Patriots at Buccaneers Postgame Transcripts 11/9
HEAD COACH MIKE VRABEL
(On RB TreVeyon Henderson scoring with less than two minutes left in the game)
“Well, those are important. Those were important, we needed it. [It’s] situational football – we’ll talk through all those things. And again, he was thinking the right thing and today, in the game, the way that it was – they needed two touchdowns, I think it was okay. But we made it a little closer – we knew it would be difficult coming down here. But two explosive plays and then I think Kyle [Williams’] play early – we really needed that one. That was the one that we were talking about, just needing one play and he hit it, and it was great to see him have that success.”
(On New England’s ‘fight’ from start to finish)
“I always love the fight, that’s why I love coaching them – it’s [because] they fight and they compete. It’s not always perfect, it’s never going to be perfect, but I love the way that they compete. You’re going to have some time – if you strike out you [have] to go to the dugout and be pissed for a couple seconds and then you [have] to go play the rest of the game. So, we tell them, ‘Take 30 seconds, be pissed but you know we [have] to go play.’ It [was] a long game, it’s a tough place to play, it was warm and they’re good.”
(On having three touchdowns of 50+ yards being scored by the rookies on New England)
“Well, we’re going to need everybody throughout this season, we’re going to need everybody as this thing goes on. With Kayshon [Boutte] being out, that was an opportunity for Kyle [Williams], with Rhamondre [Stevenson] being out, [it] led [to] more opportunities for TreVeyon [Henderson]. He battled through on that – I got wore out running out there to see how our guys were doing as many times as I did. But I’m proud of the guys that battled and competed and laid it on the line.”
(On the fourth down touchdown to end the first half)
“It was a huge play for us on fourth down, that confidence in our guys. So, to be able to have confidence in them at that moment and then come through, that’s about players and not necessarily plays. I was really excited and proud of ‘Stef’ [Stefon Diggs] and Drake [Maye] for scoring when we were [on fourth down] and being able to end the half with the football in our hands.”
(On if the first down play was designed for Drake Maye to go down immediately and run the clock)
“Like I said, we’re just really excited that we could end [with] the ball in our hands at the end of the first half and then be able to come out in the second half. We have to do a better job of trying to double [them] up, but we got some stops defensively, we went three-and-out a few times offensively, but in the end we got the stops when we needed it.”
(On how important the touchdown before halftime was)
“Huge. Huge, I mean, obviously. I mean with no points – I made a decision to go for it, I trust our players and they came through. They made me look good.”
(On coaching aggressively)
“Well, I think that this – anything in life you’re [going] to have to certainly put some chips in the pot to be able to win something. [You] can’t sit around and wait and hope that they just hand it to you. Sometimes you can but most of the time in life, you [have] to be able to risk something to get something in return. So, you can’t win [anything] you don’t put in the middle.”
(On scoring on the last drive of the first half and the first drive of the second half)
“Huge, huge. Then we got some stops early – again the first drive and the last drive were the worst ones of the game. Other than that, we got some stops in the redzone when we needed it, we got some three-and-outs. Guys played hard and they earned being tired, and they are tired, and we’ll have to get them back – we have a short week and [I’m] excited to move on.”
(On QB Drake Maye’s interception in the redzone)
“Yeah, I mean again, [a] lot of things happen quick down there, and situationally it’s important there that if we don’t come out of there with a touchdown, we have to leave there with points. We have to make it a touchdown game, we [have] to be able to make it a seven-point game there. Again, we want to be aggressive, we just can’t be reckless and I think that that probably bordered [the] line of a bad decision. So, we’ll continue to improve, and we can learn from that and we can go from there.”
(On the stop on fourth-and-three)
“It was [a] great call, great execution if we stopped them – if we don’t stop them, it was a bad call.”
QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE
(On the win today)
“Man, it’s gritty – [I’m] just so proud of this team. Just every week we’re fighting. Some things aren’t going our way. We’re handling adversity, battling adversity. The defense is stepping up. What a complete game. That’s what we said all week – show up for 60 minutes. This is a good football team. We knew if we got up, they’re going to come back, and they came marching back, and I’m just proud of the guys for standing up, especially our defense with the big stop. Man, I’m just proud of this team.”
