OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR LIAM COEN

(On if he plans to use only RB Sean Tucker and RB Bucky Irving for the remainder of the season)

"No, I think this is a long season, right? Obviously, Sean stepped up in a critical moment for us in a big game and displayed a lot of things that we have seen at practice but a lot of things that we haven't been able to see because of the not being able to tackle. He did a fantastic job of breaking tackles and running hard. This is a long season, we're going to need all three of those guys to really carry us for the rest of the season. All guys are going to play, they're going to get reps and at the end of the day, whoever is giving us the best opportunity to win throughout that game will probably get the majority of the carries. You guys know that the running back position, as we've already seen, is pretty volatile. Those guys take probably some of the more vicious hits than anybody. [It's a] long year, [we] need all three of them to be at their best in order for us to continue that running success."

(On if it will be difficult to get all three running backs the ball)
"No, you have to get all three of them a series early on. At the end of the day, that's what it's going to have to be, is all three of those guys are going to get a series and really kind of whoever is giving us the best opportunity. This is a game that we're going to need to break tackles and need to run violently so whoever is giving us that – we'll be able to ride that."

(On if having success in the run game helps prepare for Baltimore's No. 1 ranked run defense)

"I think some of that stuff – obviously not to take anything away from them, they are a very good defense. This is going to be our biggest challenge up to date. Some of that has gotten a little skewed because of the leads that they've jumped out on. I mean, you see them up 21-0 after a quarter of play or a quarter and a half of play – balance gets thrown out the window. We have got to be able to run the football, obviously to try to remain balanced, to try to keep them from making us one sided and just predicable so if you get into a passing game against them and drop back every snap, it's probably not going to be a fun movie, although the stats would tell you otherwise. While those stats are a little skewed, they can rush the passer at a high level."

(On if it's going to be difficult to balance getting small yards vs. wasting downs)

"Yeah, especially possessions against these guys because of the time of possession that they've been able to hold and the way that they play on offense and then they get up to those leads and make you one dimensional. We just can't allow that. We have got to obviously limit the turnovers and the penalties that put us backwards in the second quarter last week. We cannot have those. We have to play clean and give our guys a chance. That's the biggest thing is we have to try to stay balanced as much as we can while understanding maybe what's going on on the other side of the ball, how are they playing, what's the flow of the game like? Because at the end of the day, those penalties and turnovers, they effect the whole team, not just our inability to score. It puts our defense in bad positions, it puts our special teams in poor positions, so we have got to play clean from an operational standpoint, so to then just give us an opportunity to go compete and try to be as balanced as possible."

(On if giving each running back a series to start the game will endanger the ability to start off fast on offense)

"No, I don't think so. I think at the end of the day, we can start fast regardless of who's in. I believe that. I trust that… what is it? The last three weeks we've gone out and scored on a first possession and that's more so because the guys are clicking and they're doing their job, and they're pass protecting and we're catching and we're getting open and I have full belief and trust in whoever's in in those moments will be able to give us a fast start."

(On WR Chris Godwin's lateral to Tristan Wirfs against the Saints)
"That wasn't how it was supposed to be designed [laughs]. We're trying to create a play and we have it, we just probably haven't repped it enough to get it as clean as it needs to be. They were supposed to be blocking over on that side for a potential throwback but obviously not to a lineman."

(On aiming to play as good as they can for all four quarters)

"It's more just cleaner. I think that's the thing that we're really striving for. Our staff – credit to them for keeping our guys engaged all last week throughout a stressful week. I thought our staff, our coaches, and our assistants did a phenomenal job last week of keeping the guys engaged. They were very locked into the plan and then really, what occurred last Sunday was players making plays. There wasn't anything that we really did differently in terms of – like I wasn't just making these great calls. They were executing, they were breaking tackles and when you throw a check down and Chris [Godwin] breaks it for 55 yards – that's players over plays and that was the case on Sunday, but we still did some things that are critical mistakes that against maybe a different quarterback or a different situation, that will put us into a position we don't want to be in that will inhibit us from going to be able to score and put our team in the best possible position to be successful. So yeah, it was great [that] there was a lot of stats and accolades and people are excited, that's great, but we know that we can play a lot cleaner and whether that results in 51 points and yards and all that – I don't know, but we can't play a quarter of football like that and expect to win a lot of games."

(On if the offense still needs a third wide receiver to emerge)

"Yes, that's critical this week. We need that 'Z' position to be trusted upon to come in and execute. I love 'Shep' (Sterling Shepard). A couple of those were a little iffy but his energy, the way he is in the huddle, in the locker room, pregame, on the sidelines – [I] love Shep's energy, I love being around him, but we do need some more production out of that position. We also need to trust that position in order to throw them the ball and stuff. You saw Ryan Miller get involved and have a huge catch on a critical situation where things weren't looking so hot, and he catches a flat route on the sideline 34 yards or whatever it was. That's a big play so that's a player stepping up in which we're going to continue to need especially in such an early part of the season."

