Jameis Winston Needs More Help If Florida State Is Going to Be a Contender

Florida State got Jameis Winston back at quarterback. Having the Heisman Trophy winner under center was supposed to make life easier.

But nothing was easy on Saturday.

No. 1 FSU fell behind by 17 points in the first quarter and needed every bit of Winston's 365 passing yards to escape with a 56-41 win over North Carolina State.

Coach Jimbo Fisher said earlier this week that FSU's win over Clemson was an indication that the Seminoles could do well without the suspended Winston. And he is right. FSU is more than just Winston.

At the same time, FSU needs to not be so dependent on Winston. Against NC State, the offense was still too one-dimensional. The offensive line struggled for large periods of the game, both in pass protection and clearing rushing lanes. And the defense missed dozens of tackles.

Here's a look at what FSU must do to improve and remain a team that's contending for an Atlantic Coast Conference title and a spot in the four-team College Football Playoff:

Offensive Line Must Improve 

FSU's strength in 2014 was supposed to be the return of four starting offensive linemen, all of whom would be seniors. A fifth would be senior center Austin Barron, with five starts under his belt. 

But the line has been shaky, especially when run blocking.

The Seminoles managed just 106 rushing yards against Oklahoma State. FSU had negative rushing yards through four quarters against Clemson before Karlos Williams had two rushes—including the game-winning 12-yard touchdown run—as FSU finished the night with 13 rushing yards.

In the first half against NC State, FSU managed just 16 yards on 12 carries. After halftime, FSU had 150 rushing yards on 21 carries on Saturday. 

Pass protection was also a major issue early in the game. Winston was sacked three times, one of which resulted in a fumble. Center Austin Barron played better. Left tackle Cameron Erving, the ACC's top lineman in 2013, isn't playing nearly as well as last year. Right tackle Bobby Hart has been beaten too many times.

The Seminoles will only go as far as the offensive line takes them.

Where's The Defense?

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Fisher won't use it as an excuse, but FSU was without defensive end Mario Edwards Jr. (concussion) and defensive tackle Nile Lawrence-Stample (torn pectoral muscle) on Saturday. It's not clear when Edwards will return, but Lawrence-Stample is out for the season.

And, at times, FSU played without linebacker Terrance Smith and defensive tackle Derrick Mitchell on Saturday. So take away four key players, and of course there will be issues.

Fisher, the Seminoles and fans don't want to hear that. There are expectations that the top-10 recruiting classes under Fisher have assembled an amount of depth that allows them to beat almost every team on the schedule. And that's a good working theory.

But FSU is missing too many tackles. It's happening up front—on a defensive line where backups are now starters due to injuries. But it's disturbing when linebackers and defensive backs whiff in the open field.

Fisher doesn't like to tackle in practice because of the risk of injury, which is a valid reason. But FSU must (gasp) learn how to tackle. It's stunning to think that's an issue with a team that allowed 12 points per game in 2013. But it is a major concern.

The missed tackles have led to far too many points being scored by opponents. FSU allowed 20 points in just two games last season, giving up 34 in a win over Boston College and 31 in a victory over Auburn in the BCS championship game. On Saturday, FSU allowed 24 first-quarter points—the most in its 769-game history.

Winston Can't Do it Alone 

FSU put 56 points on the board on Saturday, and college football analysts and Seminoles fans have plenty to criticize. The positive is that FSU is 4-0 and the sky isn't exactly falling (Michigan is a good example).

The best news is that Winston is back and has a remarkable connection with Rashad Greene (11 catches, 125 yards, one TD), while sophomore Bobo Wilson (six catches, 109 yards, two TDs) is a rising star. 

The bad news is that FSU is beatable if all it offers up on Saturday is a Heisman quarterback, a few good receivers, an inconsistent ground game and an injury-plagued defense that isn't making tackles. 

The Seminoles are good enough to beat next week's opponent, Wake Forest, and then Syracuse. But a 6-0 record could mask the concerns, especially with the showdown against Notre Dame looming on Oct. 18.

Fisher needs to evaluate his options. Does he change schemes? Does he change practice habits? Does he make personnel moves?

A third of the regular season is done and FSU should be happy that it is 4-0. But the Seminoles won't stay that way for long if they keep doing what they're doing now.

"Getting by" and "escaping" are what FSU has done so far. But that's not a good long-term answer.

Bob Ferrante is the Florida State Lead Writer for Bleacher Report, all quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Stats courtesy of seminoles.com. Follow Bob on Twitter. All recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports.