HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On if there's an update on the status of RB Bucky Irving, and what it means to have him back out at practice on Wednesday)

"Again, it was a walk through [today]. He was limited today. We'll see what he does tomorrow and does Friday. But, it was good to have him back out there and it's the first steps to him becoming positive and starting to work his way back."

(On whether the team will practice in full pads this week so that RB Bucky Irving can test his shoulder)

"No, we're not going to be in full pads."

(On if Bowles needs to see Irving practice in full pads before he would feel comfortable playing him in a game)

"He's going to have to hit at some point, yeah. I mean, he's lifting and everything and he's running, but it's a progression and we'll see how he does."

(On if it's possible that G Ben Bredeson plays against the Bills this weekend)

"It's possible, but highly unlikely."

(On if there was anything concerning on Bredeon's MRI results)

"No, [it was a] sprain. I mean, [he is] just tight."

(On if there's an update on the status of WR Chris Godwin Jr.)

"It's the fibula. He's working his way back. He's making good strides and we'll continue to work with him and see how he goes."

(On whether Godwin Jr. is running)

"He's running, yes. He's definitely running."

(On if the injury to Godwin Jr. is a pain-tolerance issue)

"I wish I could tell you. I really do."

(On what would be the "go" sign for RB Bucky Irving and whether there's any chance that he's able to play this week)

"Again, I would like to see him practice and run tomorrow before I make any of those decisions. It was a walk through, so I can't really say he looked like this or he looked like that."

(On what he's seen from the Buffalo Bills lately and how much he can draw from their loss to the Miami Dolphins last week)

"You don't take much out of it. We expect to see the best version of Buffalo. They've won the division so many times in a row. They got a great quarterback. They got a great team. Sean [McDermott] does a great job with those guys. We're trying to bounce back and they're trying to bounce back. So, it should be a hard-fought game."

(On Buffalo's run-defense struggles and whether that's due to injuries)

"Everybody is short-handed in this league. I mean, they're making adjustments just like we're making adjustments. We got to adjust; they've got to adjust. We've got to find the right formula and the right people, and we've got to play a heck of a ball game. I'm sure they feel the same way."

(On if he's still frustrated over the long runs allowed against the Patriots, or if he moves on)

"As a coach or a player, you always take the negative plays and you remember everything in life. So, I'll remember those plays for the rest of my life. But, [I'm] not upset, I've moved on. I understand it. It's a learning teaching point you can go back on and say, 'I remember when…' You just never get over it; you just move on from it."

(On Buffalo Bills RB James Cook)

"He's dangerous. He's very dangerous. He can do a lot of things running and catching the football. if you're a half-step late, he's going to take it to the house."

(On the fewer downfield shots in the passing game as of late, and if that's due in part to any potential injuries to QB Baker Mayfield)

"I don't think it affects his throwing. Obviously, the linemen getting shuffled around and receivers getting shuffled in and out kind of hurts a lot of things we want to do. Obviously, as good as Emeka [Egbuka] is, they start paying more attention to him and you start breaking things down. We've just got to find different ways to get big plays down the field. So, we've just got to continue to work at it and make sure the guys are playing [and] doing what they're supposed to do to make them effective in the ball game."

(On WR Tez Johnson's progression as a rookie)

"I mean, he's progressed – obviously by force, obviously, and by need. We're playing with two rookie receivers right now, but they don't play like rookies. Tez has been thrown into a lot of things. Offensively, from a route standpoint, it's very complicated to learn all the things that he has to learn, but he's getting very comfortable that way. He's a heck of a competitor, he's not going to turn anything down, and he's really coming into his own, finding his place in this offense."

(On what he wants to see from the team during this challenge portion of the team's schedule)

"I just want to eliminate the mistakes and do the fundamental things right. With a first place schedule, you get it all the time. We welcome it. It's exciting to play. You get to test how good you are every week, but we've got to pull out those ball games and make less mistakes."

(On QB Baker Mayfield's comments about players taking accountability for their mistakes)

"When you're one of the captains of the team, you know what it looks like. You know, we encourage accountability here. We don't pull any wooden nickels out of here. So, we talk about it when we do good and when we do bad and what we need to do better as a team. He spoke and everybody took it the right way. You know, we're not getting on anybody in a bad way, but leadership counts on this team so when certain people talk, you know, everybody takes heat for it. So, I'm perfectly fine with it."

