RUN GAME COORDINATOR/DEFENSIVE LINE COACH KACY RODGERS

(On the team's defensive performance over the last few weeks)

"When you look at it, it's one thing, sometimes, every play. On one, we had good rush, no coverage; one we had good coverage, no rush…Or we're in a bad situation with a bad matchup. A lot of different things play a role into that."

(On protecting the middle of the field in pass coverage)

"The big thing about defense is you have to communicate. If somebody is pulling you out, somebody else has to pull over. The communication is key. On some things, we've just got to play better. You sit here and you're like, 'That was a pretty good call that ended up not working out to your favor.' I think we gave up a 59-yard bomb – he probably should have been sacked before that bomb. That's the story of us right now, we've got to get out of our own way in some sense."

(On what he's learned about Atlanta's offense since playing them)

"The thing is, the more and more we watch them play, they had a lot of carry over in the running game with the new regime from years past. The thing you see now is in the passing game, it's the yards after catch. They catch and run. A five-yard pass will become 18 and now those things just kill you. The thing is, they're going to catch some balls, but we've got to be able to knock them down when they catch it. That's kind of been our problem."

(On the return of DL Calijah Kancey and S Antoine Winfield Jr. to this game after they missed the first meeting against Atlanta)

"I tell the guys all the time – there are starters and backups in this league. You're a starter for a reason. When you're missing some starters or guys you deem as starters, there's a significant drop-off at times. The key is that your backups can sustain until they return. We have some guys that have stepped up through the course of the year, but we've just got to keep going. Now that we have most of our guys starting to come back – especially on defense – I would expect our play to increase."

(On DB Tykee Smith potentially being out on Sunday and DB Christian Izien filling in for him)

"That's what we talked about earlier in the year – the versatility that 'Izzy' (Christian Izien) [plays with]. He plays safety, he finished one game at cornerback, and he played all nickel for us last year. We have a lot of confidence in him and he can wear a lot of hats for us."

(On the production from safeties Antoine Winfield Jr. and Jordan Whitehead)

"It all works together. There are so many little factors – them getting playing back together, because 'Win' (Antoine Winfield Jr.) missed significant time, Jordan [Whitehead] sometimes is strong [safety] and now he's playing strong [safety] and free [safety], moving it around. It's just like, as we see it come back together, you can see the picture as we might have envisioned it in preseason. Now you have 'Win' back and he adds to your pressure package, which he showed. It's the same as we get more of our guys back and the continuity…We expect to get better."

(On S Jordan Whitehead's performance over the last few weeks)

"Well there are a couple of little things, technique-wise, that everybody can improve on. When you look at his play, there are a couple of little technique things that we can improve. It's definitely not up for us losing confidence in him, by any stretch. It's just some technique things that he needs to clean up. We'll all get better going forward."

(On Atlanta QB Kirk Cousins' success in the two-minute drill)

"He's extremely accurate with the ball. He's a poised, seasoned guy that's seen a lot of stuff and knows where to go with the ball. He makes good decisions. That's probably why they went out to try and acquire him in free agency. Really, this year, our game, he took them down and won. The game right before us, [Philadelphia], I believe, he took them down and won. It's kind of why you want those, what they call 'franchise quarterbacks,' – they change games in the end."

(On OLB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka playing as a stand-up linebacker on the first defensive series of the game against Baltimore)

"Going into that, early on, the thing is that we try to scratch where it itches. Especially those guys last week, they were a really big '22' [personnel] team. We liked to call it that they had a lot of plays where big guys hit little guys. We wanted to make sure big guys hit big guys. We really try to scratch where it itches and go from there. Then, we have some guys that are pretty flexible or versatile from that standpoint."

(On the flow of the game, defensively, against Baltimore)

"The thing is, I told the guys, this is my 22^nd year in this league. One game this year, we had a 17-0 lead and the next thing I know, we're down three before half. This game, we were up 10-0 – it's life in the NFL. It's not over until that last second is off the clock. You've just got to keep playing. Everybody has good players. You can throw records off the book. Everybody has got first-round draft choices, everybody has got high-paid guys, and they expect to play. Any given Sunday. For us, you've got 65 or 70 snaps and people say, 'One play doesn't cost you a game.' In the NFL, it does. You get 65 snaps and you just hope one of them isn't bad. That's the way our life has been. Sometimes, the thing is, the ball has to bounce your way sometimes. Last year, the ball bounced our way a couple of times. You've got to keep working and make the ball bounce your way."

