HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On if DL Calijah Kancey, CB Jamel Dean, and LB SirVocea Dennis will be practicing by next week and potentially playing against the Detroit Lions after the Bye Week)

"I would hope so. We'll see how they progress this week. They have a week to get better, and we'll re-evaluate it once the next week starts. We would hope to have a lot of people back by then."

(On if DL Calijah Kancey injury is more serious than expected)

"It's kind of pain-as-tolerated type of deal. You want him one hundred percent. [When] he came back last time, he felt it a little bit. So, you want to be a little more cautious this time."

(On if there's an update to the status of S Ryan Neal and WR Mike Evans)

"Not at this time. They have to get some tests run when they come in. We will have updates later."

(On G Luke Goedeke's performance against Saints DE Cameron Jordan)

"Luke has played well the last four games, it wasn't just this game. 'Cam' is a great player, obviously. Luke is a lot more comfortable at right tackle. He's at home now, he understands it, he loves the scheme, [and] he works [as] hard as anybody. Him and Tristan [Wirfs] worked out together all summer. He's holding his own, he's playing well, you don't notice him because he's not giving up many plays, and he's doing a heck of a job for us."

(On the array of different plays by Offensive Coordinator Dave Canales)

"I love it. It's important to keep teams off balance when you have them on a run. You don't want to do the same things over and over again. It keeps everyone interested, [and] everybody can touch the ball on offense. Makes everybody want to play harder, play faster, and it's motivational. He did a heck of a job calling it."

(On how much fun the team is having being 3-1)

"It hasn't changed. We were having fun in the beginning. Again, we write our own narrative. It doesn't make us any difference whether they say we are good or bad. We write our own narrative, [and] we create our own narrative. Everybody loves each other in this building. We play for each other, we coach for each other, and we're having fun with it."

(On if there is a position group that has become more physical over the past couple of games)

"I don't think it was a position group, I think it's the team as a whole. We've been playing tough. We made mistakes, no question about it. We've been playing tough when we give ourselves a chance. [If] we clean up the mistakes, we have chance to be a decent team."

(On if he has sense of who the 2023 Buccaneers will be)

"We're close. We're not there yet. I figure one or two more games, hopefully. With the Bye Week [and] once we get everybody back, we [will] have a chance to blend everybody in, [and] we will get a chance to see that."

(On how it helped keeping New Orleans Saints' RB Alvin Kamara under control)
"It helped out a lot. He's a dangerous back, and with [Derek] Carr being a little banged up, we figured they'd try to get the ball out a little quicker. He caught a lot of balls, but to limit the YAC yards was important for us."

(On the key to continue generating takeaways)

"It's being aware of where the ball is. Punching the ball out when we get a chance, taking opportunities to get interceptions once he throws a bad pass – an errant pass – us capitalizing on it, and just securing the ball. The guys have been very conscious of that this year. They're conscious of that every year, it just flows a certain way at certain points and times, and we just have to keep it going."

(On DB Dee Delaney's performance against the Saints)

"He did a decent job. He did a very decent job. We kind of moved him around [from] corner, strong (safety), free (safety), [and] nickel. He kind of does everything back there for us, but we know he can catch the ball. He studies a lot during the week, and it pays off for him a lot."

(On if NT Vita Vea's pass rushing ability has improved)

"I think he started using his hands more. He's not trying to go side to side. He's trying to power – make one move and go. He started using his hands more, and he's very powerful once he starts using his hands."

(On the confidence in the depth of the passing game)

"It's good to spread it around. We know once we get down there, there is going to be a premium to cover Mike [Evans] and cover Chris [Godwin], so the other guys have to step up. We have some guys, we call them the 'puppy pound,' or at least I call them that. They stepped up and played pretty [well] yesterday, so we're happy about it."

(On WR Deven Thompkins)

"He's a competitor. He only knows one speed, he practices like that, [and] he plays like that. He's coming into his own. He's doing a great job for us on special teams, he's making his way as a receiver now, and he's starting to show up. He can run reverses, he can catch the ball, [and] he can run routes. He's probably thinking he is a 250-pound player when he is 150-pound player, but he's tough that way. We really rely on him."

(On everyone getting the job done in clutch moments)

"Situational football. We talk about it all the time, we practice it, we watch film on it, and those guys come through. Again, with Chris [Godwin] coming up with that play with Baker [Mayfield], our veterans step up when they need to."

(On QB Baker Mayfield's toughness and durability)

"Baker's tough. I say it up here all the time. You don't want him taking too many of those, but he's tough, he's gritty, [and] he's a very smart football player. He's a competitor, he's been like that his whole life, it hasn't changed. He has a lot to prove, he's having fun out there, he understands the offense, he's using every piece of [weaponry] that we give him, and he's having a good time."

