OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DAVE CANALES

(On 37 points not being enough)

"[You] love the progress, right? [You] love to have that spark. We were all sitting in here having the same conversations for weeks, trying to get something going. I was really excited for the guys. Another great end-of-game finish for the group – I love that part of it. Yes, 37 points, but you guys saw it – we came out of the half and they had an answer for the stuff we were doing. They made it hard on us and we were punting the ball. We were putting our defense back out there a lot in the second half. That's where I've got to get better learning and taking those lessons of, 'Okay, hey, we're playing with a lead here. They've been drawing up all these things that worked in the first half, take the next step and try and protect those things instead of going back to them.' In my heart of hearts, I'd love to just run it and run them out of the stadium and go away with a win right there. That's where I can get better there."

(On if he contributes to clock management when the offense is on the field or if it's handled by someone else)

"We're all kind of talking. For me, I've got to be thinking, what's the next sequence of plays? What do they call in this different scenario? I'm really focused on that. I do have a lot of experience being that clock management person, in Seattle. I was trained by a veteran coach – 'Tater' (Carl Smith). He's excellent at that – really fast with responses. I kind of have those things. The improvement for me was – talking about the Atlanta game – maybe pop a run at the end. We talked about that in here. We hit a nice run there towards the end of the drive that forced them to use a timeout. We got into that really weird situation with the fumble play that just put us in a hard spot. Even in that situation there, I'm like, 'Where's the ball doing to be? What hash is it on? Here's the next couple of plays.' I have to be focused there. [Head] Coach [Todd Bowles] does a good job of just using all the information he has to make decisions."

(On what allowed TE Cade Otton to produce two touchdowns on Sunday, and the need for a third receiving target behind wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin)

"I think the intent, of course. The, 'Let's talk about it – let's get Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] the ball and find more creative ways to move them into spots where they can't deploy an extra defender to take those guys away.' What we saw was Trey [Palmer] on the play he fumbled, they put a lot of attention on Chris – here comes Trey ripping in. The checkdowns to Rachaad [White], the checkdowns to Cade. Getting Cade one-on-one in different situations – those are the things I've been hoping would happen as teams divert their attention to where Chris [Godwin] and Mike [Evans] are at to allow these other guys to make plays for us. Of course, Baker [Mayfield] is learning how to connect with them. That came to life for us pretty [well] in this game."

(On RB Rachaad White bringing in his last 20 targets)

"That speaks to the versatility, right? The player that I knew – that we knew – we had in Rachaad as we get this run game going. You see the different styles of runs he has success on. He's a patient runner, he's got good vision. In general, just our mid-zone schemes coming together – hitting the combo [blocks] right, which we saw early. Again, in the second half, they really started running at us and making it hard. But yeah, just finding different ways to get Rachaad the ball. What types of runs? What types of passes? Is it a screen? Is it just the checkdowns where we get him in space? Making him a part of the progression like we had early on in the redzone. He's really been helping us in that regard."

(On his assessment of the team's physicality as they prepare to play the Tennessee Titans)

"I would say, again, are they where I exactly want them to be right now? No. I would say that since the Buffalo game…I can't come up here and tell you we're getting the 150-yard rushing day results, but what I am seeing is running backs running harder, offensive linemen finishing the blocks [and] using their hands the whole time, tight ends chopping on the backside [and] on the front side…The receivers, even Trey [Palmer] and some of his holdings are really aggressive penalties. We're heading in the right direction, but I think until people regard us as a physical unit – that's the litmus test. Are we making them play heavier loaded boxes? We saw a little bit more of that balance in the Houston game as the run game got going – we started seeing a little bit more safety down, we were able to take advantage of some shots down the field. [There were] a couple to Mike [Evans] and some others that were near misses. But, yes, I would love to keep trending in that direction and make that be part of our personality of how we play."