(On how much the defense is taking it upon themselves to play well while wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are out with injury)

"The thing is, offensively, we expect the next man up. Defensively, regardless of who's playing on the other side, we have a job to go out and try to limit them to as [few] points as we can. Our guys take pride in that. I expect those guys to try and come out and put a good effort out after what happened in the last game. That's really not the standard we want to adhere to around here."

(On allowing over 500 yards of offense)

"That's what we've never been about. The thing is we need to eliminate the mistakes. The mistakes we're [making] are massive – it's not a 15-yard [mistake], it's a 51, it's 80. We're getting some major, major deals in situations. From a coaching perspective, you're in some pretty good situations where you're not executing. That's where we have to get all cleaned up."

(On stopping Atlanta RB Bijan Robinson)

"It's going to be a tough task because it's a different kind of animal coming at you. This guy, Bijan, he can hurt you so many ways – inside, outside, catching the ball, this and that. We'll definitely have our hands full with him."

(On LB K.J. Britt's performance this season)

"The thing with K.J. – the NFL is a matchup league. We've got to do a really good job of matching our people up accordingly. We know what he is as far as a run stopper and kind of what his role is. Then, we've got other people to do other jobs. We've got to keep cleaning him up and doing what he's good at."

(On how confident he is in the linebacker group's ability to pass defend)

"I totally have confidence in our linebackers and what they do and what we ask them to do. We've just got to do it better."

(On if he might look elsewhere to find a linebacker who specializes in defending the pass)

"Going into game plans, we look at it differently. Like we say, it's a matchup league. We try to match it up the best we can."

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR LIAM COEN

(On how much harder his job is now that wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are injured)

"Yeah, it brings new challenges, but also new opportunities and guys need to step up. We obviously need to get more creative in some different ways. What it looks like exactly, we're still trying to formulate and figure out so [it's] a great opportunity for some guys. It's hard, anytime you lose your two guys that have obviously produced a lot for you, so that's a challenge, but it's a great [opportunity] for some guys to get a new opportunity."

(On if he's experienced anything like this situation in his coaching career)

"Yeah, in a different way in 2022 in [Los Angeles]. We had 13 different starting offensive lines, Cooper [Kupp] goes down, we lose Allen Robinson II, it was kind of a similar type [of] situation just with different people. It's a challenge, it definitely presents some more work for you as a staff and as other players [with] having to step up. So yeah, I've been through something like this – probably not one quite like this though."

(On if preparing for Atlanta's defense that they played recently makes the situation any easier)

"I would say maybe so. You have to go through the process of, 'Ok, we have to simplify for guys that are going to be playing that haven't been asked to play as much,' while also everybody's saying, 'You need to scheme them up. You need to do all these things.' It's a little bit of a challenge of, 'Ok, we've got to keep it fairly simple for the guys that are playing in new roles and new positions for a lot more playing time,' while also understanding that we've got to through some different wrinkles at them because we did just play them relatively not long ago. That's kind of the thing you're working through."

(On how much more important the running backs are in the passing game now)

"That'll definitely be something that we have to take a strong look at. We need our receivers to continue to develop, but yeah I would say that's something we have to continue to look at as a staff but that's something that takes time – like it takes time to tell Rachaad [White] or Bucky [Irving] or whomever to go line up at receiver and go line up over here and go line up over there. That takes time to be able to do, so how much of that, we'll see."

(On if the slot receiver role will be filled by multiple people)

"Yeah, I think you fill it by playing in multiple personnel groupings and whether its some more '12,' '21,' '11,' '13,', whatever it is, you're trying to – ultimately, you're never going to match that production. That's just not realistic, but what is realistic is to get it in different ways, different ways of getting other guys touches, other guys stepping up within that 'F' role in '11' personnel, while also maybe distributing it a little bit differently throughout different personnel groupings and different players."