(On the fourth down touchdown play right before halftime)
“Shoot, we didn’t get in the first three times, and [we] called a play to get our guys involved, and ‘Stef’ (Stefon Diggs) made a great play. I think Hunter [Henry] was open as well, so ‘Stef’ did a great job of getting two feet down. That was a toe-tap extraordinaire.”
(On Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels’ decision to go for the touchdown as time expired before halftime)
“Coach McDaniels – that’s who he is, he’s aggressive. He’s not going to change. It’s fun to listen on the headset and just hear kind of what his thought process is. He’s the best in the business, and I’m just thankful I get to play for him.”
(On if he gets motivated by aggressive play calling)
“I don’t really need extra [motivation]… I’m trying to play well for this team, for this organization, and, you know, battle and fight out there for those guys.”
(On the touchdown pass to WR Kyle Williams)
“Kyle got out the back door. He’s fast. You’re not going to catch him. You know, him and ’32,’ TreVeyon [Henderson], if they get going, you’re not catching them. So, I’m just proud of him for stepping up. He only got maybe one target and made it count. So just proud of him for getting in there. He got a lot of reps this week, and there were sometimes on the tape where he was probably more open, and I’ve just got to look his way.”
(On his mindset following the interception in the fourth quarter)
“I’m not changing my approach. I wouldn’t change the throw. I had Mack [Hollins] earlier. [I’ve] just got to make it him or nobody out there, out wide. You’ve got to be mad at yourself, but you know that you have a chance either to go into a two-minute drill to win the game or go in a five-minute scenario to win the game. So, that’s this league, just bouncing back from it, flipping the page. You want to throw things on the sideline, but guys are watching me, and I think the biggest thing is just to get back out there and to show these guys we’re ready to go for the next play.”
(On a getting a large scrape on his arm)
“Oh, that’s every game. Something happens – those guys did a great job up front this game. I think [it’s from] just trying to stand in there and make throws. You’re going to get hit, and that’s this league. I’m going to stand in there and make throws. That’s football.”
(On the his first-and-goal play before halftime and if he was trying to run clock or get into the end zone)
“I was trying to get in. [With] big Vita Vea, it [isn’t] easy to get in with Vita standing there. So, I know the clock – I think the clock [became] a thing, so it ended up probably working out for us, but we ended up scoring. That’s all that matters.”
(On standing in the pocket and delivering throws despite the pressure from the Buccaneers defense)
“Yeah, that’s what it is. I think you know with Coach [Todd] Bowles and what he does, they do a great job defensively. They’re playing a little bit more in a spy on third-and-long. We have to do a better job getting to third-and-manageable. We’ve got to do a better job of getting third-and-short and making plays. But when we were in third-and-long, I was going to try hanging in there. There were times on first or second down [where] I probably could’ve hung in there more, but like I said, I’m proud of this team – I’m blessed to play the sport. It’s fun out there.”
(On the quick turnaround to play at home on Thursday night against the Jets)
“We’ll get on the plane, and we’ll probably watch some tape of New York. You’ve got to flip to the next page. It’s a quick turnaround. We’ve got one at home, though, so I’m looking forward to playing with our fans. Our fans were great out there today. It was cool. I feel like our whole side was Patriots fans. So that was pretty cool.”
(On if the win felt more meaningful today)
“Yeah, I think you’re exhausted – the heat, the nerves, the making plays, the back and forth. I think that’s what makes this sport so great. I think there’s nothing like it. Every win is crucial, every one is important, and we’ve got to go back out there next week and get another one.”
CORNERBACK CHRISTIAN GONZALEZ
(On coming out with win after intense game)
“It was a good battle. They got a good team, they made some plays, we made some plays — that’s how football goes, that’s the nature of the sport. It was good to get a win, an away win. We’ve got to flip the page like Drake [Maye] said and get ready for next week.”
(On shadowing/traveling with WR Emeka Egbuka)
“That was a plan. He’s a good receiver, he got drafted high for a reason. They do a real good job, like I said earlier in the week, him and Baker [Mayfield] have gotten into a rhythm very early in the season and they continued it. It’s a fun challenge out there, it was fun. That’s what it is at corner”
(On if he likes to follow one opposing wide receiver in a game)
“To me, it doesn’t really matter. I’ll play whatever the defense wants me to do – if they want me to follow, if they don’t, whatever the team needs me to do, wants me to do, I’m happy to do.”
