NEW ORLEANS -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers practiced all summer with Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starting quarterback and offensive coordinator Todd Monken calling plays. The plan was to give Fitzpatrick as many first-team reps as they could to prepare for starter Jameis Winston's three-game suspension, and for coach Dirk Koetter, who has always called plays, to have a second set of eyes with Monken while allowing him to gain experience.
Except Monken wasn't supposed to call plays during the regular season, until Koetter quietly made the decision this week to hand over the reins.