OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DAVE CANALES

(On going up against the Eagles defense and their defensive coordinator, Sean Desai)

"Sean and I got to spend a good amount of time together, just bouncing off thoughts about structure of defense and different things like that. He's really sharp. I played against him in 2021 when Chicago came to Seattle – snow game. He had some cool stuff for us. He had some great adjustments for every situation – it seemed like it was tailormade. It didn't feel like he was just calling plays out of a hat, necessarily, or just rotating calls. They were very specific, very intentional. It'll be a good challenge."

(On if he has to contain his excitement knowing he has to wait until Monday night for this week's game)

"I don't think of it like that, honestly. Every day is a gift, every day is a blessing. So, I wake up, I'm excited, I pop up and look at the clock, the 'D and D' (down and distance) says first-and-10, I've got a new set of downs and just kind of approach every day like that. Hopefully [I] bring that to the building – that can be refreshing for guys who might be having a rough day or something like that. That kind of perspective, you know? I don't think of the long haul like this is a short week or a long week. [It's], 'What do we need to get done? What's our preparation got to look like? Let's take as long as we need to to make sure we have the call sheet filled long enough to reach the floor.'"

(On how much it helps having two full games of experience under his belt)

"It was great. Still, we haven't had like a real normal week, other than last week. The week before, we had a bunch of time to prepare for what we thought maybe the Vikings were going to do – really didn't know and then it still surprised us. Then you go to a normal week. So, last week was kind of the litmus test and there was a lot of conversations…We have a lot of veteran coaches on our staff – [Senior Offensive Assistant] Tom Moore, [Assistant Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator] 'Goodie' (Harold Goodwin), [Offensive Line Coach] Joe [Gilbert], guys who have been around, [Running Backs Coach] Skip Peete. So, end of the week, coming to them, saying, 'Okay, how can we do this better from a gameplan, time management standpoint? What was the communication like?' They gave me great feedback. The scheduling of the week was really challenging, and then the playcalling, of course, for me, is just getting to know what Mike [Evans] looks like on gameday for two weeks, and Chris [Godwin] and Rachaad [White] and the O-line group and of course everybody involved – feeling what guys actually win on on gameday, not just plays we've been practicing for camp."

(On trying to run against the Eagles defense and what kind of a challenge their defense brings)

"The challenge for me is to maintain the discipline of, 'Stick with it, it will work.' We've played some great fronts over the years in Seattle and the games where – even if it's a little bit hard early on, you've got to stick with the balance and the rhythm of the way you call the plays – trying to be balanced on first-and-10, second-and-different situations. Having the run-pass balance is really critical. Then, it's really more about the type of runs that we'll get into, as far as the number of, so to speak. What they would love for you to do, just like the [San Francisco 49ers], they'd love for you [to be like], 'Ah, we've just got to drop back and pass it.' That's a really good rush front. So, being disciplined and stick with it."

(On if RB Chase Edmonds going on Injured Reserve means a bigger opportunity for Sean Tucker and Ke'Shawn Vaughn)

"Yeah, huge opportunity for those guys, right? A lot of carries to go around – 60-some-odd runs in the first two games. So, being able to carry the load. I'm excited for 'Sneak' (Ke'Shawn Vaughn) – the guy has really worked his tail off all camp and to get this opportunity is huge for him."

(On what's been the key to being efficient on third downs so far this season)

"I don't want to give too much [away] but the success of it is just having simple answers for potentially dangerous looks and fronts and things. That's what we've had – it's really just trying to be able to get the ball out of the quarterback's hands on a good play, not just get it out of his hands just because. Brad Idzik – he's our third-down guru – he's the guy that's kind of putting all those formations together, coming up with simple answers for Baker [Mayfield], making sure we communicate it throughout. He's doing a fantastic job."

(On if any of what QB Baker Mayfield is doing is impressing him)

"I feel his experience. I feel that he's seen every defense that you could possibly run at this point in his career. He's seen every blitz, he's seen every pass concept. He's had nine playcallers. He's got such a wealth of knowledge in the pass game – answers for different things, different pressures. Playing in that division, when he was in Cleveland for as long as he [was]. That was a gnarly division, defensively. I know when we were in Seattle, whenever we would play any team from that division, it was an all-out, no-holds barred, gloves off defensive pressures and things like that. He's accustomed to it. He's cool. He regroups. At the end of the day, he's trusting us. We're not having to prove anything, right? Just complete the pass. He did a fantastic job. I think we were 12-of-13 completions on third down last week, which gives you a chance to have success."

(On if Mayfield's experience has contributed to his ability to avoid sacks and keep plays alive)

"I wouldn't say experience. Just watch his college tape – I think that's always been him. That's kind of a cool thing he brings to the game. We're on the good side of it – his reactions and getting out of trouble."

(On if there have been any challenges or surprises since he's been calling plays)

"Everything. Let me say that right now, for me. Everything is new. Situations come up in games [and] it's the first time I've felt that and have to make that decision. Every week, from preseason through the last two games, every week is like this new thing. It's like, 'Okay, what can I take away from this?' A bunch of dudes have been coordinators. Jeff Kastl, our quality control [coach], has been a coordinator. I'll have him look at the call sheet like, 'Does this make sense, the way I'm organizing this? Is there a better way?' [Tight ends coach] John Van Dam was coordinator at one point. [Offensive Line Coach] Joe [Gilbert], [Assistant Head Coach/Run Game Coordinator] 'Goodie' (Harold Goodwin), [Senior Offensive Assistant] Tom [Moore], obviously – a lot of different cool things. For me, even the ones I kind of screw up a little bit, it's still a great learning opportunity."

