HEAD COACH BRUCE ARIANS

Opening Statement:

"Not practicing: Shaq Barrett, Ryan Jensen, Ronald Jones, Jason Pierre-Paul, Rashard Robinson and Justin Watson. It will be pretty much walk-through tempo today and tomorrow. It's that time of year now, so it's more mental than it is physical."

(On the status of Ronald Jones II's ankle)

"He's in a boot. We'll wait and see if he can run before the week is out."

(On the team not making an official transaction in regard to WR Antonio Brown)

"It's a management decision on what is happening right now."

(On if it just a matter of how Brown will be removed the team, not if)

"Right."

(On if any of the injured players could return soon)

"Everybody is trending in the right direction. We'll wait and see as far as Lavonte [David] but he's moving in the right direction. All of those guys for next week – we'll worry about next week, next week – but they're all trending in the right direction."

(On the injury status of RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn)

"He's fine."

(On possibly bringing a fourth running back up in case RB Ronald Jones II is not available)

"If we put a fourth one up. We may put somebody else up in a different position. We've went with three almost the entire season."

(On if the expectation is to see more of WR Cyril Grayson this week)

"I don't know if you can see any more of him. He has about 45 plays a game now. It's about the same snap count he has been doing."

(On what he's learned about WR Tyler Johnson, WR Breshad Perriman and WR Cyril Grayson this season)

"Nothing that I didn't already know. We really trust them and know them well and what they bring. Byron [Leftwich] has done a great job of putting them in positions to be successful. We trust all of those guys."

(On QB Tom Brady throwing it to Grayson instead of forcing it to one of the team's more prominent playmakers)

"That's what Tom does best. You start forcing it because of who's out there – you have to trust who's out there. He trusts the guys that are out there on the field."

(On what Johnson and Grayson showed him on that last drive)

"That they're capable of winning games in critical situations."

(On if the team is looking into bringing in a new wide receiver)

"No, we have plenty of bodies and good players that have proven what they can do for us. No. Not at all."

(On facing a team twice in three weeks)

"It's a little different. We did it last year with the Falcons and it's happened before. We know them and they know us. You still have to have wrinkles and different things from that game, but it's not like putting in a whole different gameplan because of who they are and [the fact that] you just played them. You do what you do best."

(On what jumped out at him regarding the way the defense played against the Jets)

"The biggest thing was missed tackles early in the game and then getting out of our gaps trying to do too much."

(On possibly taking starters out against the Panthers on Sunday if they maintain a good lead)

"Oh, I would hope that would happen. Yeah, it happened three times this year, but the thing is who do you take out? Because you can't take them all out. You only dress 47 [players]. You can't have all of your second string go in because there's not enough of them. It's a time where this guy is a little nicked up and get him out of there. I hope that would happen, but I don't anticipate it."

(On potentially making QB Kyle Trask available as an option for an end of game situation)

"No, because you're taking away special team players."

(On when WR Cyril Grayson first stood out to him)

"Last year, he had some opportunities. Two years ago, near the end of the season, he started playing more and showed that he had capable skills. He started catching the ball much, much, better in the last year and a half, and has worked so hard at it. You saw the talent. He had a redeeming quality – he was fast, and he was strong. That's a great start. Then he started working on his hands and route running and all of the nuances of playing wide receiver. You just saw him work at it so hard and get better. He was killer on the scout team, so I was like, 'This guy can play.'"

(On WR Mike Evans returning against the Jets)

"Mike is fine. I thought we managed his snaps pretty good in that game. He probably played a little bit more towards the end than we wanted him too, but it was a necessity."

(On the ability of the tight ends in the passing game)

"[We have] three really good ones. So much of it is matchups. I trust all of those guys and again they all have redeeming qualities. Cam [Brate] has caught a bunch of balls. 'Gronk' (Rob Gronkowski) [too]. O.J. [Howard] hasn't, but he can. It is just [about] getting opportunities. He had a good 11-yard gain two weeks ago and it got called back, but we trust him, totally."

TIGHT END ROB GRONKOWSKI

(On the importance of winning against the Panthers on Sunday)

"It's very important to win on Sunday. We have to go out there and perform to our best. A couple of things are on the line [like] our playoff seeding. That's definitely a factor. You want to be the highest seed you possibly can be, and we have a chance to move up in the seeding, so that's very important. We have to go out there and play some good football and give it our best chance to have the highest possible seed we can for the playoffs."

(On what WR Tyler Johnson, WR Breshad Perriman and WR Cyril Grayson have shown the team)

"It's just great to see those guys step up. They've been working hard all year since training camp, trying to be the best players that they can be. Just to seize that opportunity that they have and stepping up helps out the team big time. It helps them out with catching balls. It helps the team out tremendously so it's awesome to see. They've been working hard. You see them out at practice trying to get on the same page with Tom [Brady] and the rest of the players on the offensive side of the ball. You'll just see them keep stepping up and it's big. It helps the team out big when they do that."

(On how QB Tom Brady helps players step into bigger roles)

"I would say that develops throughout practice. If they're not on the same page, you see Tom go over and talk to them. He does the same thing with me if I ran a route that he thought I was going to be [here], but I was really over there. He's going to come over to you and talk to you like, 'Hey, why were you there and what were you thinking?' That's how he gets on the same page as you so then you're ready for the game. That's what he does with those receivers too. That's what he's been doing with whoever is in that week making sure they're on the same page. It kind of develops throughout practice and that's where you develop the chemistry."

