Head Coach Brian Flores (transcribed by Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(On the defensive game plan)
“It’s obviously a good offense, so the idea was to have good communication [and] try to disguise a little bit. We weren’t really able to execute any part of it. There were a couple of decent plays there, but at the end of the day, they made more plays than we did. We needed to do more to keep them out of the end zone, and we didn’t. [They are] a good team, but we didn’t execute our game plan defensively. We’ve got to be better.”
(On the effect of injuries to defense)
“I think collectively, as a defense, we just didn’t do enough. I think there is a lot that goes into it. We didn’t get enough rush. We didn’t get enough disguise. To put it on just two guys, we try to play team defense here and we didn’t get it done as a unit. As a unit, as a coaching staff, we need to put them in better positions. We didn’t, and they executed. They made some plays as well, so give them credit. But we’ve got to play better.”
(On his concern regarding the defensive performance)
“No, I’m concerned. We’re out of sync in a lot of ways. Run defense, pass defense, [and] pass rush. We’re a little bit of a step behind, I would say. We’ve got to make a lot of corrections. [There’s] a lot of things we need to address, and we’ll do that. We’ve been doing that. We’ve addressed some things, but we’re not seeing the production on Sundays. Really, that’s all that matters. But I would say we are a little bit out of sync.”
(On quarterback Jacoby Brissett)
“I thought his toughness [and] his competitiveness obviously showed. I thought he did a lot of good things, put us in some good positions. But we need a team effort to beat a team like that. We didn’t do enough in the other phases. But I thought he made a lot of tough throws. I thought we were able to move the ball better than we’ve done in prior games. At least that’s something we can build off of.”
(On lack of team’s of focus and concentration)
“I think we played a more disciplined game. You didn’t see the penalties. We had some penalties, but you didn’t see the little, bad penalties. The false starts, the mental lapses from a penalty standpoint. There was obviously some miscommunication in some areas, but I think they made some plays and we didn’t. I would say, specifically defensively. We turned the ball over and they didn’t. That always hurts.”
(On adjustments to offensive line)
“We just felt that was the best move, to move [tackle] Austin [Jackson] inside, put [tackle] Liam [Eichenberg] outside. I thought they both had a good week of practice in there, With Austin [Jackson] inside and Liam [Eichenberg] outside. Might have to look at the film and see what that really looked like. But, my initial looking at it, it looked like it was ok. But I’ve definitely got to watch the film and take a look. I thought we did some good things offensively. So, hopefully, [there are] some things to build on there. But as a team, we have a lot of things we need to improve on.”
(On changing the offensive play-calling system)
“Yeah, we kind of streamlined it a little bit. As an offense, we felt like that was the best thing to do. Yeah, that was a little bit of a change. Along with some of the things on the offensive line.”
(On what streamlining the offensive play-calling benefits)
“Time, basically. I thought that we felt like [we could use] the couple extra seconds. We couple of shifts [and] motions, things like that. There was more time.”
(On when decision was made to streamline play-calling)
“Earlier in the week.”
(On plan for return of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa)
“Tua is doing everything he can to get back. Like I have said in previous media sessions, he threw Wednesday. He threw Friday. He’s making progress. Let’s see what he looks like after we activate him and practice him this week. We’ll see what the week of practice looks like. Obviously, he’s still dealing with the fracture of the ribs. So, that will definitely be something from a pain-tolerance standpoint he’d have to deal with. So, we’ll just see how he does with that and just take it one day at a time.”
QB Jacoby Brissett (transcribed by Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(On how he’s feeling after the game)
“I mean we had our chance. It’s a tough loss. We have to find a way to bounce back and move forward. Go watch the film and find the things that we did [well], do those more. Things that we didn’t do [well], do those less.”
(On leaving the sidelines on a cart)
“I went and came back. That was the process. Kept going.”
(On where he gets his toughness from)
“I guess from my love of the game. Love for my teammates, love for this sport and it comes with everything that I believe in. I mean I wouldn’t do it for somebody to say something to you guys or for something for you guys to know. That’s just who I am. I just love everything about it.”
(On going back into the locker room in the first half)
“I just had to go into the locker room and then came back out. I had to go do something.”
