Hard Work On and Off the Field the Prescription for Jameis Winston
Jameis Winston is an up and coming star, but his biggest problem is accuracy. How does that get better?
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Jameis Winston has not had the start that we all had hoped for. Oh, he looked great in week one, throwing for four touchdowns. All was right with the world. But last week he came crashing down to Earth, throwing four interceptions on the way to that disappointing 40-7 loss last week.
What has become abundantly clear is that the biggest problem with Winston’s game is accuracy. When he is on, the sky is the limit. When he is off, however, well, we see the performance that he put in last week.
To go from being a good starter to a star, the accuracy has to be there each and every week. The best of the best do not get a game off.
So how does it get better? Coach Koetter talked about with the Tampa beat reporters. This is what he had to say about how to improve the precision with the wide receivers:
"“Well when you get to this point – after you get through training camp, you get through OTAs – most of your volume reps, that part of the season is gone. We did a little thing yesterday, for example, [wide receiver] Mike Evans and Jameis, over the course of an hour and 45 [minute] practice, or whatever we have, they had 16 routes that they worked together on. That goes from start of individual to pass skeleton, to one-on-one, to team. Probably very similar for Vince. On a normal Wednesday and Thursday practice, about 16 reps and then you do them out there, you go in, you watch them again in the film room and some combination of that. And then watching film of your opponents, that has to be where it can improve because it’s not going to come anywhere else.”"
And he expanded to talk about how Jameis can improve his accuracy throughout his career:
"“I think experience and playing more always is going to help. When you listen to veteran quarterbacks talk, they usually use a term like, ‘the game slows down’ for them. I think when you go back and look at game tape of younger quarterbacks – Jameis included in that group – often times when they make mistakes they’re maybe a little bit late and maybe they know, so they try to rush it a little bit and then they’re not quite as accurate. Or when they’re under duress and they don’t maybe have their balance where they need to and the ball might sail. Those are usually causes of interceptions.”"
Next: The Rams Will Be a Benchmark Game
It’s hard to disagree with Dirk’s take here. We have to remember that with all he has done, Jameis is still only in his second year. He’s played 18 career games, that’s it. He will get better, but the growing pains aren’t over yet. Hang in there, last week might not have been his last stinker, but we will reap the benefits.