Suspension Hurts Jameis, Not Bucs
June 24th, 2018
Lost chance.
In the eyes of one NFL columnist, the Bucs were likely going to lose their first three games of the season this year. So the fact that America’s Quarterback, Pro Bowler Jameis Winston, may have to sit out those games due to a suspension is no biggie for the Bucs.
It does, however, rob Jameis of a chance to show he belongs on the same level as the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
That’s the word from Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News. The brutal opening three weeks of the regular season was a chance for Jameis to put himself on a high plateau of NFL quarterbacks if he was able to steal a win or two, Iyer writes.
But that opportunity appears lost.
Winston arguably still has the highest upside of any QB in the league given his arm talent and pedigree. The Bucs’ offense is set up to give him his best weapons yet, with tight end O.J. Howard and wide receiver Chris Godwin primed for second-year breakouts and rookie Ronald Jones III in the backfield.
The Bucs’ early schedule was Winston’s chance to reach the next stage of his trajectory while dueling Drew Brees, Carson Wentz (probably) and Ben Roethlisberger, regardless of whether the defense would (likely) cost his team all three games.
Joe really never thought of this but it is a good point. Let’s say Jameis beat two of those three quarterbacks? Not only would the Bucs have gotten off to a fantastic start, which is rare for this team, but having beaten two or those three powerhouses might just have shut up the Jameis haters (though Joe doubts that would ever fully take place).
As it stands now waiting word on what NFL strongman Roger Goodell is going to sentence Jameis with, it appears that opportunity for Jameis is gone.
June 24th, 2018 at 12:06 am
Jameis and the word “elite”..LOL!!!!!!!!!
Will never happen…he will never be in the same class as Brees or Wentz..
It’s funny how he now is engaged and tweeted those sweet pics of his girlfriend..right when this was going to hit the fan..
You kow how I feel for?? His girlfriend..this cannot be good for her unborn baby..unless he spinned another story..
Spinner Jameis…
June 24th, 2018 at 12:27 am
This guy may have drank too many adult beverages before writing this post.
June 24th, 2018 at 12:30 am
So pathetic ….now maybe Fitz can show all the Jameis haters they were right.
June 24th, 2018 at 12:35 am
Having said that, now I wonder how many Jameis lovers will hope Fitz fails?
June 24th, 2018 at 12:36 am
Fitz goes 2 and 1!
June 24th, 2018 at 12:40 am
SB
I agree
June 24th, 2018 at 12:48 am
I can imagine the Bucs winning at least 1 of those 3 games, with or without Jameis. We’ll see.
June 24th, 2018 at 1:04 am
I am a JW supporter, love to watch him play the game until he does a bonehead turnover, hoping he reigns that in this year. Fitz is ok to watch–hope he plays well too but he does a ton of turnover too. Mostly looking forward to seeing ALL of the new players play. If Fitz plays well it should motivate JW even more. I hope our defense pounds on the Saints. That is what makes this fun to watch–not just Jameis playing ball. I am JW supporter, hope the Bucs get him a security guardian going forward to provide witness and security. The dude is a magnet now for every money seeking woman hustler with their lawyer
June 24th, 2018 at 1:30 am
Curious to what the “Legacy Agency” has to say about what’s going on with their client
June 24th, 2018 at 1:35 am
That incident was happened 2 years ago. He knew he was wrong. Since then, he comes to work everyday and stay way from trouble. Try to be the best QB…. Give him a chance.
June 24th, 2018 at 2:36 am
I agree with this article except the part where we lose the 3 games anyway.
Jameis has already shown he can beat the best QBs.
2016 he beats Chicago then in his next 4 games he beats Alex Smith, Russell Wilson, Phillip Rivers, and Drew Brees (defense played great this game with 3 int and I think it snapped Brees’ streak of at least 1 TD pass).
I don’t expect us to lose all 3 games even with Fitz. With this defense upgraded and some new jjuice in the backfield, etc. I still expect wins from this team. We won with Fitz last year and that’s with much less talent on offense.
I put it on the coaches to come up with a good game plan and make sure these guys got it down.
No excuses, just win. Now.
June 24th, 2018 at 2:38 am
Much less talent on defense*
June 24th, 2018 at 2:58 am
Stop it with wentz…he needed the best run game, oline, and defense IN THE LEAGUE, PLUS THE BEST PLAYCALLER…LMAO!!! Stop being espn fans and WATCH FOR YOURSELVES. and, oh yeah, FLY EAGLES FLY!! Lol
June 24th, 2018 at 3:00 am
Love fitz!!!! Great teammate and adequate backup..I hope he lights it up…and Jameis only answers controversy with excellence..watch out for an amazing year
June 24th, 2018 at 3:09 am
And Saban wanted culpepper, over brees, before the Andy Reid disciple Sean Payton took his career over..know history before speaking out your arse
June 24th, 2018 at 3:25 am
Real curious to see what “Walterfootball” was teffering to, when they stated that Jameis was up to “shady business this spring.