(On HC Mike Vrabel telling the defense to win the game in last quarter)
“It never just comes down to offense or defense, but we want to be in those big moments as a defense. He gathered us up and said go out there and have fun, do what we do, go make a play, get a stop and get the ball back to Drake [Maye].”
(On what going for it on fourth downs says about the team)
“We preach it during the week. We believe in the offense; they’ve been doing their thing. We like to go out swinging. Go swing and if it doesn’t have, the defense will get on the field and just do our part to get the ball back to them.”
RUNNING BACK TREVEYON HENDERSON
(On how he feels after his performance)
“Honestly, I really just thank God. It was a tough game. It was a really tough game and we knew it was going to be tough going into it. [There were] a lot of ups and downs during that game. Specifically, during those down moments, I was just trying my best to lean on God to pick me up and give me the strength to keep going, and He was there in that moment to lift me up and give me the strength to push through. I give the credit to my teammates, as well. They fought hard. We all fought hard and we are a team. I couldn’t have done it without those guys and the guys up front.”
(On how WR Stefon Diggs has impacted him)
“He keeps me motivated – he really does. He’s such a great leader on this field. He gets all the guys going. He is always in my ear, but he keeps me motivated.”
(On what he saw on his first touchdown)
“Just making my regular reads for that run scheme. The guys up front – they made it easy for me. They opened it up really [well]. My biggest thing is to be decisive and hit it once I see it. I thank the guys up front for taking care of the dirty work.”
(On the similarity between his big plays at Ohio State and now today with New England)
“It honestly felt good. This season, it comes with a lot of ups and downs here in the NFL and I’m learning that. I thank God for the way that he has allowed it to go because He has matured me a lot in my faith. He drew me closer to him. He’s been drawing me closer to Him during the season and just helping me keep my eyes on Him. I’ve been just trying to trust the process, being present in the moment and just trying to put in the days, each and every practice, just try to come to work. During game time, whatever opportunity comes my way, just try my best to take advantage of it. At the end of the day, I want God to have His way, not my will but His will be done.”
LINEBACKER ROBERT SPILLANE
(On mindset after big stops to win game)
“It’s huge to come down to South Florida and get a win against a great football team who’s won a lot of games this year. I’m really proud of the guys, of how we got some stops — crucial stops — late down the stretch. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, we knew it was going to take four quarters, we knew Baker [Mayfield] loves to fight back in these games. I’m just proud of how we finished.”
(On large number of players participating on off day)
“We’re a hungry team, we’re a young team, we’re a team with the guy with a lot of chips on their shoulders. We still feel like we have so much left to prove. We have yet to play our best football game as a team – as a defense – and every week that’s why we prepare. We go out there every week trying to play our best game, trying to put the best four quarters of team defense together, and we’re yet to get there. That taste in our mouths keeps us coming back for more.”
(On Mike Vrabel’s coaching style)
“Authentic, original, true to himself, hard nose, intense. You know what you’re going to get from [Mike] Vrabel, you know he’s going to expect a lot out of you as a playmaker. And it’s our job as players to go out there and compete and finish.”
(On if he saw a lot of the aggression and similar traits from Vrabel today)
“Vrabel is consistent, so you might see aggression, I don’t. I see somebody with passion and care and somebody who really wants us to get it right. And we’re on that journey. Ten games through, we still have yet to get it right, but we’re on the right track and we’ve continued to believe in each other as players, as individuals and as a team.”
(On the defense’s conversation during two-minute warning during the fourth quarter)
“I truly believe when we have 11 guys out there in that two-minute warning, everyone is picturing themselves making the play to win the game. I know I sure do. I sure see myself making the play to help our team win. When you got 11 guys out there with that mindset, playing within the scheme of the defense, but going out there to win the game, good things are going to happen. I’m proud of [K’Lavon] Chaisson, he continues to make big plays for us early in the game, late in the game, so really proud of him.”
(On team mentality and confidence as season goes on)
“I don’t know if it’s more confidence, I don’t know if there’s more continuity. I know I believed week one of the season. I thought we were going to win that game, I thought we were going to win every game. So, I’ve had the confidence of the people around me and now it’s just that jell just coming together, understanding our details within the scheme of the defense and playing to it.”
