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Browns quarterback Jameis Winston 'not going to let a narrative of turnovers define' him
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- Browns quarterback Jameis Winston 'not going to let a narrative of turnovers define' him
BEREA — Jameis Winston stood in front of the cameras after Monday night's 41-32 loss at the Denver Broncos and took all of the blame for it. Specifically, the Browns quarterback shouldered the blame for three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns.
As Winston spoke, he said, "I'm just praying for the Lord to deliver me from pick sixes." That proved to be the line that was grabbed onto the most, both on social media and in the regular media as well.
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Winston found himself in front of the cameras again Thursday as the Browns (3-9) prepare for Sunday's game at the Pittsburgh Steelers . While in a much better mood than after the loss, he wasn't backing down from the crux of his postgame message regarding his own personal struggles with throwing the ball to the other team.
"I mean, it's not fun, I take it very personally, but I do believe in prayer and I know prayer works," Winston said. "But I still focus on the decisions. I can work technique stuff. I can work fundamentals, and I'm going to continue to work fundamentals and understanding that when those moments come up, focusing on the fundamentals and technique more than the moment."
The passage of time has allowed Winston some perspective. Not just the passage of time from Monday's game, but the passage of time through his own career.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston runs off the field after the Browns lost to the Denver Broncos on Dec. 2, 2024, in Denver, Colorado.
Since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers made Winston the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft, he's battled the label of being interception-prone. That came to a head in 2019, his final year in Tampa Bay, when he threw a league-high 30 interceptions to go with 33 touchdowns.
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After that season, Winston had conversations with Buccaneers coaches, from head coach Bruce Arians to offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich to quarterbacks coach Clyde Christiansen. The by-product of those conversations helped to change the way the quarterback looked at things, especially interceptions.
"I just had some unfortunate turnovers, and turnovers, they can change the outcome of a football game," Winston said. "So talking to them, just, 'Man, Jameis, keep focusing on your decisions. Keep on playing, Jameis. Don't let that define you.' And that's what I'm doing right now in my career. I'm not going to let a narrative of turnovers define who I am."
The three interceptions against Denver spoiled a record night for Winston. He set the Browns' single-game passing record, as well as his own personal career high, by throwing for 497 yards.
Winston took over as the Browns' starting quarterback in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens , throwing for 334 yards and three touchdown in a win. The games against the Ravens and Broncos are two of the three 330-plus-yard passing games he's had for Cleveland .
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The other was a 395-yard performance against the New Orleans Saints in Week 11. That was the first game Winston played after his last three-pick game, a Week 9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers .
Winston may not have made a viral statement like he did in Denver after that loss. However, his approach remains the same.
"Man, accountability, dependability, credibility are three things that those abilities are very important to me, right?" Winston said. "Because if you're able to take the good, you should be able to address the not so good. If you're able to want the best from one of your teammates, you should be able to take the criticism from media or from coaches, as well.
"And I think it's a balance between both. Obviously I don't want to get criticized and I don't want to have to talk about bad football, but when it does arise, you be accountable for it and you get better."
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Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jameis Winston not letting 'narrative of turnovers' define him