(On how he thought special teams performed against the New Orleans Saints)

"We didn't give them the big one, so that was important for us. I thought it was about even for the most part. The penalties kind of put us behind a little bit, but I thought they ran and covered well, and we didn't get any kicks blocked."

(On how the Outside Linebackers did from a production standpoint)

"I think they did their job for what we were getting. The ball was coming out quick quite a bit. We weren't really trying to rush the passer because the ball was coming out so fast, but I thought they were solid all the way around."

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DAVE CANALES

(On sending receivers in motion before the snap)

"I think it's about using the guys that you have, and what we have is a couple of young guys with Trey [Palmer] and 'D.T.' (Deven Thompkins) and [Rakim] Jarrett to be able to put some movement on them. Whenever you can switch the pass strength with the quick motion or something like that, it just softens up the defense a little bit and helps your releases and makes the linebackers kind of have to look at some things and assess it. It's something they've brought to the NFL game and kind of popularized it a little bit – college has been doing it for a long time, for a couple years now. Even dating back to Seattle, being there before, some of the things we try to build with 'D.T.' (Deven Thompkins) throughout… It's a good thing."

(On using a multitude of different play types in a single drive against the Saints)

"It's fun, for sure, to that point. The guys do enjoy that. As long as they're a part of the play – because, again, that's a lot of mileage if we aren't giving them an opportunity for the ball – but, in a drive like that against a defense like this, I just wasn't going to try and make it this macho, mano e mano type of thing. There's ways to do that. Make them work. I think coming out of the first three games, I just felt like maybe I wasn't trying hard enough to just get first downs – make yards while we're learning the core of our system, while we're trying to learn the fundamental blocking schemes that we've got to get good at. The reads for the [running] backs – we talk a lot about the rhythm of the backs over the last couple of weeks – but the combos up front. We have to be able to practice all of that, but while we're getting those things, try harder to get first downs, try harder to make yards. I was happy about that yesterday."

(On if there was a run-pass option play drawn up for TE Cade Otton)

"We've got a bunch of sneaky little RPO's built in on a lot of our plays – under center and in the gun. I'm not sure exactly which one you're referencing, but yeah, we do have options to take advantage of an uncovered receiver here or there, or if the [linebackers] overplay a run, it's good to just have some answers on the backside in different ways."

(On utilizing RB Ke'Shawn Vaughn more against the Saints)

"Who's been around playing against the Saints longer than 'Sneak' – as far as in the backfield goes? He's got the experience. This is a really good defense. They do a lot of cool things, whether it's first, second or third down with some of the packaging. We felt like 'Sneak' gave us the best opportunity, [where] if they did do something exotic, he would have the eyes that have seen it. If they did something in the run game, he'd be able to find his way through those things and I thought he did a great job in the role that he played."

(On the offense converting in big moments against the Saints)

"It starts up front. What we're learning about our offensive line is this is a really good pass protecting group. They got us a couple times – that happens to everybody – but they continue to show us their ability to do that. It starts there. Then, Baker [Mayfield] making great decisions. They got us on a penalty on one where the ball didn't quite get to the line of scrimmage, but his decision-making process has been so good. The confidence is growing for the group, for me, with what we can do. And then, where's Chris [Godwin] at? Game on the line, where is Chris Godwin? Teams know that, defenses know that, we know it. The line giving us a chance to find him and to work. And then 'D.T.' and his energy, right? One of the things I tell the group all the time is, 'The ball finds energy, so if you break with a lot of juice [when] you make your break, it grabs the attention of the quarterback.' It's no different than basketball where everyone is kind of spreading out. If someone breaks to the hoop fast, you see them and you dish it. It's kind of the same feel – the ball finds energy."

(On what he saw from the offense when WR Mike Evans wasn't on the field)

"I think when Mike isn't out there, it frees up the defensive playcaller to call things a little bit more balanced instead of always putting their attention over to '13.' Then, all of the sudden, when things kind of even out, it's like, 'Okay guys, who's going to make those plays?' Brad [Idzik] through these first four games, we've just talked about it going into each game, 'Don't be afraid to just rotate those young guys in – we're going to need them at some point.' They're not playing perfect ball – there's a lot they can clean up, there's a lot of sloppy plays that happened, but they play with a lot of juice and a lot of confidence. Baker [Mayfield] feeds off that, as well, with those guys just flying around. I was really happy Trey [Palmer and] 'D.T.' (Deven Thompkins) came through for us."