(On if he thought he was going to continue in the game or not)
“Oh, not a chance. Not a chance.”
(On how RB Myles Gaskin played today)
“I thought he did a great job today and his role is obviously expanding. You see him catching balls down the field. He made a lot of plays for us. Just have to find ways to continue to give him the ball. I thought he did a great job.”
(On the cart situation)
“I didn’t want to run and I could just get on the cart and get there faster.”
(On the belief in the locker room after being 1-4)
“I think it just goes back to practice and believing what we’re doing. Obviously, the cliché is it’s early in the season, but it really is. We have a lot of football ahead of us and we can’t focus so much on the results as far it’s just more so getting better each week and in which I think we are. I continue to say it, but we actually are getting better. Then they’ll start to pile up when they start to pile up. I think we have the right group of guys that understand, ‘Hey, we didn’t sign up for an easy task. It’s not like everybody was saying that the Miami Dolphins might win the Super Bowl.’ But I think we have the right guys, the right men, the right coaches. We’ll continue to learn each other and pull each other in the right positions and makes plays. I think that’s the process and I think that’s what we’re doing.”
(On streamlining the offense for today’s game)
“It was no different. The only thing was George [Godsey] was on the headset, but that was about it. It was the same type of communication that we’ve had all year.”
(On QB Tua Tagovailoa possibly coming back what changes for him)
“That’s not my call.”
(On his approach staying the same when Tagovailoa returns)
“Oh, for sure. No question.”
(On spreading the ball around)
“I think it was a mixture of both. We put a lot of different guys in different positions. Obviously, having Preston [Williams] out there and made a bunch of plays for us. I think the effort was to find ways to get everybody the ball and get everybody involved. I thought we did that at times. Obviously, have to make more plays and continue to find ways to get these guys the ball.”
(On Gaskin’s role in the offense)
“That’s who he is. He’s a guy that works hard and it’s evident that his work is starting to show. Obviously, giving him the ball in space. He was making a lot of plays for us. He’s just a dependable guy. That’s what you want as a quarterback and as a teammate.”
(On the offense being in sync)
“Like I said, I know contrary to what you guys think, but we actually are getting better. And we are finding our spots. Finding the guys that can do, what I can do in this offense and we’re starting to build on that. As the season goes on that’s what you continue to hope to happen. You continue to just building and building and building.”
LB Jerome Baker
(What do you see as the biggest problem with the defense? A lot of you guys haven’t been able the success from last year to this year.) – “That’s a hard question to ask. It comes down to just execution. We are not executing at all. That’s the main thing.”
(How good is this Bucs offense?) – “They’re talented, definitely. They have all the weapons. They have the o-line. They were just playing complementary football today. They were running the ball, passing the ball, they just did it all.”
(What was the most surprising thing about today’s game?) – “I don’t know. Just how much we didn’t execute. I think that was the main thing. Just the mistakes we made, that was the most surprising thing I guess you could say.”
(I know it’s still early in the season but how do you guys get the mojo back? How do you get this going in the right direction?) – “It sounds simple, but take it one day at a time. Come in tomorrow, look at the film, see where we made mistakes at and take it one practice at a time and just turn it in one play at a time, one game at a time. Kind of just have to lock in and get that focus back.”
(We’ve heard from TE Mike Gesicki a few minutes ago and he said there’s no negativity in the locker room. What’s the challenge of keeping that negativity out of the locker room especially when as you guys say, you practice well and it just doesn’t translate on game day?) – “The challenge? It’s hard. At the end of the day, it’s hard. It’s just hard at the end of the day. That’s where the leaders come in, that’s where we believe in ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) and that’s where you look at guys that really lead this team and you just got to believe. That’s the main thing. You just got to come in, get back to work and at the end of the day, we can’t change what happened today. Got to focus on the next one.”
DT Raekwon Davis
(How did it feel to be back out there after missing three games?) – “It was fun. It was fun being back with the fellas.”
(What specifically were you hoping to show in your first game out? Moving forward, how do you feel heading into next weekend?) – “Just come in, try to get back in that rhythm. Try to get going, get that little rust off. That was about it. Help the team in the best way I could.”
