpicked the journeyman to be the star of his show. Their stories are actually very similiar, almost as similiar as the beggining of this season is to the beginning of the St. Louis Rams’s season in 1999. I’m not saying Fitz should just be GIVEN the keys to the franchise, but for right now, Jameis has only done enough to earn a spot in the backseat of the car (insert police car jokes here). Fitzpatrick is a very well preserved 35, he hasn’t taken the pounding that most QBs his age have taken in their careers, and as far as I know, has never suffered any major injuries (as he’s never ended a year on IR).
All of that being said. I’m totally for Winston earning his job back due to poor performance from Fitz, injury, or outstanding practice performance from Winston. Fitz exploding like this will do nothing but really help Winston’s game if he is truly as competitive and as hard a worker as we are led to believe.
BTW, your constant predictions saying WE CAN’T beat the Steelers is just setting yourself up to look like you don’t know anything. The Steelers just aren’t playing good football right now. No victory is easy to come by in the NFL, especially for this team. But considering the last 2 games for both teams, this is a very winnable game for the Bucs. And considering the last time we played the Steelers, Mike Glennon beat them (also pretty much the only relevant game in this series).
Finally, back to what I said before, imagine the backlash if the Bucs are 3-0 going into the Chicago game, we put Winston in there and he stinks it up… it would be even worse if he stunk it up against Atlanta… then we put Fitz in and he’s not playing well anymore. Everybody would be fired and rightfully so. Now, here’s the thing. Winston is at the same age Fitz was when he started his first ever NFL game… he’s light years ahead of Fitz at the same age in development. If he stays eligible to play and continues to improve he’ll be great, but you don’t throw away a season for a guy that continues to self destruct and tries to throw away his career. Winston is one dumb mistake away from being banned for 16 games, maybe forever. Stop enabling the guy. Make him earn his way back and stop wanting to hand him everything.
September 19th, 2018 at 12:34 pm
Let Fitz play the monsters of the midway. They look stout. Let Fitz play until he gets hurt. Honestly who cares anymore. Winston going to NY sooner or later anyway.
September 19th, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Joe, the “elephant” is the uber driver’s lawsuit, and the ensuing discoveries, etc. It will be news, like it or not.
September 19th, 2018 at 12:44 pm
Most entertaining team in football…
September 19th, 2018 at 1:03 pm
How about we just be happy we aren’t going 0-3 and we have an awesome backup either way you look at it.
September 19th, 2018 at 1:10 pm
The Rams once made a big commitment to Trent Green if I remember correctly….He got hurt and in came Warner…Green never returned to play for the Rams…Warner won a Super Bowl.
September 19th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
Matters not what DJax thinks, he will not be with the team next season for money reasons at the very least as Bucs resign Marpet and Smith. Glazers and company will have to give Jameis another audition so they can make a $20mil/yr decision; there is no way they ride the hot hand for any extended period of time. He will have to play some of the best ball in his short career in order to overcome the doubters and naysayers, and by his own fault, the deck is decidedly stacked against him. Everyone knows this. We also know if there is anyone that has the potential to ball out under these conditions, its Jameis.
Enjoy Fitzmagic, and imagine the possibilities of this possibilities with a better athlete at qb, and a hopefully improving running game.
Its a Buc life.
September 19th, 2018 at 1:14 pm
DJax and “Honey Fitz” are major factors in where the Bucs are now. I remember for a long time thinking how unsavvy the people were who incessantly cried for the ousting of DJax. What a difference it makes to have a QB who can not only hit him, but hit him in stride. We’ll be wise to resign him if we can. He makes a huge difference in the way defenses have to play us.
As to Fitz, I’m hoping beyond hope that what’s happening there is what I like to call “Rich Gannon Syndrome.” All Bucs fans should remember that in our Superbowl winning season (2002), Rich Gannon was League MVP. That was in his 16th year after being drafted (1987). But that was on his 5th team. For the first 12 years after being drafted he was a perennial journeyman and backup QB (usually 3rd string), only starting in the event of injuries to those ahead of him. In fact, he didn’t even win his first career start until past the middle of his 4th season. But then in his 13th season (1999) something clicked on his 5th team (Gruden? We know he likes older players) and Gannon went to his first of four Pro Bowls (2x 1st team All Pro), putting up numbers the like of which he’d never seen before and culminating in a Superbowl appearance.
