Bucs TE Seferian-Jenkins emerges from dreary opener
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, right, and quarterback Jameis Winston showed a quick bond in last week’s opener. JASON BEHNKEN / STAFF Published: September 17, 2015 at 09:41 PMTAMPA — Before Austin Seferian-Jenkins hits the sheets Saturday night at the team hotel in New Orleans, the second-year tight end of the Buccaneers will go through his checklist.Teeth brushed? YesAlarm set? Of course.Wake-up call request? You’d better believe it.One of Tampa Bay’s few bright spots in a season-opening debacle against Tennessee, Seferian-Jenkins returns to the Big Easy seeking atonement for last year’s forgettable visit. A second-round pick out of the University of Washington, Seferian-Jenkins ran out of the front door of the team hotel last October, only to find Tampa Bay’s bus caravan already heading toward the Superdome with a police escort.Things didn’t get much better when he arrived by taxi. Seferian-Jenkins caught only one of three passes sent his way by Mike Glennon, dropping a third-down flip on Tampa Bay’s opening drive that would have moved the chains.“Don’t be late for the bus,’’ Seferian-Jenkins said this week when asked for his primary takeaway from a 37-31 overtime loss in the Crescent City.For Seferian-Jenkins, a 6-foot-5 target who can move, a rookie season full of promise was instead marked by frustration and immaturity. Ankle and back injuries limited him to nine starts. There were too many dropped balls, not enough receptions.“I know what I can do out there,’’ said Seferian-Jenkins, who caught five passes from rookie Jameis Winston for 110 yards against the Titans, including two scoring receptions that matched his total for all of last year.“Production is production, but I want to get wins. Yeah, I played well, but I’m focused on getting better, the team getting better so we can go out and get a ‘W.’ That’s the most important thing.”With record-setting wide receiver Mike Evans sidelined by a hamstring injury, Seferian-Jenkins emerged as Winston’s most dependable target on Sunday. After catching a 5-yard touchdown pass on the opening snap of the second quarter, Seferian-Jenkins added a 41-yard scoring catch and a 35-yard grab in the final 10 minutes of a one-sided game.“I know this — he played well this past weekend,’’ Saints coach Sean Payton said. “When you watch the tape, you’re starting to see more and more of these tight ends that come into this league. Typically at that position, there’s a trait: a player is a receiver more or a run-blocker more. I think Seferian-Jenkins has that versatility you’re looking for at the position where he can help you both ways.’’The Bucs talked up the potential of Seferian-Jenkins throughout his rookie year, but his pedestrian numbers (21 catches for 221 yards) frustrated management, coaches and a fan base that expected much more.Now, coming off his first 100-yard game as a pro, Seferian-Jenkins can point to the game tape with pride.“Jon Embree, our tight end coach, said in our staff meeting that it was the best game Austin has played in his two years here,’’ offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said. “I wasn’t here last year, but Austin looked like he was moving toward the type of player that we all want him to be.“He had three explosive plays, he had two touchdowns, he was able to win against one-on-one coverage, made a beautiful catch on a tipped ball. We need more guys to elevate to that level to be successful.”In his own way, Seferian-Jenkins just left his own wake-up call for NFL defenses from Seattle to Miami.“Last Sunday just reaffirmed what I believe about my ability,’’ he said. ”Good game for me, sure, but I’d rather have a win than stats.’’[email protected]Twitter: @IKaufmanTBO
