CHARLOTTE – Entering Monday night’s matchup between the Panthers and Buccaneers, there was plenty of talk in Tampa Bay about the need for second-year signal caller Jameis Winston to protect the football.
Winston had thrown an interception in seven consecutive games, and his head coach said it wasn’t “rocket science” why his team was struggling.
“We’re minus-nine on the season – we’re just not giving ourselves a chance,” Dirk Koetter said. “Jameis understands that. We just have to execute it.”
Derek Anderson also understands the importance of protecting the football. But after Carolina suffered a 17-14 defeat to the Buccaneers and fell to 1-4 on the season, it was the 12-year veteran who was lamenting costly mistakes.