Buccaneers wide receiver DeSean Jackson says taking quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick out while he’s playing so well would be a mistake.
Jackson said on NFL Network he believes Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter and offensive coordinator Todd Monken should ride the hot hand after Jameis Winston returns from his three-game suspension next week.
“He’s playing on fire right now,” Jackson said of Fitzpatrick. “With the way the team is rallying behind him and just playing lights-out football, you have to kind of honor it. You can’t take the hot man out. You got the hot fire right now. It’s like NBA Jam. We used to play NBA Jam — whoever got that hot fire shot, you got to keep shooting, man. It’s not my decision but I’m sure Dirk and coach Monken and the guys that make those calls, they’ll make sure they stay on fire until that fire is out. We’re going to stay on fire. That’s our job, to stay on fire and that’s what we’re going to do.”
Fitzpatrick is playing better football right now than Winston has ever played. The Buccaneers haven’t said who their starter will be in Week Four, but you can bet that it’s going to be Fitzpatrick, with Winston standing on the sideline after his suspension ends.