(On the impact of OL Aaron Stinnie's play over the last few weeks)

"Stinnie did a fantastic job. I don't want to go into the specifics of what we're going to do this week knowing [Matt] Feiler is getting back to his health. In general, we don't like to say a guy loses his job due to injury, but it's a really hard decision for us right now because of how well Stinnie has played, and Matt was playing pretty [well] before that, too. I don't want to give too much more information other than that. We have two good options there at left guard."

(On RB Rachaad White's improved production over the last few weeks)

"It's a growth thing. It's not just Rachaad, it's the whole thing. It's all of us. It's me – as a first-time coordinator involved in the run game, it's the run game pod building great runs that allow us to see what's happening and gather information. Then, it's the guys up front getting that muscle memory of striking the combo [blocks] the right way, and yes, Rachaad pressing it and reading the runs the way we want him to. The whole thing is improving, just like the way we would like to see it."

(On QB Baker Mayfield's go-ahead scoring drive with less than two minutes remaining in the game against the Texans)

"He's a fighter. He's a heavyweight fighter. He was 70% completion on the day, which was great. I think that a couple of the weeks before that, we had kind of gone down a little bit in our completion percentage. The way I see Baker and just his mentality and the way that you've seen him – his passion and the way he emotes when he's out there. It's like he can't wait to knock you out. [If] you put your gloves down, he's going to try to knock you out. He looks for those opportunities. We've hit some, we've missed some. When we get into those end-of-half, end-of-game situations, it just fits the nature of who he is. He loves the chaos, he loves the fight, he loves it to be messy – especially if the defense starts chirping at him. It really does something to him where it brings him into just a style of play that he likes. I couldn't ask for better production out of him in end-of-game, end-of-half situations."

(On the go-ahead touchdown to TE Cade Otton towards the end of the game)

"I don't want to give too much…We were looking for the one-on-one matchup and we felt like Cade was a good matchup against their MIKE linebacker. They gave a lot of attention to Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] on the left, they gave a lot of attention to Trey [Palmer] on the right side, and there you go. You're staring at a one-on-one matchup. It was a really timely, accurate throw. It was a finishing catch, which is a thing that we've really just been missing – that rhythmic passing where guys know exactly what's going to happen. That's my high hope for this group – that all of the plays become that. It's like, 'When we call this play whether it's third down, redzone, first or second down, it's this defense [and] the ball goes right here. Or, it's this front, the ball is probably going to go here, here, or there.' [If] we start to anticipate that, we'll see faster play [and] we'll see tougher play. We'll see more aggressive play from a group that's really confident and sure of themselves. We're incremental in getting better at that every week and hopefully we can build on that again."

(On if Head Coach Todd Bowles has been the same during the team's losing streak)

"The thing that I appreciate about [Head] Coach [Todd Bowles] and the thing that I'm grateful for [in] my first time being a coordinator, is being with a leader who just stays the same. He makes it about the football. He doesn't get into any side stories or ulterior motives, he just says, 'Guys, let's just look at the things that failed in the game – let's improve these things and move forward.' So nobody has to carry any extra baggage for any other thing. It's just do what you're asked to do, do what you know how to do, execute it at a high level, play hard. That's the one thing he keeps telling the guys, like, 'I can't knock you guys for the effort you're giving in this four-game streak right now. I can't knock you for the effort. But, if we can get tighter on our fundamentals, we'll see what we can become.' His consistency, for me, even on the sidelines in those situations – calmly telling me, 'I'm thinking this, if this happens,' right before it goes. 'Hey, if we do this, we're in two-point,' and kind of communicating those things very steadily and calmly to me. That's really helpful for me, so I kind of follow his lead there."