(On RB Sean Tucker taking advantage of his opportunity on Sunday)

"We've seen it. I mean, we've seen flashes of that for sure. You'll go back to OTAs even, he had some flashes of moments and then all through training camp he had flashes of moments. You look at the preseason game against Cincinnati, you saw flashes of moments. 'Tuck' is the guy that's sitting in the meeting room sitting up, eyes up, taking every single note, writes down everything you say, is always engaged. Credit to him for staying the course and when his moment came, he took full advantage of it. It's a good problem to have and [I'm] really proud of Sean and for what he was able to help us do on Sunday."

(On QB Baker Mayfield progressing as a play caller)

"I would say so. I would say that sometimes we've got to make sure we see how much is too much, but I would definitely agree that he is taking steps forward in this. Some of those picks, one of them he could really control, a couple of them he couldn't really control. I was really pleased with the way he played for the most part on Sunday. He is getting us into the right looks like some of the runs that we are going into cleaner looks – that's him doing his job and making sure we are in those right looks and then some of the plays that he's had to get out of, we were able to be efficient on. I wouldn't know exactly the percentage of success rate when he is changing the play. It's more so when he does have a couple options, just making sure we are in the right ones. He's done a really nice job so far."

PASS GAME COORDINATOR/INSIDE LINEBACKERS COACH LARRY FOOTE

(On CB Tyrek Funderburk taking 60 defensive snaps against the Saints after CB Jamel Dean left with injury)

"He handled it. He had some big eyes on the sideline. As a coach, you kind of just want to be cool and you don't want to freak him out. Every young guy gets baptized in this league. We knew he was smart, he had a good training camp for us. You're going to grow – that was my main message – welcome to the club. It's not going to be your [last] touchdown you give up. Keep on swinging. Especially at that position, you've got to have a short-term memory."

(On preparing for Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson)

"First, you've got to pray. You've just got to pray. You've got to hope and you've got to wish. It's going to take a group effort – even the [safeties]. Everybody is going to have to be responsible for him. At the end of the day, when he drops back and decides to run, it's going to be a challenge. When he does get tackled, it's a shoe-string tackle – that's when the prayers are going to be needed. We've got a nice plan for him, but his athleticism and him being a quarterback…We're at his mercy at times. We've just got to do a good job. We can't let him kill us."

(On if Jackson is more of a threat this year now that he is paired with RB Derrick Henry)

"And he's developed into a great passer. You understand why he's won multiple MVPs. When he is running the ball, he has running back vision – that's what makes it tough. He's slippery and everybody knows how fast he is. It's going to be a collective effort to try and slow him down."

(On getting DL Calijah Kancey and S Antoine Winfield Jr. back last week)

"Normally when you've got first rounders out there, you feel a little more comfortable. Those guys are definitely talented. We know what Winfield brings, Kancey is still climbing and still learning in this league. We're going to need his athleticism."

(On the Buccaneers generating more sacks over the last three weeks)

"It goes hand-in-hand on the back end – that plays a major role in getting sacks. They come in bunches. A lot of guys can win often, but the quarterback threw the ball, so we've just got to keep punching away. Up front, those guys want to get sacks. We've got to keep punching at it."

(On DL Calijah Kancey's ability to stop the run)

"You've got to keep the natural ability going – his quickness. Use your quickness, your strength, and you can make plays – you can be effective in the run game, tackles for loss, putting pressure on those guys…The more he plays, the better he's going to get. He's not the biggest guy, so he's got to get ready to take some pounding, some double teams. He's got to use his athleticism and make plays and not just sit back and let them beat you up. He's a 'dawg' and he likes it in there."

(On rookie DB Tykee Smith's ability to contribute in multiple ways and handle the game from a mental standpoint)

"We knew coming in when we were scouting him. He played major ball. He transferred into Georgia and played a lot – that tells you a lot, because those guys get nothing but five-star [recruits], so the smarter guys play. You look at those types of schools and he was just above [average]. He understands the game – he sees it before it happens. He's like [Antoine] Winfield Jr., he's a small guy but he's strong. If you put those DBs on wide receivers, there aren't too many wide receivers who can block him. He's doing a great job for us on the perimeter. That's where the game has changed: they just took it out there on the perimeter and they're making nickels and safeties and corners play linebacker, essentially. He's doing a good job for us and he has a good knack for blitzing."

(On OLB Chris Braswell Jr.'s development)

"He's growing. He's growing, he's learning, he's understanding that the NFL is different from college, even though he played in the SEC. You see a lot of flashing going on in those young guys. It's tough, because week-in, the gameplan changes. It's [not] just like training camp where you just sit there seeing the same offense every day. So, week-in, week-out, the gameplan changes, but he's growing. We like what he brings."

(On how hard it is to rush a quarterback like Baltimore's Lamar Jackson but not lose contain)

"We call that double talk. We call that double talk – make up for our coaching. It's tough, because you want to tell those guys, 'You've got to rush, but you've got to rush with a little control.' But, we've got to get after him – it doesn't matter what you do. If you sit back, Lamar can kill you; if you go after him, Lamar can kill you. You've got to make plays, you've got to have plans, we've got to work together. All four or five of those guys – however many we're bringing – you've got to be conscious of it. Even zone droppers, you've got to be nosey a little bit. You've got to be able to see the quarterback because he's dangerous when he drops back. We've got to play our game and see what happens."

-BUCCANEERS-