Jameis Winston to start at QB for Tampa Bay Buccaneers over Ryan Fitzpatrick
Monday 1 October 2018 21:06, UK
Tampa Bay coach Dirk Koetter has confirmed Jameis Winston will be the starting quarterback when the Buccaneers return from their bye week for a Week 6 road game against the Atlanta Falcons.
Koetter announced his decision to go with Winston over Ryan Fitzpatrick in a press conference.
Both quarterbacks played in Sunday's 48-10 loss to the Chicago Bears.
Fitzpatrick started and completed 9 of 18 passes for 126 yards with an interception. Winston was 16 of 20 for 145 yards with a touchdown and two picks.
"In no way is this on Fitz that we lost like we did yesterday," said Koetter. "Fitz didn't play as well as he had been playing, but this was a 100-per cent team deal, as I said on the front end.
"We brought Fitz here two years ago to be a mentor for Jameis and to be a guy that could fill in if Jameis was out for injury.
"Both times we've asked to fill in, for a three-game stretch a year ago he went 2-1, a four-game stretch this year - and when I say, 'He went,' he led us to 2-1 a year ago - and he led us to 2-2 this year. So, job well done. In fact, excellent. I think any team in the league would take that.
"Again, Fitz's combination of experience, talent and leadership is valued at a very high level here. But at the same time, Jameis Winston is the guy that's going to be here way longer than I am, so he needs to be out there playing and he will be, unless he gets hurt, at Atlanta."
Fitzpatrick started the first three games while Winston served a suspension for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.
The 35-year-old journeyman created some "Fitzmagic" during that stretch, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 400 yards in three straight games.
Fitzpatrick led the Bucs to victories against New Orleans and Philadelphia before suffering a Week 3 loss to Pittsburgh.
Winston, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, started all 45 games he played in during his first three seasons with Tampa Bay.
He made the Pro Bowl as a 2015 rookie and set career highs in passing yards (4,090) and touchdowns (28) in 2016.
