Mistake prone Bucs QB Winston was back Sunday
Jamil King, Florida Football Insiders, published 9 September 2019

Jameis Winston has done it again to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the fan base. With a new coaching staff, it was supposed to be different. Bruce Arians and new OC, Byron Leftwich were supposed to be able to mold Jameis into the QB he was drafted to be. They were supposed to be able to tame the turnover beast that is Winston’s alter ego. One game into the 2019 NFL season it seems that that may not be the case, after all.

Yes, it was only one game, and it is only week one under the new regime. Yes, the offensive line is not particularly very good, and the 49ers had an active defensive line. But, at this point, it is a problem. And, today? This was a breaking point for a lot of people. Winston, who had three interceptions on the day, now has the most turnovers of any QB since he entered the league in 2015:

Winston, who had three interceptions on the day, now has the most turnovers of any QB since he entered the league in 2015: The First INT of the day wasn’t all on him though. O.J. Howard had the ball bounce off of his hands and into the hands of a linebacker.

The second interception was terrible. With a 5-wide set, the Bucs puzzlingly had RB Peyton Barber on the outside matched up on Richard Sherman. This didn’t go well, as you would expect, and Winston threw a pass that looked like it was meant to be an out route that ended up right in the hands of Sherman. And, he took it to the house as Barber sat his route and didn’t break out.

The third pick is the one that sealed the fate of a lot of Bucs fans. Down 6 with the ball with a little over two minutes left, the Bucs had a chance to win the game. Winston could right the wrongs of the day and get a signature moment for his career.

To start the drive the Bucs called a running back screen that the 49ers sniffed out. With RB Dare Ogunbowale smothered by white and gold Winston was also pressured by the D-line. However, instead of throwing the ball away or even into the ground, he elected to try to somehow find Oguenbowale, who could hardly, if at all, be seen on our T.V. screens or in the stands in the mass of bodies.

The pass was floated over the RB and lineman and picked off by the Niner’s Ahkello Witherspoon who raced 25 yards for the return, and easily into the endzone for the second pick six of the second half. This was a pass that a 5th year QB just CAN NOT MAKE. Period. You can not make that kind of throw, that late into a game and not expect the doubters to come for you.

The Bucs this offseason will have a decision to make. Winston will be up for a new deal and plays like that one and games like today, are just making it easier and more comfortable for the Bucs to go in a new direction. Winston his whole career has delivered great plays like his touchdown to Chris Godwin earlier in the third quarter, to crazy plays like the one called back to Cameron Brate, but to downright bone-headed ones like today’s last pick.

With a short week coming up with a trip to Carolina on Thursday, Winston will need to tighten up. We have heard him say multiple times the games are on him, he needs to do better, and he needs to take care of the ball. At the end of the day, we have not seen those things happen for a full stretch of games consistently.

Winston is playing for his Bucs future, and the front office and scouting department are probably already planning trips out to Tuscaloosa, Eugene, and Athens. With 15 more games to go this season, Jameis Winston, you are already on the clock.