LINEBACKER KEVIN MINTER

(On the defensive performance, particularly in the run game, vs. New York in Week 17)

"Just looking at the film, they played a great game. Give credit to them, but at the same time, we definitely didn't show up like we normally do defensive-wise. We will be better. I'll be better. Going forward, we've just got to focus in and keep improving every day."

(On what it meant for the defense to get the final stop on fourth down allowing the offense the opportunity to go and win the game)

"It meant a lot for us to [step] up right there. Obviously, we wish they didn't drive down the field, but at the same time, you get them how they come. Like I said, they played a great game. They had a great gameplan against us, but we stepped up right there and gave Tom [Brady] two minutes." 

(On if the team has played down to the level of its opponents this season)

"Not necessarily. A lot of people play up to us. The Jets, they low key played one of their best games of the year against us. We knew that going into this season that we were going to have a target on our back each and every Sunday, so we've just got to carry that and keep improving every week. Whatever happens, happens."

(On the culture of the team in embodying the 'next man up' mentality and making the necessary plays to win games in the face of adversity)

"Regardless of what is going on, this league is about wins and losses. Not what is going on the sidelines, it's about what is going on in between those numbers, in between the hashes. Get the job done – plain and simple."

(On the challenge of trying to win another championship despite the adversity that has come the team's way this season and if the team has confidence that it can still do that with its pedigree)

"Absolutely. Like you alluded to, it's hard. We aren't going to act like it isn't. But at the same time, we've been there before now. They counted us out last year. It's almost like that is what they are supposed to do – count us out. It makes us no mind. We are going to go to work every day, keep improving and we're just going to keep stacking these wins. We will see who comes out on top."

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN NDAMUKONG SUH

(On living in the 'fishbowl' of being an NFL player and the outside perceptions that come along with that)

"It's definitely difficult. Everybody – no matter who you are, man or woman – throughout your life has trials and tribulations. Unfortunately, as athletes, as professionals, ours are put on front stage and that comes with the territory of the business that we're in. Some people understand that [and] some people don't have a great crew around them of people to help them and guide them through some of those different things. I think for my personal self when I had my trials and tribulations, I had good people [in my life], a strong family and things of that nature that helped me through those different pieces. The only thing I would wish for AB (Antonio Brown) in talking about that topic – I assume that is what you were getting at – is that I just wish him the best. If you need something, I am happy to help you and tell you how I got through my stuff. At the same time, really, you've just got to make sure you focus on yourself, make sure you take care of yourself at this point in time and go from there."

(On facing the Panthers offense on Sunday)

"I think defensively we have a tough task ahead of us. I think we've lacked tremendously when it comes to our run game. It's something that we pride ourselves in and we haven't prided ourselves enough to really hone into the details. This is a copycat league and teams are finding ways to repeat plays against us and we have not stepped them. This is going to be a big test for us going against a team that wants to run the ball, and they made a point to do that against the New Orleans Saints. We didn't accomplish our particular goal of stopping the run when we played against the Jets. Ultimately, it's about stopping the run and then transitioning from that standpoint."

(On if the team has played down to the level of certain opponents this season)

"No, I believe it is 'any given Sunday' in this league. I believe each and every single team has great, elite athletes and they want to amplify them. I think when we look at a team like Carolina, they are trying to figure out what they want to be as an offense. We saw a lot of different things whether it was Cam [Newton] playing, whether it was Sam [Darnold] playing – they had some tricks. Same thing with the Jets – they had tricks, they had things up their sleeves that they wanted to run against us. For a lack of better words, they had nothing to lose and they want to execute and find ways that they can prepare for the next season or things that they want to do for their particular team. We need to be aware of those things, we need to adjust and adapt, and that's what a great defense does. We have found ways to do that in the past and I think we will find ways to do that in the future."  

(On the team's ability to find success despite the adversity it has faced this season)

"Yeah, no question. We've definitely found ways and I think our coaches have done an amazing job of putting great gameplans together, in addition to understanding the guys in their particular roles, when they need to step up and when they're going to be called on. As long as we stay on that particular route, roll with the punches and find ways to exceed them, I think we will be perfectly fine and will be where we want to be."

SAFETY ANTOINE WINFIELD JR.

(On how much continuity will help the secondary if it has everyone back for the final game of the regular season and playoffs)

"I think it will help a lot. I've been playing with these guys for almost two years now. This year we were kind of rotating because different guys were getting hurt, but I've played with pretty much everyone so I kind of know how everyone plays. It's definitely going to be good when everybody is healthy and back up there."

(On facing the Panthers twice in the past three weeks)

"Every game is different. Every week those players are getting paid, so they're going to bring it. This is going to be a big game for them and it's also a big game for us. Whatever we did last week or the week before, it doesn't matter. It's a new game, so we've got to be on our A-game."

(On WR Cyril Grayson's rise to a more prominent role within the team's offense)

"It's been awesome to see. I work against him out here almost every day. He is a hard worker and to see him out there making those plays was just exciting because you see all the work he is putting in for it."

(On the areas he has seen the most growth from Grayson as he has transitioned from a scout team player to playing a role on Sundays)

"I think his mentality. I think he has grown into that dog mentality, like he's out here about to make some plays vs. being unsure about where he is supposed to be and things like that. I think his mentality has just shifted."

-BUCCANEERS-