The hope around the Buccaneers this offseason was that the arrival of head coach Bruce Arians would help quarterback Jameis Winston take a step forward in his fifth season.
Winston’s three-interception opener didn’t do much to create belief in the partnership, but the last three weeks have been better. Winston has completed 65 percent of his passes while throwing eight touchdowns and two interceptions as the Bucs have gone 2-1.
On Monday, Arians complimented Winston, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and quarterbacks coach Clyde Christensen for the work they’ve been doing to open the season.
“He’s just growing in the offense,” Arians said at a press conference. “I think that Byron and Clyde are doing a great job with him, fundamentally and mentally. I don’t know of anyone who’s played better over the past three weeks than he has and the numbers should show it, we’ve put a lot of points up. Especially when you jump out 21-0 you take the crowd out of it and then you just keep playing. The one thing I kept preaching was to just keep scoring. Keep scoring, keep going after it because I knew the Rams were going to score some points.”
A Saints defense that just shut down the Cowboys is next up for Winston and the Bucs. Arians said on Monday that he wants the whole team to “play fearless” as they try to bump their record to 3-2 on the young season.