TRANSCRIPTS: Rams-Buccaneers Postgame Quotes - September 29, 2019
|
|
TRANSCRIPTS: Rams-Buccaneers Postgame Quotes - September 29, 2019
Rams Head Coach Sean McVay
(Opening Remarks)
“A lot of things that we’ve got to look at and get figured out, get fixed and that’s exactly what we will do. Hats off to (Buccaneers Head) Coach (Bruce) Arians and the Bucs, they did a nice job finding a way to get the win. There’s a lot of things that we can correct and a lot of things we will improve on. I think the only thing that we can look at as a blessing is that we get a chance to do that on a short week. We’re going to Seattle on Thursday night and that’s all that we know how to do is go back to work and try to figure it out.”
(On what was the most frustrating thing during the game)
“I think there is too many things to really point out one thing. There’s a lot of things that I think we’re all capable of better. We continued to fight, but ultimately it’s about finding a way to get it done and we didn’t do that today.”
(On the physicality of the game)
“It was a physical game. A lot of snaps, a lot of different ebbs and flows, a lot of ups and downs and there is going to be a lot of things that we’ve got to look at. A lot of things that we can all fix moving forward.”
(On if he is preserving RB Todd Gurley II early in games and during the season)
“No, there’s none of that. We’re doing what we can to try to find a way to win games. It’s not about conserving, we’ve got to win right now and that’s the most important thing. There’s nothing like that.”
(On what he saw from the Buccaneers that that persuaded him from running the ball)
“There’s a lot of different things. Ultimately, it’s our job to figure out what we think is the best way to move the football and score points. That’s what we decided on, that’s what I decided on today.”
(On why Gurley hasn’t been heavily featured in a long stretch of games)
“Yeah, each game represents different things so I can’t pinpoint one thing in particular.”
(On QB Jared Goff’s performance)
“I think there was a lot of really good things. There were so many different snaps, so many opportunities where we threw the football today. There’s going to be lot of things we can go back and look at. I loved the way that he continued to battle, took some shots, continued to respond and those are things that we can take away from a positive.”
(On whether the short week is an advantage or a disadvantage)
“Yeah, I think it’s a blessing because that’s the only thing that we can really control is that we play again on Thursday. We’re going to find a way to look at ourselves and see if we can play better. We get an opportunity on Thursday and I think that’s a blessing for us.”
(On if there is anything that he can change schematically to start more quickly on offense)
“Yeah, I’m not going to sit up here and continue to make excuses for why I haven’t done a good enough job. I’m just not doing it right now, we’re not getting it done. We’re just going to continue to put our head down and try to find solutions.”
(On if he ever imagined that his defense would give up this many points)
“Well, I think the points are a little bit misleading. We put them in some really bad field (position), they had a defensive touchdown at the end. This is a team game, we’ve got to do a better job collectively as a team and that’s exactly what we’ll do moving forward.”
(On if giving up 55 points at home is a wake-up call)
“I think it’s really a wake-up call for everybody. Ultimately, it’s about finding a way to win football games. We didn’t do that today, we make no excuses for it and we relish the opportunity to move forward the right way.”
(On if Buccaneers pass rush provided the most pressure that QB Jared Goff has been under)
“Well, I think so. I think when you look at just the amount of times that we threw the football and some of the situations that the flow of the game dictated, that does put some pressure on our offensive line. They’ve got a good pass rush. They did a nice job. Very aggressive system that Coach (Buccaneers Defensive Coordinator Todd) Bowles runs and you give those guys credit for executing pretty well today.”
(On what he can do in response to the high number of penalties committed by his veteran players)
“Until you get a chance to really – because you’ve got to move on in the flow of the game – until you get a chance to kind of look inward, figure out exactly what resulted in those, what was occurring, it’s hard to specifically put my finger on one thing, but there were some things that were very uncharacteristic and things that we can’t do moving forward.”
(On if he will consider using Gurley more moving forward in an effort to get the offense flowing again)
“Well, I think there are some things that, yeah, you’d like to find some solutions to be more productive offensively and there’s a lot of different directions that we can go, but ultimately it’s my job, it’s our job to figure that out, and I haven’t done a good enough job and I’m not going to make any excuses about it other than just try go to work and figure it out.”
Rams QB Jared Goff
(On how much Tampa Bay’s defensive pressure bothered him)
“They did a great job defensively applying that pressure and keeping it on all day – they did a good job. We’ve got to be better regardless, but they did do a good job bringing pressure.”
(On if he can identify why the team is struggling to run the ball consistently)
“Defenses are doing a good job right now. I thought there was a lot of the game where we did do a good job, where we were moving the ball well. We were doing what we’re supposed to do and we were executing. Like you were saying, there was a lot of the game where we couldn’t run the ball effectively and were getting a lot of pressure, so it’s a little bit of both. Again, I know I say this a lot, but there’s a lot of good stuff to build on and a lot, a lot, a lot of stuff to clean up.”
(On if the team is getting used to using RB Todd Gurley II differently this season)
“I think it’s just that every game is different. Every game has got a different gameplan and every game has a different focus. It changes throughout the game depending on what the defense does and what we want to do offensively. This game was one of those where it wasn’t so much through him. We do want to get him involved more and do want to do that, but it’s dictated game-by-game.”