WIDE RECEIVER KYLE WILLIAMS
(On scoring his first NFL touchdown)
“It was sensational. I don’t think words could really put an explanation on that feeling. We got the look that we wanted. Shout out to Drake [Maye] for making an alert on that play. He gets to pick one or two, and he picked me, and then once the ball was in my hands, I [saw] green grass, and then it was bon voyage after that.”
(On his opportunity coming into the game with other receivers injured)
“I knew it was huge. We always say you prepare as a starter, and I really took that to heart this week because I knew what was at stake. When you get an opportunity, you’re not promised another one. You get what I’m saying? So, for me, it was just making the most of it whenever my ‘ops’ (opportunities) came, just making the most of it and then just stacking. So, I’m proud of myself.”
(On his process this season staying ready for his opportunities)
“For me, it’s just been a consistent process. I follow what [Stefon] Diggs, Mack [Hollins], [Kayshon] Boutte, the vets do. I have my routine set, and I just stay true to it. Just because I’m not getting this many plays, or this week I got 10 plays – I’m not gonna shy away from that routine. I’m gonna stay on it, because at some point, I’m going to be needed, and they’re going to depend on me, and I’ve got to be ready, and I was ready this week.”
(On if he could see himself on the jumbotron while running for a touchdown)
“No, I just [saw] the end zone. Yeah, I was looking at the end zone. I need to start looking at the jumbotron, but sometimes I don’t feel like people could catch me, so I look at the end zone.”
(On the reaction from the sideline when he scored the touchdown)
“It was ecstatic. You could [see] how much the team really cares about things like that. To me, it was my first touchdown, and to them, they had the same excitement that I had. So, it was just nothing but smiles, handshakes and everything. And at that point for me, now I’m ready for more.”
(On keeping the game ball from his touchdown)
“It’s going to stay with me. You know, that one is dear to me. Hopefully if I get another one, I can give it to my mom and my dad. But this first one is sticking with me. Mom [doesn’t] get the first one – I worked for this [laughs]. But I appreciate mom – she’s been along [for] this journey.”
HEAD COACH TODD BOWLES
(On the explosive plays allowed defensively)
“There were four and in obvious situations that we didn’t make. Obviously, we didn’t play it well enough. We definitely didn’t coach it well enough – I definitely didn’t coach it well enough. It starts with me, and those things can’t happen if you’re playing against a good team like that, or any team in this league. We gave them up and it was inexcusable on our part. Bad on the coaching, bad on the players”
(On substituting CB Benjamin Morrison in for CB Jamel Dean on certain drives)
“We’ve been putting him in all year, so the fact that he gave up this play in this game, there’s no reason to single him out. We’re getting him reps and Dean knows we get him reps – he gets reps. We have a system that we go with. The fact that we trust him to make plays… he gave up a play, it doesn’t matter who’s in there. If you give up a play, we’re not going to give up on you, but he gave up a play and he’ll learn from it, and he’ll be better.”
(On the run defense)
“We gave up two big plays. We weren’t in our gaps or where we’re supposed to be. That’s coaching, that’s playing.”
(On his message to the team postgame)
“We didn’t play well. We’ve got to take it on the chin. Give [Patriots Head Coach Mike] Vrabel and the Patriots the credit – they did a heck of a job at doing the things they needed to do. Their players made plays, our players did not. We’ve got to coach it better, we’ve got to play it better and that starts with me.”
(On finding an offensive rhythm)
“It was. All the way around – we didn’t play well on all three phrases. We didn’t have any rhythm on offense, we didn’t have any rhythm on defense, we didn’t have any rhythm on special teams, and it showed. You’ve got to give the Patriots credit. They were part of the reason that happened to us and then we’ve got to correct the mistakes [and] the other things we can control on our own.”
(On the lack of Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield running the ball in recent games and if that is affecting the offense)
“It’s hidden yardage only when it is necessary. If they’re taking it away, we’ve got to get open and we’ve got to block better. It’s not about Baker being a runner. He’s not a runner – he can make some plays with his feet, but he’s a passer. We’ve got to block it better, we’ve got to coach it better and we’ve got to play it better.”
(On how difficult it is to continue to lose key players offensively)
“It’s difficult, but we’ve been dealing with it all year. We’ve got to find a way to win games. That’s really where we are at this point. The guys we have on this team have to step up and we have to find a way to win games with the guys we have.”