(On having RB Rachaad White as an asset in both the run game and pass game)

"That's something we're looking at right now as a staff and how much we can put on these guys. We're on a semi-short week and everybody would love for us to just line up in '21 pony' 50 snaps of the game but that's not realistic so we need to be able to put as much on these players as we can without overloading them because we can't have new players playing or put other guys in positions that they haven't been playing and say, 'Go play fast,' on a short week. That's not really realistic to do. We're trying to find the balance between the Trey Palmer, 'Shep' (Sterling Shepard), 'JMac' (Jalen McMillan) Ryan Miller, Rakim Jarrett – whatever it is. Those guys hopefully being able to play – they've been playing those positions a lot longer than Rachaad [White] has been playing slot so how much of that will definitely determine what we do."

(On if RB Bucky Irving's status being questionable creates more of a challenge)

"A little bit. I think we feel good about obviously the balance in guys that we do have in the room to step up if he's not able to. I'll defer to Todd [Bowles] on that one in terms of his availability but we're kind of having to prepare for multiple scenarios with who's in, who's out, what we have. Obviously, the key thing is trying to get those wideouts up to speed because we play a little bit in '11' personnel so that's what we're trying to do. What other personnel groupings we're able to utilize will be determined on who's available."

(On what is needed from QB Baker Mayfield to keep the offense on track)

"[What we need] especially now is to really kind of go back to fundamentals and basics and reads and trusting – I don't think he really as an issue trusting people. He's going to throw it to these guys. I don't think that's ever going to be an issue, but he doesn't have to do anything more then what we're asking him to do, stay within the scheme, stay within, play fast, and we have to take care of the football obviously."

(On what will be different with having wide receivers Jalen McMillan and Trey Palmer)

"I think obviously Trey gives you a vertical down-the-field threat that hopefully we can try to utilize some. Atlanta plays primarily with deeper safeties at times so not a lot of people have thrown the ball over their heads very often this year so that's something we need to look at that balance between how much we're just sending him down the field and running him across the field when maybe they're doing by coverage structure a little bit more to cover that stuff. This is a big moment for those guys in general, but for Jalen to take the next step and really be called upon to win. These guys are all going to have to win one-on-one matchups when it is man, they're going to have to be at the right spot at the right time when it is zone and you know, it's a big [opportunity] for these guys. What that exactly looks like is really going to be determined on how they play, like how they're playing in the game and what's getting open based on the coverage structures we're getting."

(On if WR Rakim Jarrett will be playing)

"I still don't really know yet. I think that he's still trying to work himself into it. I'm not positive on that spot yet. He was taking some reps and trying to get him back in action. I haven't really talked to him about how he truly feels yet. I talked to him a little bit Monday night. He said he was still trying to get back into it and get his balance right and just kind of feeling the game out so we'll see. If he is a part of it then yeah, he'll definitely be called upon as well."

(On if he was satisfied with the distribution of the ball between the running backs)

"I think it was solid. It got to be a little bit of a weird game where we felt like we were controlling it but then the turnovers obviously played a huge role, and then we cross the 50 [yard line] and then we don't convert on third-and-five, and we missed the field goal right there, so we lost some possessions as we were going and some opportunities. I thought the guys ran hard, I thought they did a nice job in protection, caught the ball fairly well obviously, and [I] was proud to kind of see how they stepped up and all were kind of cheering for each other when they weren't in and when they were they were out there doing their job – doing a nice job."

(On QB Baker Mayfield wanting to make plays and how to prevent him from doing too much to make up for the injuries)

"Obviously, a conversation we've had with him has been, 'Hey, we obviously cannot turn the ball over on the 2-yard line down there of 3-yard line or whatever it was.' And then understanding third-and-13, where we're at on the field, how things were going, 'Hey let's just chuck that ball down to Cade [Otton] in the flats, play field position, punt it, and just kind of play the next play.' So yeah, that's definitely something he's going to have to really internalize is he's a playmaker and he's done so many good things for our offense this year and I don't want to take that away from him, but there is a fine line, especially when the guys you've trusted to throw the ball to in critical moments won't be out there, so making sure that we protect the team with the ball and make sure we finish every drive with a kick."

