Offensive Coordinator Byron Leftwich

(On what challenges there will be with two starting offensive linemen out on Sunday)

"It's a big challenge anytime you lose the guys who we lost – veteran guys who've been around. Then, we had [Alex] Cappa, who was playing so well – you never want to be in that predicament, but next man up. That's why the guys are on our team. We believe in everyone that's on this team that puts a helmet on every day and we're going to give these guys an opportunity to be their best selves and try to play well."

(On how much tougher it is to game plan for a team that they've already played)

"That's really any time you play within the division. Most of the time, the teams know each other. We're a new system here, we're new here – they're not new there, so there is some familiarity with these guys because we did play them a little bit in Arizona and we played them earlier this year. Both teams kind of know what each other's going to do. It's all about can each team stop what the guy is trying to do?"

(On if TE O.J. Howard's role in the offense will increase)

"Yes, it's coming. It'll come within this system – it will happen naturally. We want it to happen organically. I've just got to continue just putting him in position to make plays. I'll do a better job of putting him in different positions so he can make more plays, but we want it to happen organically. We're always trying to put every guy in position, so we won't do anything more or less. I think it will naturally happen as the offense evolves, as we get better understanding of what we're trying to do week in and week out."

(On if it gets old hearing the narrative that Howard has been underutilized this season)

"You guys are going to ask it because that's your job. It gets tough sometimes when you're playing with Chris [Godwin] and Mike [Evans]. I want the ball to always go to where it's supposed to go organically. I don't want Jameis [Winston] to get in this thing where he's forcing balls here and there. I'll just do a better job of – from a design standpoint – putting these guys in better position."

(On how to get WR Mike Evans more involved after he was held to zero catches last week)

"We've just got to combat what they did. They just said, 'We're going to double him wherever he's at on the field,' and I can do a better job there also. He's too good of a football player to go through a game without having a catch, to be honest with you. We'll be better in all phases of our game."

Defensive Coordinator Todd Bowles

(On how different the Panthers are since the Week 2 matchup)

"I think they're playing better as a unit. They're running the ball a lot better, they're spreading the ball around, they're playing great defense, as well, so right now they're clicking pretty good. They're a totally different team running the ball and throwing the ball than we played a couple weeks ago."

(On if Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey is doing anything different since Week 2 that has led to his recent performances)

"Everything I've seen on the film, I didn't like, because he's running for touchdowns all the time. [They're doing] nothing different. Like I said, they're running the ball a lot better. You can tell they've come together as a unit and they understand who they are and they do it very well. Norv [Turner] does a great job at it."

(On if he is ready to scheme around OLB Shaquil Barrett being double-teamed)

"We understand that – that's just a compliment. Somebody else has to step up. When [Ndamukong] Suh and Vita [Vea] and Carl [Nassib] get double-teamed, Shaq's making plays, and if Shaq's getting double-teamed, they have to make plays."

(On where the signs are that the defense has improved)

"I don't know if it's better – we've got a ways to go. We've got to work out some kinks from the last two ball games. We're tough up front – we understand that we've got to play four quarters and we've got to make plays in key situations to get off the field, and younger guys need to understand that as well as the older guys. So, we've got a ways to go, but we're close [and] we're starting to come together. It's just got to happen on the field."

(On how much thought he's given to having OLB Jason Pierre-Paul back)

"None yet. Until he gets out there – or the possibility of him getting out there – I can't have any thought on it. Obviously, if he gets out there, that'll be great and I'll have a lot more thoughts when he does get out there. But right now, the guys we've got, we've got to get ready to play."

(On getting CB Jamel Dean back this week)

"He's rounding back into shape. It's good to have him healthy, obviously. He's a good [special] teams player and we've got rotational guys in [and] if there's certain packages in the game plan that fit him, we'll play him – if not, we'll try to bring him along next week."

(On his assessment of CB Sean Murphy-Bunting after having more playing time last week)

"I thought he played tough. He made some rookie mistakes, but they were mistakes he can learn from and get better. He made a lot of good plays that we thought were very encouraging, so he can only get better."

(On changing the mentality of the secondary after Head Coach Bruce Arians said their play was soft last week)

"It's not so much a mentality – in certain situations, we probably need to be up as opposed to being off in coverage and giving up some easy throws. So, a softness from that standpoint – he wasn't really talking about the physicality of it."

(On if the best mentality to have defensively is 'High risk, high reward')

"No, we're not like that all the time. We have times where we play coverage and we do things and we drop eight – it's a matter of what teams do and a matter of what we can get away with and what we're good at – so we try to mix it up a little bit."

-BUCCANEERS-