(On if he has an update on the health stats of G Ben Bredeson)
“Not at this time”
(On if he is surprised the team wasn’t ‘crisper’ coming off its Bye Week)
“I’m surprised we gave up the plays on defense and the plays we didn’t make on offense. From without their help – and believe me, New England helped out a lot – with the routine things that we should have done, we did not do.”
(On S Tykee Smith’s interception in the endzone and the opportunity it provided)
“It gave us a chance, but it was third-and-14 – that should have never happened on the play before that. That’s one of the routine plays we’ve got to make, and we’ve got to understand that. We got caught napping. He made a heck of a play to give us a chance, but nothing came of it.”
(On if giving up the touchdown on the final play of the first half affected the team’s energy coming out of halftime)
“No, it didn’t. I thought we fought tough down there. The play that got them down there was the big play, not exactly the touchdown play. They had four downs. The guy made a tough play in tough coverage. He’s a good receiver and he made a good play. [The play to start the] second half – we weren’t in our gap.”
(On impressions of New England Patriots QB Drake Maye)
“He’s a good football player. He’s poised in the pocket, he’s athletic, he has great touch. He’s a heck of a player in this league.”
(On the lack of hits and sacks on Maye)
“We didn’t win first or second down. In obvious downs that they had to pass, they had extra protection in there, so we had made up our mind we were going to cover more. It worked for us a lot in the second half.”
QUARTERBACK BAKER MAYFIELD
(On coming off the Bye Week and falling short to the New England Patriots)
“[We] just did not execute good enough. [We have] to do all the little things right in critical moments and we did not do that today. That’s what I told the team and told the offense after the game. At some point, when the stuff comes up during the week, whether it’s mistakes or things we talk about and then it shows up on Sundays, you have to have some pride about you. You [have] to have the fear of that failure and messing up for your teammates when we talk about something, you [have] to have better responsibility and accountability for the guys around you and get it fixed. In tight ball games like this, when you play a good team like the Patriots, little things will get you beat. That was the case for us on offense today. Case in point, it starts with me; [I missed] some throws there that I would like to have back, some more completions. The low ball that I gave Cade [Otton] towards the end there, if I would have stuck it on his chest, he probably would have gotten the first down, instead of having to get into a short yardage situation. It starts with me, but everybody has got to have pride about it too.”
(On how much injuries disrupt continuity and chemistry)
“At this point, it is not an excuse. We have had so many new guys in there; we are used to it by now. Everybody knows what we are trying to get done, we communicate that very well throughout the week. [We] felt really good about the game plan coming into it and I am sure everybody would say the same thing.”
(On how the offense could have played better)
“[We] just have to be better on the communication up front on certain fronts, how they are going to twist off, how we are [identifying] it and then also just our third downs, we haven’t been nearly good enough, whether it is me missing some throws and different things like that. [Also] just making plays when they are there. We’ve obviously had a lot of third and long situations, which means that we have been in some behind-the-sticks situations, so we have to be better on early downs and then execute on third downs. Offensively, I am hoping our guys do get pissed off about this. This isn’t the end of our season, I know that, we still have very important games ahead of us, but games like this when you don’t win them — it should sting, it should really hurt.”
(On starting off strong with an opening drive touchdown to struggling in the drives after that)
“Like I said, lack of execution. There is a certain point — we are a good team, but to be great, when you score on the opening drive, you know what it looks like, you set the tone, you’re not satisfied with it. You come back and in your head, it’s 0-0 and you go do it again. Right now, I think we are lacking that on offense and it comes down to me — that is my job to get that fixed and I will do that.”
(On what he means by lacking)
“Killer instinct.”
(On S Tykee Smith’s interception why they weren’t able to capitalize)
“Huge play by Tykee [Smith]. [It is a] matter of execution. [They are] plays that we have run 100 times, plays that we have done well 100 times, coverages we have seen and repped these plays against and just executing, and that’s what it comes down to. That is what I am talking about, translating [it] from the practice field to the game field, [and] in critical moments you have to do little things right. It was not like they showed us a pressure we hadn’t seen before; it wasn’t a coverage we hadn’t seen before. We just have to do our job at a very high level and do it well in those moments.”
