OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOSH GRIZZARD

(On capitalizing off Tampa Bay's defensive takeaways)

"We need to be able to do that to play complementary football. I'd say it's getting off on the right start on some of the first-down calls, the early-down calls, to ultimately get another explosive [play]. That way, those drives continue and turn into seven points and not three like it has the last couple weeks. Really, on that side, it's the execution on the first- and second-down part to keep those drives going to play complementary ball – that's what it's all about. They get it from the defense, get it [to] the offense, we score and give it back to them."

(On his assessment of T Ben Chukwuma's first NFL start)

"He did a good job. There [are] definitely things that – from a rookie's perspective in his first start in the NFL, he wants to clean up – but from an effort and mentality and how he approached it going into it was really good to see from his end of it with not having played much and now he's starting. To your point, that whole game, he was going to go against Chase Young, which is a tall task – and that guy is having a hell of a year. I think he did a good job. I think he's able to build off of that, and we told him going in, 'Once the ball's snapped it doesn't matter that he was a first-round pick and second overall or whatever he was and you're undrafted, he's got to get off the block and you've got to block him.' So it comes down to mano a mano, and I thought he met the challenge and played really physical."

(On what contributed to Tampa Bay's struggles throwing the ball in the second half against the Saints)

"You said it – the conditions [were] what they were in terms of us playing in it, those guys playing in it…We weren't able to connect on some of them. I can give [Baker Mayfield] better play calls on some of those to try to get more into a rhythm, be able to take some of the conditions into play to help him out a little bit when it comes to that. We started off fast there and then ultimately, we've got to build to continue that. We talk about that killer mentality of once we get the seven [points], we've got to be able to get that every drive. There's definitely something I can help him with when it comes to that."

(On QB Baker Mayfield's stats over the last month)

"When it comes to that side of it, I think it's ultimately all 11 [players]. I think what he's done a good job of – no matter who's in there – is being on the same page and trying to get these guys in the right order in terms of a walk-through rep or practice rep to go out there and compete. A couple of those interceptions were not on him – not throwing anybody under the bus on that – but it kind of is what it is on that side of it. I thought he's done a hell of a job the whole year being able to adjust his game to who's in there, whether it's up front, the [running] backs, the [wide] receivers, the tight ends. Ultimately, it's not good enough as a unit – that doesn't just fall on his shoulders. I can always help him out with that, the rest of the guys on the field can help him with that. Looking forward, this week is another great opportunity versus Atlanta to get back on track and flush last game. There's nothing better than playing on a Thursday to get back on the right side of that win-loss column."

(On how the team can improve their struggles on third down)

"You don't want to be in third-and-longs. If you're not efficient or we had a couple games where we'd cleaned up some penalties…Those were not good to see – some false starts that put you in first-and-15, and now you're trying to get half of that back to get to a manageable third down. I think that's part of it. I think, when it comes to the protection side of it and being on the same page, I know there's things that 'Bake' (Baker Mayfield) would want to get back in terms of a throw. I know there are definitely some play calls I'd want back to put these guys in a better position on a scheme that might work better versus that front. There are different things in the route details [too]. Ultimately, when it comes to that, it's really all 11 [players], and it starts with me on being able to convert those. When we do, we continue the drives, we put together good drives and go get seven [points]; when we don't, it ends up in a bad result. It's definitely something we need to be able to do. When we've won, we've done a good job of that. In some of the losses, we've done a poor job."

(On how to get RB Bucky Irving going earlier in games)

"Get him into space more – get some things he has a better feel for. A lot like we're talking about on some of those interceptions, it's not on 'Buck' (Bucky Irving) on some of those where it wasn't blocked up properly and needs to be better executed on that end of it. When you have runs that go for minus-five or minus-eight, on the stat sheet it looks like his end of it where it's not on him if we didn't block it properly or get the thing run in the right direction. That's part of it. But, getting him going, and once he gets off that, you guys feel the energy he has when it comes to being able to get it to him more, getting into that rhythm, and going from there."

(On how he goes about improving WR Emeka Egbuka's confidence after his recent slowdown in production)

"I don't even think it's really confidence – he's a very confident guy. What we've asked him to do [as a] rookie gets taken for granted a lot – even from the coaching staff. It's not easy to do what he's done on playing all three positions. He's a guy that came in here from day one and has prepared the right way. He's played all three spots. He's won games for us. We have all the confidence in the world in him. We're going to try to get it to him early, often, with the game on the line – which he's proven he can do. No one's more upset with him than himself."

