HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES
(On the focus of the defense's preparation for Packers QB Aaron Rodgers)
"You've got to try to cover everything. You're not going to be able to stop Aaron Rodgers; you hope you can slow him down a little bit, enough to make some plays to win the ballgame. So, we're trying to be disciplined, we're trying to be sound, make sure we dot all our Is and cross all our Ts."
(On QB Tom Brady's status)
"He's ready to go, he's full-practice. He took every throw."
(On the status of WR Julio Jones and T Donovan Smith for Sunday's game)
"Julio will probably be a game-time decision. Donovan tried to practice some yesterday – we'll see how he feels on Sunday."
(On if Smith had setback on Thursday)
"No setback. We're just giving him rest and we'll see how he feels on Sunday."
(On if WR Cole Beasley would be ready to play on Sunday)
"I think he could. He's quick, catches up to speed [really] fast, he understands the system. He's played and he's got a lot of reps under him, so if we needed him, I think he'll be ready."
(On what the deciding factor is for Jones playing on Sunday)
"We want him healthy. If he's not healthy, he's not going to play. It's that simple."
(On if RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn has an opportunity to get more reps)
"I think Ke'Shawn had a great preseason. I think he came to camp in shape and he did all the little things. He got better in every aspect of his ballgame and it will be exciting when he gets his chance to play. Depending on the game plan and what we do depends on whether he plays more or less that week, but in the meantime he'll work on special teams and when he gets his shot to go in there I expect to see the same Ke'Shawn I saw in the preseason."
(On how the Bucs' offensive approach is impacted by possibly missing several receivers)
"I don't think it gets impacted too much. We've got guys that have played in this system. Obviously, there are different skill sets for each guy, but the system is the system and we're going to run it how we run it."
(On if he is concerned about RB Leonard Fournette having too big of a workload)
"Not at this time. We want to get the other running backs some more plays in there, but when 'Lenny' gets going you've got to feed him while he's hot. That's kind of how the first two games have been."
(On if he is concerned about Fournette's hamstring injury)
"No, he's been fine."
(On if rookie CB Zyon McCollum could be active this week)
"It's possible, depending on the game plan and special teams. Obviously, we still want him to get in a little better shape. But if something happens, yeah, he could help us."
(On the Bucs' defensive line depth with DL Akiem Hicks out)
"Well, it's not a drop-off, it's a different style of play that we have to have. We don't have the same style of play that we would have to do if Hicks is in there with 'Nacho' (Rakeem Nuñez-Roches), Will [Gholston] and Vita [Vea] in there, so to speak, as well as Logan [Hall] and Pat [O'Connor]. So, we'll change some things up down there and do some things differently, but we don't expect a drop-off."
(On if rookie TE Cade Otton could be back by Sunday)
"It's possible he'll be back, but if not we understand and he'll be back the next day."
-BUCCANEERS-