(On the fourth-down play where the Patriots blitzed to turn it over late into the game)
“[It was] just a five-man pressure. Head rushed the back, Rachaad [White] knows how that looks. He is going to get out on his route still, and the safety comes down to play him in man coverage and just a miscommunication there. We [have] to get that fixed, and like I said, it starts with me.”
(On how WR Tez Johnson has developed over the last few weeks)
“He just continues to do what we ask of him, to be honest with you. He is doing the little things right. He is coming alive, and his natural talent is showing in the scramble drill situations where he is never stopping until he finds my eyes trying to get open the whole time. He is doing a really good job of that.”
(On going one-for-six on drives after scoring an opening drive touchdown)
“[I had] some missed throws. Some missed throws, just a couple in there I would like to have back. They did a good job of taking away some of the deep stuff. We realized and I adjusted to that after the fact and started taking the completions that were there. When I say it starts with me, it starts with me. So that lull, taking those completions and those passes underneath are there, to keep these drives going, to stay out of second-and-long, make it easier on ‘Grizz’ (Josh Grizzard), make it easier on our o-line. [We have to] get that fixed.”
(On if he sensed a “killer instinct” in practice during the week)
“It’s hard. It’s hard to do that. You can start to feel the energy, and I thought we were prepared, we just didn’t execute.”
(On if he is still able to do everything in practice with his oblique injury)
“Yeah, I am still able to do everything I need to in practice.”
(On how it felt to be able to rush for 113 yards against the No. 1-ranked rushing defense heading into the game)
“It felt really good. Obviously, getting Luke [Goedeke] back was huge, do not get me wrong on that. Luke is an enforcer in the run game. [He is] a guy who kind of sets the tone for us. But then, after the first drive, you lose Ben Bredeson, but Michael Jordan [is] another guy that we have had come in there and play left guard for us and we trust, he is a physical force as well. I am proud of the way those guys ran the ball. Rachaad [White] ran the ball really hard, so did ‘Tuck’ (Sean Tucker) when he had his opportunities in there. We just have to look at the things we did well, continue that, continue – like, ‘How did that happen?’ It is probably attitude, effort and just execution, then when you look at the stuff that went wrong, it is probably the opposite of that. If we can be consistent on that and hyperfocus on each play at a time, we are going to be fine, but that has just got to change.”
CENTER GRAHAM BARTON
(On the impact of G Ben Bredeson’s injury)
“I mean, look, it’s a next man up mentality. I was super proud of Mike [Jordan] and Dan [Feeney] stepping up like that. You guys know how many injuries we’ve had this year – to see another one, it just [stinks]. But [I am] super proud of the way Mike stepped up. We haven’t had any continuity this year, and that’s not anyone’s fault, it’s just how it is. As I’ve said to questions like this all year – it doesn’t matter, it’s the NFL. We’ve got to step up no matter who’s in the game, and play better and execute better. I think we’ve just got to keep going back to the drawing board and keep getting better.”
(On the game being there for the taking)
“The game was there for the taking and we didn’t take it. That’s what I’m talking about is those moments that you have to come up big. You have to execute when it matters most and we didn’t.”
(On the touchdown drive to begin the game)
“It felt a little 2024-ish first drive… Take the ball, go down the field, score. I was like, ‘Here we go – let’s keep rolling,’ and we just didn’t.”
LINEBACKER LAVONTE DAVID
(On how it feels when an offense has multiple explosive plays)
“It hurts, you know what I’m saying. As a defense, we pride ourselves on things like that, explosive plays; we don’t give that up – pass game, run game, whatever the case may be, and we let some get out today, which is, you know, very uncharacteristic of us. We have fix it, we got to fix it ASAP before it hurts us in the long run. But the good thing about it is [they’re] not hard fixes, it can be done, and we’ll definitely fix it for sure.”
(On the Bye Week possibly affecting the performance)
“No, I don’t think so, man, I feel like the week was smooth. We had a good week at practice, a good week of preparation. We knew what they wanted to do. At this point in the season, it’s just about fundamentals, it’ll always go back to your fundamentals, and today we had a couple missed cues on fundamentals and that hurt us.”
(On how they plan to approach the upcoming week)
“Got to lock in. You know what I’m saying, there’s a lot of great football left to play. We’re a confident bunch, I’m sure we’re going to rebound [and] we’re going to be okay. You know nobody’s holding their head, nobody’s sad about it. The exciting thing is we got a chance to play another week and we’re going to be ready for it.”
