OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOSH GRIZZARD

(On why the Buccaneers put a priority on running the ball in Week 16 vs. Carolina)

"With any game plan, we game plan the run game before we do the pass game, and it starts with that. We want to be able to run the ball every week to establish it and then, in the game, adjust as needed depending on if the runs are hitting or if the passes are hitting. Versus that particular opponent, when teams were able to earn the right to run the ball 30 times – which we talk about, when you run it that much, you've earned the right to do that through efficient runs, getting a hat on a hat, it really takes all 11 [players]…So we went in with the goal to do that because of their record when you're able to get that done. We essentially played that game how we wanted to play that game, and we just didn't make enough plays in certain moments to ultimately come out with the win."

(On comparing the game plan to last season's approach against Carolina)

"You can look at it one of two ways – coming out throwing, coming out running, seeing how those are hitting. I think it's tough to compare it to last season, just the nature of it [being] a complete year ago with who we had out there and who they had out there, but you can also look at it like that. Do you come out throwing and then you run it to be able to play off of that? When it comes to the runs, we were looking to establish it early. I think we did a good job of that on the road, in a good environment, in a rival game with a lot on the line – to be able to run it 30 times for something like 170 yards. We had about 10 minutes in time of possession in terms of controlling the game. Ultimately, we played the game how we wanted to play it. There were definitely opportunities to push the ball down the field more and get it to the playmakers, but we just didn't make enough plays there."

(On the lack of explosive plays against Carolina)

"Part of it was we can't shoot ourselves in the foot on some of those second downs that turned into second-and-15, which is a tough down, which then makes third-and-15, to be able to hit some of those shots on early downs. I've also got to call a couple more of them, as well, to put pressure on them – like a couple of plays like the Atlanta game – to put the pressure on the defense and get it to the playmakers to create those explosives. Even though we do want to control the clock and we do want to win the time of possession, we can also have some shorter drives to eliminate some of those errors."

(On WR Emeka Egbuka's limited targets in Week 16 outside of his one catch for 40 yards)

"It wasn't necessarily what they were doing as much as if the first read was open and it didn't get to his side of the field. On that particular play, he was really the third read in the way they played the coverage. Mike [Evans] was covered, Chris [Godwin Jr.] was covered, and the coverage structure allowed 'Mek' (Emeka Egbuka) to get behind them. It wasn't necessarily as much of a double-team element to it like we've seen from some teams in the past, but we've definitely got to try to get the ball to 'Mek' earlier in the game and keep him involved."

(On going with the hot hand in the run game)

"It's definitely week to week, and I think we can adjust that in-game. Rachaad [White] had a big run up the sideline there and a couple more where we didn't really go forward on the plays. Ultimately, being able to get it to all these guys – especially in a game where you're trying to establish the run and run it to that amount – is to keep them fresh. That way, one guy goes in, the next guy goes in, ultimately to spread it around and using their abilities in different ways."

(On if the desire to win the time of possession is to "protect the defense")

"It's definitely not to protect the defense. It's more of, if we know if we're controlling the ball then of course [their offense is] not out there. If you're able to put together drives, of course it does eat up time where we know we have the ball but, never on that side of it. Like I said, there are still opportunities to throw it, as well, to have some of those drivers shorter. Ultimately, when you win the time of possession, it helps."

(On facing Miami's defense)

"They're a good outfit. You can see a similar structure to some of the teams we've played this year with 'Weav' (Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver) coming from Baltimore. It goes back to that line of defense that we saw from Coach [Mike] MacDonald in Seattle. They've got playmakers. [Jordyn] Brooks is leading the league in tackles – it's not easy to do that, at the end of the day, to be able to be around the football that often. You see Jack Jones making plays – he's really around the ball, as well. Up the middle, being with [Zach] Sieler for those many years in Miami, he really makes the thing go on when you talk about strain and finish, and he really hangs his hat on that. They've got guys at every level of the defense. We'll see if Minkah [Fitzpatrick] plays but Minkah is a hell of a player – able to play corner, safety, nickel – you can see his speed out there. It's a good team."

