HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On the overall health of the roster)

"For the most part, they came back pretty [well]. It's probably the healthiest we're going to be all year, getting ready for a 10-game stretch."

(On if the team's 17-play drive at the end of the game on Thursday night was too long)

"Yeah, we've talked about that. We always want to go quicker. We knew we were down two scores and had to go quicker. There were some penalties involved and some things that we've got to get communicated, but we definitely want to be faster."

(On playing a lot of rookie quarterbacks over the next six or seven weeks)

"I don't think you think about it. You've got to prepare for the team. They're part of what they do as a team, as opposed to them individually. If you can try to steal some things or one or two things you see – if you see anything – you try to take advantage of that. But, mostly, you just prepare for the team."

(On how much he has re-evaluated what the team does on third downs defensively)

"We re-evaluated everything, but on third down, it's a different person every time or it's a different thing every time. There's not one thing we put a finger on – we just know we've got to be better. We're looking at doing some things differently from that standpoint."

(On if he's surprised at the defense's poor performance on third downs)

"The chemistry has got to come together. Like I said, I'm not surprised. We are what we put out there – we've got to be better."

(On if he's getting enough production from the pass rush)

"We were. I think last game was the first game I didn't see the production from that position. We talked about that and we know we've got to be better there, because that's one of our premier positions."

(On if he's considered playing OLB Anthony Nelson more)

"He's in the rotation – he plays a good amount. The first four guys play a good amount. Cam [Gill] probably plays the least, but they all get their turn. We've got to be better all the way around. I know he got a sack and Yaya [Diaby] got one, but we've got to be better from a pressure standpoint – not necessarily from a sack standpoint, but you've got to at least harass the quarterback."

(On when expects to draw the line on the offense's 'growing pains')

"I wish I could tell you that…You're always adjusting every week. Some weeks are better than others, some weeks they take it away, some weeks we miss some things. It doesn't ever get drawn, we've just got to keep hammering at it and we've got to do the things that help to win the ballgame."

(On the starting secondary having zero interceptions)

"We can get a lot better. Any time Will Gholston has more interceptions than our starting secondary, you want to get better in that area. He has bragging rights right now. I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult."

(On the defense ranking well in points allowed but ranking poorly in yards allowed)

"It's the redzone and the turnovers. Out in the field, the ball is not going over our head – it's more of catch and run plays where we've got to be better from a zone-concept standpoint. Our eyes are bad and we're working on that this week. Our eyes are bad. They can catch a 3- or 4-yard pass and go 15-to-17 yards. Those things add up. We've got to be better from a zone conceptual standpoint."

(On Tuesday's trade deadline and what he thinks the team might do)

"I think we're listeners. It's got to fit us and it's got to come that way. We're not looking to buy or sell, but we're looking to listen. If anything comes about, we'll take a look at it."

(On if he watched games yesterday considering the team played on Thursday)

"I watched a bunch of games. I worked for a little bit and then I came back and watched a bunch of games. You can learn a lot from situational football watching different games."

(On if he went to the Georgia vs. Florida game on Saturday)

"No, I worked Saturday and I kind of got some rest."

(On how he feels QB Baker Mayfield is playing)

"Baker is doing fine. It's an offense as a total. Obviously, he gets all the credit when we win and he gets most of the blame when we lose. Baker is doing fine. He's captaining the ship very well. He had no turnovers last game. We've just got to get in sync there."

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER SHAQUIL BARRETT

(On not excelling on third down)

"We have to get the coverage and rush working together. We haven't been synchronized that much this year with the rush and coverage, but I think we are going to get better at it. We [are] working on better eyes on the quarterback. We are working on the fundamentals, [and] making sure we are fundamentally sound. [There have] been a few times that I would get my face mask grabbed, I get held a lot, like for real, it's frustrating. I talked to the ref, [and] they don't say [anything], it's kind of frustrating now. If I could get some calls, third-and-10 would turn into a third-and-20, or something like that. We will work on it. I don't like that bringing my position group down, and we haven't been doing what we have been wanting to do as a group, and we are most definitely going to get it fixed because that is unacceptable."

(On how much reflection he gets to do when he has a Sunday open)

"It's a lot more when you lose a lot. You just keep thinking about what's going on, what we are doing, how we [have] to be better, but it's the same thing we have been doing all year, we are beating ourselves. I think the Eagles beat us pretty convincingly, but other than that we should have won every other game. We [are] coming out here with penalties, missed assignments, missed tackles, like teams aren't really beating us. We have to get it together though. For us to be a great team, we can't have those mistakes, and we are not a good enough team, you have to overcome those mistakes on a consistent basis. So once we are able to overcome the mistakes, we will stop making them, [and] that's when we will be where we want to be at."

(On playing against young quarterbacks and what he sees from Houston Texans QB CJ Stroud)

"I technically like going guys who are rookies, but I'm treating every quarterback the same now. I know he is one that gives a few extra chances. [He will] probably try to hold the ball, make a play with his legs from time to time, so it's going to give us couple of chances to get there. We just have to start getting there first, then I'll start licking my chops once I'm already getting sacks and stuff. Right now, it doesn't matter who we are going against. I only got [a sack] two times. Quarterbacks shouldn't be worried right now, but once we get it going again, we should put some fear in some quarterbacks."

(On if he is surprised the defense has not synced up yet)

"We [are] not consistent enough with our communication. It needs to be every single play, all the time. We have days in practice where we are really good at it in practice, then we have days where [Head] Coach [Todd] Bowles has to get on us about communicating. He shouldn't have to do that, like we know what we need to do out there. We know communication makes it a lot easier and it clarifies everything out there. So once we are able to do that consistently, our third downs should get better, rush and coverage should work better together, and we get better on third downs, we give up less points, [then] maybe we win a game."

-BUCCANEERS-