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TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers can not avoid questions about returning Jameis Winston much longer.
The young quarterback's three-game suspension for violating the NFL's personal driving policy officially ended after Monday's 30-27 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he is not sure he come back as part of the team.
Ryan Fitzpatrick made the decision much more difficult than expected by winning more than 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns in Winston's absence, including 30 out of 50 for 411 yards and three touchdowns against the Steelers.
Dirk Koetter repeatedly ignored questions about his projects while Winston was away. And now that his return is imminent, the coach still does not say.
"Let's see what the injury is doing," Koetter said Monday night, avoiding the question again.
"Every time we play these games, it's not always easy to know how the guys will come the next day and come in on Wednesday," he added. "Let's see what happens, I mean, I'd love to have a chance to talk to Jameis face to face before telling the rest of the world.
Ben Roethlisberger had 353 yards and three touchdowns for the Steelers (1-1-1), who set a 20-point lead and maintained their first win despite not having scored in the second half.
Pittsburgh's defense forced four turnovers in the first period, including three interceptions by Fitzpatrick, the 35-year-old quarterback who led the Bucs to a 2-1 start while shooting more than 400 yards per game.
"You know, I have so much fun playing this game. I had a lot of fun playing with these guys, and I'm just ready to do whatever it takes to help the team win." Fitzpatrick said. "I think it will be my state of mind in the future."
Winston started 45 of 48 games in the first three years of his career. He was suspended following the NFL's investigation into a charge that in March 2016 he was looking for a Uber driver during a race in Scottsdale, Arizona.
"We love Jameis. He is a member of our team and we can not wait to get it back, "said Koetter. "He'll be great in our locker room and whatever role he's in, I know Jameis will take that role and give him everything he has.
Some Steelers-Buccaneers takeaways:
WHAT IS TURMOIL?
The Steelers crowned a tumultuous week in which star receiver Antonio Brown hit the headlines shouting at an assistant coach on the sidelines and attacking social media with a former team employee.
Brown scored at a 27-yard reception, Ryan Switzer caught a TD pass from Roethlisberger and Vance McDonald put pressure on Chris Conte to break the ball on a 75-yard pass.
Roethlisberger's field chemistry with Brown came out very well in the first match as the receiver answered a former social media team employee suggesting that the club would exchange it to see if he could be productive without Roethlisberger.
"I still think the biggest problem was outside the locker room, people were seeing different things," Roethlisberger said. "Do not say we do not have problems. All teams have problems and things are different. But I think this has been a bigger problem than it is. "
FLAGS, FLAGS, FLAGS
The teams have had five shots on goal, most of them in an NFL game since 2001, while league supporters continue to complain that flags are being thrown for what appear to be routine turns. Pittsburgh was scored three times for strikes on Fitzpatrick, and the Bucs were called twice for hurting Roethlisberger. In total, the Steelers were penalized 13 times for 155 yards. Tampa Bay had nine penalties for 80 yards. The Bucs also had a detention penalty that overturned what would have been an 80-yard punt return for a TD by DeSean Jackson.
"I thought the penalties had somehow tainted the game. There were a lot of penalties against us and against them, "said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. "We're going to watch it and learn from it, but I thought the guys played extremely hard."
COME BACK
The Tampa Bay team came closer by keeping Roethlisberger and Pittsburgh's powerful attack on the sidelines for long periods in the second half. Fitzpatrick conducted a long field orientation campaign that consumed nearly eight minutes of the third quarter. The Steelers used most of the rest of the period to position themselves in a 47-yard placement that Chris Boswell missed.
The Bucs used the TD taps by Chris Godwin and Mike Evans to qualify 30-27. They recovered the ball with just over three minutes to go, but the Steelers' defense forced a kick and Roethlisberger missed the clock.
"I thought our defense played a great role, creating turnovers, a short circuit, making a few saves," Roethlisberger said. "After that, I told the team that it was a total team win, all phases. That's all football Steeler.
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