Jameis Winston reminded everyone he still has plenty left in the tank during the New York Giants’ 26-3 preseason victory over the Miami Dolphins on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium.
The veteran quarterback started in place of rested starter Jaxson Dart and played the entire first half, completing 15 of 21 passes (two drops) for 150 yards. He also scored on an 11-yard touchdown scramble on the opening drive, turning a broken play into the game’s first points.
Asked about the wheels still working on that touchdown run, Winston pointed first to the offensive line.
“Yeah, I think our offensive line just did a good job of setting the tone by establishing the run game. Now sometimes, you get to show the young-school cats that I can still be an athlete and get out the pocket,” he told reporters after the game.
Winston said he enjoyed the extended opportunity to run the offense.
“Any time you get to play for an extended period of time, you get to develop a rhythm. Coach (Matt) Nagy was on a roll, and like I said, when you run the football, it caters to the entire offense,” he said.
Head coach John Harbaugh was not surprised by the performance.
“Absolutely. You expect Jameis to play just like that. Jameis was in control. He ran the show. He’s poised in the pocket. He was very accurate with his passing,” the coach said. “He played at a high level just like you’d expect him to. I mean that’s a great thing to have a quarterback like that as your number two. I mean, Jameis has been a starting quarterback in this league for a long time. He’s started a lot of games. I thought he played exactly the way we’d expect him to.”
The showing came with many first-teamers sitting out, yet the Giants displayed clear urgency. Winston credited the culture.
“I think it’s the leadership, the leadership all around,” he said. “We understand the responsibility that we have and I think that’s the most beautiful thing about training camp and preseason football: Everyone knows that time is almost up, so being present and being willing to do whatever is required to be your best is going to be your best chance to make the team.”
Winston’s efficient half helped New York build a 20-3 lead at the break en route to their first win under Harbaugh.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants’ Jameis Winston on what he showed the ‘young cats’ vs. Dolphins
Reporting by Dan Benton, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dan Benton, Giants Wire | USA TODAY Network