(On where the big plays to WR Mike Evans come from within the offense)

"Just looking at how Minnesota played us and what worked for them, we're probably going to see a little bit of it this week. So, [it's] just making sure we had answers for it. And then we did, and we had a couple that we just missed to Chris [Godwin]. Really, it's just, 'OK, if teams want to play this game, we're going to run the ball for 150 yards and then we're going to put stress on the shell. So, if you just want to make it a Cover-2 game, we're going to have answers.' That was great because then 'Bake' (Baker Mayfield) took advantage of it. We adjusted quicker this week than the week before to a couple of drives. Then, honestly, really just how magnificent Mike is on gameday makes those plays come to life. Two of them could have just been a completion and then [he's] tackled right there. It could have been incomplete. He turns them into massive plays, so being able to just [get] a front row seat to that has been fun."

(On the performance of the offensive line in regard to pass protection)

"Fantastic – and this goes back to the philosophy of what we do. Not a lot of our plays are taking more than 2.7 seconds. Yesterday, in practice, the rhythm just flows just like that. The decisions are such that the ball should come out, even to a check-down, in less than three [seconds], so they feel more confident and comfortable to be able to set and be aggressive on these defensive linemen as they trust that Baker [Mayfield] is going to make a quick decision, get the ball out, scramble and do those things. But yeah, I'm very, very excited about what they're doing."

(On what makes the Eagles defense such a tough challenge)

"The scheme is really good. The front is fantastic. [They have] a couple of veteran players back there in the secondary who have seen it all. Same thing when you talk about Baker [Mayfield] – those guys have seen it all. And just the style of the whole team and what Coach [Nick] Sirianni has done there. They play hard. We talked about the Bears last week – they played hard. Those are the biggest challenges right now that I feel."

PASS GAME COORDINATOR/INSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH LARRY FOOTE

(On defensive back Christian Izien)

"As soon as he stepped foot on campus, he's been serious. You can tell he's a pro. He likes ball, he's very serious in between the lines and he's been like that since day one. He's aggressive, he's a tough kid and I'm surprised he was there as a free agent. Since he got on campus, he doesn't move like a free agent, he moves like a draft pick. Rutgers did a good job with him. As soon as he came here – this guy loves ball, he's serious and being an old guy like I am, I look for guys who love ball and are true professionals. So, I'm not surprised by his success."

(On the nickel position being important against Philadelphia's offense)

"Well in this league it's 11-personnel so every week that nickel position is important. Philadelphia – they've got weapons all over the roster so it's going to be a big challenge for that spot."

(On what has led to the defense's success in the first two weeks of the season)

"We've been doing a good job with takeaways. Of course, that's always going to help you. We're doing a good job in the red zone. Guys are communicating. I'm just telling [those] guys that [we're] showing up on tape. Those guys are playing fast. The guys are flying around and communicating. I see a lot of Buccaneers around that football."

(On the difficulty of defending the Philadelphia Eagles in short-yardage and QB sneak situations)

"I think every defensive coach in the league is asking for any suggestions, so if you guys have got some, send me an email. It's really one of those things I don't pay that much mind [to] because I know the offensive guys always get the advantage when they vote in the spring when they take away or add to [the rule book]. We were kind of hoping they might get rid of it, but they didn't. We've got to do a good job, though – don't let them get down there. It's going to be a challenge. If I was one of those big, ugly guys I'd be working my get-low technique to try to stop it."

(On how much different of a player Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is from when the Buccaneers faced him twice during the 2021 season)

"A lot different. We watched the tape from when we played them and he's a different quarterback. He's a lot faster, and just like any young guy, they're going to be a lot better. I know that was his first year starting. He's a lot better, and you can tell. The weapons help him – the new weapons he's got on offense. But, if you watch both of those games, he's different. He's just faster and has more command of the offense. He is a weapon."

LINEBACKER DEVIN WHITE

(On how he feels about playing against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night)

"It's a great team [and] it's a great time to show the world what we can do. We probably weren't projected to be 2-0, but we are. We've been working our butts off, [and] we've been keeping the main thing the main thing. Just taking everything one day at a time, one play at a time, and just trying to get better. Every week we try to go out there and dominate, but we've been leaving plays out there. We want to be consistent and get better."

(On Eagles QB Jalen Hurts)

"Jalen is a great guy. He's a great friend of mine. He put in a lot over work to be where [he is] at right now. [I have been] enjoying everything that is going his way, but you know when we get out there on that field, he's a rival, [and] he's the opponent again. It's going to be war."

(On what has been working for the defense)

"I think we are just playing sound football. We are playing together, and we are enjoying each other. Anytime someone makes a play, another person is celebrating like they made the play. I think it is becoming contagious [and] fun. It's becoming contagious. I think that's just the mindset, [is to] just celebrate your brothers, and when your number is called, go make the play and they'll celebrate you as well."

(On if he feels like he is in a good place right now)

"Mentally, yes, [I have been] leaning on guys in the locker room, just having fun, taking it one step and a time, and just enjoying it. I'm definitely having fun out there, and I'm enjoying this season. I think as long we stay healthy, the sky is the limit for us."

-BUCCANEERS-