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While others debate Winston or Fitzpatrick, the Bucs will answer this question

 
If the Bucs have a quarterback dilemma when Jameis Winston, left, returns from suspension, it isn't whether he or Ryan Fitzpatrick, right, will start, says Rick Stroud. [Times files (2017)]
If the Bucs have a quarterback dilemma when Jameis Winston, left, returns from suspension, it isn't whether he or Ryan Fitzpatrick, right, will start, says Rick Stroud. [Times files (2017)]
Published Sept. 17, 2018

TAMPA — If there is a quarterback dilemma for the Bucs, it is this: When do they make the switch to Jameis Winston?

Sure, Ryan Fitzpatrick is playing the best football of his life. He's 2-0 with consecutive games of at least 400 yards passing and four touchdowns.

Fitzpatrick has beaten the Saints on the road and the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles at home. He is spreading the football and joy to every player in the locker room. When guys will literally give you their jewelry and the jacket off their back, as DeSean Jackson did following Sunday's game, there's a lot of vibing.

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Unless his play drastically changes Monday against the Steelers, it's pretty obvious now that Fitzpatrick will get the start Sept. 30 at Chicago, even though Winston will be available.

You don't bench a guy that may have saved your season, much less your job.

Besides, the Bucs have a built in excuse not to play Winston against the Bears, as if Fitzpatrick's hot passing hand isn't enough.

Tampa Bay will be coming off a short week with one less day to prepare. Winston will have essentially gone 37 days without playing in a football game by the time kick off at Soldier Field.

After playing the Bears, the Bucs have a bye week. There will be a more few practices to allow Winston to recapture timing with receivers.

And eventually, Winston is going to be the Bucs starting quarterback. This season. And beyond.

On Monday, Dirk Koetter did not want to address what happens when Winston returns to work Sept. 25.

"I won't be the one getting into that,'' Koetter said. "We'll worry about that when the time comes. Right now, right after I get out of here, we're going to start working on Pittsburgh. That's all that matters right now. It can all change just like that.''

As great as Fitzpatrick has played — and he's played historically well — he is 35 and not the guy the Bucs have built their franchise around. He has a one-year contract. He was hired to back up Winston even before the suspension was handed down, and he's done his job.

Winston, 24, is a No. 1 overall pick, a Heisman Trophy winner who led Florida State to a national championship. In terms of pure ability, he's arguably one of the two best quarterbacks to ever play for the Bucs next to Doug Williams.

That's a lot of resources committed by drafting and developing a quarterback for four years to throw away because Fitzpatrick had a great month.

Look at it this way: Nick Foles took over for injured Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz and led his team to playoff wins and a Super Bowl LII victory over the Patriots. He was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

When Wentz was cleared to play Monday, Eagles coach Doug Pederson immediately named him the starter for Sunday's game against the Colts. The decision would not have been any different had the Eagles been 2-0 instead of 1-1. If Pederson can hand the ball back to Wentz, why is this decision so tough?

The Bucs never expected this problem. When Winston was suspended, the prevailing thought was Fitzpatrick would do well to win one game.

Instead, Fitzpatrick  has eight touchdown passes, including four of 50 yards or more. He leads the NFL in passing yards (819) and passer efficiency (151.5). Fans have responded to Fitzmagic by wearing beards in the stadium.

"His numbers are off the charts,'' Koetter said. "So how would you expect everybody to respond? Of course, our team is playing well. They're doing something not many thought they could. We have a good locker room of guys believing each other right now.  So any player that's playing well and backing it up with his play.''

Fitzpatrick is doing all that, and yet, there's one inescapable truth: the Bucs believe in Winston. So much so, they picked up his nearly $21 million club option for 2019. It's guaranteed only against injury, so it makes no sense to move on from Winston.

Remember, too, Winston had a better preseason than Fitzpatrick playing with second and third team receivers. Both were excellent, but Winston has improved.

"That was not a work of art on offense (Sunday),'' Koetter said. "Take two big plays out of it, and a good drive right before half, there were a lot of mistakes happening. We can get better.''

Contact Rick Stroud at rstroud@tampabay.com. Follow @NFLStroud