No one knows the answer to the question on Saints quarterback Jameis Winston. The only certainty is — he is on the roster for the upcoming 2022 NFL season and will likely be the Week 1 starter. With the NFL Draft just under two weeks away, the Saints will look to Winston to make an unlikely run. Very few buy into the fact that Winston is the answer now and into the future. The fact of the matter is, Winston is good enough to help the black and gold getting to the next level. It’s been done before. This particular situation is not new for a quarterback similar to Winston and win a Super Bowl.
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Is Jameis Winston the Answer for a New Orleans Saints Super Bowl Run?
Winning it all with a legend under center is not a must have. In more recent times, quarterback Nick Foles is one example of unlikely odds. Foles wasn’t exactly a household name before the 2017 NFL season. His winning percentage hovered just over 50%, and the touchdown to interception ratio was slightly better than two to one.
Carson Wentz went down with an injury and hope diminished. The Philadelphia Eagles were flying high with a 12-2 record in Week 15 against the New York Giants. The Eagles clinched the division and a first-round bye for the first time in 13 years. Still, ask just about any Eagles’ fan and confidence fell after Wentz went down. Enter Nick Foles. The rest is history as he lead the improbable run to Super Bowl LI and a victory over the New England Patriots 41-33.
Make no mistake, the Philadelphia Eagles were led by stingy defense allowing 18.4 points a game. The Eagles finished the season ranked 4th in scoring defense and 10th in total defense. Similarly, The Saints have finished with identical numbers in the last few years. The black and gold doesn’t have to finish first in every single category to make a Super Bowl run. In fact, the defense only has to be firm but not the best in the league.
Making A Case for Jameis Winston
Taking a look at Jameis Winston stats since he was drafted in 2015, Winston registered similar numbers as Nick Foles. That’s just one example. There are plenty more. Here are a few: Eli Manning, Joe Flacco, Joe Theisman, and Trent Dilfer.
Furthermore, take a look at the Saints defensive stats in 2021. The Saints ranked 4th in scoring defense allowing 19.7 points a game — very close to the Eagles run in 2017. Also, the Saints were 6th in total defense allowing only 318.2 yards a game.
Of course, the Saints lost key players over the 2022 offseason, including safety Marcus Williams and more importantly coach Sean Payton. Payton is irreplaceable for sure. Be that as it may, most of the coaching staff is still intact. The point being is, obsessing about the quarterback position is really a myth. Winston is more than capable to lead the Saints into the playoffs and beyond. The defense is more the question mark.
Injuries Are Always an Uncertain Possibility
Injuries are always the X-Factor in the NFL and any other league for that matter. That is where luck plays a factor. Injuries plagued the Saints in 2021. The toll on the season’s potential remained an uncertainty as injuries piled on both sides of the ball. But make no mistake, Jameis Winston is capable of leading this team in 2022 and beyond. If healthy of course.
The NFL Draft starts in about two weeks. Choices of who the Saints pick remains a critical puzzle piece for the upcoming NFL season. But the question of picking a quarterback is irrelevant to the 2022 NFL season. Regardless if Kenny Pickett, Malik Willis or even Matt Corral is drafted — the Saints are primed in that position now. Rookie quarterbacks rarely make an impact immediately. Defense is key not offense.
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