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Tampa Bay Buccaneers

10-12-2003 - Post Game Quotes

TE Todd Yoder

(on how long he's waited for a day like Sunday) "Pretty long. I'm just happy, happy as heck. Plus we won, too. To be able to help us win, that means everything."

(on knowing he and rookie Will Heller needed to fill a bigger role after Ken Dilger went down) "I knew as soon as they told us Ken went down. I went to Will and said, 'Hey, it's just the two of us.' We got a nice little rotation going there and we got the job going."

(on if he was open because the Redskins didn't pay attention to him) "I don't know. Offensively we executed the plays very well. When it comes, it comes."

(on being covered on Will Heller's touchdown while Heller was left open) "We both lined up on the same side and he did a great job coming out. I'm happy he got his first the same way I got mine."

(on if he is know the 'go-to guy' in the Bucs' offense) "I'd probably put my money on Keyshawn (Johnson) on the go-to guy."

(on how he cradled his first touchdown pass, on a low throw) "I knew when I released that I was going to be open. I was just hoping...I just caught it and looked it in, and as soon as I got up I made sure the ref knew I had it. That was a great feeling."

WR Keyshawn Johnson

*(on worrying about another big leading melting away) "Last week went through all our minds, but for some reason it felt different this time."

*(on if it was important for the Bucs to bounce back and show character) "I guess, but at the same time it was just important to win. I think last week was over last week. We lost, so what? When you blow leads like that, you're supposed to lose. Get over it, forget it, digest it and move forward. Now this game, you celebrate on the plane, scream and holler, then got off it and get ready to take a long trip to San Francisco."

*(on proving he could play with his thigh injury) "Coach (Jon) Gruden wanted to see me run around a little bit. He kept asking me all morning long, 'Are you okay? Are you sure you're okay?' Once I give him the word that I'm okay, I have to stay out there and play the entire game. I can't (come out) we only dress four receivers. If I come out, we'll get into a situation like we were against Indianapolis where we can't do the things we want to do. I just kind of ran it out and said it's not about me. It's really about the team. I feel like if I'm on the field, whether or not I catch a ball I'm contributing. They use me in a lot of different capacities, blocking and trying to make plays in the running game. If I do that all day and don't catch a pass, so what? That's what they're paying me to do. The injury, once I got going, it really wasn't a problem."

QB Brad Johnson

*(on what the difference was in the Bucs' second-half comeback) "We really had some three-and-outs, which was the problem. We weren't successful enough on first downs the first three or four possessions. Today we had some unbelievable third down conversions and that kept some drives alive. The offensive line was unbelievable again. We had no sacks and we had a running game going. We converted on some third downs that were really some critical plays, some third-and-long situations. We had four touchdown drives over 70 yards. We also had the 16-play, 85-yard drive. It shows something that you're running the ball, you're moving the ball and you're not putting yourself in bad situations with penalties. I think it was just mentality. We got on the field and got some things going. The first half, we really only had three possessions; the second half, we got some things going and took off from there."

(on if it was nice to see Todd Yoder and Will Heller step up) "It really is. I don't know who's playing half of the time. That's really where we are. The offensive line has stayed healthy for the most part, but our position guys...last week we had six running backs and we got down to two. Today it was the same thing with Ken Dilger going down. Our tight ends stepped up big for us. We had three touchdowns (to tight ends), two to Yoder and one to Will Heller. I felt great with all of those guys. We've got to get a lot of guys out of the training room and get them back on the field."

(on if Jon Gruden had to get creative with the personnel at hand) "Jon's creative every week. I think that's where he's the master. We have contingency plan after contingency plan. It kind of makes days like this easier because we were ready for the situation. As a quarterback, you don't blink as far as who's in there. We can still stay with our running game, still stay with our passing game. A lot of times I don't know who's out there because of all the injuries, but thank goodness everyone came through today. We talked about this. The guys that have been the third or fourth-string guys have to step up and pull their weight, and that's what we did today."

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