“That Quote Ought To Be Taped Above Winston’s Locker All Season
July 8th, 2019
BY IRA KAUFMAN
Can Bruce Arians succeed where Dirk Koetter failed?
That’s the $128 million question in Tampa as Jameis Winston approaches the crossroads of his NFL career. Why $128 million? Carson Wentz just set the young quarterback bar with a four-year contract extension in Philadelphia a month ago.
If the Bucs were convinced Winston is their guy going forward, he’d already have a lucrative long-term deal instead of playing out his fifth-year option. Now he enters his first pro season with Arians whispering in his ear hole instead of Koetter.
Winston was once the unquestioned face of this franchise, but there are wrinkles that have to be smoothed out. There are those 58 interceptions that have some Buc fans wondering whether Winston can be trusted.
“Give him a running game,” says Arians. “Give him a defense and see how good he can be. I think we can limit turnovers. Never get rid of them, there’s nobody that ever does it. But you can limit turnovers.”
When Arians was asked whether he can live with interceptions, his response was both immediate and telling.
“Yes,” he said. “One.”
That quote ought to be taped above Winston’s locker all season.
Processing Time
Winston gets in trouble when the Bucs get in trouble. Of his 58 picks, 39 have come when Tampa Bay needed 10 or more yards for a first down. When the Bucs have 3 yards or less to move the sticks, Winston has been intercepted only twice in four seasons.
Every coach talks about the importance of winning the turnover battle, but this franchise offers living proof. In each of the last eight seasons the Bucs sported a winning record, they boasted a positive turnover ratio.
Tampa Bay led the league with 35 giveaways (26 interceptions) last season, when the NFL’s top 7 clubs in turnover differential all made the playoffs. None of the bottom 7 teams qualified for postseason play.
None.
“Our quarterback here we can win with,” Arians says. “We can win the championship with. I’m extremely excited to work with him.”
The key is to change Winston’s mindset in those critical split-seconds when plays break down. At Florida State, Winston had the fortune to play on an elite team that owned a significant talent advantage to overcome mistakes. That won’t fly in Tampa. Not with this roster. Not with this level of competition.
ESPN analyst Louis Riddick likened Winston’s challenge to the task Carson Palmer faced in 2013, when he joined Arians in Arizona.
“It’s a multi-layered issue,” Riddick says. “There’s a ton of different plays put in every week. No. 2, this is an offense really predicated on the long ball. What did Jameis struggle with … the long ball. Can you take all that volume, make good decisions, protect the football and deliver the long ball so this offense becomes explosive?”
We’re about to find out.
Judgment Days
In 2013, it took Palmer awhile to process what Arians demanded under center. Palmer was picked off 13 times during Arizona’s 3-4 getaway before settling down. In the next seven games, the Cardinals went 6-1 as Palmer threw 13 TD passes and only four interceptions.
When former agent Joel Corry wrote a column for CBS Sports ranking players entering the 2019 season with something to prove, Winston topped his list.
We’re only a few weeks away from the great experiment. Arians isn’t the offensive coordinator or the quarterback coach. Heck, he’s not even calling the plays. But make no mistake — raising Winston’s game is his top priority.
The word of the day? Judgment.
“He’s got great ability and a great ethic,” Arians says of his passionate pupil. “When you have those two things, you should succeed. You don’t have to be Superman on every throw. That comes from knowing your offense inside out. It’s about knowing when to pull the trigger and when to back off, dump it to the back, give me 5 yards and let’s go to the next down.”
Judgment.
July 8th, 2019 at 1:52 pm
“Give him a running game,” says Arians. “Give him a defense…..
This is exactly what TBBF has been saying for several years……Winston is fine…the Bucs are not…..we need a running game and a defense….better special teams would help also….
July 8th, 2019 at 1:56 pm
Hard to compare Jameis to the other QB’s Arians had involvement with as Arians won’t be calling plays, gameplanning or directly coaching Jameis as he did with other QB’s.
Jameis is in the hands of Clyde Christensen (HA ha ha ha ha ha ha) and Byron Leftwich who as coordinator of the Cards averaged less than 14 points per game
Remember Buc fans we are getting the semi retired delegator Arians not the QB whisperer who tutored great qbs and winning teams
July 8th, 2019 at 2:01 pm
Jameis Winston + an average defense + bottom 5 run game & bottom 5 special teams = the only formula we’ve seen for a winning record the last 4 years…
Jameis Winston + average defense + average run game + average special teams
= something we have yet to see in his career. Notice I’m using the word “average” and not “good” even… Jesus Christ things have been bad around here.