(On how he coaches players to get past a poor performance)

"For me, when you're in those situations, you feel like your back is against the wall and the only thing you can do is fight. But, you've got to be fighting something. Giving them something tangible – giving myself something tangible – that I can push up against. Like, the old image of pushing against a rope – that's like focusing on things you can't control. But if you can give them something tangible – like this podium here, something heavy that I can press against, it's always: my first step, my alignment, my assignment, finish to the ball, look the ball all the way in, put the ball away tight. It's the simplest things. I'll give Richard Sherman some [credit] because he always played so well in the critical moments, so [Seattle Seahawks Head Coach] Pete Carroll asked him in a team meeting one time, 'Talk to us Richard, especially the young guys, about what it's like in these primetime games and all that stuff.' He's like, 'The bigger the moment, the smaller my focus. I'm just focusing on that first kick, punching my hands up.' I can't remember the exact techniques that he was talking about, but he was talking about the most basic, fundamental part of his play, and then just finish the play like you know how. He said that always settled him. It's the same approach, I think, in these moments. 'All that being said, guys, let's look right here. We've got to target this run properly. Hey, we've got to get 12 yards on this route.' Now they've got something they can sink their teeth into and really push up against and fight against and it snaps them out of that – that's what I've seen."

(On QB Baker Mayfield performing better on the road than at home to begin the year)

"I don't know. He's been an aggressive guy on the road. I think there's been a couple [throws] that got away from the defense on the road. Some of the [interceptions] at home that he could help…I don't know exactly how to answer, but all I do know is he's been very conscious of being on time and getting that ball out in that 2.7 [seconds] that we like – unless we're taking a shot. He's been making really wise decisions and he's playing [at] a great level of football. As the rest of our offensive unit with the run game and the pass game continues to grow, he's playing the right kind of football that wins games. Think about playoff games, you think about championship games at the end of the season, those games are tight. They're always tight. Whether it's a shootout or whether it's a 13-9 game, they're always tight and it's the team that takes care of the ball that wins those games. He's playing the right kind of ball."

(On where he's seen the most progress from WR Trey Palmer)

"The first comment for Trey is this is an upbeat guy. He approaches every day… He genuinely loves football. He loves being on the grass, he loves being around the guys. He's always joking around with the guys and keeping it light. He's got a great mentality and great energy. Where I've seen him grow is the details of the pass game [and] the details of his footwork, because he plays some inside and some outside. I think he's a real weapon for us as we continue to learn his body type, his speed, the angles he sets. Baker [Mayfield] and him are working a lot on talking about those things. He's applying himself the right way. I love where he's headed."

(On going up against a veteran coach like Titans HC Mike Vrabel)

"Every week, I'm outmatched by experience by these play-callers. I feel it, too, at times. I think I've got them dead to rights [and] they change it. Or, they're doing this or that to what we're showing. Here's another great defensive mind and he's got his guys playing the right mentality. They run and they hit. Azeez Al-Shaair – I saw him in San Francisco – what a great add to this defense. He's a fantastic player. Of course, you've got to deal with [Jeffery] Simmons up front. Just their scheme in general, they don't do a lot, but what they do…They're all communicating and talking and it morphs as you change formations. They play their leverages well. It's going to be another great challenge for us, like the Houston game. They're going to be exactly where you know they're supposed to be. Can we be exactly where we're supposed to be and execute our blocks and throw on time based on the different style of defenses they play us?

(On how to balance the critique and the praise when you're coaching players during a losing streak)

"I think just building on the things that I'm selling to my guys and not selling things that aren't true. Getting the fundamental play the right way, getting the run-game mentality, so I can really pile on and say, 'See what happens when we do this?' Running the right routes in critical places in the redzone, crisply. There was some really good football played. Then I get to praise that part of it. But, we want to win. So, my brain goes to, 'Okay, I'm encouraged…I'll take whatever positives we can get at this point, but at the same time, I see a second half that started off really slow. I just wonder if we couldn't have scored 49 and ran away with this win instead of patting ourselves on the back for 37 points that didn't end up in a win. There is that balance, to kind of say, 'What would have happened if we would have just been rhythmic on a couple drives?' Our defense is fresher at the end, we could put up a few more points earlier in the half to play a different style of ball there. It's back-and-forth on that one. It is a challenge."

PASS GAME COORDINATOR/INSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH LARRY FOOTE

(On how tough last week's loss was to get over)

"It's tough. I've been in this league 20-plus years, and you're going to be in some of those games. You're going to be on the other side of it, sometimes. Personally, I've been that guy who was called out or messed up – I've been on both sides. My message to those guys [was to] respond. This league is about responding. If you play long enough, sometimes that bear is going to get you and sometimes you're going to get it."