(On the importance of finishing the tackle against a big and elusive player like Josh Allen)

"He's a big guy, like you said, and you've got to wrap him up. Then you've got to try to get him to the ground. Even with you hanging on him, he can still throw the football. So, it's going to be important that we try to rally and get as many people to the ball as possible and not let him out the pocket and try to make it hard for him."

(On S Tykee Smith emerging as a playmaker, and if he's becoming a "chess piece" alongside Antoine Winfield Jr.)

"Yeah, I believe so, because both can blitz, both can cover, both can tackle and both make plays. We have a few chess pieces on defense that we use, but with Tykee and 'Win' (Antoine Winfield Jr.), they get along so well together with the communication and understanding which one is coming and which one is not. They help each other out a great deal. I like the combination of the two."

(On preparing for cold, wet Buffalo weather)

"If you go to Buffalo in November, you're going to get that weather. If you come to Florida in the summer, you're going to get heat. If we're worried about the weather, we're not going to win the ball game. We know we've got to go play."

(On how dynamic RB Bucky Irving is for the offense)

"He's a change-of-pace back. You know, he's a change-of-pace back. I don't know how much he changes us with our front five hurting so that'll be tough, but, he's a different pace. He's a different type of back than Rachaad [White] and Sean [Tucker] obviously, but he gives us some juice – not that they don't, they all give us juice in certain areas, but if we can have some of our starters back, it always helps."

(On if G Luke Haggard was a healthy scratch against New England)

"That was a healthy scratch. He was just getting back and obviously other guys have taken a lot more reps. He'll take a lot more this week."

(On how pleased he was with RT Luke Goedeke's first game back)

"I was very pleased [with] the way he played, the way he fought and battled and [that] he came out okay after the ball game – which was more important than anything else. So, you know, for his first game back, I thought he did a very good job."

(On the rushing attack missing the "explosive runs" of 20+ yards)

"Yeah, but at the same time, we haven't been healthy with all five [offensive linemen] at the same time either. We've been playing with guys in different positions and doing things and we've just got to create runs differently. They might not be the 18-to-20-plus yard runs, but we got to be able to get five and six and seven yards consistently."

(On RB Joshua Williams' six-game suspension)

"I mean, it's unfortunate. You know, a lot of these guys have trainers and probably don't know what they're taking or anything else like that. I don't know what he did or didn't [take]. I know the kid and he's a good young man. He's a very honest young man and forthright and I wish him the best. Obviously, the next man up will be Owen [Wright]. So, Owen [Wright] will probably come up and then we'll go from there and keep it moving."

QUARTERBACK BAKER MAYFIELD

(On how he is feeling physically this week and if injuries have affected his game in the past few weeks)

"It's the middle of the season in the NFL. Nobody feels good, [but] it is not an excuse. As a professional, you do everything you can to try and get as close to 100% and go from there. I only got hit a couple times, no setbacks or anything like that. [I am] looking to stack a couple of weeks like that, personally for me, in a row to be able to continue to improve. As the team gets more healthy, likewise trying to get myself more healthy too."

(On starting the season with a lot of scrambling yards and slowing down in the past few weeks)

"First, I think schematically, starting in Detroit, they started with the spy defense on third downs. [They are] just disciplined in the rush lanes, and for me, not feeling like I was able to get up to full speed scrambling to throw, which is what I try and do every time. Sometimes earlier in the season, the run lanes were there. [I am] looking to throw and as I get healthier, [I am] still trying to take advantage of whatever they're giving me."

(On how it feels to have RB Bucky Irving participating in the walk through on Wednesday)

"Good. [I] had to tell him to slow down a little bit. I know he's fighting to get back. [He is] a guy who loves to be on the football field. We love having him out there, but whenever he's ready, we'll get him in there. He looked good today, but just good to have Bucky [Irving]'s energy out there again and employee No. 7 back on the field."

