NEW ORLEANS -- This isn't what quarterback Jameis Winston had envisioned at all. His Tampa Bay Buccaneers came up short against the New Orleans Saints on Saturday after not only being in the hunt for a playoff spot for two weeks, but being one of the most talked-about teams in the NFL leading up to a Dec. 18 game against the Dallas Cowboys, which also resulted in a loss.
"It hurts," Winston admitted after Saturday's 31-24 defeat.
He had no intentions of spending next week's season finale against the Carolina Panthers just trying to avoid a three-game skid with the only consolation prize being the team's first winning season since 2010.