HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On if DT Deadrin Senat will see more playing time given his performance recently)

"Depending on the situation and what [teams] come out in, we have different packages for different people. He has some packages that could increase or decrease depending on what they do."

(On how roughing the passer penalties have been enforced around the league)

"Hopefully we come to a middle ground. We want to be able to play football, play it clean, and play it safe. Hopefully everybody gets together, and we'll come to some middle ground where everybody has an understanding of what we can and can't do."

(On how he coaches defensive players so they can be physical but avoid penalties)

"It's tough – you don't want to fall on a quarterback, you want to hit him and go to the side. Sometimes you're in a position where you're coming from the back or you have a lineman on you that you can't avoid and just go to the side. Hopefully we have some meetings about that, and we have some middle ground where they allow the [defensive line] to play a little bit."

(On if the recent penalties might make young football players not want to play defense)

"I don't think it'll dull the enthusiasm – like I said, we want to come to rules where we can play football – but from dulling enthusiasm, no, there's a lot of kids that love to play football."

(On if players have expressed confusion about how the game has been officiated)

"No, we try to play the right way. I'm sure everybody tries to play the right way. It's not a call here or there – you can ask any coach in the league, they've had calls go against them and calls go for them depending on what it was. All of us can argue that fact. We just try to play a clean game and the referees have to do their job and we have to do ours."

(On if TE Cameron Brate could play on Sunday)

"He's working. We'll see how he goes through the week."

(On if Brate is still in concussion protocol)

"Yes."

(On if there's an update on CB Sean Murphy-Bunting's MRI results)

"Not at this time – I just got off the field."

(On if defensive backs Sean Murphy-Bunting, Carlton Davis and Mike Edwards could play on Sunday)

"Potentially, right now, yeah."

(On what he sees from Steelers QB Kenny Pickett)

"He's a very heady football player. He knows where his checkdowns are, he has a very good arm, [is good at] reading defenses, going to the outside or the inside. He can get out of the pocket and run pretty [well] if he has to. It looks like he has a good command of the offense, so we expect him to play well."

(On his impression of Steelers WR George Pickens)

"He's a physical receiver, you know. They have two of them – [Chase] Claypool as well. He's going to jump and try to make great catches, which he's shown week-in and week-out – that's why he got drafted so high. He's tough, he was a tough player in college, he's tough with the Steelers. They got a good draft pick – they've got a potential Pro Bowler on their hands. He's going to be a handful to deal with."

(On how impressed he is with this year's rookie class)

"I think all of them have been impactful. They all put their head down and they work. They study very hard, they work very hard, they don't look up and the moment is not too big for them when they play. Right now, all of them have been doing a great job contributing."

(On if he sees RB Rachaad White continuing to get an increased workload)

"He had the trust with Tom [Brady], we're not worried about that. We're just trying to get him in and get him some plays. When 'Lenny' [Fournette] needs a break, we don't feel like we lose anything putting Rachaad in there – we're happy about that. Getting him more reps – depending on how many reps 'Lenny' has – some days it will go high and low, some days it will go closer to the same. He's ready to play when we put him in there – Tom trusts him, the [offensive line] trusts him, he can catch the ball, he blocks well, he can run the ball. We don't have a problem putting him in."

(On having 11 different players having a sack so far this season)

"Just getting to the quarterback is good, it doesn't matter who it is for us. A lot of guys sacrifice to get other guys plays – that part of it has been good as far as playing team football. We need to get there with three, four, five – however many we send, we try to get to the quarterback. It's more [about] the pressure than the sack. The sacks just showed up early – last year they didn't show up early."

(On Falcons DL Grady Jarrett's comments about being retaliated against last week)

"I didn't see any of it so I couldn't answer that question."

(On the addition of OLB Genard Avery to the active roster and the signing of LB Ulysees Gilbert and CB Quandre Mosely to the practice squad)

"Well [Genard] Avery has been up and down. We think he can help us on [special] teams. He has some things he can do on defense as well. The other guys are young – based off of injury, we may have to play the other guys, so we have to get them ready to play."

(On K Ryan Succop's performance this season)

"Ryan [Succop] has been very solid. He's very professional, very solid guy. We don't talk as much – when I first got the job, I told the kickers, "We won't be talking a lot – if we have to talk, you probably missed a kick.' We have been very far apart right now and that's a credit to him working hard and getting back healthy. I'm pleased with him."

(On himself and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin being two of the Black head coaches in the league, plus the addition of Panthers coach Steve Wilks to that group)

"I have a very good relationship with [Mike] Tomlin. We don't look at what color we are when we coach against each other, we just know each other. I have a lot of very good white friends that coach in this league as well. I don't think it's a big deal as far as us coaching against each other, I think it's normal. [Steve] Wilks got an opportunity to do a good job, hopefully he does it. We coach ball, we don't look at color."

(On how important it is for aspiring minority head coaches to see "people that look like" them and "grew up like" them)

"Well, when you say, 'They see you guys' and 'look like them and grow up like them,' it means that we're oddballs to begin with. I think the minute you guys stop making a big deal about it, everybody else will as well."

