Lots to like with Bucs win, especially that start By Martin Fennelly | Tribune Staff Published: August 25, 2015 
TAMPA — It was how he started this time. That will be the company line. First time out, against Minnesota, it was how he finished. This time it was how he started.Got all that?Jameis, Part Deux.Now, about that ankle ...Jameis Winston looked like a winning quarterback as the Bucs broke quickly in their preseason home opener before all those Bucs fans he’s supposed to lead to a promising land.Well, some of them ... And they held their breath, along with the Bucs, when Winston began limping in the second quarter. Suddenly the preseason seemed to matter a whole lot.He lived to talk about Monday, lifted early, 12 minutes before halftime.But Winston was out there after halftime, charting plays, and doing an on-field postgame interview before exchanging jerseys with Cincinnati running back and former Plant High and FSU star James Wilder Jr. Then Jameis ran off the field.What ankle?Chucky Gruden was in the house, but Raymond James Stadium looked half empty or, as Bucs coach Lovie Smith might say, half full. Likewise Winston’s night.WARNING: We are about to analyze preseason football. Keep out of children’s reach. Winston took a sizable step with the first possession of the night: 3-for-3 passing for 27 yards, poise at every turn, with Doug Martin looking very, very good and with Winston finishing the 80-yard drive by racing right and diving for the pylon and a touchdown.“I thought Jameis Winston was outstanding with his play,” Lovie Smith said.I have no idea what to make of the three Winston possessions after that, modern art masterpieces all, buried as they were under Bucs mistakes penalty flags. How about second down and 30 and yards to go, kid, or third-and-16? How about first-and-20 — twice? Or second-and-25?Then he stumbled and his right ankle appeared badly turned as he was sacked. It was the same ankle Winston injured last season at Florida State.Scary moment. Tough kid.Winston stayed in there until the drive dissolved. By the way, the Bucs were at the Cincinnati 22 when Winston’s ankle began aching. They were driving.The ankle didn’t seem to bother Winston as he celebrated a Mike Glennon TD pass. Winston was watching because Smith yanked him before halftime. Why take chances with the opponents’ pass rush increasingly successful against the Bucs?By the way, that might happen ALL season.So, four possessions, one touchdown, three nightmares. Winston completed eight of 13 passes for 90 yards. When he had time, he mostly delivered the football. Yes, he overthrew Mike Evans on a deep ball. You know, it takes character to throw the deep ball ... oh, never mind.Evans soon left with a hamstring injury, a slight concern, though not as much as a Bucs offensive line which couldn’t get out of its own way or in Cincinnati’s after a good start. Throw in penalties galore.But go back to Winston in front of the home fans for the first time. That first drive. That fast start.“We even broke it down (the huddle) to ‘Start fast,’ ” he said.He didn’t turn it over, as he did in Minnesota. And though he missed a few throws, some of the ones he tried to zip in there zipped quite well and could have been caught. He did a lot of good things.Guy never looks afraid.Let’s look at the scoreboard: Marcus Mariota was 5-for-8 for 59 yards in his second preseason game. He showed improvement.So did Winston.In case you were wondering, Bengals starting quarterback Andy Dalton looked awful, throwing two interceptions, including one Alterraun Verner took in for a score. Good night for the Bucs D.Yes, preseason means nothing.Unless your rookie QB is limping. But Jameis Winston ran off the field. You may now exhale, Bucs fans.