(On how frustrated he is following Sunday’s performance)
“Frustrating, for sure. Frustrating, for sure and I think I try to have a good perspective on it, knowing it’s only Week 4 and knowing that we did do some good things and we do have a Thursday night game (in Week 5). Let this one go by as quick as possible, because we’ve got to go up to Seattle on Thursday. But, it is frustrating and it is something that we do need to get fixed quickly.”
(On how difficult it is to play from behind for the majority of the game)
“After we got the pick-six, we thought we had a real chance to win there. Unfortunately, we didn’t. Our defense did some good things there at the end to get us the ball back from an interception and we have to finish drives. We have to execute better and do a better job. Today wasn’t one of those.”
(On what he saw before he fumbled on the final drive of the game)
“They did a good job applying the pressure. I was just trying to get rid of the ball and not take a sack there and let the clock run. I know we didn’t have any timeouts – I think maybe one or no timeouts – and just didn’t want to let the clock run and tried to get rid of the ball. I’ve got to be better.”
(On if he believes it is a blessing to have a quick turnaround before their Week 5 game on Thursday night)
“Yeah, I think so. I think you have to. We have no other choice. We’re 3-1, it could be a lot worse. The Bucs played a great game – tip your cap. They did their thing and beat us today and beat us for four quarters. Again, there were some spurts of good and some spurts of really good for us. But, the majority of it was not. We need to be better and we will be.”
(On if Tampa Bay did anything differently with its defensive pressure than what he saw on film from their first three games)
“No. Not particularly, no. I think they just do a good job applying that pressure and they’re good up front. No. 58 is a great player – (Buccaneers OL
Shaquil Barrett – they’re bringing blitzes all day and they were doing a good job. I think we did have guys open that I would like to have back – some of the stuff that I missed on the field – but I think, ultimately – I know I’m going away from your question – but ultimately, we need to execute better on offense and I need to execute better personally. I will and we will and I’m not worried about anything. I’m excited to get to play again in four days and not in another week.”
Rams RB Todd Gurley II
(On if it is frustrating that he is not getting the ball as much as he has in the past)
"I control what I control. At the end of the day, we didn't get the win, whether I had 20 carries or two carries. Definitely want to get the win, that's the main thing, but Seattle next on Thursday.
(On if he is seeing things from opposing defenses that are making them more reluctant to run the ball)
"I don't call the play calls, bro."
(On how he maintains a rhythm when he's not running the ball as much, but still on the field)
"Like I say, I don't call the plays, I go out there and play. I block for ‘JG’ (QB Jared Goff), run the ball, run the routes – whatever –whatever the play call is, I'm going to go out there and do it just like everyone else is going to go out there and do their job. It's 11 people on the field and there's only one ball."
(On what his routine will be getting ready to play Seattle next week)
"I mean – you know how I feel about Thursday night games – I feel like they are the dumbest thing ever. But, for the most part, if you aren't really battling injuries or stuff like that, Thursday is kind of like a day you usually feel good anyway. Short week – nothing too crazy. Get a couple lifts in and then, like I'm saying it's really just get ready for Thursday. They played on Sunday as well, just like us. So, we just have a quick turn around, go up to Seattle try to take care of business.”
Rams WR Robert Woods
(On the progression of the game)
“It was a really slow start. I feel like we are a good team, obviously. We won the first three, came into this one, down 21 (points) and found a way to come back and persevere on offense. Defense just (stay) consistent, and then come down to the final possession of the game and not getting it done. But it’s really the same thing even in our wins and losses — it’s starting fast and starting early. We got behind and weren’t able to finish the game.”
(On the physicality of today’s game)
“It was a good physical game, you see it with the run game – a lot of physicality up front. Held us to under 30 yards, I think. But really just playing physical up front. They were playing physical on the ground, we had to air it out. I think (Q Jared (Goff) threw 60 times or so. Really, we were just taking what they gave us. They take away the run, we put up 400-plus yards through the air.”
(On if having two games within a 10-day span had any impact on today’s outcome)
“I don’t think it’s necessarily because of the short week. For me personally, I think it’s good for us to go through this loss early. Honestly, I feel like we are a good team who is able to bounce back, able to get a turnover, able to put up 40 points. So, it’s there. I think the biggest thing is just start early, be fast and don’t get behind 21-nothing.”
Rams TE Gerald Everett
(On his thoughts on the game)
"I think it was a hard-fought game. We have to get back to the drawing board, but we came out kind of flat. That's just us being honest. We didn't play up to our standards today and next week we're going to come back home."
(On what more we can expect from him going forward)
"Just being a complete player, a team player, being there whenever my teams needs me to be and just be complete."
(On how it felt to score his first touchdown of the season today)
"It felt pretty good. It felt pretty good. Just working hard with the guys throughout the weeks and just finally getting the opportunity."
(On almost having a huge comeback but falling short, and what they need to work on moving forward)
"Just need to work on our come out. Initially, we came out kind of flat but all phases of the team, we definitely have to come out faster."
