Winslow's new high

Bucs TE Kellen Winslow established a franchise mark for tight ends when he reached 828 receiving yards this season, surpassing Jimmie Giles (786 yards in 1981). But it wasn't so much his numbers as the timing of his plays that mattered most. With the Bucs' passing game disjointed for much of the day, Winslow proved the most consistent threat and exploited the Saints' soft downfield coverage. With the Bucs' running game working well, the Saints used two-deep coverage that often gave Winslow favorable matchups. "They wanted to let Josh (Freeman) beat them," Winslow said of the Saints. "We didn't capitalize early, but we made a few adjustments and stuck with it and came out and did it." Freeman joked afterward, "Kellen, if you listen to him, he's open on every play. But Kellen did a great job (Sunday) of beating man coverage (and) working the zones. It was just a matter of Kellen understanding the coverages and running good routes and us being on the same page." What struck Winslow, however, was the fortitude of his young teammates. "It's just coming together," he said. "Our record is what it is, but we're progressing. We've had a lot of these (close games) when you look back on the year. We're just preparing for the big moments here and in the future."

Click here to order Kellen Winslow’s proCane Rookie Card.



(tampabay.com)