(On his return to Miami and Mike McDaniel's influence on his coaching career)

"I started there in 2017, so it was only two years with Mike, but I've said it in here a bunch – I would not be in this position that I'm in without Mike. There was essentially a new coordinator every year in Miami, there were coaches getting fired essentially every year. It's a new system and you see a lot of different ways of calling plays, designing offenses, route running, YAC (yards after catch) ability, marrying the run and pass game. Listening to Mike explain that and the staff that he brought in and the system he had, personally brought all that together. That was something that we really leaned on last year with Liam [Coen], trying to incorporate that here. I would not be in this position without Mike McDaniel."

(On the team's offensive identity, and if he wants to get the ball in the top four wide receivers' hands more often than not)

"We still look at it as being balanced – being able to establish the run and have that play off of it – because when you can be balanced, it puts pressure on the defense to be able to throw it or run it. You can't get too happy in this league, especially when you're going against premier interior defensive linemen like [No.] 95 (Derrick Brown). There's a balance that you play in that game of how much can you throw it and how much can you run it? It's really every week on do we want to exploit a matchup on the perimeter like we did versus Atlanta versus a backup corner? But not doing that too much, because you can't just drop back all the time – I think we saw that happen a little bit in Detroit. I learned a lesson on that one in terms of doing it too much. There's a balance. We've got a ton of playmakers on the perimeter, as well as the running backs and tight ends. Ultimately, we've got to be able to get them all the ball."

(On the team not having their original starting interior offensive line and if that affects the game planning)

"It's the interior line but it goes with every position. If we feel like, going into that week, can we take advantage of their side of it or is there something on our side of it where we need to be cognizant of a Chase Young or a Will Anderson or somebody that's coming off the edge to be able to protect it? It's not really the o-line as much as it is everybody and seeing where our advantages are…We always talk about protection first. Protection really trumps everything when it comes to the pass game plan."

(On maintaining confidence during a losing stretch)

"As much as it's not fun to lose, we know we're in a position where last week, we needed to beat Carolina and Miami, and now we've got to beat Miami and Carolina. We're not really concerned with Carolina because these are the next guys that are on the schedule and it's a big game and it's going to be a fun game in that environment…When you come out to practice on a Wednesday or a Thursday or whatever day it is – Merry Christmas, by the way – you don't really feel the loss from the last week because you're going through the next portion of the game plan. The juice is up. Everything we want is right there. We can't just keep saying it – we've got to get it done – but these guys have got a lot of juice, there's a lot of veteran leadership on this team. We're ready to rock."

(On QB Baker Mayfield's recent interceptions)

"It's different things. Sometimes it can be the protection. The one from the game was unfortunate – I feel like 'Bake' (Baker Mayfield) was about to scramble, he's throwing it to Mike [Evans], there's a defender right there…When people talk about, 'The ball bouncing the wrong way,' the ball bounced the wrong way. There's not much of a coaching point when it comes to that side of it to get it done. [It is] unfortunate but we still have to let it rip."

(On if the interception in Week 16 was a miscommunication between QB Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans)

"I wouldn't even say a miscommunication as much as it is a split second where, is Mike [Evans] going this way? Mike sees him go here, is he going back to the field? 'Bake' (Baker Mayfield) might not see that he's there. There's not a real coaching point on it…It could have turned into a scramble play [with] how Mike saw it, and then 'Bake' is still in the pocket throwing it…The ball bounced the wrong way on that one."

(On WR Chris Godwin Jr.'s utilization)

"I think we can find him on a couple more routes down the field. What Chris has done an unbelievable job [on], especially in that game, being on the road and having a north-of-50-percent conversion rate on third down…A lot of that came from Chris Godwin. On these routes that might not look great on the stat sheet that it's a five- or six-yard completion, but the one he had in the low red [zone] area and the timing that Baker [Mayfield] had to put that on him to be able to extend that drive…I think we were on the 10- or 15-yard line. That's really what embodies Chris – being in the right spot versus zones and getting it done. He had another good one going back the other way where he's able to double up the nickel, get a conversion, that ends up leading to points. Chris does a great job for us on third downs and I think we can get him more involved on some of the early downs and pushing it past the sticks a little bit."

