The Jameis Winston question is simple, and so is the answer: He's the starting quarterback of the New Orleans Saints.
Beyond that things are much more daunting, because the depth of all the things the Saints need to fix from a Week 3 loss to the Panthers goes far beyond just the quarterback position. Asked multiple times whether he was considering a change at QB, Saints head coach Dennis Allen answered plainly.
"No. Look, we all have to play better," Allen said. "And so, I'm not looking to single anything out, obviously we've got to make some corrections and we've got to do a better job as a group."
Winston will get his share of that criticism, and it'll fuel some of the louder calls for a shift to Andy Dalton. He only took one sack on the day, but it came at an inopportune moment in the red zone that extended what was a 48-yard field goal attempt that was pushed to right by Wil Lutz. Winston was off on several throws. He either ignored or failed to identify some open options as drives fizzled. There were a handful of mishandled snaps, and a pair of interceptions -- though the second came on a desperation heave in the closing seconds. The first interception came after a pass was deflected by Jaycee Horn and hauled in impressively by DT Derrick Brown.
In the end Winston's passing line belied the reality of the overall struggles of the offense. It goes in the books as a 25-of-41 day that accounted for 353 yards and a touchdown. It was the first 300-yard passing performance by a Saints quarterback since Drew Brees threw for 311 in Week 16 of the 2020 season.
But as Allen correctly pointed out: There's plenty of blame to go around. A chop block penalty torpedoed the opening drive as it worked into Panthers territory. An Alvin Kamara fumble deep in Saints territory was returned for a touchdown, pinning Carolina to a 7-0 advantage even as Baker Mayfield struggled to even complete a pass. Lutz had a chip shot field goal blocked late in the first half, and missed his second attempt on the opening possession of the second half. The final blow came with a missed tackle by PJ Williams on a screen pass that Laviska Shenault took 67 yards for a touchdown. That score came just moments after a Saints drive for a score that cut the Panthers lead to 13-6 early in the 4th quarter.
Kamara's fumble was the third by a running back in as many weeks, and the 9 turnovers through three games match the total giveaways from the entirety of the 2021 season.
There were also a host of injuries that affected key players, including Michael Thomas (toe) and Jarvis Landry (ankle), both of whom spent a majority of the second half in the locker room. Chris Olave (9 catches for 147 yards) and Tre'Quan Smith (4 catches for 104 yards) led the way in the passing game.
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"I think everybody, when you get in these situations, is kind of looking for a place to to place blame," Allen said. "You know, there's enough mistakes to go around that I don't really want to go there. You know, I feel confident with Jameis. Certainly we all need to do better, and that's what we're gonna do."
The team will have to correct its errors in unfamiliar surroundings as it ships out to London for a Week 4 matchup with the Vikings. But as Winston pointed out, the 1-2 scenario isn't a death sentence. That was where the Saints found themselves in 2020, Winston's first in New Orleans during his year as Drew Brees understudy. The Saints turned things around and won 9 straight games, ultimately finishing 12-4. The Saints 0-2 in 2017, bouncing back for 8 straight wins and an 11-5 finish.
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The key won't be overreacting, it'll be correcting. If the team thinks Jameis can do that, he'll continue to be the starter. The elephant in the room continues to be health. The Saints QB is dealing with back and ankle issues, but he refuses to cite them as issues.
"This team, this organization has been here before," Winston said. "So we're just gonna find a way to persevere and get on the run and again, look in, assess ourselves and find a way to get better."