Winston was the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NFL Draft and played five tumultuous seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His last was in 2019, when he led the NFL with 5,109 passing yards and became the first and only member of the 30-30 QB club by throwing 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. He then joined his opponent, head coach Sean Payton, on Monday night in New Orleans, where he played the last four seasons, sometimes as a starter, sometimes as a backup. At Cleveland, he took over for the injured Deshaun Watson and breathed new life and excitement into the Browns’ offense.

Winston’s Monday performance served as a true microcosm of his career, with the entire Jameis experience taking center stage.

• His 497 passing yards were a career high and a franchise record
• He became the first player ever with four passing TDs, more than 400 passing yards and two pick-sixes in a game
• He registered his 14th career game with three or more INTs – six more than anyone since entering the league in 2015
• His combined total of passing yards (497) and INT return yards (171) in a game is the most (668) by a QB in NFL history

He has started five games, Watson seven, but leads the team with 11 touchdowns, seven interceptions and 1,763 yards. However, with the good – and sometimes great – sales also came surprising sales.

Winston threw beautiful passes through the air from Mile High all night, hitting David Njoku for two touchdowns, Jerry Jeudy with a 70-yarder, then immediately responding to a 93-yard strike from Bo Nix to Marvin Mims Jr., and finally a 5-yarder to Nick Chubb. It was the TD throw to Chubb that gave Cleveland a 32-31 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

However, he also threw some ugly balls, such as a ball in the second quarter that Nik Bonitto intercepted and took the other way for a 71-yard score.

After the Chubb score, the Broncos would take the lead again as Nix led them to a go-ahead drive that culminated in a Wil Lutz field goal for a 34-32 lead.

Apparently he was never intimidated and was always able to overcome previous stumbling blocks. He took the lead with his Browns trailing by two points at the Cleveland 30-yard line with 2:54 to play. Three plays later, Winston watched his 51st pass of the game be intercepted by Ja’Quan McMillian and returned 44 yards for the game-winning score.

To cap the chaos, Winston threw one final interception that Cody Barton made, allowing the Broncos to put an end to the madness.

“I have to play better, I have to play better,” Winston said. “The team didn’t deserve that. I have to be ready in the fourth quarter when it matters most. I can’t have bad throws.”

At times on Monday it seemed like Winston couldn’t have been better. Then it seemed like he couldn’t have gotten any worse. This is Jameis’ riddle.

In his tenth season, the 30-year-old still promises improvements. And while the Browns’ postseason hopes are only in a mathematical sense, he still has a lot to show for his team’s final five games.

“I know I’m better than this,” he said. “I know, I just pray that the Lord delivers me from pick-sixes. That’s not me. Phenomenal game on offense and I did some great things, but I blew it.”

But damn if he didn’t make it exciting, like any rollercoaster ride does.