(Coming from Alabama, you guys won so many games. Have you ever been a part of a four-game losing streak?) – “Unfortunately no, I haven’t.”
(So now you’re here, how do you help turn it around?) – “Bring the team together. Try to get everybody on the same board, same mission. Try to turn things around. Do the best you can.”
(What was it watching three weeks in row when especially when the run defense struggled all those weeks?) – “I don’t feel like they struggled. Other opponents, they get paid too. They get paid the same. There are more good teams out there. It’s football. It’s the NFL.”
(You get to see QB Tom Brady on the field, what makes him so good from your eyes and what you see in the trenches?) – “He gets the ball out fast. He’s quick, he reads coverage real nice and he just gets the ball out fast.”
(Does that ever get frustrating? Playing against a quarterback with a quick release like that?) – “Yeah. Yeah.”
RB Myles Gaskin
(What’s the locker room like right now?) – “Just sticking together. It’s a tough loss like that playing against a good team. Just sticking together. We just got to stick together, keep working hard, go back to work, watch the film and keep growing.”
(Did you know that you were going to have that type of game from the gameplan today?) – “I think our running back room, I think everybody thinks that going into each and every game. I think we all practice hard and we show it in practice and sometimes guys just get the hot hand. Whoever it is, Malcolm (Brown), Salvon (Ahmed) or myself. It just kind turned out to be me today. Like I said, we are just going back to work though.”
(It felt like you guys looked different on offense today. Did it feel any different being out there for you?) – “Yeah, I think we had very good focus and a good game plan. Just ready to go, go battle, but yeah, it just kind turned out the way it did.”
(What are your impressions of QB Jacoby Brissett being able to play and finish the game after leaving on a golf cart?) – “He’s a tough dude. Like we said in the beginning, we trust Jacoby. He’s been in the league for a while. He’s going to put his heart out there every single day, even in practice, in meetings and everything. When you see him go down, definitely worried us, but when you see him come back it’s not surprising. That guy is a tough guy and he wants to win.”
(What’s the belief in this team that you guys can turn this around after a 1-4 start?) – “What’s the belief? We believe in ourselves.”
TE Mike Gesicki
(The offense was able to generate some downfield plays today. What did you think were the reasons that came to fruition?) – “Repetitions in practice, taking chances out there and then guys going out and making plays. We got enough guys to go out there and make plays. I think we were able to showcase it here and there throughout the course of the game.”
(What can you say about QB Jacoby Brissett’s toughness? I’ve never seen a guy leave on a golf cart and come back on a golf cart before. I don’t know if you have.) – “Yeah, I mean I’ve been saying that since he stepped in against Buffalo. He’s done a phenomenal job just being tough back there, keeping plays alive with his feet, getting knocked down and getting back up and being a leader and a fighter for us.”
(You guys got to 10 wins last year. You’re 1-4 right now. What’s the belief that you can get back to double-digit wins?) – “Take it one day at a time. I don’t think there’s any negativity in our locker room. I think there’s a lot of guys wanting to improve, guys wanting to get better. Nobody sets their sights on 10 wins or nine wins or 11 wins or whatever. That’s what you guys can talk about, but that’s not what we’re interested in. We’re one day at a time.”
(In terms of this offense, obviously a lot of hope is when QB Tua Tagovailoa comes back that everything will be basically fixed. How much of that is a reality in terms of things that you guys can work on?) – “I don’t think that it’s a one-guy thing. I think it’s 11 guys out there so we all got to come together and do our jobs and make plays when our opportunities present themselves. It doesn’t matter who’s back there. I think it’s a lot more than just one person and one guy. It’s collectively a unit and a team.”
T Austin Jackson
(When did you find out that you would be playing guard today?) – “I don’t really remember honestly. I watched a lot of film. Just studying and taking coaching points from our coach when he’s not only coaching me just helped me a lot to be able to go in and understand what needs to happen, and I just am doing anything to help this team.”