July 8th, 2019 at 2:02 pm
also meant average scoring defense* not yards which don’t mean much.
And if you go by yards per drive given up we still have been sucking a4ss
July 8th, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Judgement has always been the issue with Jameis. On and off the field. I think this is the fork in the road, which way he goes is really whether he has learned to make better decisions or not.
July 8th, 2019 at 2:28 pm
Exactly LC.
Again….
Jameis Winston will eat a LOT of Ws when surrounded by even a decent supporting TEAM.
The 3 areas of the TEAM – that most needed improvement the last 2 years straight are Defense, Kicking and Running attack.
If the Bucs are rated just 20th or better in all 3 of those areas (Points against, Field Goal % and Rushing yards per game) at season’s end – then we will be witnessing the first Buccaneers playoff appearance in 11 years next January.
July 8th, 2019 at 2:33 pm
It’s amazing how they dig a hole greater than the sum of the parts.
Maybe this is the year, maybe this is the coaching staff that doesn’t make it worse.
July 8th, 2019 at 2:55 pm
But then again ANY quarterback can be better than average with a running game and a decent defense.
i am not for re-signing Winston at this point (or any point going forward).
He is not worth $130 big ones.
July 8th, 2019 at 3:03 pm
Aaron Rodgers played 16 games last year and the Packers only had 6 wins because of bad coaching and defense and the division being stronger last year.
Drew Brees was a 3 year consecutive loser when his supporting cast sucked around him (bottom defenses mainly).
Andrew Luck was a 3 year consecutive loser when dealing with a bad O-line / injury despite playing the vast majority of games in that period.
Jared Goff looked like the worst QB in the entire league when under the tutilege of Jeff Fischer. Under Sean Mcvay he looked like a legit top 10 QB.
Joe Flacco has been one of the worst QBs in the league for years but has been a winner because the Ravens constantly boast top defenses and great run games.
It’s a team game. If we don’t fix our defense/run game/special teams to be competitive vs arguably worst in the entire league it doesn’t freaking matter.
July 8th, 2019 at 3:20 pm
@LC
Rodgers had 5 turnovers in those 16 games, he wasn’t the reason they lost. His usually reliable kicker missed 7 kicks a lot in crucial scenarios. The QB, was not putting the defense in a bad spot each week or gifting the opponents free points and field position. Rodgers won 6 games, Jameis with superior weapons won 3…
Luck, has NEVER had a losing record. Never, he didn’t play at all in 2017 and the team went 4-12. In games Jameis hasn’t played the Bucs are 5-5. Check the stats before you post this idiocy
Please stop comparing Jameis to great qbs your making yourself look clueless
July 8th, 2019 at 3:21 pm
Just give us bare minimum, AVERAGE defense and a bare minimum, AVERAGE run game, and we will be fine. Jameis has the talent, he just needs everyone else to be AVERAGE.
July 8th, 2019 at 3:27 pm
tbbf and LC
agreed!!!!
folks that cant see that are trolling…
GO BUCS!!!!
July 8th, 2019 at 3:47 pm
Keep dreaming Ira. JW will crack under the pressure of his “prove it or lose it” contract year. Just as he does when under duress during a game. Like I have need saying all along, dumb people do not perform when under pressure. No more are the days when the campus police can sweep his transgressions under the rug. It’s the real word and real life and it will tear the weak and privileged mental midgets to pieces. Regarding your headline. What rhymes with taped and begins with an R?….nuff said.
July 8th, 2019 at 4:19 pm
Who has succeeded under Dirk koetter? He isn’t the only one not to reach his potential under dirk.
July 8th, 2019 at 4:25 pm
@Loyal
The point flew way over your head. My point isn’t to say Jameis is as good as any of these QBs. He’s not / hasn’t been in his career.
The point is until we fix the other problems of our team it doesn’t matter who our QB is.
Even the best of the best HOFers can’t win more than 6-8 games when their overall teams suck around them.
That’s the only point.
And funny how you completely ignore the points on Joe Flacco / Jared Goff and immediatley jump to “OMG Jameis is NOT Aaron Rodgers dumby!”
And yeah I was wrong on Luck – he technically has never had a losing season but was part of 2 back to back 8-8 seasons in what was probably the weakest division in football at the time. So he wasn’t a winner either for 2 years when his team sucked / he had to deal with bad o-line or injury.
