Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Head Coach Greg Schiano

(On his overall evaluation of the game)

"It's a very tough game, tough loss, for our guys. We did a lot of things very well, just did too many things wrong, too many mistakes to win. Certainly we're being tested, but we've got to stick together and we'll win."

(On the offensive struggles)

"As I've said, it's everything. It starts with me, and it's our coaching and our playing – and the quarterback's part of that – but there's a bunch."

(On struggles running the ball)

"Well, really, we struggled running the ball all day. We didn't run the ball effectively all day. They did a good job of shutting down the run. Our biggest rush was a fake punt. Then [running back Jeff] Demps had a big run on the speed sweep. We didn't conventionally run it very well at all."

(On if he thought the Arizona Cardinals would focus on stopping the run to force quarterback Mike Glennon to beat them)

"Yeah, but I still think we had our opportunities and we just didn't do it very well. We've got to look at what we called; we've got to look at how we blocked them. Everybody's got to take a hard look and say, 'This didn't work. Why?' and try to fix it."

(On Glennon's overall performance)

"I thought Mike did a good job of commanding control of the game, the tempo, everything. I thought he read things out relatively well. I thought he read things out well. He spread the ball around to nine different guys: three of the backs, three of the receivers, tight ends. At the end of the day, we had two costly turnovers. And again, none of the good is only one guy, and none of the bad is only one guy. It's coaching, it's playing, so, together, we'll get it fixed."

(On Glennon's first interception)

"Let me look at the tape. I don't know. I'll figure it out."

(On if he thinks the bad start will tear the team apart)

"No, I don't feel that at all. I know this team will stay together. These first four [games] don't count any more than the next 12, so we'll take them one at a time. We've got good football players, a good team, we're just not playing very well right now, so we've got to get it corrected, and we will. If we didn't have players and we didn't have good coaches, I'd be more concerned, but I am concerned because we're not doing it. So, we've got to get the tide turned, get to playing the way we're capable of. That all starts with me. As the head coach, I've got to make sure that we're doing everything we can, in our power, to perform better."

(On why quarterback Josh Freeman was not on the field today)

"[It was] a mutual decision. A lot of our inactive players, depending on the reason that they're inactive, sometimes they go up to an inactive suite in the stadium. We talked about it, and once we decided he was inactive, we felt that was the best scenario for today."

(On if Freeman agreed to stay in the inactive suite)

"It was a mutual decision, so yeah."

(On why the decision was made for Freeman not to be on the field)

"With all the happenings of the week, it was the best thing for our team. There's stuff that I'm not going to get into, but that was the best thing for our football team today. Had we had to put someone in the game, that would've been best."

(On if Freeman will be inactive going forward)

"I have no idea. We'll see. We'll take it game-by-game just like we do all the other inactives."

(On if he thought Freeman would have been a distraction on the sideline)
"No, that wasn't it. We just thought, overall, it would be better. Like I said, we've done it since I've been here. Recently, we've allowed more inactives down there on the field to try to help coaching and help charting and stuff, but we've had an inactive suite since I got here."

(On if a quarterback being inactive is a special case)

"Well, no, they don't dress. That was before I got into this league. They did away with that rule. The third quarterback's in shorts, so he can't go into the game. But, to your point, usually the third quarterback is on the field, even if you have an alternative place where they sit because he's a quarterback. It was just, I think, a special situation and a mutual decision – we agreed that this was the best thing for today."

(On safety Dashon Goldson possibly facing a suspension)

"I have not been contacted at all about that, so I can't comment on that until something really occurs. I haven't even seen the play yet, to tell you the truth. I didn't see the end of that play. I was doing something."

(On the decision to throw the ball in the fourth quarter)

"Well, again, our struggles in running the football is one of the reasons that we felt we had to mix it up. We had a good run the first run, but up until that point, there wasn't a lot of those. So we felt like we had to run our offense to get it out of there. In retrospect, would you like to have run something different? Sure. When it works, you're happy and you win the game, and when it doesn't, you say, 'I wish we would've done something different.' But again, I'll say it over and over, at that time, we make decisions and we go with them."

(On if the number of plays called was reduced in today's game)

"No."

(On the performance of the defense)

"I thought the defense played really well, third down defense especially – they were one for 10. Rushing yards, I think they had like 50 something yards. It was a winning defensive performance, but we play as a team. There's not a guy in that room that's defense, offense, special teams – we're all one, and that's the way we'll get through this tough stretch, and it's also the way we'll win and win big here."

Quarterback Mike Glennon

* *

(On the game)

"It's just an unfortunate way to end the game. [The Tampa Bay] defense played great the whole game, offense looked good in the first half and then, at the end, [we] just can't make that throw. A foot in front would've been the difference. [It's] definitely a learning experience but also a tough one to swallow."

(On what happened during his first interception)

"I just read it out and I just had to put the ball about a foot in front of Vincent [Jackson] and that's the difference. He was open; the read took me there. It was a great play call and I just have to put the ball one foot out in front [to avoid the interception]."

(On what happened during the second interception)

"They brought a pressure and I was trying to make a play. Probably should've just thrown it out of bounds and live to see another down."

(On how he felt about his game other than the interceptions)

"Really, it's all about wins and losses, so, until the game ended, I really wasn't judging my performance. But this is something that I'll definitely learn from and [that will] make me a better player."

(On taking care of the football)

"It's unfortunate. That was my kind of my focus the whole game. Just take what the defense is giving me, protect the football and we felt like we could win the game. It wasn't like I was getting greedy with that throw. [The receiver] was open. I just didn't put it exactly where it needed to be."

(On how much of the playbook he was running)

"It's too hard to put a percentage on it. Every week the game plan changes. Certain plays are featured more often but there's been the same kind of game plan as previous weeks."

(On struggling with maintaining drives and scoring points)

"It's definitely frustrating, but with the way our defense was playing, we just felt like we didn't need to turn the ball over in order to win the game. Unfortunately ,we turned the ball over and that's how it ended."

(On facing nine-man fronts)

"They were really loading the box and, give them credit, they did a good job against our run."

(On what he can take from the game)

"I think that's what the film will be for tomorrow and it'll be the good and the bad. It'll definitely be a lot of learning for me. Going out here, it was good to get one under my belt to feel what it's like. There were some good things, there were some bad things but the good and the bad I'll learn from."

(On starting his first NFL game)

"I thought it was fine. Once I got out there, I was just playing. Those guys up front did such a good job that the speed didn't shock me as much as I thought, because those linemen up front do such a good job with the pass rush. That really helped slow things down for me, so the offensive line did a great job of protecting me today. It was definitely exciting to be out there and playing in the NFL."

(On the close losses this season)

"It's definitely tough, but hopefully we'll take advantage of the bye week and get ready for Philly the following week."  

* *

Defensive Tackle Gerald McCoy

(On whether he thinks the defense played well enough today)

"No, I wouldn't say that. We as a defense will not ever be what we need to be until we learn to finish games. We've had three opportunities this year, out of four games, to finish a game, and we haven't. It makes all of the rest of the game irrelevant. The great defenses learn to finish games and we have to – have to – get to that point. We have to."

(On giving up points due to the opponent's short field position)

"It doesn't matter, we're not making excuses. I play on defense and I take pride in my defense. I don't care about what happened [with] this or that, I don't care. Whatever position we are put in, we need to learn how to handle it. Simple as that."

(On being 0-4 to start the season)

"Nobody expects to be 0-4; it's tough, but we have a bye week coming up.  We have a lot of time to reevaluate [and] fix some stuff and come back strong. I think we have Philly [Philadelpia Eagles] next."

(On what needs to happen for the team to be successful)

"We can't turn on each other. It's times like this where you see teams start to crumble, because internally they start to implode. [We] can't do that. We have to get stronger from this point moving forward, look in the mirror first, see what we did as individuals wrong, what we can do better and then lift each other up and then move forward."

Tackle Donald Penn

(On quarterback Mike Glennon)

"Mike stepped in there like he was supposed to step in there. It was a tough, tough job on him. He stepped in there and I thought he handled it very well. [He] took control of the huddle, took control of the offense and we have to help him out more. We have to make more plays, we have to finish our drives better and make it easier. We need to help this defense out, they're playing their butts off and we have to pick it up."

(On being 0-4)

"We have to get some things fixed. We have to finish better. [The] biggest thing and most of all [is that] we have to stick together. There's going to be a lot of heat coming back on us; we just have to stick together."

(On what happened during the game)

"I don't know. We have to finish better. We have to finish drives – it's been the same story for the whole season. We have to finish drives and once we have them on their heels we have to finish them."

* *

Wide Receiver Mike Williams

* *

(On heading into the team's bye week)

"It's going to be good to regroup and get some players back healthy. [To] all get on the same page, [so] I guess you can say it came at a good time."

(On quarterback Mike Glennon)

"I think he did real good, he handled it pretty well. We just came up short today."

(On difference between Glennon and Freeman)

"I wouldn't say anything different. [Glennon] played a good game today and made all of the right calls. We just came up short today."

(On 0-4 start)

"It's very tough. If we started very well, 3-1, maybe 2-2, even 1-3 [would be] good right now. We just have to adjust to it. We have to realize that we can still go 12-4; it's still ahead of us. We just have to adjust the little things and finish."

Cornerback Darrelle Revis

* *

(On Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald)

"It was a battle back and forth. That's how it goes sometimes when players are out there playing. When you throw a punch, he throws a punch back. You throw a punch, he throws one back. It goes back and forth. I tip my hat off to him on that last play, it was a great run. It was a triple move route; it was a good route. You have to take punches that way, too, [and] he threw one at me and he executed it and it cost us."

(On losing close games this season)

"It's heartbreaking, man. We just have to stick together, that's one. Two, we have to find a way [to win]. We don't predict the season like this going in the future. We have to find ways to win in the future, we have to. These games are coming down to four minutes or less in the fourth quarter and we have to find ways to be consistent."

Arizona Cardinals

Head Coach Bruce Arians

(Opening statement)

"Wouldn't have any other ending at Raymond James Stadium. Kind of used to those kind [of endings]. Haven't been on the losing end yet, for a while, at this place. It was a great exhibition of 60-minute football, and the game is played for 60 minutes and it doesn't matter, really, what goes on, as long as you can maintain the chance that something good is going to happen. I thought the fourth quarter was some of the best football we've played all year. It was just a matter of doing it. It was there to be done. We didn't play offensively, again, nearly what we're capable of on third down, but in the second half we moved the chains and started flopping field position. With the turnovers, the defense kicked in and won the football game and offensively we did enough to win it. I think all 53 guys had a hand in this win, it was great, and that's what it takes to win on the road in the NFL."

(On the critical nature of this game)

"We had no excuses not to [do well]. The week helped us. I thought we were fresher. The heat didn't bother us and then we couldn't get our defense off the field, with our offense not helping them in the first half. But, they hung in there and created turnovers. They didn't look that tired in the fourth quarter, so I think all that worked out for us. We obviously started poorly offensively with a couple just bad plays. But we were able to hang in there and overcome it. Like I said, anytime you can get to 2-2, win on the road – [Tampa Bay] is a good football team, I know they're 0-4, but they found a way to give [the game] back to us. They're a very talented football team."

(On Arizona cornerback Patrick Peterson)

"You can't say enough. I'm really surprise they threw toward him. With the rookie quarterback, [Peterson] is going to make you pay. For a great athlete, he studies the game extremely hard and he can probably call the plays that they were going to run at that point in time, if they were going to come towards him, and he was obviously standing right in front of them waiting for the catch. I think he's the best in the league. I'm sorry, some will argue that Darrelle [Revis] is, but I don't think it's even close, in my opinion."

(On Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald's performance in the second half)

"They had bracketed him a little bit in the first half and we didn't have the right plays called at times and he got frustrated because he wants the ball. I definitely want him to have it. Mike [Floyd] broke loose and all the sudden you saw Larry [Fitzgerald] get loose, and that's what it takes. When they're going to double Larry and Mike or Andre [Ellington] can pop loose, or now that Robby's [Rob Housler] back healthy - I really have to watch on tape that pass and the first penalty on Robby because from the naked eye it sure didn't look like one. We'll look at the tape and judge that later. Those three guys had to step in every week, then Larry's going to get his."

(On Arizona running back Rashard Mendenhall's performance)

"Rashard had a very tough day and he can't play that way. He can't run out of bounds, he's a veteran. And to run out of bounds at the end of the game, that was probably the worst mistake he made all day. It's unlike him to fumble and we need to practice him a little bit harder. I think we've been too easy on him in practice because of his injuries and we need to hone him up more because he's not gaining anything."

(On Tampa Bay quarterback Mike Glennon's performance)

"He can sling it. As long as they protect for him, he's going to hurt you. He's got a great arm and he can make every throw. I'm surprised they didn't throw deep a little bit more, but they were having trouble with protection. Any quarterback that you can hit them, you are going to shake them up and I think it got to him a little bit."

(On Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer's performance)

"Well, just win the fourth quarter and we'll be alright. A lot of it is getting hit on the first play when they let the three technique loose. That shouldn't happen. It's not just him, it's eleven guys on offense every time we break the huddle. We got about eight of them playing the first quarter right now, in the last two ball games, other than that first drive last week. We just got to keep working at it, it's new to all of them."

(On stopping Tampa Bay running back Doug Martin)

"That's our focus every week, we stop the run. We don't feel like anybody can run the football on us and our front takes great pride in it. They got after him and finally cracked one loose and got that fumble. I thought if they were going to hurt us, it would in some form of some sub-nickel or dime package and run the football from there, but we were able to keep them contained. He's a great back."

(On the performance of the Arizona defense)

"Dontay [Moch], I don't know if he had two sacks, but I know he had a big hit. I had him on the table for two sacks going into the game and I knew he would show up. I thought we pressured him, Mike [Glennon], all day and like you said, shut the run down. It's next man up. It's next man up. Defensively, it's just play your gap, play as hard as you can for six minutes and something good will happen."

Quarterback Carson Palmer

(On his evaluation of the first half)

"It was a dog fight. It's a very, very good defense [in Tampa Bay]. Personnel-wise, the players, they fought hard all game long. In the first half we just couldn't get it going. Our defense kept us in it. We got some momentum in the second half then we would get a penalty here or there. It was just one of those games, just an absolute dog fight. They're going to be tired, I know we were exhausted.  They're going to be beat up and sore, we're beat up and sore. That is a very good 0-4 football team; I haven't played against a better one. They played hard all game long and we were just fortunate enough offensively that our defense played well enough to give us a chance to go in there and get some points at the end and come out with the win."

(On overcoming adversity)

"That's part of the growing as a unit. You have a new system, a lot of new players in new spots. There is not a lot of continuity really anywhere. I mean, the offensive line is pretty much the same, but a lot of the guys were hurt last year and on IR. So it's a new system and we're still fighting, we're still trying to get better and we will continue to get better. In games like this when you come in to a tough place to play against a good team, getting a win just gives you a little extra momentum a little extra confidence. I think going home 2-2 is huge. I'm just thankful we had the chance to stay here this week, because I think we needed that extra energy at the end of the game. It was very humid and we had a chance to prepare in that humidity. Had we gone to New Orleans, back home and then back out here, I don't know if we would have had that same energy there in the 4th quarter and in the 3rd quarter because like I said it was an absolute dog fight. I'm glad we had the defense we did, I'm glad Pat [Patrick Peterson] made his plays. JB [Jerome Brown] came in and made a big play when he knew the ball was getting thrown to him he knew he was going to get hit. Just a good confidence builder to win and we just have to keep going."

(On staying confident throughout the game)

"We just have to keep fighting. We knew it was going to be a grind coming in. We knew it was kind of a trap coming in playing against an 0-3 team with a quarterback change, turmoil with the head coach and all that. We knew it was going to be a trap, it wasn't going to be easy. We talked all week about a four-quarter game. We knew we were playing against a very good defense. That defense has shut down and slowed down the New Orleans Saints, the [New England] Patriots and some very good offenses. We knew it wasn't just going to be an easy game. We needed to look at the film and find a way to get better. We will continue to work, we will continue to get better. We have a chance to go back home, one out of four games have been at home. Now we have a chance to go back and play in our stadium and use the crowd noise and use that atmosphere to our advantage and get a chance to play in front of our fans. I know this team is excited to get home and see their families but we're excited to get home and play in front of our fans at our place. I can't wait until next week."

(On wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald's play in the second half)

"It wasn't that he wasn't involved in the game plan in the first half – he was involved, they just did a couple of things to limit his touches. You put Darrelle Revis and then also help him out with a safety over the top, you can't try to force things to him. You can't try to get him the ball when there is not much to get him involved with the way they are playing. He came alive in the second half."

(On the injury to Tampa Bay safety Mark Barron and how that changed the game)

"Obviously, when you lose a starter it's an advantage for us but their backups were good. That's a very good roster, very good players on that roster. There wasn't a dip when they lost him. They just shuffled in the next guy, the next man up mentality. We were just fortunate enough to make enough plays."

(On Tampa Bay quarterback Mike Glennon)

"I think he's a very good player. I really didn't [get a chance to watch him play]. I was talking to our guys and going over pictures and worrying about myself. But he's going to be a great player; I've heard great things about him. For his first game to be in it and keep your team it, obviously he's going to be a good player."

(On what changed to allow Fitzgerald more success in the second half)

"Bruce [Arians] moved around a little bit. He wasn't necessarily the first read on some things, so he came up later on a couple of things and they pressured us a couple of times and got him the ball. Larry is not the type if his number is not getting called he is going to go sit on the bench and pout. Larry is a competitor. He is going to fight and fight and fight and he did that."

(On his two interceptions)

"The second one I would have to look at it, I didn't even see. Once I threw the ball I didn't see what happened on it. We'll look at that one. The first one, I should have thrown it to another receiver and that guy [Tampa Bay cornerback Johnthan Banks] made a pretty good play on the ball. I was trying to sneak it over a rookie's head and he made a great play. That guy is long and he made a really good catch. That's a very good team, that's a very good defense. Personnel-wise there are a lot of good players over there. Getting out with a win was great for us."

Safety Yeremiah Bell

* *

(On the win)

"Well, first of all, it feels good. I've been in this league for a long time and I know that you have to play for a full 60 minutes. You never know what is going to happen throughout the game. In games like that, you just keep you head down, keep grinding and when the clock says zero, look up and see what the score says."

(On winning with a comeback)

"It feels good [to win], especially on a road game because those are hard to get no matter who you play in this league. For us to go through the adversity of the week with the weather and everything in Tampa and to come out and get a win is a good thing."

(On Tampa Bay quarterback Mike Glennon)

"I think we let him get comfortable at first making some short throws. Then we started getting some pressure on him – started making him anxious in the pocket and we got some turnovers."

(On cornerback Patrick Peterson's play today)

"Those plays were huge. We always know Patrick's going to come up with something throughout a game, you just never know what it's going to be. And for him to make those plays at that time, you know that was huge for us. You always know when you play a game until the end, something's going to happen and for [Patrick] to come up with those plays..."

(On Arizona's record)

"2-2 is a lot better than 1-3; especially when it's a road game."

Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald

(On offensive concerns)

"I'm happy we came out with a win. Anytime you get a win on the road… and [Tampa Bay] isn't a 0-4 team. They very easily could be 3-1 right now. This is a good football team that's well coached and disciplined. The ball just hasn't bounced their way. To come on the road, it's tough anytime in this league, [sp] to come out with a win it feels great, but we know that we have a long way to go. The way we played in the first half is inexcusable and obviously we have to finish drives when we get in the red zone to break that cross, break that ball up. Things like that… we can't allow to hurt ourselves."

(On Tampa Bay cornerback Darrelle Revis' interception)

"You're playing against one of the top corners in the business. He's going to win at times. I would love for him not to be able to do that, but there's a reason he gets paid 90 million dollars to play cornerback in the NFL and he showed that he's as good as ever and it was great to go head to head with him."

(On not having many opportunities in the first half)

"No question, no question. You know you're a playmaker, you're used to being involved. I'm not one to ever complain or say anything. That's just not my demeanor, but I just said to myself when I get my opportunity I have to capitalize on them. First drive in the second half, [Arizona Head Coach Bruce Arians] put me in some different positions to give me some different looks and I was excited to get involved. Mike [Floyd] made some big plays for us today. [Andre] Ellington made some plays, Rob [Andre Roberts] made a nice play on the sideline; it was across the board everybody was doing their part.

Linebacker Karlos Dansby

(On the overall performance of the team)

"We made plays when we had to. We had to make a second-half stand. They had us off balance a little bit, we made a lot of silly mistakes, a lot of penalties, busted coverages, but then we just came back in the second half, got our second win and played the kind of capital ball I know we can play."

(On addressing the team at halftime)

"I just spoke to their heart man. Just told them to go out here and play with some passion. We weren't playing with enough passion in the first half and that's all I told them, it was simple, right to the point. Second half we came out and played with enough passion."

Cornerback Patrick Peterson

* *

(On his two interceptions)

"As a player and a captain and the leader of the defense, I wanted to be the guy to make the play for this team, to go in and give the offense the chance to get a score and give us the opportunity to win the ballgame. You work hard, really hard, on that route [on his first interception] all week and it finally paid off. I had my eyes in the backfield for a little bit so I saw the quarterback looking my way. He's a young quarterback, so he's going to telegraph his throws and once Vincent [Jackson] made the break, I kind of undercut it and I became the receiver and made a play on the ball. But the second one, I think it was a tip, forget which defender tipped the ball, but I'll call that one a gift. But it's still two interceptions on the stats."

(On the momentum shift in the fourth quarter)

 "Once the field position flipped, I thought it gave us a pretty good opportunity to go out – Dave [Zastudil] was punting well all day and to have those guys backed up in their 10. We're always talking that we don't want to let them out. I thought we did a great job of not letting them out and defense being smart, keeping our eyes on our keys, making sure we know what routes and things they wanted to do off the things – the way they lined up. We saw that route almost every day of the week this week and it finally paid off. The quarterback, he was telegraphing the throw, he was looking at Vincent [Jackson] pretty much the whole time and I undercut the route and made a huge interception for this Arizona Cardinal team to help that momentum shift for us to go out and get the W."

(On the importance of the defense's play)

"Defense is always important because defense wins championships. You know that's the motto around here. We want to continue to play better each and every week. But you know the good news, we get Daryl [Washington] back Monday, so were very excited about that. He's going to add a whole new dimension to the defense. We're going to be able to play much aggressive than we have in the last four weeks and I know I'm excited for him."

Kicker Jay Feely

* *

(On what the team learned from the game)

"Just resilience and don't give up. Don't worry about a bad half, don't worry about not performing well. Keep trying, keep working, keep grinding. Somebody's got to make a play. You see a lot of team's do that. An ugly win is still a win; it doesn't matter in the NFL. It's not like college football where you get style points."

(On kicking a game-winning field goal in his hometown)

"I was at ease. I was pretty comfortable. It's special though. I've played here a lot, but I've never had a game-winning attempt. To get to come back here and visit all my friends and family and go to a high school football game Friday night and kind of make the rounds and talk to the teams [and] to kick a game-winner is pretty sweet."