(How did you feel today went playing the guard position?) – “I feel good, feel blessed to be out there still to play, to do what I do. There are some learning experiences and things definitely I can learn from and get better at. But it felt good to be out there fighting with my guys trying to get a win. Just to be able to help this team get a win, and we didn’t do that but that’s what we’re working for.”
(You had your hand around WR Jaylen Waddle walking in, what were you guys talking about?) – “We were just talking. Just talking. It’s a very emotional game we just had. He’s come in as a rookie; I was there last year so just, yeah, tough game.”
(Have you ever played left guard before?) – “Well yeah, in the Army All-American game when I was like 17. I went down there and they had brought like nine tackles, so big Tristan Wirfs was at left tackle and I was at left guard. It’s kind of ironic, he was out there this week, too. That’s funny.”
(On where T Tristan Wirfs is on the field.) – “He’s at right tackle, but you know.”
(What can you say about QB Jacoby Brissett’s game today, especially playing through the injury?) – “That’s our guy. I think he did a great job leading us. Just preparation all week. He sits down with the o-line and we go through those extra hours of film without the coaches to make sure we pick up stunts right and I think he a great job just being himself.”
CB Byron Jones
(How are you feeling this game? I know you dealt with your injuries this week. Did you feel 100%?) – “Yeah, my health is completely fine. Just wasn’t a good showing for all of us today.”
(What would you say the biggest problem with the defense is right now? What’s the solution to fixing that?) – “Just keep chipping away. We’ve had some tough games, no question about that. I thought we saw some good things here and there, but it’s not consistent. It’s not for the entire game. Any time you go against good competition like that, you got to understand how you are going to be attacked and just attack it that way and understand these are our challenges. They put a lot on our shoulders for a reason because we are good. We’re good on defense and that’s one thing that we didn’t come up with today, was a play to give our offense a chance to go back at it and take the ball away or something like that. We’re working on it. It’s something that I look in the guys’ eyes and they’ve still got that brightness to it. There’s still that challenge we want to keep going and fighting forward and try to be the best defense that we can be. Football is a tough game and we’ve got a lot of tough men in that locker room.”
(How do you keep that brightness?) – “Just understanding – the game that I saw today, I know the score didn’t reflect it, I saw a lot of guys making good plays here and there. It just wasn’t consistent and it wasn’t throughout the entire game. Just to see the energy from the guys coming out, we got some big stops here and there. Obviously, it wasn’t enough, but that’s the challenge of football. We understand how long this season is and how hard it can get at certain times. We talk about it during camp. That’s why camp is tough, because it’s a microcosm of what the football season is going to be like. This was a tough stretch for us, no question about it; but it’s how you respond, and I think we’ve got a lot of high-character men in that room that are going to do the right thing.”
WR Preston Williams
(Obviously this was your most extensive playing time since the injury. How did you feel it went and I know the result wasn’t what you wanted but how did you feel your contribution was?) – “I felt pretty good. You never feel as good when you lose. Still feel like I have to get better so I’m just going to go back to the drawing board, watch film and fix up my mistakes that I made in the game.”
(That first catch, the toe-tap on the sideline, how much did that help you confidence-wise just right out of the gate to have a play like that?) – “We practice stuff like that at practice individuals with ‘Coach Grizz’ (Josh Grizzard), work sideline catches, toe-taps, foot drags and all that stuff. Its’s just practice.”
(Did you think they might overturn it?) – “No, I felt confident in the catch. We work that stuff.”
(So you were in bounds?) – “Yeah, I was in bounds.”
(What was your mindset once you found out WR DeVante wasn’t going to be available today?) – “We always got the mindset that anybody can go down at any time. Just be ready to pop in wherever. Some people get put in positions where they haven’t played. Just have to know your playbook and be ready.”
(You have this confidence about yourself. Where do you think the confidence is with the team and you guys can turn this around?) – “I think it’s still there. We’re a good team that I feel. I rock with my brothers till the end.”
(What was it like believing that you could contribute to the team, help the offense and not having that opportunity in comparison to today when you get the opportunity? Can you talk to me about the contrast?) – “Coach always talks about just next man up because usually you never know. We got COVID that can take people out. You can wake up one morning, be in that and not be playing. I just stay ready so I don’t have to get ready.”