In terms of W:L, the average Bucs record in the pre-Winston suck years was about 3 games worse per season. THat’s how bad it’s been here. That’s my point. FIX THIS TEAM PLEASE
July 8th, 2019 at 4:29 pm
2-3 games worse*
Honestly can’t remember what it was I just know it was worse by at least 2-3 games a year (like 4-12 or worse average to 6-10)
In those same comparison periods we actually had better special teams but about the same crap defense / special teams.
I.e. for like 8 years we have sucked really bad as a TEAM.
July 8th, 2019 at 4:47 pm
I hope Jameis can be above average, consistently, as should be expected from a former #1 overall pick and QB
The quickest/most effective way to get back into contention is by the play of the QB!
Hon jameis! No excuses! Year 5, and our making $22 million for this season. More than any non-QB in the league. QB money demands QB results. We can’t afford to pay if we don’t get the production and RESULTS.
July 8th, 2019 at 4:47 pm
Go Jameis*!
July 8th, 2019 at 5:11 pm
I don’t mean to imply that Jameis doesn’t have room for improvement, he certainly does…..but his troubles are mainly due to trying to lead a very poor team…..
Is there anyone who can honestly say they have been happy with our Defense, Running Game or Special Teams?…..
Nope….I don’t think so.
July 8th, 2019 at 5:13 pm
Bucs fans – the team this and the team that…
Whether they like Jameis or not the team is bigger than him and as long as the team improves, they are totally fine with moving on from him…
Winston fans – Winston, winston, Winston winston….
Winston 1st and the team is ‘lucky’ to have him…
Be a fan of whoever you want, it’s your free choice but you are fooling yourself if you can’t discern which you are more a fan of… Wanting your team to have Winston as its qb win or lose rather than Your team winning with the best qb – Winston fan…
July 8th, 2019 at 5:52 pm
^^^^What Tye said in a nutshell.
I am a Gator alum for those that don’t know me. I was never opposed to JW being our pick. I was originally in the ‘trade down’ crowd as I didn’t want MM either. That being said I understood the HUGE need we had at the QB spot and was completely willing to give JW the benefit of the doubt and embraced him as our QB.
That being said I still am willing to give him one more yr. to prove himself. However, he REALLY needs to prove himself! You don’t spend the Number One Overall pick in the draft for a guy that Shows Flashes of Brilliance coupled with Complete Boneheadedness. This is a put up or shut up yr for JW. It is also possibly a put up or shut up yr for the BUCS as far as “Time to Rebuild”
I hope we aren’t rebuilding in 2020
July 8th, 2019 at 6:16 pm
I don’t think he has the skill set to be a top 15 qb
But I hope he proves me wrong
July 8th, 2019 at 6:24 pm
If hes not playing with a 23 point deficit after 23 minutes of play maybe he wont have to take the kind of risks anymore????
Call me crazy but seems like that is a decent place to.start!!!!!!!
July 8th, 2019 at 6:25 pm
@Joes:
Please give GatorBuc his original screen name!
tickrdr
July 8th, 2019 at 6:31 pm
Tale of Two Quarterbacks:
Last 2 years:
One went 4 – 6, the other 6 – 16.
One is a journeyman.
The other is the #1 overall pick in the NFL.
Everything else was the SAME, except the competition.
Look at the records of the few teams we have beaten over the last two years.
tickrdr
July 8th, 2019 at 6:41 pm
If you think Winston is a turnover machine, the alternative (Gabbert) is worse.
That’s why production from running backs is mandatory- I don’t care if it’s running or receiving. Running back production will open up deep routes for receivers.
Who better than Arians to make it happen.
July 8th, 2019 at 6:46 pm
tickrdr with relevant cut to the bone facts as usual.
Nice work doc!
July 8th, 2019 at 6:52 pm
I think it’s totally normal and fine for some people to care more about the University that they support (they are all over this thread) than the pro team they support, but the support they bring to the team comes from a different place, so I just have a hard time agreeing with their takes about certain things (Jameis?).
I don’t really care where any of the Bucs played school ball.
They are Bucs, so I root for them all.
I root for every single one of our Bucs to be totally awesome and to be the best
they can be on the field and off of it.
Jameis has a checkered history and has also had problems on the field (most quarterbacks have similar issues when they are playing from behind and have already abandoned their game plans), but I am rooting for that dude just as hard as I’m rooting for anyone else. Cause he’s a BUC!
Who cares anymore about his college? Dude is supposed to be a grown a&$ man now right?
Well, then show us Jameis. I am fully rooting for you, and LVD, and ME13, and OJ, and SUH (never thought I type that haha), and yeah! The TEAM!