(On if he likes how the team has responded so far this week)

"Absolutely. Guys are coming together. It's a tough loss. Everybody had to take ownership in it. Any time you give up 39 points, everybody had a hand in it. Those guys know that. We've got to pick each other up. It's the halfway point right now. We've got to respond."

(On how surprising last week's defensive performance was)

"When that happens, everyone has to look at themselves individually. It's a gut punch. Guys have got to respond and it's the defensive guys that hurt. That hurts. We learn from it. We're getting better and we've moved on and we're ready to go."

(On if he remembers his worst game)

"Oh yeah. I've got a couple of them…

(On how he gets over his poor performances)

"I'd like to think of myself as a manly man, but when I've been in those situations, I need somebody to pick me up. That's a tough game. This league will humble you. The main thing is you've got to respond. Those guys deal with adversity just through life. If you get to this point, you've been through some ups and downs. As coaches and mentors, I expect those guys to have each other's back and respond. Everybody is going to have that day."

(On the worst game he ever played)

"My rookie year, I got benched. It was back-and-forth, sort of like last week. We finally grabbed the lead and I went over the top, misfit a run and Deuce McAllister ran about 70 yards. Back in those days, it was a little more brutal because all the veterans were on the sideline saying, 'Get Foote out of the game' right in front of me – not behind my back. Right in front of me. It was rough. You've got to respond. Even when I was a vet, I had bad games and gave up key plays. They kick a field goal and we're walking to the locker room, but that's the NFL."

(On his assessment of how the inside linebackers have played this season)

"They're alright. We're 3-5. If we're 3-5 and you're a middle linebacker, you've got to be on the other side. They're playing solid. I know Devin [White] was, earlier in the season, dealing with a little injury. But, they're playing solid. It's the halfway point. I like to evaluate at the end of the whole body of work, but I'm pleased."

(On the defense not affecting the opposing quarterback enough)

"On defense, especially if you're a pass rusher or a front-seven guy, you don't want to have the quarterback having five or six seconds. That happens sometimes – sometimes you get chipped and sometimes you don't have it like you want to have it. If you give 39 points up, everybody has got a role in it. You always start there – you want more pressure on the quarterback. We all know this is a throwing league, and that's why those guys get paid big bucks, but we've got to get pressure on the quarterback."

(On facing Tennessee Titans QB Will Levis)

"Twenty years ago, when you see a rookie quarterback, you're licking your chops. I think from little league, seven-on-seven, high school – these quarterbacks can pass the ball. It [was] not like that 20 years ago. There's so much passing – we [saw] that last week, that guy did not look like a rookie. It's the same way with [Levis] watching him on tape – he knows what to do with the ball. He's got a strong arm and he lit a little fire since becoming the starter with the Titans. It's going to be a big challenge. Those days are long gone. If you're a quarterback in this league, starting, you're dangerous."

(On Titans RB Derrick Henry)

"First and foremost, I'm glad me and you [aren't] out there playing for the Buccaneers, I'll tell you that. Good luck to those guys. That type of challenge – more hats to the ball. The guys are going to embrace it, they're going to love it. Those guys are excited. That's a big challenge, a big man – they should be geeked up for it. We need some Epsom salt and ice baths after the game, but that's what makes football fun. It's a big challenge for us."

(On Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins)

"Him and the young quarterback, they have good rapport together. He's one of the best wide receivers of the last decade in this league. [It is] a big challenge. He's savvy, he's a big guy. He's getting a lot of targets. It's going to be a big challenge for our guys and those guys are up for it. You want those matchups."

LINEBACKER DEVIN WHITE

(On Titans QB Will Levis)

"We [don't have] much tape of him, but from the tape we do have, he is managing things well and getting the ball out of his hands. Hopefully we can rattle him."

