Jameis Winston Looks To Be Next QB Up For Saints

Raise your hand if you had Jameis Winston starting for the Saints against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4.

Jameis Winston finished Sunday's loss in Green Bay for the New Orleans Saints. Winston entered the game in the third quarter after Derek Carr injured his throwing shoulder on a sack from Packers defender Rashan Gary. 

This was the first we've seen Winston in a regular season game in one day short of exactly a year. His last regular season appearance was in Week 3 of last year, a 22-14 road loss to the Carolina Panthers on September 25, 2022.

The Saints held a 17-0 lead over the Packers when Winston entered the game with 8:52 left in the third quarter. Over the next 22 minutes, the New Orleans defense squandered the lead by giving up 18 unanswered points in an infuriating 18-17 loss.

Winston completed his first pass, a five-yard throw to TE Juwan Johnson. The Saints managed one first down, but had to punt the ball away around mid-field. New Orleans would net only 49 yards and two first downs on Winston's first four drives.

With just 2:56 to play and his team now trailing for the first time, Winston spearheaded a 7-play drive for 47 yards to move his team into position for a game-winning field goal. He completed four passes for 45 yards on the drive, which ended with Blake Grupe missing a 46-yard field goal attempt.

Filling in for the injured New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr, quarterback Jameis Winston (2) throws a pass during the third quarter against the Green Bay Packers. 

Winston completed 10 of his 16 throws for 101 yards over five drives. He was sacked once, which is miraculous considering the putrid effort given from the Saints offensive line all day. With Carr now expected to be sidelined at least a few weeks, this is now Jameis Winston's offense again for the immediate future.

Signed by the Saints in 2020, Winston started seven games for the team in 2021 and the first three contests last year. New Orleans went 6-4 in those outings, with Winston completing 61% of his throws with 18 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He averaged 220 yards per game in those starts with one 300-yard outing.

Winston, 29, was the first overall choice in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Florida State. He had a 28-42 record as a starter in five years with Tampa Bay, where he threw for 19,737 yards with 121 touchdowns and 88 interceptions. In 2019, he led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards while also throwing a league-high 30 interceptions against 33 touchdowns. 

Assuming Carr is to miss at least one game, Winston's next start will be against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday. It was the Buccaneers who knocked Winston out with a season-ending knee injury in Week 8 of the 2021 season with New Orleans.