(On S Tykee Smith’s interception)
“Big play man. Tykee’s been talking about it all week, and how he’s got to get himself an interception. It happened in practice this week, and when it happens in practice, it happens in the game. It was a big moment when he got it. I’m proud of him; he’s going to continue to stack, and that’s what I expect from him.”
WIDE RECEIVER EMEKA EGBUKA
(On if he agreed with QB Baker Mayfield’s assessment that the offense could not consistently move the ball)
“Yes, absolutely. It’s just what happens when you don’t execute. So, that’s the bottom line. We’ve got to be better and we will be.”
(On the difference in coverage he has faced in the last 3-4 weeks)
“It varies from game to game. [I’m] seeing some of the best corners like I saw today in [Christian] Gonzalez following me around [or] double coverage versus Detroit a lot. A lot of shell and other stuff versus the Saints – depends on their gameplan.
(On if New England adjusted their coverage after the first drive)
“Nah, [Christian] Gonzalez was following me pretty much the whole day.”
(On missed third down connections from QB Baker Mayfield)
“I’ve just got to be better – got to better on third down. It’s one of the biggest situations over the course of a game if you look at all the third downs from our team and their team. If you stack them up side-by-side, you kind of can tell the story of how successful you’re going to be that day. So, I’ll take that one on the chin – I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to get more separation, got to get open, got to catch the ball, and create explosive plays. That’s what I’m paid to do.”
WIDE RECEIVER TEZ JOHNSON
(On his overall thoughts)
“We’ve just got to go back to work. Kudos to a good team – we’ve just got to get back to work.”
(On the up and down nature of the Buccaneers offense)
“I mean stuff like this happens. Like I said, we’ve just got to go back to work. We can’t blame [anybody] – all we can do is take ownership. [It’s] time to go back to work.”
(On balancing his two touchdowns with the fact that the team lost)
“Good day – I thank God for that. But, like I said, it’s time to get back to work. You can’t really [dwell] on this game. If we’ve got mistakes on the field, we leave it out there on the field, watch film tomorrow, and like I said, focus on Buffalo.”
(On how the Buccaneers can move forward as a team)
“The page is already flipped, so I mean, I don’t really know what to say [other than we have to] go back to work.”
(On his excitement about the future of the Buccaneers’ receiving corps, with him and Emeka Egbuka)
“One hundred percent. I mean, I always tell ‘Mek’ (Emeka Egbuka) he’s the best rookie in the country right now, and I think Tampa Bay drafted two good ones, really good ones. So, like I said, he’s the best in the country at this position right now at receiver as a rookie. I think he deserves the rookie award 100%. I love ‘Mek’ – great guy, great kid… I’m saying kid, and I’m the same age, but yeah, he deserves everything. I love him.”
SAFETY TYKEE SMITH
(On the explosive plays allowed defensively)
“For us, on defense, you’ve got to be able to make the routine plays. And then, [we’ve got to] come out faster, with more juice, after halftime.”
(On if he thought that the adjustments that are needed defensively are fixable)
“No doubt. Outside of the big run, the big pass, and then that long run at the end of the game… I think those were the defining factors of the game.”
(On if it’s nice in knowing that the team was only a few plays away from winning heading into next week)
“No doubt – [that’s] time you get a chance to redeem yourself, especially in a tough game like this. Luckily, we have another opportunity next week to fix those little mistakes and try to come out with a ‘W.’”
LEFT TACKLE TRISTAN WIRFS
(On the message in the locker room postgame)
“[We] just [have] to be better. [We] can’t have mistakes from the week carry over to the game. Yeah, we just [have] to play a cleaner football game.”
(On what New England did that was challenging)
“Nothing really, we just have to execute better, it’s on us. Credit to them, [they] played a really good clean game. We just [have] to be better.”
(On how T Luke Goedeke played coming back from IR)
“We’ll watch it, but you didn’t hear his name, and that’s always great for an offensive lineman.”
(On how the team moves forward from today)
“A tough stretch ahead. We [have] to play – we [have] to play good football against good football teams. So, we’ll look at it tomorrow and see what we can correct and be better at and go from there.”