(On if the offense has been missing explosive runs while RB Bucky Irving has been out)

"Big time. You cannot scheme up a perfect run; defenses get paid too, coaches get paid. It is about everybody, not just the running backs, straining to finish [and] getting that last difference-making block. Whether it's me carrying out my fake, receivers making sure they're fit up on the right shoulder [and] offensive line getting on their track and making sure they get the last touch -- it's everybody. That's talking about the postgame comments about everybody taking accountability, responsibility where we want to go as an offense, the run game is included in that. It doesn't matter, you have to be detail oriented in everything we do, and if guys do that, we'll start to pick up the pieces."

(On what RB Bucky Irving has done to help improve the passing game)

"'Buck' (Bucky Irving), he's just a good athlete. As many times as you can try and get these guys -- the running backs -- the ball in space to make people miss, break a couple of tackles. It can be a simple checkdown that they turn into an explosive play you don't exactly imagine going that way, but it definitely helps you out and sparks the team. Like I said, continuing to get these guys in space. I thought we ran the ball pretty decent against a very tough rush defense. Like I said after the game, you look at what we did well, we were very physical when we ran the ball well and we [have] to continue that and just execute."

(On finding ways to run the football, especially against the Buffalo Bills this upcoming week)

"We [have] to find a way to run the football, especially down in the red zone when it's tough [and] there is not a whole lot of room to spread them out in a pass concept. Good teams always run the ball well, we have to continue to improve in that. Obviously, you guys know, it's been different with the offensive line shuffling around, but I thought guys were on the same page even when Ben [Bredeson] went out after the first drive. To be able to execute like that, looking to just stack that and improve continually."

(On the Buffalo Bills' defense)

"[They are] a very well-coached team. [Head Coach] Sean McDermott is somebody that is one of the best defensive minds in football. [He] knows your tendencies, can really call out plays from the sidelines, can recognize formations, personnel and all of that. He coaches those defensive backs really well on how to show you one look and give you another [and] not giving anything away. They've been dealing with injuries up front, so we know how that goes. [The] secondary as a whole has been playing really well. It starts with the safeties, but also their linebackers have been able to really help out in pass coverage. A lot of it, they are forcing the quarterbacks to get the ball out on time and early sometimes. [They are] just a sound defense, and [when] you go on the road for us, we have to be on the same page [and] communicate well in a great environment. We went up there two years ago, so handle the noise and be able to execute our plan."

(On playing in cold and rainy weather, and if his preparation for the game changes because of it)

"They substitute the balls in and out if they get too wet. As a quarterback, sometimes when the ball is wet, you try and grip it harder... that actually doesn't work. It's not like you're trying to strangle the ball but just get it out. Make sure you have good meshes on the handoffs and stuff like that. That is really the most important part, because once you throw it, it's in the air and it doesn't matter. It's really about whether it's a toss, jet sweep, or handoffs with the running backs, making sure that they get it."

(On his thoughts about the outcome of final offensive drive during the New England Patriots game)
"Much like I hit on after the game: just doing the little things right, routine things. For me, like I mentioned, the play before that, putting the ball on Cade [Otton] so he can actually get the 'YAC' (Yards After Catch) we won't even be in that situation. On the third-and-three, just making sure we sit in the zones and stay firm on certain concepts, also they've seen that concept probably four times before that. The bench cuts open, so you can either hammer it to Cade right now, he's going to get hit or take an extra hitch to throw it to 'Mek' (Emeka Egbuka) on the sideline and move on. The fourth down, we just have to be able to communicate with the pass rush, the defensive front and all that. It's the things we were doing well in the two-minute situations early in the year that were winning us games, we did not execute and did not do that well on Sunday. When you play a team like that, you're going to lose."

(On if his postgame comments on the team missing a "killer instinct" was received well by his teammates, and what the response has been)

"I think it was received. [That was] one of the best walkthrough Wednesdays we've had. Guys are locked in. The thing is, when I say something like that, it's not like all of a sudden, this brand-new idea. Guys know we have to execute, the guys know what our potential is on this offense and this team. The standard is the standard - it's a cliche thing to say. It was a locked-in Wednesday walkthrough and [we are] looking to stack that and have a good practice tomorrow."

