Below is a selection of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quotes from today's earlier media availability. Full video of press conferences can be found on Buccaneers.com.
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken
Head Coach Dirk Koetter
(On if linebacker Adarius Taylor's wife had her baby)
(On the value of ending the season on a positive note and if that momentum can carry over)
"That'd be hard to say. Just trust me in saying that those guys are going out there to compete. They're trying to win every week. First game, last game, game eight – they're trying to win."
(On why the team would play to win instead of improving draft position)
"Because in pro sports you're getting paid to give your best and give your team the best chance to win. Thirty percent of your team's going to turn over every year. You've got guys – players and coaches – all across the board. Other than preseason games, I've never been in a game in my life when you went out there not trying to win."
(On why linebacker Devante Bond was not practicing yesterday)
"Bond was sick yesterday. He was out because of illness. He's back today. We're in decent shape."
(On how much the quarterback play against Atlanta is a 'secret' with Ryan Griffin active)
"There's no secret at all. I just got through saying we're playing to win. It's like any other game. The two quarterback would play in the situation he would play in any other game."
(On if quarterback Ryan Griffin could have a role similar to Saints quarterback Taysom Hill)
"What they're doing with Taysom Hill, that's totally different. They're saying he's the fastest guy on their team. He's 220 pounds. They're playing him like a slot, like an H tight end, like a half back. He's playing a lot of positions. He's their 'PP' on the punt team. I don't see any other teams putting their quarterback as the PP on punt and really, they're not even listing him as their two-quarterback. It'd be interesting, if they rested [Drew] Brees, who they would play at quarterback. I'm going to guess probably [Teddy] Bridgewater. You can't compare anybody's two to what they're doing with Taysom Hill in my opinion."
(On how he handles the unknowns at the end of every season)
"It's challenging, but again it comes with the territory. I'd say it's challenging on players and coaches, but especially on their families. You've got guys that come to work every day they're in it and they're talking to other guys that are in it. The wives, the kids, schools – that kind of thing – that's upsetting. If you've ever been in that position where your future was unsettled, it's just not the most comfortable feeling. Also, we picked it. We picked the profession."
Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken
(On the offense this season)
"It's been frustrating at times. You see a lot of good things. Some guys executing at a very high level. Then you've seen some times where it's been frustrating in the red zone with some of the turnovers. Not even beyond the red zone but getting across the 50-yard line. We don't control kickers. That's not something we control, so to use that as an excuse. No, the idea is to score touchdowns. We've been really good in a lot of areas and you can't expect every week to just have it be the same – you play good people and it's tough to play against the best in the world. The frustrating thing is you're not who you think you are if you don't try every single time to score. I don't live in that world, so it's very difficult in this league. When you put yourself in that position, you're going to be frustrated because you only get so many possessions. When you're in the Big 12, you get 15 or 16 possessions, [like] in the game last night – Baylor and Vandy (Vanderbilt). You're frustrated when you don't score 40. That's the difference. Where in the NFL, everybody tackles better, guys get off blocks better, they study the game, they're more experienced. Your matchups are different. In a lot of ways, it's been very rewarding. Very thankful for Coach Koetter giving me the opportunity. Hopefully, I've done a good job doing it. It is frustrating when we don't score because like I always say, if you want some of the credit when you win and you move it, then you've got to take the blame when you don't. That's part of it. You don't have it the other way – one way and not the other. That's the way it is. It's a lot more difficult when you don't do those things and you do things that don't allow you to be as successful as you'd like to be. Like I said, there's been a lot of really good things, but some other things that we'll look back on and say, 'Boy, we were really good, but we had a chance to be really special.'"
(On Dirk Koetter)
"Obviously, I'm biased. I came here because of Coach Koetter. I think he does an unbelievable job with our players. From start to finish, the message never changes. He's always upfront with our guys in terms of what the expectations are, which is all you can ask for. There is no double message – not with us or for them. He's one of the elite offensive coaches in the NFL. I've learned a lot from him. I wouldn't be the coach I am without being around him. I'm as frustrated as he is because when you look in the mirror and you come to work every day and you believe you have a good staff and you believe you have talent. This game can humble you in the NFL because I wouldn't have guess this is where we're at, but we've earned this. The record is what it is. He's as fine a coach as I've ever been around."
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