(On Mike Tomlin not having a season with a winning percentage worse than .500)

"It's unbelievable. I don't know who else has done that. He's done an outstanding job since he's been there – as a coach and being a model citizen. [He's] one of the coaches that I have a lot of respect for in this league [and] truly look up to in that aspect."

(On if last week was OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka's best game so far)

"He showed more consistency in the last game than he has in the previous games, so hopefully that continues."

(On whether he uses his instincts or analytics when it comes to deciding whether to go for a game-winning two-point conversion or kick a game-tying PAT)

"I think it's both. You never have it figured out because you don't know the situation you're going to be in at the end of the game – you have your analytics part, you have your coaching part, and you have the way your team is playing part. You have to take all of that into consideration and try to make an educated decision."

(On if he watches other games unfold and puts himself in the position of different coaches)

"It's hard to put myself in that position after the play has happened. I'm not going to sit up here and be a Monday morning quarterback. It's all about when you get in that position, what are you going to do?"

(On his view of analytics as opposed to going with his gut)

"It's very helpful – it's very helpful in a lot of things. Percentage wise, it's very helpful when you follow it by the book – especially when it works. It's also very helpful when you're breaking teams down. There's also the coaching element – you have to know your team and understand what they are. When you get in certain situations, as well, again you've got to make an educated decision."

(On if P Jake Camarda has been another player he hasn't had to coach up this season, similar to K Ryan Succop)

"He's been steady for the most part. He's been steady every week. We like where he's at. He just keeps getting better. The kicking game has been good for us."

(On if there's an update on C Ryan Jensen)

"I'm sure the swelling went down some. [There's] no more update than the last time."

(On if he expects Jensen to return this season)

"I don't know, that's a long way [away] from a health standpoint for me to answer that question."

TIGHT END CADE OTTON

(On if things are slowing down for him as a rookie)

"Yeah, you know, it's incremental – it's little by little. You see the picture a little bit better, but obviously the NFL is a high level of football, so you've just got to be able to slow things down in your mind. That goes by preparing, watching film so I'm just trying to do that."

(On getting more reps on offense)

"I'm super thankful for the trust they've showed in me – [I] just hope I'm able to repay that on the field and do my job."

(On the blocking aspect of being a tight end and being a crucial blocker on RB Leonard Fournette's rushing touchdown)

"I think [Leonard Fournette] just felt bad that he knocked me down. No, [blocking] is a super important part of the job of being a tight end. We get asked to do a lot – whether it's blocking like a tackle or running routes like a receiver – it's a very nuanced position. So, I'll just try my best to improve all facets of my game and contribute to the team in any way I can. As a tight end, you have a lot of opportunities to do that and, definitely, blocking is a big part of that."

(On being the guy that QB Tom Brady can rely on)

"Yeah, you can kind of see the game plan put together on offense and you see that the tight end can be a big part of the offense and plays down the field and underneath. So, [I'm] just trying my best to be in the spot I'm supposed to be in and do my job – the trust will come in time."

(On coming back after dealing with the loss of his mother)

"Yeah, it was hard at first, but I know this is where [my mom] would want me to be – doing my job. Especially knowing how supportive the organization is and how supportive my teammates have been. [I] just want to do my best to work hard and have fun for her – those were two things she taught me to do, and I just want to do my best to do that. And it's great to be back."

(On if there are parts of his game he wants to keep working on)

"Yeah, there's definitely big things all around in my game that I want to get better at, but I just want to take it day-by-day – pick one thing everyday to get better at, whether it's footwork in the run game or getting my depth, like there was a couple of times during the game where I was tackled just short of the first down. So, [I] just want to be able to convert on those plays. There's going to be little things every day that make a big difference over time, so that's what I'm trying to do."

SAFETY ANTOINE WINFIELD JR.

(On not underestimating the Pittsburgh Steelers)

"Yeah, [you] never look at any teams like that, you know, it's the NFL. Every team is good, so you have to go in there and take care of business as usual. Can't look down on any teams in this league."

(On what concerns him the most about the Steelers' offense)

"They have a good receiving corps. They have a good [running] back as well, and so, [we're] trying to contain them as much as possible. That's what we're trying to do this week."

(On Steelers WR George Pickens)

"He has great ball skills. I've seen him go up on top of people's heads a few times this year – so making sure he doesn't do that to us – that's my only job."

(On TE Cade Otton's progress)

"Yeah, he's been balling. He's doing a great job for us. He's been handling business. So, we just need him to keep doing his job."

(On Otton's style of play)

"He can do a little bit of everything, you know? He can block, he can catch the ball – so he's pretty much everywhere."

(On the biggest improvement to the defensive unit)

"I feel like the key for us is – something we need to work on – is finishing games. Like, last week, we had a fast start, but we didn't really finish as well as we wanted to. That's probably the key thing we're working on this week."

-BUCCANEERS-