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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

08-28-2004 - Post Game Quotes

Head Coach Jon Gruden

(Opening remarks) "I'm pleased with the win obviously. I have no injuries to report other than DeVone Claybrooks has a slight ankle sprain. I really like the way we started the game offensively. All of the quarterbacks did some good things and I'll answer any questions that I can."

(On the offensive line) "Obviously we have a lot of respect for the Dolphins. Tim Bowens didn't play last week against the Redskins. They're a good challenge for us. Obviously we wish we could have gotten the ball more. We struggled a little bit on third down on defense. I thought they handled themselves quite well. Brad Johnson was outstanding tonight with his decision-making and Tim Brown did some good plays."

(On the running game) "I think we're going to be a better running team. We worked hard at that aspect. When you get Matt Stinchcomb in there, John Wade, and when Cosey Coleman goes back to his natural position. I can't say enough about Anthony Davis, I know he had a couple of illegal procedure penalties, but he played extremely well for us. Of course (Todd) Steussie gave some contact hits. It's good to see (Mike) Alstott and Charlie Garner. They are on our team, we might as well use them. "

(On Ryan Nece's interception) "That was a big play. It was obviously a great run after the interception. We need to score on defense, we did not generate enough turnovers, quite honestly, in the last year or so. That was an impact play, obviously it won the game for us. It was good to see Ryan, good instinctiveness, the timeliness was perfect."

(On what he has learned in the preseason thus far) "We like guys that like football. These guys are working their (tails) off, excuse me, they're working their butts off. I can't say enough about the work they've done. We've had some distractions in regards to injuries. We know what it's going to take – it's fundamentals, it's discipline, it's the effort. So far, so good."

CB Ronde Barber

(On the depth in the secondary) "If one guy goes down, then the next guy steps up (and we) don't skip a heartbeat or anything. I think we're learning, we're learning who the guys are we can play with, and we'll figure out next week who this 53-man roster is going to be."

(On what this win does for the team's confidence) "It's always good to win. I don't think we played perfect by any means, but you find ways to win tough games. We had a bunch of them last year, and we had a good one today. (Now we) see if we can wrap this preseason up with another win and get some momentum going into the season."

(On the offense) "We were a little sluggish last week against Jacksonville. We rely on them as much as they rely on us getting the ball back. I'm happy with what we did today."

(On some of the lesser known defensive backs that have impressed him) "There are a lot of guys. Kalvin Pearson has played well in the secondary. This fourth corner position, I couldn't tell you what they're thinking right now. It could be one of three or four guys. It's hard to say. Somebody's going to step up and be that guy that gets on the squad and helps us win football games."

WR Tim Brown

(On the two long drives by the first team offense) "I think we wanted to come out and be a little bit more consistent than we were last week. Guys came out and competed hard. We didn't' get any points on the first drive, but certainly to move the ball like that is a good experience."

(On third down conversions) "When you look at what's happening on film, it's very simple to correct, and obviously I think we did a little bit of that tonight. Certainly the more you play, the more guys are out there, you're a little bit more comfortable with things and the way things are going."

(On missed red zone opportunities) "It's all about winning games, even in preseason. You want to be perfect, but you have to win the football game and that's what we did tonight."

(On what he notices about this team) "It's a football team. It's a group of guys who love to play, who love to practice and certainly being in this heat down here, you have to love this game. Otherwise it'd be very easy to fold your tent. It's been a great experience for me so far, and I'm looking forward to a very good year."

(On the first team getting reps in the preseason) "Last week, Brad (Johnson) and I didn't connect. It's all about what I like to do and what he likes to do, and you talk about that kind of stuff. Then we have the same situation tonight and I knew what he was going to do with the ball and we made it happen. But certainly, the more you can get out there and play together, the better the whole situation will be for everybody."

RB Earnest Graham

(On the game) "I just go out and try to make plays and put together a good resume, and hopefully that is good enough to make this squad."

(On his migraine headaches during the week) "I feel fine. It was a couple of days, Wednesday and Thursday, that I got migraine headaches real bad. It's hereditary and I shut down for a day and a half, two days, and by Friday I was alright. I was ready to go today."

(On the Bucs' offensive output) "We just tried to come out and focus on our technique. It was a short week last week and it was tough on us, but we came out, we were prepared and we just tried to execute. We wanted to start fast and we did, and it ended up well for us."

LB Ryan Nece

(On his interception return for a touchdown) "The defensive coordinator, Monte Kiffin, made a great call. He called a blitz and actually Keith Burns made a little adjustment out there on the field and was able to put a little bit more pressure on the quarterback. He had to get the ball out real quick and he was trying to go hot to his tight end. His tight end was sitting right there, and that's my guy. I was able to make the play and take it the distance."

