The Buccaneers must blow it up, starting with Jameis Winston

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walks on the field during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 29: Quarterback Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walks on the field during a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Katharine Lotze/Getty Images)
1 of 3

It has been five years of the same. The Buccaneers need to blow it all up and start from scratch, and it starts with moving on from Jameis Winston.

It’s time.

In fact, it’s long past due.

The Buccaneers need to blow up this team and start over, and that starts, and ends, with Jameis Winston.

No, this isn’t simply a reaction piece to the game against the Saints, but the team’s performance doesn’t help, so let’s start there. The Buccaneers need to blow it up and start from scratch.

More from The Pewter Plank

In his post-game presser, head coach Bruce Arians said that he benched Jamel Dean after his solid performance a week ago because the team was playing mostly zone today because he is a man-to-man specialist.

So there’s that. The Buccaneers benched who some consider to be their best young prospect in the secondary after he showed promise the week before. Seems counterproductive, doesn’t it?

Before the season started, Arians was asked by a reporter why he drafted Dean (considering the signing equaled the seventh defensive back drafted in three seasons). His answer was that the Bucs needed a man-cover guy to keep up with the elite receivers in the division.

So, why take him out instead of pairing him with Michael Thomas? Thomas excels in finding holes in zone defenses anyway, and sure enough he went off for 114 yards and a touchdown in the Saints win. Why? What kind of coaching decision is that?

Schedule