(On how defenses shift when WR Mike Evans is on the field)

"When he's out there, we know that, from the defensive coordinator's perspective, him being on the field deserves attention. Within the game, how are they playing that? Do they shift the coverage there? It could be a double in man[-to-man] coverage or they safety over the top, which ultimately creates a softer coverage away from it. Without having had any full-speed practices this week, we'll see how he progresses in terms of his chance at playing on Thursday. But, once he's out there, we know he deserves all 11 [players'] attention on the field – including the [defensive] coordinator's. It's always great to have Mike."

(On what they've missed without having WR Jalen McMillan all season)

"It's a little bit the same thing like you talk about with Mike [Evans] where if you know Mike is on the field and now 'J-Mac' (Jalen McMillan) getting singled up, we like his ability to beat press coverage. With the ball in his hands he's really good with YAC (yards after catch) and screens and things you saw toward the end of last year. Him being able to carry over the momentum he had from the spring into training camp, he was in a really good place with his production and his elevation to play different positions and things like that. Anytime you can have someone like him, or a Chris Godwin, or a Bucky Irving where you get the ball in their hands, they can make that first guy miss and turn a five-yard completion into a massive completion. He's done a really good job in the run game, as well. Some guys come in from college and they're not used to blocking or they're blocking for bubble [screens] and RPOs. He put a lot of effort into that, and hats off to 'B-Mac' (Wide Receivers Coach Bryan McClendon) too for getting him right."

(On why the team has struggled in the red zone more this season compared to last)

"As a general number, around 30 points per game leads the NFL, so you always want to be the top offense and shoot for that – generally that's enough to win. More specifically in the red area, it's really the execution of it like we've talked about. There's been times we got down there and had [penalties] – even the one last week where we talk about the penalties. You can't have penalties that [make it] first-and-15 on that drive, and now you're trying to get back that yardage in that area of the field. Especially down there – you don't want it in the open field either – but when you go first-and-15 into the high red [zone], you're really shooting yourself in the foot trying to convert a now third-and-long in a very reduced field where you now can't push it past their head and it needs to be more lateral. We end up hurting ourselves with that and ultimately turning it into three [points], especially in that game where we could've gotten seven [points] there."

(On if the red zone struggles also come down to execution from players)

"Yeah, you hit it as well – sometimes it might not be completely schemed up and somebody beats them or breaks a tackle and they go out there and make a massive play like we've seen them do. There's definitely a combination of all that when it comes to it."

RUN GAME COORDINATOR/OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH LARRY FOOTE

(On signing OLB Jason Pierre-Paul and what he can help the team with)
"I'm excited [about] him being back, my all-time favorite [player]. I think we're looking for some juice, looking for some energy, wasn't necessarily [about] what my guys were doing. Those guys are trending, they're playing well. He's been on the internet looking good, working out and he's been making a couple phone calls, so we gave him a workout the other day and he looked good."

(On what makes OLB Jason Pierre-Paul one of his all-time favorite players)
"Man, we won't have enough time. [It is] just his personality, he's everybody's favorite -- the building is geeked up when he comes in here -- from the equipment room, training room, he just has that personality. You guys [have] been around him, he's just an awesome dude, he loves ball and he is a dog. I'm glad he's in shape and wanting to play. I thought a couple of years ago he was banged up and needed a year or so to let his body heal. I've been following him on Instagram, so I know he's been training. He just brings that energy and it's contagious."

(On OLB Jason Pierre-Paul being an "old-school" type of player)
"Oh yeah, [he] plays hurt, plays with sprained MCLs and whatnot. [He] never likes to come off the field, that's the challenging part where [him and I] always get into fights from time-to-time, but he has the mindset, hopefully he can pass it down to the young guys. We'll see in the next couple of weeks what he can do for us."

(On if OLB Jason Pierre-Paul plays "with an edge")
"Right, he's a [University of] South Florida, Miami boy, he loves football. He's just a dog, old-school like you mentioned earlier and hopefully the young guys can benefit just seeing the way he goes about his business. He has already been helping this morning in meeting rooms just giving little tips on how to attack offensive tackles."

(On why they chose to sign OLB Jason Pierre-Paul rather than someone else)

"We're not looking specifically -- I don't want to speak for [General Manager] Jason Licht and [Head Coach Todd] Bowles, but it wasn't just for the outside linebackers. [He's] a guy that can bring some of the intangibles that we cannot bring as coaches that I think he can help. I'm not speaking for [those] guys, that's the way I'm looking at it. His energy and his juice... We'll see what he can do the next couple of weeks. This is a short week, [we'll] see if he [has] something in the tank. We worked him out and he looked good; I worked him out personally and he can still move and bend and he [has] that God-given freaky ability, and we'll see what he can do next week."

