After Sunday's disappointing loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, we've fielded more than a handful of calls on SportsTalk from Saints fans that already think it’s time to move on from Jameis Winston at quarterback.
Winston threw three interceptions in the 20-10 loss in Week 2. And OK, we got a taste of "Bad Jameis" in that one. Two games into the season, though, is not the right time to move on from the Heisman winner and former No. 1 overall pick.
I'm not saying he's definitely the answer, I'm also not saying he can’t be. We haven't even seen him for a full season. Keep a few factors in mind when picking your seat on the SS Winston. The former Florida State Seminole is 6-3 as the starter for New Orleans. That's a .667 winning percentage! Drew Brees had three-interception games in his career, and one of those games was his final game in the NFL.
But here’s the biggest reason why I’m sitting comfortably on this boat: The man has had just a handful of weeks with the current weapons at his disposal. He'd never played with Jarvis Landry until 2 weeks ago. He'd never completed a pass in a game to Mike Thomas until 2 weeks ago. Drew Brees would often talk about "time on task" with his receivers/weapons. Brees had a lot of "TOT" with the likes of Marques Colston, Lance Moore, Jimmy Graham and even Michael Thomas.
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Winston missed a chunk of time during training camp with a foot injury, and I think that’s the biggest culprit as to why he's struggled through the first two weeks. Now, if we’re witnessing the same lack of production in 5 or 6 weeks, I’d argue that it is time to see what backup Andy Dalton can do.
But be patient, I think Winston will come into his own, perhaps as early as this Sunday against the Panthers. I am not saying he'll suddenly be a Hall of Fame quarterback, but it's too early to abandon ship.
For now just familiarize yourself with the layout of the boat. Give Jameis a chance – a longer chance. Remember, even the great Drew Brees was once benched during his time in San Diego! Things can turn quickly for a QB, good or bad.
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