NEW ORLEANS — He was flourishing against a fierce Bucs pass rush, both with smart passes and — surprisingly — sleek running.
Then, before you could say redemption, Jameis Winston’s surreal afternoon against his former team was finished.
Winston, making his first start against the team that drafted him with the first overall pick in 2015, was carted off the field after appearing to twist his left knee on a horse-collar tackle from Devin White early in the second quarter.
He was ruled out for the remainder of the game early in the second half.
To that point, Winston — not re-signed by Tampa Bay after tossing 30 interceptions in 2019 — was sparkling before a raucous Caesars Superdome audience. He had completed six of 10 passes for 56 yards, including a 16-yard scoring pass to Tre’Quan Smith on third-and-7. He also had run for 37 yards, including a 20-yard scramble up the middle on third and 9.
Trevor Siemian, 13-12 in 25 career NFL starts, replaced Winston. Saints dual threat Taysom Hill, who battled Winston for the starting job in the preseason, is inactive with a concussion.