(On if there is something the team focuses on with it being a short week)
"[We're] playing a divisional opponent, we know them, and they know us. At this point in the season, we just [have] to handle our business. We [have] to get better and at the end of the day, win. It's December, it's time to win. Style points don't matter at this point, give me one extra point than those guys and celebrate in the locker room."

(On if playing a divisional opponent for the second time in a season helps with the game plan)
"The coaches, we know them. They haven't changed that much, we know what they like to do. We know their packages and formations, we [have] history with Kirk Cousins, obviously, but it helps the coaches as far as we know [what] we're already expecting and we know what those guys do, and on the flip side, they know what we like to do. [We need to] just execute and [have] to make more plays than them."

(On how they are planning to limit Falcons RB Bijan Robinson)
"It is going to take all 11 [players], even the backside cornerback. We show those guys videos -- everybody knows he has that ability. If you want to break it down, he can jump-cut, he can get east and west faster than anybody, so when I say all 11 [players] and backside cornerbacks, backside guys [have] to do their job. That being said, you [have] to attack at the same time. It's going to take all 11 guys to get him on the ground. He's just that dangerous and we [have] to understand angles and how to attack him."

(On going against Falcons QB Kirk Cousins)
"He's always got the ball out [quick], that's what makes him one of the best in this league. He knows what to do with the ball, that's the challenge. Defensive backs, linebackers, everybody [must] understand we [have] to know our zones, our techniques, and [have] to know what he wants to do. [With] that being said, we [have] to get a pass rush too. He's seen every coverage in this league, so we have to win our one-on-one matchups."

(On how they are preparing to play QB Kirk Cousins after struggling last year against him)
"Well actually, [as] a former player, you don't like it…Guys know that he got the best out of us last year and it just speaks to his talent and we [have] to be on our P's and Q's to get a victory."

QUARTERBACK BAKER MAYFIELD

(On how OT Benjamin Chukwuma did in his first career start against the New Orleans Saints)
"I thought he did a great job. I know there's things he wants to get correct and get fixed, but for his first real NFL snaps, I thought he did a really, really good job. [He] was locked in; no pre-snap penalties, none of that, which [is] what you look to eliminate when it's your first start and he did all of that well."

(On what the key is to prepare physically and mentally to play in a Thursday Night Football game)
"[It is] just overcommunicate when we start to get the game plan in. You have to squeeze a couple of days into one. Overcommunicate what the looks we're expecting, what the checks are, the alerts, especially when it comes to blitz pickup stuff. For me, that's the really important part just because they pressure a lot. They bring a bunch of different fronts, different pressures, guys [are] kind of all over, so that's really the emphasis for us this week. After that, it's just overcommunicating what we're trying to get done."

(On if it makes it easier to game plan having already played the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1)

"A little bit, yes and no. Since we played them Week 1 and whatever week we're in now, there's different personnel guys, injuries and all that. Some changes, but yes, schematically, we know what they want to get done with how they want to attack, but there's also just based on who they have in there, they've changed a little bit. It helps [with] some familiarity, but you [have] to adjust."

(On struggling offensively recently and what needs to be fixed)

"I think it comes back to what I've kind of hit on after the games we've lost, it's the little things. Whether it's me being on-time with my footwork, getting the protection aligned to where we can all be on the same page and it can come out on time, the depths of the routes, all that stuff and then it just comes down to executing. It's not one thing you can point at, but it's a culmination of all those things and we'll get it fixed."

(On what the offense has been preaching in the locker room for the upcoming game against the Falcons)

"The emphasis on how important the details are of what we're doing against this defensive look. I think that's being overemphasized and it's what we're going to do."

(On what the mindset is like within the locker room after struggling the past few weeks)

"We're still in control of our own destiny -- that's just a fact. We're tied for the division, we would love to be ahead and in a different spot, but we are where we are and we control our own destiny, win one game at a time and see what happens."

(On what the mindset is like when you are "in control of your own destiny" with four games left on the schedule)
"It's that playoff mentality. [When you're] looking at it, we're playing a divisional opponent, they would love nothing more than to beat us and screw up our chances. So, you go into it expecting, 'Okay, do they really have a lot on the line? Yeah, because they're trying to knock us out of the playoffs,' so that's the mindset. It's playoff mentality for us, and we have to expect to get their best."

