HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On what he saw from new practice squad CB Anthony Chesley during the Colts game that made him want to bring Chesley to Tampa Bay)

"He's got good foot quickness, he's got good transition. [He's] a guy we were looking at early on and we'd like to see him. We thought he'd upgrade us on the practice squad – we'll see if he can get better."

(On if CB Anthony Chesley has any special teams value)

"Yeah, he does. He can play teams, he's a gunner. He can play on the kickoffs and kickoff returns as well."

(On today's message before sending the team on a mini bye)

"Just relax their bodies but keep their minds sharp."

(On how RB Giovani Bernard looked)

"He's moving around well, so we hope to have him out there next week to be ready to go."

(On keeping K Ryan Succop)

"Consistency. Obviously, [Jose] Borregales had his chances, he missed two in the ball game. [Ryan]'s been more consistent. He's got a great leg and he has a chance, but consistency usually wins.

(On how WR Russell Gage Jr. has looked)

"He's getting better and better every day. We expect him to be on track to play and trending in the right direction."

(On if T Tristan Wirfs, G Luke Goedeke, G Nick Leverett and C Robert Hainsey will be ready to go by Week 1)

"Everybody's trending that way. You know they're out there working, the chemistry will come over time – it's not going to be exact Week 1 – but it will be good enough and if they keep working together, the chemistry is going to grow."

(On if Dallas Cowboys LB Micah Parsons is a game-wrecker)

"He definitely qualifies as a game-wrecker. They use him inside, they use him outside, he can rush the passer from anywhere. He can blow up runs, he can cover. He does a lot of things, he causes a lot of problems. They cause a lot of mismatches for him, they get him in position where he's on the back a lot, but he can beat linemen as well. He's a true game-wrecker."

(On if Parsons is someone who QB Tom Brady needs to be aware of pre-snap)

"He should be aware of all of them, but definitely where he is."

(On how everything QB Tom Brady does pre-snap can help the interior offensive line)

"Well, it always helps when you're on the same page. The younger guys – we're not using that as an excuse. There's a young guy or rookie that won the Super Bowl every year. Just ask [Antoine] Winfield [Jr.] – he's played. We're not using that as an excuse. It'll help communication-wise, but 'Goodie' (Harold Goodwin) and Joe [Gilbert] do a great job with those guys and knowing what they're supposed to be doing, so we're not concerned with that."

(On having a guy like QB Tom Brady as a leader on the offensive line for younger guys like G Luke Goedeke and C Robert Hainsey)

"Well, it helps Tom being a leader as a quarterback, but it doesn't help those two guys [perform] – they have to play football. And football is football for them, there's no left-handed and right-handed side. If we put them out there and trust them as starters, we believe in them and that they can play."

(On if this the most seasoned team he's ever coached)

"I can't remember as far back as all of the years I've coached, but I know we've got some depth on this team, and we've got some guys that have been around and know football."

(On if the 53 players they have today will be the 53 players next week)

"Never say never. You know, we'll see what happens. Right now, yes. Next week? It could change. You never say never."

(On the mentality of going for it on fourth and short in a game situation)

"It all depends on the situation. I could sit here and tell you pluses for both ways, but until you get into that situation, and you understand how your team is playing, you look at the percentages of what is being said and then you look at how your team is playing and you make an educated decision. So, sometimes you go with the data, sometimes you go against the data. It all depends on the situation."

(On the league-wide trend of going for it on fourth-and-short)

"I think it's been more successful right now. Anything fourth-and-4 or less right now has been pretty successful, so once you cross the 50 [yard-line] and you're not quite in field goal range, you feel confident enough in your defense and you feel safe, I guess some people go for it – a lot more people go for it than [ever] before."

(On if he's decided on who will be starting at outside cornerback opposite of CB Carlton Davis III)

"Not yet. Not ready to make a declaration on it. They're both playing well and between who starts and who plays everywhere else, it's going to be like both of them are playing anyway."

(On rotating corners)

"I try to stick two corners out there the whole game. We don't rotate corners – we have packages where people do other things, but we don't rotate corners normally."

(On what position he's specifically looking to fill on the practice squad)

"There's two or three – it depends on the player. You know, if the player is good enough at the position that we don't need, and he's a good player, and we feel like he can play, we'll bring him in."

WIDE RECEIVER RUSSELL GAGE JR.

(On how things are going during his first few months with the Buccaneers)

"Things are good. Things are real good. I love it here. My teammates are great. Things are real good."

(On how soon he will be turning his focus to Dallas after the long weekend)

"Honestly, I'm going to check out the film and stuff over the break the next few days. It's kind of hard when you are so excited for the season to just completely take a moment to relax and everything. I'm definitely going to take time for my body to heal completely and get those jitters out a little, but I'm so excited. I know I'm going to be popping that film on any chance I get."

(On the Dallas Cowboys' defense)

"Good defense for sure. [Micah] Parsons is really good, a great player. I know the defense pretty well with Dan Quinn and those guys. They've got a good secondary with [Trevon] Diggs coming back after a monster season. The inside guys are good. The defense is good, but we've got a lot of weapons so it's pretty hard to matchup with us."

(On Tampa Bay's receiving corps as a whole)

"Pick your poison is kind of how we see it. We know we're probably going to see a lot of zone and things like that. It's probably one of the best groups maybe ever, so we're excited to get out there and play as a group."

TACKLE TRISTAN WIRFS

(On getting the offense back to being fully healthy and all together)

"I think it's going to be great. I'm just excited to get back out there with everybody. When guys slowly start coming back and we've got everybody – it's going to be awesome."

(On starting off the season in primetime vs. the Dallas Cowboys)

"I tell you what, it's going to be fun. I'm excited. I think everyone is excited. It's going to be an incredible atmosphere, so if you can't get excited about that you're in the wrong place. Everybody in America is going to be watching that game, so it's going to be unreal."

(On if he can feel the offensive line unit starting to gain cohesiveness)

"Absolutely. I think we're all pretty close, so whether it's in the meeting room or out on the field, we're always with each other hanging out, so it's pretty easy to jell with each other. Then playing next to each other is just going to be more and more comfortable."

(On playing in front of a quarterback like Tom Brady who has seen it all)

"It's pretty good. We have meetings with him making sure our communication is down and making sure everyone is on the same page. I think that's the biggest thing when it comes to cohesiveness and making sure everyone is on the same page. It's going to take five guys to pick stuff up – or six guys, including the running back, or seven with a tight end – making sure all of us are on the same page is going to be incredible. Then Tom, he has an answer for everything, so it's nice having him back there."

-BUCCANEERS-