Fritz was 2-1 last year. Jameis was 3-10
You are who your record says you are.
Pretty sure, if Jameis has been up to trouble this spring- then we all better hope Fitz can win games with this team
June 24th, 2018 at 3:26 am
I said weeks ago that the so called “real Buc fans” would turn on him ……and they have!!!!
June 24th, 2018 at 3:26 am
Talking*
June 24th, 2018 at 3:33 am
Tragic
Josh Freeman, Now Jameis Winston
Doug Williams really did curse this team, didnt he?
He sure had reason to.
June 24th, 2018 at 4:30 am
scenario:
let’s say fitzy goes 2-1 or an unthinkable 3-0 and jameis is coming back off of scum-spension…
whatcha gonna do?….pull fitzie for famous or not?
June 24th, 2018 at 5:46 am
Effective running game is key to winning, regardless of who is qb
June 24th, 2018 at 6:03 am
Yall crack me up, you act like this suspension is a surprise. You knew it was going to happen (Goodell is still the commissioner) it was only a matter of when, and how many games. The funny thing is it still hasn’t been released by the NfL, yet people are calling for the team to drop Winston, without knowing the actual facts and what took place. Truth is, if it ends up being a three game suspension I still expect this team to be at least 2-1 when Winston returns. Barring some new findings in the investigation, Winston will be back and he will be the starter when his suspension is up. If it turns out there is more to this story, and Winston is in fact found guilty, then you can start debating other actions. Until then let’s stop acting like Goodell and crucifying players from an accusation.
June 24th, 2018 at 6:19 am
If recent reports are verified and NFL report backs it up,then both Jameis and the Bucs have a problem.
Jameis will have to own up to whatever part he had in this in a sincere and
honest way.
The Bucs will have to decide what to do with their young franchise QB. This kind
of notoriety is not good for the franchise, especially since Jameis is a team leader
and face of the franchise.
June 24th, 2018 at 6:41 am
Once again Joe only talking about his football. Guessing joe doesn’t have daughters. This guy is a liar and a danger. KW2 style.
June 24th, 2018 at 6:59 am
tval:
Saban wanted Culpepper over Brees only because Dolphins doctors wouldn’t clear Brees due to his separated shoulder.
June 24th, 2018 at 7:01 am
Agree with Bob … this suspension hurts BOTH Jameis and the Bucs going forward, but in its own strange way it may also help BOTH, as well as us, the fan base. We drafted Jameis as an immature 20-year-old with baggage with 2 years of college experience … THEN we gave him the keys to the kingdom & made him the face of the franchise. Crowned him ‘The Savior’ & showered him with monikers like ‘America’s QB’. Despite his trials & tribulations … on AND off the field … most in Bucsville continued to hold him high. Until this ugly incident.
Jameis has now shown, once again, through his actions that those constant accolades were premature. Crowning an immature 20-year-old with the mantle of leadership and expecting him to ‘save’ the franchise is very risky. Jameis has just shown us all how risky that can be. Jameis MAY turn out to truly be a Hall of Fame QB. The Bucs MAY have their franchise QB for years to come. Us fans MAY finally get to see a Bucs’ team actually win more than it loses.
Neat thing about the future: the yet-to-come always brings opportunities. All we can do is be patient and see how this things unfolds. Let’s see how the Bucs’ management responds. How the Bucs’ T-E-A-M responds. And most importantly, how Jameis himself responds to this ugly situation. This story is still being written (many times every day it seems).
June 24th, 2018 at 7:29 am
It depends on what your definition of “hurt” is.
You have to make the assumption that we would have lost the first three anyway…..(losing culture thinking)
How can anyone know what we would or wouldn’t do in any given game…
Then there is the serious damage to the Bucs as an organization from an image standpoint……to have the face of you franchise essentially nationally shamed.
June 24th, 2018 at 7:32 am
Let’s try to look at some positives:
1. No more “America’s QB” (well, actually not)
2. Ryan Griffin becomes relevant (at least for 3 games)
3. If we resign Winston….we get a cheaper contract (good for the cap)
4. Fewer anti-GMC posts
5. Jameis may have to calm down a bit (good thing)
6. Rest of the team will need to step up.
7. Opponents may be overconfident.
8. They are talking about the Bucs
9. Something interesting to discuss before camp (usually boring)
10 Fewer articles on Michael Bennett….Roberto Aguayo & Aqib Talib.
11. This perhaps makes the VH3 pick look better.
12. We may somehow finally get a compensatory pick from the NFL
13. Bucs will have additional jersey sales (someone other than 3)
14. Gator/Nole rivalry stoked.
15. Brandon Banks has stories to tell his inmates.
June 24th, 2018 at 7:41 am
As soon as one player becomes bigger than the team…. Get rid of him.