(On the feeling of the loss to the Texans)

"It was very heartbreaking to lose in that fashion. I don't think I've ever lost in that fashion ever in my life. Being on the defensive side, we let those guys down because we had the opportunity to close it out. That's what we want, and we didn't come through. It was just little minor mental mistakes – we can't breakdown at the end of the games. We've got to be masters of those situations and we didn't get it done. That's really hard, especially when it's on my side of the ball because try to work on all the fundamental things and do the little things right [but] we messed up. It was very heartbreaking."

(On the physicality of the defense heading into the game against the Titans)

"We definitely need to be even more physical. I think we do a great job stopping the run, so knowing that we've got a running team coming in, we've got to put more emphasis on it to [not] let those guys get going. Try to make them one-dimensional and go away from the run. Make them have to pass the ball to beat us. Let's pin our ears back and get after them and try to get a lot of takeaways – that's been the focus all week is to get takeaways for the offense."

(On preparing for Titans RB Derrick Henry)

"Just bring your lunch. You've got to be hungry; you've got to be attacking him. Get him before he gets you – that's the mentality you've got to have. You want to make every tackle, you want to pad your stats, so that is a great opportunity to do it. You know he is getting the ball so go get him."

LEFT TACKLE TRISTAN WIRFS

(On if it will feel good to be back at home this weekend)

"Yeah, absolutely. We know the fans always come out and support us and get loud for us. It's going to be huge. It's going to be a big ballgame. Hopefully this heat stays, too, and hopefully they don't really like that, either."

(On how he moves past making mistakes on the field)

"I get pissed if I give anything up, but you've just got to flush it. I talk to Luke [Goedeke] about it all the time – you've just got to flush any sort of bad play. [Offensive line] Coach Joe [Gilbert] told me my rookie year because I was getting super flustered about plays – Shaq [Barrett] would beat me or 'J.P.P' (Jason Pierre-Paul) would beat me and I'd be sitting there thinking about it and he'd be like, 'Dude, there is nothing you can do to get that play back. It's gone. You've got to move on.' Keeping that mentality and that mindset throughout the whole time… It's really easy to say, really hard to do, but just trying your best to flush it and know you're never going to get it back. There's nothing you can do about it but let it go."

(On the uptick in penalties over the last few weeks and how to prevent them)

"Just focusing on the details, paying attention to the little things and knowing that when we're in a loud environment, you've got to be dialed into the snap count. That's on me, especially in a big situation like that. Thank goodness we scored when we did, or else I would have felt like a real [jerk]. It is really just focusing on the details. As generic of answer as that is, that's all you can do for penalties."

(On trying to focus on the positives of his play during a losing streak)

"You can try to. I think you can definitely try to. That's usually the next day or after the game when you're watching film and you're like, 'Okay, I did this [well],' but you're still going to see the bad one you did, like, 'Oh, there it is.' I just try my best just to put it out of my head until we watch film together and you're like, 'Okay, what can I do to fix it?' In the moment, I might be flustered, but just doing what I can to forget about it in the moment because it's going to snowball and then that's [not good for anybody]."

(On if last Sunday's loss was harder to get over because the offense put up 37 points)

"I wouldn't say harder. It was tough. It was tough. It did suck. We got stuff clicking, but the defense had our backs for how many weeks? Holding people to 17 points or 20 points and we didn't show up. It's complementary football all the time – all three phases. We did better – the offense did some good things and the defense struggled a little bit, but they had our backs for five weeks. You can't be more or less upset. It stings, it still does, but we've got nine [games] left. We've got to keep moving."

(On how he's handled the losing streak)

"I'm just trying to come to work with the same mentality every day. I tell guys all the time, there are two things you can control: your attitude and your effort. Everyone comes out to the practice field with a good attitude. It's never an effort thing for us, so it's just your attitude. Things are going to get moving in the right direction. My wrestling coach told me that a long time ago – attitude and effort are two things you can control. That's what I try and do, that's what I try and tell the guys. I think everyone comes to work every day ready to work."

-BUCCANEERS-