QB Chris Simms

(On the start of the new season) "I am excited for the real deal to come around. We have one more week, then we get ready for the Redskins."

(On the difference between this game and the last game) "I just wanted to come back and play better after last week. I think we played well offensively tonight. The scoreboard might not show it, but we moved the ball well."

(On the Michael Clayton catch) "I was trying to throw it out there. Their linebacker played over the top. We do work on it a lot and he (Clayton) made a great adjustment for me and we were lucky to get in the endzone from it."

(On the backup quarterback position) "I have been saying that I am not worried about it. All I can control is what I do on the field. It's in the coach's hands."

G Matt Stinchcomb

(On his leg) "You always want to see where you're at against live bullets. It's always good to get into a game situation, preseason or otherwise. It was good to get out there."

(On if he was prepared despite missing a lot of practice) "Our practices are pretty extensive so we cover a lot of the situations."

**

Miami Head Coach Dave Wannstedt

(On the game) "We have to clean up a little bit, the running game and cleaning up a few of those penalties. What did we have were five or six (penalties), but the type of team we are going to have to be is a penalty free football team. We have to be the type of team that takes advantage of every possible opportunity we get. Matt Turk, I thought, did a fantastic job of punting the ball tonight. The first two punts were down there, and we got a chance to down the ball inside the five twice. When you start from the 20, that may go unnoticed to most people, but that's big. Our defense, starting at the 20 or having them backed up. I thought defensively, we played okay and I think you got to look at the end result. At first, we really gave up a field goal and we lost some ground on the run with our first group, which will get solved, we'll get that worked out. It was the first time Sam (Madison), Pat (Surtain) and Tim (Bowens), and those guys, have played and they were working off a little bit of rust. Again, cleaning up a few penalties, the turnover and the running game, we have to run the ball more and we have to run it more effectively."

(On the quarterback position) "I thought they both played well. I was comfortable with the way both guys played tonight."

(On the running game) "Travis (Minor) got sick. He went out there and started the game and got sick and that's why he didn't come back in the game. It was a stomach thing and he came on the second half but we held him up because he wasn't feeling good."

(On comparing last week to today) "Yeah, we made improvements and we are going to stress the positive and cleanup the things that we have to. Like I said, we have work to do, but I thought that with the new additions on offense and some of the young guys in there, I see it coming together a little bit better this week than we did last week. We have two weeks to prepare for our opener and that's what our focus needs to be."

WR Marty Booker

(On his playing time) "I knew that I would get some playing time but I didn't expect to play so much. For the first time I was able to get out there, run some routes and make some plays."

(On the running game) "Any time you are able to run the ball, the offense goes. Running the ball opens up the pass and passing the ball opens up the running game. Anytime those two complement each other, and you get one going the other gets going, too. We did a good job of moving the ball, but we would have a bad play here and there that would stop the drive. I think that if we can get that corrected we will be alright."

(On playing for the Dolphins) "My main thing is to not go out there and put too much pressure on myself. I carried the workload in Chicago, but I now have guys on my side that complement each other and help each other out."

QB Jay Fiedler

(On the offense) "We had some positives, we just have to cut down on penalties. On third and long it was tough to convert against this team or any team. We got the ball past midfield a few times. We weren't able to come out with points on either of the two drives. We need to do a better job at being a little more consistent. We need to do a better job once we get past midfield on converting those extra points."

(On how much the running game affects the offensive attack) "We're getting some runs going. Sammy Morris had some big runs. You see the difference it makes when you can run and pass. We have to stay away from the negative penalites that put us in those bad situations."

DE Jason Taylor

(On the Dolphins defense) "That was the first time we had our whole group out there. We are not all the way healthy yet but we are close. It was good to go out there, get a look, and see what we need to correct."

(On the mistakes on defense) "We are alright. There is stuff that we can correct easily. The group hasn't played together. Patrick Surtain and Tim Bowens have been out and they have to get a feel of playing again."

LB Zach Thomas

(On his individual, and the teams', defensive performance) "We struggled on some plays and didn't get in their faces, but they did a good job against us. We even game-planned this week so we have to get our stuff together. They have a lot of weapons over there, they have the running game going and we were hoping to play a little better, but it is the preseason."

(On what Miami needs to do to sure up its' defense in the final preseason game) "We just need to keep working with each other, who's going to be aware. Today that's what we were a little off on."

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