Tampa Bay's Winston has high praise for his coach

Quarterback Jameis Winston says he couldn't have accomplished all that he has this year without Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith.

The No. 1 overall pick, Winston has had his ups and downs while starting every game for Tampa Bay, but he has played well enough to be the odds-on favorite for offensive rookie of the year. The Bucs host the Chicago Bears on Sunday at noon.

"Without Coach Smith, I probably wouldn't be where I am, as far as the mental (part of the game) and what it takes to be a true professional in this league," Winston said. "The way that he treats us players, and the way that he holds us accountable for everything, that really teaches you how to be a great man.

"Everything that he says is a teaching moment. It's a walking teaching tape."

While Smith was the Bears' head coach from 2004-12, he had an eclectic collection of quarterbacks: Rex Grossman, Chad Hutchinson, Craig Krenzel, Jonathan Quinn, Kyle Orton, Jeff Blake, Brian Griese, Jay Cutler, Caleb Hanie, Todd Collins, Josh McCown and Jason Campbell.

But Winston could be the Bucs' quarterback for the next 10 years or more, and if the 21-year-old fulfills his early promise, Smith might be able to stick around in Tampa even longer than the nine years he was with the Bears, an eternity for an NFL coach.

The 6-foot-4, 231-pound Winston might not be a great quarterback yet, but he has been pretty impressive, especially for a rookie. The former Florida State star has thrown 20 TD passes and 12 interceptions for an 85.4 passer rating.

"The guy has performed at a high level for sure, particularly as a rookie," Bears coach John Fox said. "They've done a good job bringing him along. Last week's game, they opened it up (because) they fell behind, and he was pretty effective."

In that 31-23 loss to the St. Louis Rams, Winston set personal bests with 50 attempts, 29 completions and 363 yards for a passer rating of 85.7, which included 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.

"He's got good feel of the pocket, good mobility," Fox said. "He's not as fast as some of the guys, but he's got good feel, kind of a feel for the rush without looking at it - eyes still downfield. He's done an excellent job."

More impressive, especially considering off-field transgressions at Florida State, is that the 21-year-old Winson has become a team leader, getting emotional with teammates when it's warranted - and sometimes when it's not.

"The on-field stuff is not difficult to do at all because it's just fire and passion," Winston said. "When you're out there around the guys, it's just special. I'm a competitor, and the guys are as well. Sometimes I let my emotions go overboard."

If Winston sometimes gets a little too emotional, it hasn't taken away from his production or ability to lead.

"I just love everything about Jameis Winston," Smith said. "We did a lot of research (before the draft). We really went and talked to as many people as we could. We knew it was a big decision to make. And we wanted a certain type of guy who could be the leader of our team."

Winston has helped the 6-8 Bucs make sizable strides from last season's 2-14 record, which earned them the right to select Winston as their franchise quarterback. Smith clearly is happy with the decision.

"He's done everything you could ask for and more," the Bucs' coach said. "It's been documented how bright and intelligent he is and what type of leader he is.

"We needed a guy that could throw the football, too, and rally the troops, and a guy that everybody in the building would buy into. That's been Jameis Winston. He's been outstanding."

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