Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hoping Fitzpatrick Has Some Magic Left

On Monday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced that backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will start this week’s game against the Carolina Panthers. Also, this didn’t come as a surprise. This is so because of how well he played in limited action in their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. After taking over for Jameis Winston. Winston was benched after throwing his fourth interception of the game.

Since Winston took over the starting job from Fitzpatrick after serving a three-game suspension at the start of the season, the Buccaneers have gone 1-2. Buccaneers fans saw this coming.

In his three starts, Winston completed 64.9 percent of his passes for 1,181 yards, six touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. He also has four fumbles so far.

Fitzpatrick, who is 2-2 as the starter, has completed 68.1 percent of his passes for 1,550 yards, 13 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also has two lost fumbles this season.

Ryan Fitzpatrick Stats

After Winston’s fourth interception was returned for a touchdown, the Buccaneers were down 34-16 late in the third quarter. Fitzpatrick came in and led a rally that helped the team tie the game. Unfortunately, their defense allowed the Bengals to move into their territory and kick the game-winning field goal.

Fitzpatrick finished the game completing 11 of 15 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns. If he plays well against the Panthers, it will solidify his position as the starter for the rest of the season and give the Buccaneers a tough choice to make in the offseason.

Winston has been turnover prone his whole career, something the Buccaneers were hoping would change since they drafted him.

Since he was drafted in 2015, Winston has thrown multiple interceptions 16 times, breaking a tie with Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles. If you throw in his off-field incidents and the fact that he has been outplayed by a 35-year-old journeyman quarterback, the team will have to decide if they will stick with him for one more season or cut bait and look for their franchise quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft.