HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On the process of signing OLB Shaquil Barrett and his potential contributions to the team)

"We thought he could add extra pass rush for sure. We thought he could add extra knowledge. We had trouble getting to the passer from the outside earlier. We thought he had a lot of juice left in the tank to help us to make a run. The communication between me and [General Manager] Jason [Licht] was there the whole time. It was just a matter of Miami doing something so that we had a chance to try and get him."

(On Barrett's his readiness to play)

"There's retention on the old stuff, but he has a lot of new stuff to learn."

(On if Barrett will need to get back in football shape)

"In the walkthrough today, he was outstanding…He ran pretty [well]. Over the weekend, he ran pretty [well]. You don't know until you put the helmet and pads on."

(On not taking divisional games for granted, referencing last year's game against the Saints)

"It's a divisional game – it's never taken for granted. We know that going in. We still have a lot of things to work on. We've got to play the right way and do all the little things for us to win this ball game. Obviously, the turnover battle is going to be very important. Usually, when we play these guys, whoever wins the turnover battle wins the game."

(On CB Jamel Dean's injury and potential return)

"He's dealing with a knee right now, and I'm not sure how reasonable it is for [when] to come back."

(On clarifying how Dean got hurt)

"I don't know if it flared up or not. He was sore after last week's game. He came back and felt better, but then it was hurting him again."

(On if CB Josh Hayes would step into Dean's role and the value of his earlier playing time)

"If Dean can't go, Josh will definitely step into that role. I think the experience he got earlier this year, like most of the younger guys, is really helping him right now."

(On the contributions of tight ends Payne Durham and Devin Culp in Cade Otton's absence)

"It's a tough group. Payne is a tough player – he's a very tough player. Maybe not as athletic as Cade, but just as good with his hands. Devin is very athletic, very tough, and was eager to get his opportunity. Those guys stepped in and did a good job in Cade's absence."

(On the offensive line's performance this season)

"They've been great all year. They work hard. Those guys are a very close-knit group on and off the field – on the field, that makes the chemistry a lot easier. They work at it. Like I said, 'Carbs' (Kevin Carberry) and [Brian] Picucci do a great job working with those guys – how they're going to block people, who's doubling, who's coming off, and making them aware of everything. Those guys are really bought in and they're doing a heck of a job."

(On if there are any updates regarding the statuses of WR Sterling Shepard, TE Cade Otton, and S Antoine Winfield Jr.)

"Not at this time. I'll see how they run tomorrow and Friday and kind of go from there."

(On WR Jalen McMillan's development and his six touchdowns over the last four games)

"His understanding of the offense – he's a very talented player. He understands the offense, he's very comfortable right now and playing with a lot of confidence. When the guys went down early in the year, he got a chance to get his feet wet and understand where he needs to be on the field from a spot standpoint. The older guys have helped him a lot, and he's playing really fast right now.

(On if the Bye Week or the game against the Las Vegas Raiders was a turning point for McMillan)

"I don't know if it was just that game or the Bye Week, it was just him getting healthy, getting a better grasp of the offense, and then getting opportunities. The opportunities started coming, he started making plays, and it kind of snowballed from there."

(On the defense's second-half improvements, particularly after the Bye Week)

"It's really just guys executing. It's just guys executing and understanding what's happening, talking, and communicating a lot better."

(On keeping the team motivated after a big win)

"If you need to be talked about for this game to get in the playoffs, you probably don't need to be here. We understand what's at stake."

(On balancing winning the game with trying to keep WR Mike Evans' streak of 1,000-yard seasons)

"Winning is the most important thing, so there's no balance there. We're going to win any way we can try to win. We'd like to get him that in the process, but we're trying to win the game."

(On the way the New Orleans Saints cover WR Mike Evans)

"It's a division game. They've got a lot of smart players over there – a lot of vets, a lot of guys who've seen a lot of ball. A lot of ex-Pro Bowlers and current Pro Bowlers. They always play us tough. We understand that going in. We've just got to make more plays."

(On whether the team is peaking at the right time after dealing with adversity earlier in the year)

"We've won five out of six, so we've got to win one more. I like the way we're playing right now. We've just got to keep the mistakes down."

(On the ceiling for DL Calijah Kancey and whether he could become a dominant interior lineman)

"Health is the key thing right there. The past few years, he's missed certain games early on. If he can come back and play a full 17 [games]…Obviously, it shows in the stats. He's got seven sacks right now, and he missed five games. He has a chance to be a very good player if he stays healthy."

(On what Kancey can work on to improve)

"Just staying healthy. Just staying healthy. Everything else in his game is very good."

(On evaluating the Saints' offense ahead of the game)

"They put 27 points on us last time. I'm the last person to talk about somebody else's injuries because we deal with our own, so that doesn't bother me. I'm just getting ready for a tough ball game. We know who they have. I don't know who they're playing, but I know they're going to come out ready to play."

(On the versatility of the team's offense this season and whether it makes coaching the game easier)

"It's never easy to know if we're going to score or not, but it's good to know we can fight different battles. We can play a muscle game, we can play an air game, we can play a grind-out game, we can play an edge game. Whatever is given to us, we try to take advantage of it. It's good to know we're multiple that way."

QUARTERBACK BAKER MAYFIELD

(On what the group's emotions were while watching the Falcons game on Sunday night)

"A lot of ups and downs, watching from a fan's perspective. It [wasn't] the easiest one on your heartrate. Obviously, the results were good for us but still, it goes back to if we don't take care of business, nothing else matters. That's the mentality we have now."

(On if this is the best the offense has been playing all season)

"I think Sunday was probably the most consistent we've played for four quarters. Now, there's still room for improvement. Like I mentioned after the game, [I] would rather have some touchdowns instead of field goals early in the game down there in the red zone. The good games that we've had – that was the most consistent one, but the good games that we've had, the run game has been going well, guys are protecting really well, balls are getting spread throughout. The defense is dictating where the ball needs to go but guys are making plays, and [we] just need to have that same mentality. It goes back to the little things. Guys were detailed, knew their jobs, knew exactly what we were trying to do to attack them, and we were all dialed in."

(On what it means to have the opportunity to clinch the division title and playoff berth at home on Sunday)

"You always want to have the mentality of protecting your home turf and I know that hasn't exactly gone that way this year, but yeah, you always want to be able to play in front of your crowd – just the energy, get them involved early, especially when it's a rivalry game in division. So yeah, you look forward to that."

(On if he believed the team would end up back in the playoff hunt after the mid-season struggles)

"I truly believed it. I had said it early on – this team had the mental makeup to overcome anything, and we do. It's hard when you're in the middle of it, in the thick of it, trying to see what's going wrong, try to find those answers and fix it. Sometimes it takes longer than others. It goes back to doing the little things right, guys being on the same page, communicating, and at this point in the year we've played a lot of ball. There's not much you can really install that's new, so it's about communicating and being on the same page and our guys are doing that."

(On why it means so much to him and the team to help WR Mike Evans reach his 1,000-yard season streak)

"Let's put things in perspective. You're talking about tying somebody [Jerry Rice] that has all receiving records across the NFL throughout history. You're talking about somebody that's consistently been somebody in this community that has raised people up, continued to be the face of this franchise and be there for people, so that record is important for us. To get him to that – obviously, winning is the most important part but those two things go hand in hand. Mike is a huge part of this offense and a huge part of this passing game and so getting him involved early and often is a lot of the reason we've had success. Those things go hand in hand. There's balance and the most important thing is winning but I see it playing out – if we win, Mike is getting the record. We have to focus on winning and getting him the ball, but [our] guys are playing for each other. Mike won't say anything about it, and that's just who he is. That's why we love him, that's why everybody loves him, that's why he's been so consistent for so long. It's never been about just himself; it's been about winning and trying to find ways to win."

(On what WR Mike Evans brings to the team beyond just playmaking)

"Like you said, [he's] not the most vocal guy, but when he speaks, people listen. I think just the way he carried himself last week, he started the sense of urgency on the offensive side of the ball which is great to see. Today at walk-through he had his black Air Force ones on, so he set that mentality again [laughs].

(On the job that the offensive line has done this season to make his life easier)

"Those guys have played so well. Obviously, we've had – [Justin] Skule has had to step in and play a few times, last time we played the Saints, [Robert] Hainsey had to come play center when Graham [Barton] was out. There's a lot of communication that goes on in that room, a lot of guys putting the time in to get guys prepared. The progression throughout the year of them being on the same page and getting this run game going has been the biggest difference. [We're] leaning on those guys, continuing to trust them to break these wholes open for the [running] backs. They get it started."

(On what Offensive Line Coach Kevin Carberry has done this season)

"He's an incredible job – not just Kevin, Brian Picucci as well, our assistant O-line coach. Those guys – there's a lot of guys in that room to coach up and get detailed so they do an unbelievable job of getting them on the same page and understanding and covering all the possible looks we can have. It's tough when you have this many different run variations and things to get guys prepared, but they do a heck of a job of it and yeah, obviously the guys have to be locked in to understand all of it."

(On if he's kept in touch with Minnesota QB Sam Darnold since their time together in Carolina)

"We haven't really taken the time to talk about this year, but I just catch up with him every once and a while – just check-ins. Nothing too detailed but we always try and stay in touch. Obviously, he's getting another chance which he deserves. I speak that from my own personal experience. You just need a fresh start every once in a while, people that believe in you and so he's taking advantage of that opportunity."

(On if there's anything he can take away from the last game of the season last year being in a close game)

"I'll speak from an offense perspective – still playing aggressive, still playing to win, to go win the game, not just to get by. Having that same mentality we've carried through of trying to score a lot of points early and often, to let the defense get after them a little bit. That's our mentality on offense – to score as many as we possibly can and don't look back."

(On hitting career highs this season and if this is the kind of production he expected to have when put in the right circumstances)

"I mean, obviously the guys that I have around me, the o-line up front protecting me is a huge reason why I'm able to have those numbers. I would like to have a lot more wins and not be in this scenario where we're playing the last game of the regular season to get in. That truly is what matters to me. That's it."

(On what his definition of a balanced offense is)

"When you look back at the end of the season and see the balance of total pass plays to run plays, sometimes it can get skewed because some teams will load up the box to stop the run and you have to throw it to win so there's variations of it. To me, a balanced offense is doing what you need to do to win the game, no matter what the look is.

CORNERBACK ZYON MCCOLLUM

(On not underestimating divisional opponents)

"Yeah, we can't sleep on anybody. A divisional opponent, they're going to come in here and give everything they have. They have nothing to lose, so we've got to be prepared and give it our best shot. This is a t-shirt and a hat game, so there's a lot of excitement around the locker room."

(On what the team needs to do to keep the momentum going)

"Just continuing to stick together, hanging out outside the field, on the field, and just talking, communicating a lot more and just making sure everybody's on the same page. No matter who's in there, the lineup could change, and it doesn't matter. Next man up."

(On the significance of playing the final regular season game at home and potentially securing another home game in the playoffs)

"It means a lot, not only to us, but we take that chip on our shoulder and know that we want to give it to the fans and give it to the city of Tampa. To be able to clinch at home is a big deal. A lot of the rookies don't know about this type of game, but to be able to clinch a division and then secure that and stay at home is big time."

(On watching the offense from a defensive perspective)

"It takes a lot of pressure off of us, I know that. Watching them is so fun. We see it every day in practice, too – how tight everybody is in that group, the O-line. I think a lot of position rooms admire how close they are and how much pride they take in everything they do. We kind of build off that and feed off of that. Baker [Mayfield] is a tremendous leader. All those receivers, the running back room – everybody is just coming together, and it's a fun thing to see."

(On the defense's second-half adjustments against the Panthers)

"I think we did a really good job of getting punched in the mouth, responding, and coming back, especially at halftime. Making some adjustments, coming back out there, and pitching a shutout is big time. But I'm also going to be our hardest critic, especially with the [defensive backs]. If we give up plays in the playoffs, it's a whole different story. Teams will continue to get better, especially in the playoffs as you go and try to win a Super Bowl. But it's definitely promising seeing how we can play when everybody comes together."

(On winning the 2024 PFWA Mark Cook Memorial Good Guy Award as the Tampa Bay Buccaneer who most graciously fulfills their media obligations)

"I appreciate that. Thank you. I try to always have a good voice in the [face] of criticism [or] anything good that happens – I know the sun is always going to come up tomorrow. I appreciate it. Thank you."

-BUCCANEERS-