(On QB Baker Mayfield's decision making)

"It's just being in those types of games, feeling that our defense is playing great. We put ourselves behind the sticks with like a penalty and some things that happened right around [the area approaching field goal range]…So, I go, 'Okay, I'm calling this. If you just love this shot, great, but look where we're at.' Whether he got it done with a checkdown or with his legs, that's the one thing he did a great job of in the game. They're trying to confuse him with all these dropout coverages and all these double teams, well they've got nobody factored for the quarterback. He's more mobile than guys give him credit for. I know he's a move-around guy, but he can go and get yards. So, yeah, I'm really happy about him just knowing what the situation is – the defense, us, our guys, what's it looking like. He just has a feel for making some of those good decisions."

(On the Buccaneers scoring on 3-of-4 red zone appearances against the Saints)

"It's making plays. I think the cool part about having somebody like Baker [Mayfield] is [that] he turned a couple of really average playcalls into some touchdowns. We're learning, too, there are tendencies that we study but then how do teams play Baker and Mike [Evans]? That's a big factor for us. That tells a story for what we have to be ready for. Baker didn't panic in those situations, he just said, 'Okay, this isn't what the play was designed for, but I have outlets.' He found Cade [Otton] inside on one of our plays, the extension to 'D.T.' (Deven Thompkins) on the other one, the flat route he threw to Rachaad [White] that Rachaad took down to the 1-yard line. Those are just him saying, 'Alright, not the design, boom, go to the next one quickly.' That's good football. That gives me a lot of confidence to be able to make those pass calls and know he's going to get us into a positive play."

(On where he sees himself needing to improve as a playcaller)

"Just the run-game flow. Understanding what the defensive plan is, to try and take away some of our core runs and being able to make a transition in the run game better. That's my biggest growth curve. I've watched coordinators get really good at that. I was with Brian Schottenheimer, Shane Waldron, Darrell Bevell before that – that's something that they would kind of grow through in the first couple drives. By the second quarter, they're like, 'I see what they're trying to do here.' Then you see some chunk runs happen because of the adjustments. That's a place where I haven't quite wrapped my brain around yet. Situationally, just learning in the red zone, the balance of run and pass there that can continue as you go through it. I think we've done a better job in the last couple weeks, being more balanced down there. I get so excited to throw Chris [Godwin] and Mike [Evans] touchdowns when we get inside the 15[-yard line] that you can't forget the best red zone teams every year are the ones that run the ball for touchdowns in the red zone, as well. That opens things up for the whole offense, when you can be balanced all the way down."

(On the job that Wide Receivers Coach Brad Idzik is doing)

"I think he's doing a good job of just being really patient, knowing that [on] Sunday football, we're striving for this rhythm in the pass game. Things start happening fast and you're getting press coverage and now I'm off my landmark. As he's been working through these first four games – again the youth is a big deal, but also for Chris [Godwin] and Mike [Evans], learning the system and how things play out for all the coverages. I can't practice every pass play against every coverage throughout the week, so when different things happen in a game, he's doing a good job of just kind of re-hashing those for them and saying, 'Hey guys, here's why this blitz is important on this concept, here's why.' He follows back around. Beyond that, he does a lot of target tapes early in the week for the DBs we're playing, for release plans and things like that – things he's picked up from Sanjay Lal in Seattle, who he got to see do it, who's been doing it for a long time. He's employing those things, doing a great job and of course, in the game, we've worked together so long, he can be a really strong voice for me if I'm not seeing something. He's done a great job of kind of picking and choosing when to kind of break my train of thought, for maybe when I have to shift direction a little bit. He's done a good job of picking and choosing when to say, 'Hey, eyes open, it's this.' He's doing great."

(On how he would rate the pass attempt from WR Chris Godwin and when the last time Godwin threw a pass was)

"Shoot, I don't know. I just know he's made some really good decisions as we've been practicing them. He had a plan on that play. He had Trey [Palmer], the guys back turned – he felt like he could still get it up to him. I thought we should have gotten a [pass interference] on it – the guy ran into him with his back turned, you know? I thought we'd get a flag on it. I thought it was a great flat ball, a great decision with the safety coming over the top. That's next level quarterback stuff, right there. He got me excited with the decision there. Again, just plays the guys can get excited about it. Make that backside defensive end have to do something [and] hopefully it helps a play in the future."

(On when he first noticed that Godwin was a good passer)

"You watch the guys play catch and he can spin it."

(On RT Luke Goedeke's play so far this season)

"Luke has been fantastic. I think his raw power really shows up. Fundamentally, obviously he and Tristan [Wirfs] are still working through being on those edges and playing these different elite pass rushers week in and week out. In the run game, he's been fantastic. He's fast on the backside, he's strong at the point of attack and then his pass protection has been good. [I am] really excited about Luke."

-BUCCANEERS-