I realize this is quite a dream (cue Everly Brothers, Aerosmith, Allman Brothers and anybody else who sings about dreams), but I’d like to think that if it happened to Gannon, why not again? There’s a reason why he’s setting NFL records and breaking Bucs records. Could it be that working with Todd Monken, who calls plays in a way that Dirk didn’t, that things are finally starting to click for Fitz like they did for Gannon when he teamed up with Gruden? You have to admit that in all our years watching the Bucs, we’ve never seen this kind of pinpoint accuracy in the passing game. Over 800 yds and 9 TDs in two weeks? Every throw, TD or non-TD,
perfectly placed. Even the one INT – a perfect throw, just flubbed up into the air as Howard was trying to tuck it away.
Okay, I need to wrap this, so I’m just hoping to ride this train as far as it will go, which I believe could be considerable. And I think he’s earned a much longer leash than many of you seem to think.
September 19th, 2018 at 1:52 pm
I agree completely with Wiley-
DJax might have handled it better-
It is what it is though
September 19th, 2018 at 1:59 pm
Walter Seidel Says:
That lawsuit will get settled in a New York second.
September 19th, 2018 at 2:05 pm
I agree with Ludicrous Speed. This could be the Gannon Effect.
Gannon was no better than Fitzpatrick until he worked in Gruden’s offense.
I cannot recall as many spot-on reads and passes like the last two weeks from Winston.
But here is the Big Question: IF Fitzpatrick plays at this high level, and IF the Bucs reallyreallyreally like Ryan Griffin as the team and management claim, would that make Winston decent trade fodder?
The second Big Question: IF this teams offense continues to impress, would Monken be a prime candidate for a HC job in 2019?
Third Big Question: The Bucs D has still not impressed me. If it continues to be sub-mediocre, is Smith goner? And would Monken get big bucks as Asst. HC?
It will all play out.
September 19th, 2018 at 2:06 pm
DJax catching bombs in stride, repeatedly, so there’s that. Winston hasn’t hit him once long yet.
September 19th, 2018 at 2:52 pm
Winston is a dart thrower Fitz Patrick throws rainbows big difference when going vertical, rainbows go over the heads of the defenders and land in the speedy receivers bread box.
Winston’s best throws are in a tight window to a stationary receiver like Brate , Humphreys or Evans, they catch it and get tackled.
Godwin, Howard and Jackson are dangerous after they catch the ball and Fitzpatrick gives them a much higher chance of making big plays.
Winston has never been that impressive as a pocket passer, some of his best plays were when he extended the play by scrambling and then making a throw on a broken play.
There is only one Aaron Rogers, accuracy and poise in the pocket is the weakness of Winston. He’ll get his chance this season unless Fitzpatrick is an iron man. If the Bucs put up more than 35 points on MNF there is no doubt you see Fitz in Chicago. Offense would have to lay an egg to get him off the field.
September 19th, 2018 at 3:39 pm
I think the world would be a better place if everyone on TV spontaneously combusted.
September 19th, 2018 at 6:38 pm
concern oneself with the task at hand. Never worry about things beyond your control.
September 19th, 2018 at 6:45 pm
We better be ready for Pittsburgh..
Screw all these distractions.
Steelers and Tomlin are looking to send a message that they aren’t a train wreck. Sure wish Tomlin had balls enough to bench AB for one game. “Conduct detrimental….”
September 19th, 2018 at 8:31 pm
Joe says:
Well, if anyone can handle the heat, it is Jameis. Not only is he a team guy, he probably knows he set himself up for this to happen.
——————-
Unless I misheard,but in the most recent podcast wasn’t it called out that Winston doesn’t respond well to the kind of pressure that Fitz is putting on him because when he does come in he’ll think he has to make the same plays?
September 19th, 2018 at 10:28 pm
@Brandon Very well said, agree with every point you listed. JW has had the red carpet rolled out for him throughout college and the start of his NFL career. It’s time for him to earn his keep. As long as FitzMagic is in the air, let him walk the sideline, carry a clipboard and outplay Fitz in practice week after week. If/when FitzMagic fizzles, JW’s hopefully matured and is now ready to step in and play the next 150 games or so.