June 24th, 2018 at 7:57 am
What about this for a scenario….Fitz goes 3-0 and the offense is kicking on all cylinders. Do they put Winston right back in as the starter or do they keep going with a Fitz lead offense that’s winning?
June 24th, 2018 at 8:06 am
As I have stated before, Winston isn’t going anywhere as long as Licht is the GM here. The Bucs PR department is working overtime trying to figure out the best way to handle this situation and what they want everybody to say. They have to re-sell Winston to the fan base. Plus, they have to re-sell him to all of their sponsors and advertisers.
All Bucs fans should prepare themselves for the huge barrage of Pro-Winston BS about to come from the Bucs and their media talking heads for the next six months or so
June 24th, 2018 at 8:06 am
The only benefit I see for the Bucs, if they choose to, Jameis will be signed for a smaller cap figure in the next two years. I cannot see him making 30 mil per year unless he blows away the record books.
June 24th, 2018 at 8:35 am
Man fiz is trash. Y’all hate Winston so much that now y’all think that fizpatrick is a winer he never played in a play off game and he been in league for what 12 or 13 years n now he’s a winer man please. If Winston don’t play we are done . Don’t tell me about 2-1. He was bad in those games. So just wait n see go ask all the other teams he came from.
June 24th, 2018 at 8:35 am
Come on…couldn’t “clear” a separated shoulder? Point was, Bree’s wasn’t elite, and POSSIBLY considered damaged goods..6 years in
June 24th, 2018 at 8:37 am
Great point. Bucs get discount for nothing
June 24th, 2018 at 8:40 am
And you don’t have a son who could be “me too’d”, and subsequently
June 24th, 2018 at 8:41 am
@Daddylonglegs78
If that’s the case. U play the hot QB. If Fitz is 3-0 make that idiot Winston ride the pine till Fitz fails.
June 24th, 2018 at 8:55 am
Tbbf
Not sure how this effects #11, not sure what will ever make that look good, unless somehow he plays lights out.
June 24th, 2018 at 9:16 am
TBBF
Agree with your list.
I would like to add that while Jameis gives us our “best” chance to win he doesn’t give us our only chance. We are going to get to see how much we’ve really improved our team.
If you look at Ryan Fitzpatrick’s career he had some decent years especially in a three year run at Buffalo…over 60% completion percentage…
I think the major difference because of the talent differential is that Jameis is a QB who can win a game for you…steal one occasionally….Fitz is not that guy but he is a solid player who can manage a game for you and if you put him on a good team he won’t lose games and therefore you can win.
Soooo…if our OL is really improved and at least decent…if ROJO and Barber produce a real NFL running game…but most importantly if the defense is as good as we all hope…Fitz has plenty of receiving targets and we can still win plenty of games.
It just means we HAVE to have a good defense and a good running game. IMHO we probably had to have that anyway for even Jameis to succeed.
June 24th, 2018 at 9:16 am
If Fitz happens to go 2-1 I say let him start game 4. heck even if he is 1-2 maybe let him go to game 4. Coaches gave DM #1 after his suspension and we all know how that worked out. Let Fitz play up to our buy if he wins 2. I believe JW is the leader and gives the Bucs the best chance to win but let the team go into the bye with Fitz. If our defense has made a big step forward anything can happen. If our defence is suspect then this season is a wash along with lots of jobs. Lets go win another SB.
GO BUCS
June 24th, 2018 at 10:36 am
Fizpatrick will lose all those games running game and defense will have to win. If we be down 10 to 17 points we are going to lose. Ask the jets he threw 6 ints that kept them out the playoffs. And he don’t care cause he know a team will sing him next year. They will say he’s good for the locker room, and that have never won 1 game on the field. But most people don’t know football they listen to what the national media say. Fizpatrick is trash n always will be. So keep telling your self that he’s good n watch what happens I can’t wait then tell me how you feel. Winston is young he can grow just like Brees, Brady , N big Ben or Wilson bit fizpatrick can’t he’s done he had his chances n still gets more chances I thought the NFL meant not for long ask fizpatrick lol lol but we all know why.
June 24th, 2018 at 11:35 am
O’Neill
Do you think Dilfer, Flacco or Brad Johnson are great QB’s?
All three won SB’s because they had good heads on their shoulders and a great defense to back them up.
Our defense is obviously not great…but if they are simply good and our running game materializes we can make the playoffs.
There is a huge difference between winning the SB and simply making the playoffs. Not saying we’re championship ready just not ready to give up just yet. Let’s see how the D and running game play.
June 24th, 2018 at 2:39 pm
People are more worried than they should be about Fitz starting the first three. Yes, they are going against three tough teams with three good QBs, but Fitz is a very experienced vet that has had good instances in his career, including going 2-1 with one of the worst teams in the league last year. This team has been revamped at every area including Oline and hopefully a rookie RB that can break out.
KEEP THE FAITH IN FITZYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!