Head Coach Bruce Arians

(Opening statement)

Watching the tape, the story is the same. Seven turnovers – you don't beat anybody, not even a high school team. Why the turnovers? I think it was a collection of receivers, offensive line, tight ends, running backs and quarterbacks all had a hand in every single one. Running back – protection-wise – might have been the worst it's been. We'll do a better job of finding our guys and blocking them next time, but it's not all on the quarterback. A lot of it is – I'm not going to shy away from that either. Defensively, I thought our front seven played outstanding. Again, we took one of the best backs and – other than one play where we busted an assignment and didn't cover him and failed to tackle him – kind of took him out of the game. But we put our defense in a situation of sudden-change defense, ball on the 25, I think five times. Other than the speed-sweep where we busted an assignment that one play, they only get 20 points, which should've gave us a chance to stay in the game and it didn't. But I thought defensively – other than third down, the speed-sweep and the screen pass, or the check down to [Christian] McCaffrey – we played extremely well and good enough to win."

(On if WR Mike Evans needed to fight back towards the ball on the first interception of the game)

"Totally – he should be two yards wider and coming back to the ball."

(On if that was surprising to see given Evans' experience with QB Jameis Winston)

"I've had a lot of receivers who only see the corner, stop and think the ball is coming. This one was a little bit late and outside where he was going to be, so they're both at fault there – the quarterback and the receiver."

(On how many of the seven sacks allowed were a result of Winston holding on to the ball too long)

"There were three or four sacks [where] he sacked himself. Incompletions don't get you beat – sacks and sack-fumbles get you beat. We've been working and working, and this was one of those games where we try and make a play out of nothing and it comes back to bite you."

(On if Winston's five interceptions concerns him for the long-term)

"No – I look at the reasons why [that] happened. If it happens again, yeah, it will concern the hell out of me."

(On if the Bye Week helps the team regroup after Sunday's performance)

"I think the Bye Week helps a bunch of us. This travel has been tough. We need the rest because we've got two more [road games in a row] – and one long trip again – against really good football teams. So, yeah, we needed this right now."

(On if Winston should be as jittery as he was on Sunday when he is in his fifth NFL season)

"I think when you get hit – I don't care if you're Tom Brady – when you get hit early in games, it's different. We got him hit early in the game – excluding the first play – we got him hit too much early in the game."

(On if he can relate Winston wanting to be 'Superman' to any other quarterback he has coached)

"Yeah – the one in Pittsburgh, Ben Roethlisberger. He would never throw a ball away. Peyton Manning would throw it away in a heartbeat. Ben thought he could make a play out of anything like Jameis [Winston] does. He's made a bunch of them, but he also got hurt a few times holding onto it like that."

(On what he needs to see from the leaders on the team to make sure they don't lose consecutive games again)

"That's one of the messages we just talked about. It happened my first year in Arizona that we never did lose two in a row, but I'll see Monday how we show up and I'll know from there."

(On if he has thought of making a change at quarterback during the Bye Week)

"Not at all."

(On Winston's career being a 'roller coaster' for five years)

"Five games for me. I know the history."

(On what makes him believe that Winston will become more consistent)

"I think just him playing better, the guys around him playing better, coaching better – the whole thing. I think as we continue to grow together, I think it will get better and these games will be one in a million – not one every five."

(On what it took to get TE Cameron Brate and TE O.J. Howard involved in the offense)

"They're out there together a bunch. This was one of those where – again, they were double-teaming outside a lot so the middle of the field was open. Cam made a nice play on the touchdown and the other over route. O.J. had more opportunities – he dropped a couple – but I think they were targeted eight times and they were a big part of the game plan."

(On what the obvious mistakes are that Winston is making when turning the ball over)

"The biggest thing is holding onto the ball and getting sacked. First of all, you don't want him to get hurt. When you make one guy miss, or you scramble to the side of the field [and] there are no receivers, throw it away. It's very simple."

(On Panthers QB Kyle Allen getting rid of the ball quickly)

"They did a really good job of max protecting. They were 3-of-15 on third downs, so most of the damage was done on second down. They had a nice little game plan of chipping and protecting. For the most part – other than about three plays – we were really good."

(On how to get the secondary back on track)

"I don't think they're off track. We had about three plays on over routes. Carlton [Davis] undercut it, went for an interception [and] the guy makes a nice throw over his head. Vernon [Hargreaves] can be a little more physical covering guys. He got bumped off pretty good on that one comeback – I thought about challenging it, but we're not winning those challenges right now, so [it would have been a] waste of time – but he got shoved pretty good on that one. It's just a matter of playing a little bit better."

(On if the Week 8 game at the Tennessee Titans is a must-win)

"I don't think so – it's still too early for must-wins. We need to win, but I don't use that term, 'must-win' very often. Just like everybody else, we'll have our game plan set ready to go, take a little time off and come back ready to go."

(On potential personnel changes during the Bye Week)

"The biggest thing right now would be just punt returner. It's not as much the muffs as it is the lack of production."

(On how much the offense needs a third receiver to step up)

"I don't think we really do. I think both tight ends stepped in there pretty good. Scotty [Miller] is getting baptized. We could use Breshad [Perriman] back, hopefully soon – a bigger, stronger and faster guy."

(On what kinds of things OLB Jason Pierre-Paul will be able to do this week)

"He'll have pads on, going one-on-one with a couple offensive linemen who will stay – practice squad guys – and he'll practice tomorrow and Wednesday."

(On who he thinks can fill the role of punt returner)

"I've got a couple of candidates – T.J. Logan, Vernon [Hargreaves], Scotty [Miller], maybe. Bobo [Wilson's] fearless, but he hasn't dropped them. He also hasn't been productive with his fearlessness – he's only averaging about three yards – so that's something we have to look at."

(On who will oversee Pierre Paul's practices)

"Our training staff, Larry Foote – the outside linebacker coach – and offensive line coach (Joe Gilbert)."

(On how the offensive linemen who stepped into the starting lineup)

"Earl [Watford] played really well. Earl didn't have a problem. He could've played better in the running game. Josh [Wells] – he got a holding penalty when Jameis [Winston] came out of the pocket and got him a holding penalty. His only bad play was the sack-interception, but he played as expected. I didn't think they were going to go out there and just set the world on fire, but they didn't play bad."

(On if he expects T Demar Dotson to return for the next game)

"We hope so."

(On what message he hopes the players will take with them during the Bye Week)

"Learn how to prepare better. We're still making way too many mental errors in critical situations."

-BUCCANEERS-