(On OLB Jason Pierre-Paul being signed to the Buccaneers' practice squad)

"Obviously, a guy that's had a ton of production over the years. [He] was a huge part of the Super Bowl here. [He gives] a little bit more juice in the building [and] guys get excited about that. It puts the pressure on; when you bring guys in like that, you try and elevate the standard, the performance level, and it pushes us on offense because we haven't done enough to score enough points, quite frankly, and to put our defense in that position. We [have] to be better, overall, and that in-turn will improve the whole team."

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER JASON PIERRE-PAUL

(On the timeframe that led him back to the Buccaneers)

"[I was] just grinding. Obviously, I've been wanting to play football since the beginning of the year. [When the] opportunity comes, you're there, so that's basically what happened. There was an opportunity given and I made the best of it."

(On what he brings to the team)
"It's all about family, man. When I step in, it's more for like family. [There are] some guys I don't even know, it's all new faces -- some of them -- but I'm going to get to know them, slowly but surely. We have four games left, but I'll make the best of it getting to know each and every one on the team and try to connect with them some way somehow, whether it's eating with them or talking about life goals or something. I'm going to be able to connect with the guys on the team. For the guys I do know, they already know me, so I'm just going for the faces I don't recognize. It's going to be awesome, man."

(On how he feels physically after not playing in the NFL for a year)
"I feel good. As far as the training, and I've been doing a lot of training with my personal trainer, he doesn't stop, he trains every day. I'm like, 'Yo, in football you get a break.' He's doing the best job of it and we kept it going and I think he got me in the best shape -- I won't say in my whole entire career, but damn near. I've seen the results, running around the lake and running sprinters and running drills, I was able to kill the bad drills out there. I think I killed it and I just think staying in shape was one of the main keys and just not giving up."

(On joining OLB Haason Reddick and OLB Yaya Diaby in the outside linebackers' room)

"I don't know how old those guys are, but they seem great to me so far. I'm a talkative person and I've been in the league for 14 years and who knows how what year they're in, but I don't look at it like that, I look at it like, 'How can we make this unit better.' [It is] what I can bring to the table, what you can bring to the table, even if I see some things I know can actually help out either one of those guys then I'm going to do something. I'd rather say something than keep it to myself... I think we're going to be a great unit, they're already a great unit, and I'm just bringing my talents to it and seeing what we can do together."

(On what memories come back when he walks into the building from when he won a Super Bowl with the team during the 2020 season)

"A prime example I can give you is Lavonte David. [Lavonte and I] have been teammates for years, not just starting here, but going back to Fort Scott Junior College. [Those] junior college days, we didn't know our next meal. Coming to Tampa Bay, he was drafted here and I was drafted in New York [Giants] and [with] me coming to Tampa Bay, playing with him and getting a Super Bowl made it very tremendous because anybody that got a Super Bowl ring you know what you had to go through that year just to get it. [With him and I] going through a lot on and off the field and coming back and still on the same team he is one... Pretty amazing. I'm all for it; I always tell him one thing I'm always going to remember is those guys that [were] on that Super Bowl team because that is something you cannot take back. You [have] reunions, teammate reunions and you go back, and everybody knows you and it's like brotherhood. That's what you're trying to create in the locker room, brotherhood, and try to get to the top and you know that is the Super Bowl. Like I said, everybody always has a goal when it starts [in] training camp and [rookie] mini camp, and you have to go through all of that. The reality is it's how you come out as a team, and everybody works for each other."

CORNERBACK JAMEL DEAN

(On OLB Jason Pierre-Paul being back on the team)
"It's almost like when you haven't seen your favorite cousin in so many years, it feels like that right now."

(On what the mentality of the team is going into Week 15 off a loss to a divisional opponent)
"For the most part, we know the ball is still in our court. We just have to take it one game at a time and just correct the mistakes that we made from last game and just build on that."

(On if there is anything he can take from the Week 1 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons going into Thursday Night Football against them in Week 15)
"I can remember they played us until the end, so [we] can expect those boys not to just lay down, they're going to give us their best because it's a divisional game."

(On going against Falcons QB Kirk Cousins)
"He's an experienced quarterback, so he's seen everything that's come at him over the years. He's great at making good decisions once he recognizes it, so you have to be good at disguising what we might give them to see what we're in, because he'll just pick us apart."

-BUCCANEERS-