HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES
(On the New Orleans Saints looking for revenge and Tampa Bay's preparation for the game)
"We're trying to win the division. We can't worry about what they're trying to get to. We're trying to win the division, we're trying to win the ballgame. They're in our way; we're in their way. We're coming in trying to win the game."
(On the status of several injured players)
"Shaq [Barrett] and Carlton [Davis III] will be out, as well as Ko Kieft."
(On if outside linebackers Joe Tryon-Shoyinka or Anthony Nelson will start in Barrett's place)
"They've both got to be ready to play. It depends on the package."
(On if the Buccaneers might elevate an outside linebacker this weekend)
"We usually get by with four, so five is a luxury and six is a bonus."
(On if the message to the team has changed at all given their position in the standings)
"[It] hasn't changed. It hasn't changed. We knew we had to correct some mistakes. The message has been the same, and we're going to keep it the same. Everything we're doing right now is fine, we've just got to keep doing it."
(On QB Baker Mayfield's influence on the team's mentality)
"It's been his consistency since he's [been] here – his work ethic, his maturity [in] getting along the with the other players. Obviously, they see his fire and everything on the field, but him being consistent and the same guy every day and a guy they can talk to on and off the field makes it even better."
(On if S Antoine Winfield Jr. should be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year and if OLB Yaya Diaby should be in the conversation for Defensive Rookie of the Year)
"I haven't looked at everybody else's stats, but I know for us, they've had a heck of a year. We're happy to have them on our team. I think they'll take the bigger trophy over each [player] of the year honor."
(On what this year's division title would mean)
"It would mean a lot. It would be huge for the young guys to get it; it would be huge for the guys to get it that were here because everybody counted them out. I think it'd be huge for the coaches because they're working their tails off and it would be huge for the city because all year, they heard we wouldn't win one-two-three-four games. To have that title, I think everybody would have some sort of satisfaction."
(On how the challenging parts of the season have galvanized the team)
"You're going to face some rough times and some adversity every season. It's a matter of how you handle it and how you come together as a unit. That's coming together in training camp, that's coming together in spring. These guys understand that they had to correct some mistakes they made as a unit. The older guys have held everything together and it's helped us get to this point."
(On how proud he is of the team)
"We're proud of them all the time. We make our own mistakes, but we can correct them, too, and they've done that."
-BUCCANEERS-