(On if it's a matter of time for the offense to reach its full potential now that the skill positions are fully healthy)

"I do. I have the utmost confidence. I think you've seen that. I know we didn't win the game last week, but you started to see that a little bit in Atlanta [and] you see the run game last week. Being able to get both of those things going allows us to be a really good offense to put pressure on them on whether we're throwing it or running it. This will really be the third week of that from the season where we're in that spot, and we've got a lot of confidence going into the game."

RUN GAME COORDINATOR/OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH LARRY FOOTE

(On if his opinion of a team changes based on what the result was of their game the week prior)

No, we don't pay attention to that. You can win [or] lose [on] any given Sunday as you guys know. [From] my experience, I don't pay attention to it."

(On OLB Haason Reddick's 2025 statistics)

"Coming into the season, I thought his sack numbers would be higher. He did a lot of good things for us early on; the injury set him back. There's a lot of pressures, if you guys [are] looking at PFF, he has a lot of pressures and stuff like that. Sacks can be up and down. I know it sucks for him -- it's frustrating for him, being a free agent and we got him, but there's two games left and let's make a run in these playoffs. But yes, I thought his sack numbers would be higher, but he has a lot of pressures."

(On what he saw from OLB Jason Pierre-Paul's limited snaps against the Panthers)
"He is going to get more snaps this week. Last week, I thought he had a great week of practice. I've been getting on him because he fell down a couple times throughout those 12 snaps, so [we] had him on the sled today, make sure he gets those football legs back. I've been having a little fun with him in the meeting room, he did trip over the one guy's foot, but he [has] to get into football shape."

(On the difficulty of drafting and developing an edge rusher)
"Well that position, people don't pay attention to, it takes years to learn how to rush in this league. It takes years, you [have] to have instincts, people don't really talk about that, you [have] to have a feel -- a natural feel -- a savviness. Using Yaya [Diaby] for example, and I'm starting to point out [to him], there's a skillset of just a knack to getting the quarterback down. There's [been] too many times this season where he almost had him and didn't get him. Some guys are born with that, but he [has] to develop that, he [must] keep his feet, just little stuff -- technique, don't fall down. A lot of guys, when you're making tackles, your legs and your feet go dead and the guy's going to run away from you. He [has] to do a better job getting the quarterback down. At that position, you [have] to learn how to rush. I come from a 3-4 system back in my day playing in Pittsburgh, and those guys don't just get off the bus rushing and being a dominant pass rusher, some guys develop, some guys don't, but you [have] to have your motor, control that and be effective someway, somehow."

(On what OLB Yaya Diaby needs to develop in order to sack the quarterback more)
"[He needs] to keep his feet. Make them try to keep your feet, take one more step and at the end of the day, get the quarterback down. I'm quite sure -- I am speaking for all of our fanbase -- get the quarterback down."

(On Dolphins' QB Quinn Ewers)

"He's got an arm sitting in the pocket. Arm strength, he wasn't moving like [Bryce Young], obviously, but he's going to be better than week one. They [have] weapons; I pointed that out -- and that game got away from them fast in the third quarter, [they] had a lot of turnovers. I pointed that out to my guys like, 'Don't look at that score,' like you mentioned earlier. Don't look at that score, don't look at that he's a rookie quarterback, [you have] to look at these weapons and you [have] to win your one-on-one battle."

(On the challenges the Dolphins' offense brings)
"A lot of speed. A lot of speed is scary. To our advantage, it's similar to San Francisco, we know that [Head Coach Mike McDaniel] comes from that tree. A lot of perimeter runs, they'll mess with your eyes, everybody in the league knows it and that's a lot of speed, so you better be where you're supposed to be or it will be a home run."

(On how the defense can counter Miami's use of a lot of pre-snap motion)
"Just do your responsibility. You [have] to adjust, you [have] to move. They shift, they jet motion, so they're trying to create leverage, and everybody knows it. You [have] to do it every play. It reminds me of growing up and watching Barry Sanders [with] negative [play], negative [play], then all of a sudden a home run, so guys [have] to do their job play-in and play-out."

(On what makes Dolphins' RB De'Von Achane so dangerous)
"4.3 speed. [On] our tape, it looks like it's faster than that. He's a natural runner, he can float, reminds me a lot like [James] Cook [III], he can just glide when he's running through there -- looks like it's effortless, but he's pulling away from everybody. If you watch him, it's his speed."

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