(On if this was the right time for him to "speak up")

"There's definitely a time and place for team speeches -- whatever you want to call it -- or calling people out, whatever it is. There is a time and place, and for us offensively, that wasn't up to our standards. Our leaders have to be exceptional in those moments and everybody else has to do their role, their job, whatever that is, at a very high level. That's the NFL; it's professional football. We expect people to do their job at a high level. Nobody is perfect, but when it's things you've consistently seen on tape and we've executed, you expect them to do it well."

(On knowing his body is physically ready to go for football games)

"I can just relate back to 2021 for me. Physically not being able to perform as well as I really wanted to. A lot of times it's that case, but was I hindering myself and the team? Probably. You evaluate that, you go through the week, and you judge it by the end of the week. Are you feeling good enough to go? If not, just making sure the communication is there."

(On his relationship with Bills' QB Josh Allen)
"I have to walky-talky to him because he's so damn tall... So, I can't really have a face-to-face conversation with him. In Buffalo, it's cold and it's rainy, [so] even though he's 6'10", his hands are small, so he better wear his gloves."

WIDE RECEIVER EMEKA EGBUKA

(On QB Baker Mayfield's comment about players needing to be accountable and having a good walkthrough today)

"We don't have too many divas in this locker room who think they're above the law or anything like that. We know everyone has to do their one-eleventh, whoever is on the field. People took great accountability, came in today and had a focused, locked-in session today. [We] just have to continue stacking days throughout the week to fix everything that we need to fix before Sunday's kickoff."

(On what the focus is during a tough three-game stretch of opponents)

"We knew we had a stretch to go through, but that's what NFL football is. Any week, every team has the talent to take out the other team. There is really no opponent that goes overlooked for us. We knew coming out of the Bye, we were just going to have to recenter and refocus. It was good for guys to be able to get healthy and get their bodies right, but now we have to go, and we have to have a great run going into the postseason."

(On if he prepares differently for cold, rainy weather)

"If it is raining, they have wet-weather gloves and stuff like that. If it is colder, slap on some Vaseline, you'll be alright."

(On RB Bucky Irving participating in the walkthrough and what kind of boost he would bring to morale if he is able to play against Buffalo)

"It's amazing. He's a super dynamic person with the ball in his hands. That is always tough for opponents to be able to game plan, but just the energy he brings to the locker room and to the team when he's on the field. He pumps so much confidence through everybody else. Seeing him and how he competes day in and day out, just makes everybody around him better. It has sucked not to have him for however long he's been out, and we are just eager for his return."

(On what he has learned from being one of the main points of opposing teams' defensive game plan)

"It's been amazing for me to be able to experience and learn all of it my rookie year. I think it's helped me to grow faster than I would have had I not seen that early on. It's been really good for me, like you said, I have welcomed the challenge, I accept it. On the biggest stage in the National Football League, that is kind of what you want. You want to be able to test yourself against the best of the best [and] go against the best defensive backs. That is what you want as a competitor, having that competitive nature like that. It's been really fun for me to be able to go through some of those things."

SAFETY TYKEE SMITH

(On getting interceptions in practice and if it helps translate to the games)

"I think it definitely translates. How you practice is how you play. So, I've been trying to get as many picks as possible and hopefully that transferred over to the game."

(On his first interception of the season against the New England Patriots)
"I think 'Nelly' (Anthony Nelson) did a good job of holding my man up for a little bit [as] it allowed me to play free. Once I saw my man release late, I kind of took that route away and as Drake Maye was rolling out, I was following his eyes and felt somebody run behind me."

(On the difficulties in going up against Bills' QB Josh Allen)

"I think they way he uses his legs, I think that plays a big factor. [I am] just trying to contain him and then do as much as possible to eliminate explosive plays, and then being able to stop James Cook."

(On how he weighs the good and bad from the explosive plays given up to the New England Patriots)

"Like I said, I think we just have to get back to the basics and little details. [We are] trying to play mistake-free football, which is impossible, but trying to limit as many mistakes as possible. That's going back to the drawing board. I think this week, we'll get back to that and try to see what hurt us last week and don't let that happen again."

(On taking a big step in development through year two so far)

"I think with that, [it is] just the love of the game. [I am] trying to play 100% each and every play and make my presence felt. I think that is the biggest thing."

-BUCCANEERS-