Ryan Fitzpatrick Breaks Passing Yards Record

The unlikely and meteoric rise of Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick continued in NFL Week 3.

Ryan Fitzpatrick, 35, has played the opening 3 games for Tampa Bay in the absence of the suspended Jameis Winston.

It was assumed that the Bucs would make do with Ryan Fitzpatrick until Winston was ready to return. However, the performances of Fitzpatrick have put the starting berth of Winston in doubt.

Tampa Bay’s next game against the Chicago Bears will give coach Dirk Koetter his first big decision of the season. Jameis Winston will again be available, but does he drop a quarterback on the verge of history?

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In Tampa Bay’s 30 – 27 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Fitzpatrick again shone, breaking a quarterback record. He threw for 411 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. In doing so, he became the first quarterback to amass more than 400 passing yards in three consecutive games.

If he eclipses 400 yards one more time, he will tie the NFL single-season record for most 400-yard passing games.

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On Monday night, the Bucs were down 30 – 10 at halftime, before Fitzpatrick helped them to come back. He passed to Chris Godwin for a four-yard touchdown and then hit Mike Evans for a 24-yard touchdown pass. At that point, with 5:43 remaining, it was a three-point game again.

All of this is bad news for 2015 No. overall pick for Jameis Winston. Before the start of the season, his competition was a journeyman quarterback. Now, he is up against a veteran with 1,230 passing yards in three games.

It’s likely Fitzpatrick will start in Week 4, considering Tampa Bay’s bye is in Week 5. This would give Winston one more week to prepare, if he will go back into the team.