HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES

(On if there's an update on the status of WR Chris Godwin)

"He will be undergoing surgery very soon. He'll probably be out for the year. There's a chance, if we make a late playoff run, that he could be back but he's undergoing surgery and he's going to be out."

(On when he expects WR Mike Evans to return)

"At this point, we're probably expecting after the Bye Week. He tweaked [his hamstring] pretty good when he fell on it on that play. It's moderate, but it's hurting pretty good right now. We'll probably say after the Bye Week, hopefully."

(On the decision to waive P Jake Camarda)

"Jake had probably been in a slump for the past couple months. In preseason, we tried to help him get out of it and he just got stuck in it. We had to make a decision, bringing [Trenton] Gill up. We're going to go forward with him, but we'll work some punters out, as well. He's a very talented guy and I think he can get back. With punters, you never know. You can go through some Pro Bowl years and you can kind of hit a slump for some years. We couldn't afford to wait for him to get out of the slump, so we made the decision."

(On the extent of the injury to WR Chris Godwin)

"There was a little more damage than that, but I'm not a medical person so I couldn't sit here and begin to tell you the things that they told me. I just know that it was serious."

(On the specifics of the hamstring injury for WR Mike Evans)

"He's got the 'hammy' (hamstring). It's the same hamstring, but it's in a different spot than it was before. It's pretty sore. I don't know what the significance of that is, either, but he's going to miss a couple of weeks."

(On what he saw watching tape of the defensive performance against the Ravens)

"We're still making about three or four mistakes that are costing us. We mis-fit the two runs that [Derrick] Henry got out in the second half. We busted the coverage [where] Lamar [Jackson] through the deep ball in the first half – we had nobody in the middle of the field. We're working the kinks out there. The communication has got to be right, but we've got to straighten out the coverages and the run fits. If you miss one or two run fits against those guys, they're going to kill you. They're talented enough to do it and they did it."

(On what needs to change defensively in terms of pass coverage)

"Communication."

(On how to overcome the absence of wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin)

"The biggest thing when these guys have to step up: we're not going to ask them to be Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin]. We know what they were when they made this team. We're going to ask them to do the things that they can do and we're going to specialize in their talents and make them play fast and make them play hard. We'll be okay."

(On running backs Rachaad White, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker and how they will contribute in a larger role moving forward)

"Yeah, those three guys are going to play a significant part of the offense. We're going to have to be a little more creative in the way we do things. We may use one, we may use two, we may use all three at the same time. We're going to have to be creative and that's what we're here for as coaches. You never know what you can do until you know what you've lost. We've got our work cut out for us and we're excited to see it."

(On if the team has looked outside the building for wide receiver help)

"We've looked outside the building, but to get a true No. 1 in here, you have to make some massive trades and give up quite a bit. That's not where we are at this point. We feel comfortable with the guys in the building. They're probably not of name status of Mike [Evans] or Chris [Godwin], or as accomplished right now, but that doesn't mean they can't play. We'll alter some things. [Rakim] Jarrett will be back this week – we'll look at him in practice, as well – we'll make a decision off of that. But, to go out and get a guy to come in here and be a No. 1 and a dominant guy, it's probably going to cost you half your team. We feel comfortable with the guys we have in here now. We know what their skillsets are and we're going to go with them right now."

(On the middle of Tampa Bay's defense being vulnerable over the last few weeks)

"Again, it's communication. Guys have got to be on the same page. One guy thinks he heard something, some guys heard something else – it ends up being like that. We're going to lose games if we don't clean that up."

(On CB Tyrek Funderburk's performance against Baltimore)

"I thought he had some solid plays. I thought he really did play a solid game. I think he mis-fit one of the run plays at the end that got out of there, but other than that, he was solid all ballgame. He was sharp, he was heady, he was where he was supposed to be, and he tackled."

(On Tampa Bay's offensive line against Baltimore)

"They're playing hard [and] being on the same page. I really think the chemistry has really jelled together down there very well, along with Baker [Mayfield] and the wide receivers and the running backs. They're doing a heck of a job right now."

(On C Graham Barton's return from injury and his performance against Baltimore)

"He did a heck of a job. He really got out fast, he got up to the second level, and did an excellent job of pointing out the MIKE [linebacker] and getting protections set for us. You can tell it's getting a lot easier for him at this point in the season. I love the energy he plays with – he's a real joy to watch."

(On how he plans to prevent QB Baker Mayfield from trying to do too much without wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin)

"It has to be part of what he does – he just has to get it to the open guy. Throw it to the open man, don't try to force it downfield, and let those guys catch and run. Those guys are very good at catch and run. The great quarterbacks get rid of the ball and throw it to the open guy. At least you don't turn it over. We've got to make sure we're getting that done."

(On the team's emotional state after the loss to Baltimore)

"Obviously, your hearts go out to Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] – everybody is praying for those guys. At the same time, we lost a game. The psyche is the same – 24-hour rule. We've got a short week, we've got to get ready to play Atlanta. We're still playing for first place in the division. There's a lot of football left to be played. We've got to clean up some things and be ready."

(On the team's willingness to be aggressive in trying to surround QB Baker Mayfield with playmakers following the injuries to wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin)

"We don't talk about that as much – Mike and Chris just got hurt yesterday. There are smart moves out there for us to make. We're definitely looking to make moves all the time if it benefits us. At the same time, we believe in developing our young receivers and getting those guys ready to play, and that's what coaching is for. You can't just go out and grab every 50-million dollar receiver and come in and automatically expect them to play. You've got to have some faith in what the young guys are doing and the growth that they're [having]. We're confident in those guys and we're going to play with them."

(On if WR Trey Palmer will experience a full workload moving forward)

"He'll definitely be able to assume a full workload. Trey is very fast. Obviously, when the game plan is built around Mike [Evans] and Chris [Godwin] a lot, it's going to take a little while to get in there. Now, he'll get his chance."

(On if there's an update on the status of DB Tykee Smith)

"The [injury] list is not all the way full yet, but he is in concussion protocol on a short week. We'll see what happens. That's usually tough on a short week."

(On TE Cade Otton's performance)

"He's a solid player. He made some tough catches last night, and he got hit when he was making them and he bounced off some and ran with the ball. Cade is always reliable. Any time you put it in his area, there's a good chance he comes down with it. He'll get more of them."

-BUCCANEERS-