Winston explains costly headbutt

Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sure were fired up to play in the team's first game on Sunday Night Football since 2008. Perhaps too fired up.

In the second quarter of Sunday's night game, with the Dallas Cowboys ahead 17-3 and the Buccaneers in the red zone and on the verge of scoring, their quarterback took an unnecessary roughness penalty for headbutting Cowboys linebacker Justin Durant.

The penalty pushed the Bucs back to the Cowboys' 28-yard line and forced them to settle for a field goal.

After the game, Winston explained that he thought running back Doug Martin was hit after the whistle on the play in question.

"Just fighting for my teammate, man," Winston said, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. "Doug, he runs hard for us all the time. The guy threw him to the ground late.

"I'm out there competing. Passion versus emotion. I can't do that. It hurt us."

The excitable 22-year-old had an up-and-down game under the national spotlight. He was able to corral his emotions and help the Bucs to a 20-17 lead in the third quarter, but threw for 247 yards, two touchdowns, and three costly interceptions in the eventual 26-20 loss.