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Season gets off to emotional start for Buccaneers

Published  October 2, 2015 8:32pm EDT
Sports
FOX 13 Tampa Bay

TAMPA (FOX 13) - It's already been a season of highs and lows for the Buccaneers.

2015 began with an ugly loss to the Titans, but week two brought back hope when the Bucs secured a division win against the Saints at the Superdome.

Then last Sunday against the Texans, mistakes in all phases humbled this team once again.

There's enough blame to go around, but nobody is pointing fingers. Instead, this young Bucs squad rallies around each other.

"We just want to win," said rookie quarterback Jameis Winston. "We want to win and want to get better and win some games, so we can smile after the games."

Three games into his NFL career, Winston has experienced the peaks and valleys of being a pro.

"The way my mind works, I don't focus on wins and losses," he said. "Of course I want to win games, but it's about this team's development. I know when we start jelling and everything starts clicking right, I know we are going to have some success."

The 2015 Bucs have already tasted success and the bite of defeat. Sometimes the emotional rollercoaster isn't easy to digest.

"It's tough," said linebacker Danny Lansanah. "You have to be strong-minded. It comes with the business. You're not always going to be on top, you're not always going to be on the bottom. You just have to look at each day as a new day and get better each day, and put the other day behind you."

One day at a time, one game at a time. As cliche as it is, this is how they'll need to practice and play in order to continue distancing themselves from the team that finished 2-14 last year.

"No matter what happens, every opportunity to get back on the field is a privilege," said linebacker Lavonte David. "That's how you have to look at it. No matter what happened a week ago, you have an opportunity to make up for it the upcoming week."

Each week, all 32 NFL teams get that same opportunity. The Bucs choose to use it only one way, according to wide receiver Mike Evans. 

"Keep moving forward."

It's those three words that describe how this team sieges each day.