(On what he learned about TE Cade Otton in Monday night's game)

"He's tough, man. He took some real shots and hung onto the football and Cade is just a pro's pro. I love being around Cade. He's super intentional, detailed, great dude, and you probably don't think that he's going to be as tough as he is when you just hang around him. He's tough as nails and I was really proud of the way he competed on Monday night and shoot, we're going to have to lean on him as we go. That's absolutely somebody we're going to need to depend on and the quarterback trusts him.

(On if the game plan and opportunities will be any different because of the size and skill of the wide receivers)

"A little. I mean, just a little bit with what we're asking them to do maybe in the run game and what some of the things that we asked Chris [Godwin] and even Mike [Evans] – I mean, Mike was really blocking at a high level at times this year and also Mike dictates coverage in the run game, in the screens. You could almost formation things and know what you're going to get, like the first touchdown the other night – we knew we would get cloud on that because it's Mike as the single receiver so that's obviously different. What we ask these receivers to do, from the dirty work standpoint, may have to be tweaked a little bit and what we're asking them to do – ultimately, they're going to have to go and run the offense in a lot of ways as well. What we've been doing has been somewhat working so we can't just abandon everything we've been doing because we've got different guys in there but we also have to be smart about what we're asking them to do in terms of are they capable."

(On if WR Jalen McMillan's connection with QB Baker Mayfield improved in the Ravens game)

"I do think so. I had a really good conversation with Jalen, I think it was on Sunday, and just said, 'Hey, this is the week.' We talked about it, 'This is the week that you have to really kind of emerge and I trust you.' I mean look, the fourth-down-and-1, and we're giving him the ball, on a jet sweep and trusting that he's going to make a play – he does. On a critical third down, he comes on an underneath route, catches the ball in traffic, makes a first down, and I do think that there's trust there. There is building chemistry that already had existed, we just lost some of those reps with him not being able to practice for those few weeks there. I do believe that there is a connection there, we've seen it, so it's just kind of emerging, building it, and doing it live in a game-like situation."

(On the importance of leaning on the offensive line in the run game)

"Yeah, that's a big thing. I think those guys understand that we've been moving in the right direction as a unit, as a group, and having a little bit more chemistry and we have been playing more physically. I thought we pass protected really well the other night. Obviously, we did do some good things in the run game. They're coming along. I think they're gaining more and more confidence each week. I do know that those guys believe in being able to run the football, they do believe in coming to the sideline and saying, 'Man, run it. Keep running it.' And that's great to hear as a coordinator. I know that those guys will be ready to play, knowing kind of what we're dealing with."

(On utilizing the chemistry and trust between WR Sterling Shepard and QB Baker Mayfield)
"[By] just putting him in positions and routes – like if you really look at a lot of 'Shep's' routes that he maybe even hasn't been targeted on or even been the primary on, he's won on quite a few routes. Even dating back to the first Atlanta game, he ran some really good routes that he just didn't get the ball on. That also happened the other night – he ran some really good routes, he just wasn't the primary or maybe secondary target on some things. Well now he's going to be, so he'll probably just get naturally some more [opportunities] with the situation at hand. There's obviously a connection there, they're really close, they're friends, they go over the plays at night, they talk through things so I do believe that those two will have fun on Sunday playing again together."

(On G Cody Mauch's growth this season)

"Cody doesn't say much, so I don't get a lot of feedback from Cody but that's sometimes a good thing because he's a pro. Cody – he does his job, he's been playing better – I completely agree with that. Confidence, I believe he's really gaining more confidence, I do think he's communicating at a high level when he is out on the grass. Off the field though, I've just seen a guy really work at his craft, his hand placement, his punch, his anchor, the way that he plays the game, getting out of his stance quicker and having a little bit more pop and hand usage. You've seen him be diligent about these things in the walk-through settings, in the practices that we've had, and it is showing up in game days so I've been pleased with Cody's play over the last two weeks especially."

-BUCCANEERS-