This whole Jameis discussion sometimes reminds me of the only time I went to JAX to watch them play the Bucs… years ago…
Not many people had Jax or Bucs gear on in the stands. Cause almost EVERYONE was wearing UF or FSU gear and everyone was arguing about college garbage. I hated that game. I live closer to JAX than Tampa but I’ll never go to another game in JAX.
Ok. Now I see I’m ranting.
Whatever, go BUCS!
July 8th, 2019 at 7:07 pm
SB yeah really relevant when I have shot his garbage down time and time again. But sure take is stuff as gospel as it just confirms your clear lack of understanding in regards to football.
July 8th, 2019 at 7:55 pm
@TBBF … Is there anyone who can honestly say they have been happy with our Defense, Running Game or Special Teams?…..Nope….I don’t think so.”
Agree with your question TBBF, but to be fair you should add ‘QB play, OLine play and coaching’ to the list. Personally wasn’t happy with any of them last year. My EXPECTATION however is that ALL OF THEM will improve this year, some areas more than others.
July 8th, 2019 at 8:24 pm
I have yet to see a JW3 quote that says, I’ll die if I can’t stay in Tampa
July 8th, 2019 at 8:28 pm
Judgment. Something Winston does not have – on or off the field.
July 8th, 2019 at 8:44 pm
Thank you Ndog.
Coming from you that is a compliment.
July 8th, 2019 at 9:13 pm
JUDGMENT…
The word that Jameis should have written on his mirror at home…before he goes out on his way to prep for a game, and before he goes out on the town.
Ira… THAT is the word that will determine Jameis fate… he exhibits good judgment on and off the field, and he succeeds and gets that huge contract. Bad judgment and he joins Manziel and so may other QB’s that lacked it in a variety of ways.
July 8th, 2019 at 9:21 pm
So if Winston is in a situation were he is asked by Coach Arians and GM Licht and the ownership about his actions that have come to light. Then he is not truthful in his statements to these people as that comes out later, would coach Arians still find him ethical? Or is there another standard of ethics I am not aware of.
July 8th, 2019 at 9:26 pm
Do yourselves a favor and dL the Raiders app. Next year Winston will be in Vegas and all will be right with the world. Gruden and Winston will be the new nfl dynasty.
July 8th, 2019 at 9:37 pm
I don’t care if they win the SB and Jameis leads the league in passing, anything other than a franchise tag for him would be foolish.
July 8th, 2019 at 9:59 pm
@DB…….I thought weed was illegal in Fla.
July 8th, 2019 at 10:03 pm
Lol….miss you dawg. Hope the fam is good and your gators loss every game. ✌🏽🤣🤙🏽
July 8th, 2019 at 10:04 pm
Maybe we can all hope for a trifecta!!!
July 8th, 2019 at 10:06 pm
Pittsshore funny Rosenbergers transgressions were all swept under ur proverbial rug. I guess that’s what happens when ur winning 🤷♂️
July 8th, 2019 at 10:11 pm
ModHairKen Says:
July 8th, 2019 at 9:37 pm
I don’t care if they win the SB and Jameis leads the league in passing, anything other than a franchise tag for him would be foolish.
This ⬆️ is what we are dealing with folks. Are you freaking kidding me? People’s cluelessness never stops amazing me.
July 8th, 2019 at 11:19 pm
SB Says:
“I thought weed was illegal in Fla.”
Floridians approved medical cannabis with 72% of popular vote back in Nov 2016.
Full Recreational use for adults should be on the ballot next year. We shall see whether it passes or not – need 60% of the vote to pass.
Even without recreational things have improved in that regard substantially over the last couple of years. Its fairly easy to get a mmj card and be legal with it now in Florida.
We’re blazing the trail here in the SE. The other surrounding southern states need to get their chit together and follow suit. Force the Fed’s hand and finally end cannabis prohibition forever.
July 8th, 2019 at 11:24 pm
it really doesn’t matter…financially speaking…jameis is making like 45 mil between this year and the franchise tag that will be thrown on him next year…remember when sapp signed for like 36 mil and people were like “oooohhh wow”…
after next year jameis will have made like 75 million beans at 25 years old…when is enough enough…dudes a gazillionare already…wtf…
#HeCanRetireTomorrowAndNeverWorkAgain
July 9th, 2019 at 6:21 am
LESS turnovers+balanced offense+average defense+solid special teams= More wins.
That is all!
July 9th, 2019 at 9:46 pm
Ah, the optimism of camp. Should be interesting