Rams T Andrew Whitworth
(On the offense’s mentality of never feeling like they were out of the game despite being behind)
“I thought, honestly, if you take anything from the game that you can go, ‘You know what, I’ll hang my hat on that,’ is really that attitude. I mean, really, honestly, every time on the sidelines, it was, ‘Hey guys, all we’ve got to do is go score fast and give ourselves a chance, and get a stop.’ That attitude continued no matter the score, we kept going no matter what they did. You always look for – win or loss – things you can take from the game. Something I think we can take from the game is to get in that situation and not have anybody really say, ‘Hey, it’s over’ … but we kept making it a game and, you know what, I think you can be proud of that. It’s something to build off of.’
(On if Tampa Bay showed them anything different in pressure compared to the first three games of the season)
“No, not really. I think, when you end up throwing it 60-something times, you’re gonna see everything they have in their playbook, probably. It is what it is. Any time in these games if you’ve got to throw it that much, the team’s defenses are going to open the kitchen sink on you, and you’re going to get everything they’ve got in the playbook.”
Rams DT Aaron Donald
(On how frustrating this loss was and if this is a wakeup call)
“Well that’s anytime you lose. We have to find ways to get better, keep working and not let that happen again.”
(On if he felt they were able to get any pressure on Jameis Winston)
“No, I know I didn’t. I just have to try and find ways to free myself up but I still have to watch the film and see what happened.”
(On if this loss hurts their momentum going on to a divisional game)
“Like I said, you throw your pity party today and you’re right back to work tomorrow. You got to get over it, it’s a short week.”
Rams OLB Dante Fowler Jr.
(On how he thought the team did)
“The one thing I can say about our team is that we kept playing for the whole 60 minutes, so I tip off my team for that. We have a really mentally tough team we just weren’t able to pull it out and finish it out. I got to tip my hats off to the Bucs they did a really good job. (Q Jameis (Winston) did a really good job getting the ball out, staying in the pocket, not letting that stuff go. We got to him, but he did a good job staying in the pocket and not just let us get to him like that. He made the throws that he needed to make. We just got to do a better job of getting him off the field and getting our offense better opportunities to get back on the field and make plays.”
(On why he thinks they’ve been getting slow starts)
“It’s football, you know how that goes.”
(On how the team normally starts fast)
“Yeah it does but I really can’t give you a reason why. But the Bucs did their job. They came out and played fast. I have to call a spade a spade and they made the most of their opportunities. When a team makes the most of their opportunities, they have a really big advantage.”
Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians
(Opening Remarks)
“Obviously, it was a great team win. To be able to come out here to the defending champs and know it’s going to come down to the last five minutes of the game whether we played well or not. We did today and we’re learning. I thought we did offensively what it took to win the game, continuing to score points, being aggressive. Obviously, the defensive touchdown was huge at the end. Just can’t say enough about the whole coaching staff getting the guys ready. It was a tough loss last week, but victories like these galvanize a team. This team is starting to believe and see what they can be. Games like this, they’re big, they’re big for the future. It could have easily gone the other way just like a couple others have, but we found ways to win it. I guess we’ve got to learn how to play at home because we’re not bad on the road.”
(On if he thinks the pass rush sealed the win for the game)
“They sealed the deal, yeah. Big strip fumble and also an interception that ‘Shaq’ (Buccaneers OLB Shaquil Barrett) got. I don’t think anybody is going to catch (Buccaneers DL Ndamukong) Suh when he got a hold of that ball. That was a great scoop and score.”
(On trading scores with the Rams and being two scores ahead with eight minutes to go)
“It’s always going to come down to the last five minutes. It’s really how you play those last five. We had a lead, we gave up part of it, then we got it back. It was a really, really big drive going back and getting those points. There was no panic on our sideline, there was a lot of belief. I think we answered whether or not we’re tough enough to overcome a tough loss because we had a great week at practice and we showed up against a good, quality opponent on the road.”
(On him emphasizing the word “finish” all week and how big it is to be able to finish)
“It’s huge because that’s what young teams have to learn. They have to learn how to win. This could have easily gone the other way, but it didn’t. It didn’t because we finished it. All three phases finished the game to win it.”
(On how much the passing of Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht’s father was on their minds)
“Our guys are very resilient about it. It hurt the guys that know (Buccaneers General Manager) Jason (Licht) very well. We were sitting there and watching college football and you get that call. I’ve had that call and it’s tough. Like Jason said, his dad was doing what he loved to do, football and family and at a Nebraska game. So that part of it, that’s great. We’re all praying for him. We had him on FaceTime in the locker room and we gave him the game ball.”
(On jumping out to a 21-0 lead and finding a way to score in the red zone after having concerns in previous weeks)
“The red zone wasn’t a problem today. (Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator) Byron (Leftwich) did a great job, (Buccaneers Q Jameis (Winston) did a great job all week of ironing out what we were going to see out here. They did a good job. I thought the throw to (Buccaneers WR) Chris (Godwin) was a great play. Two weeks in a row, we’ve come out in the first half and put a lot of points on the board and not punted, but once. That was a good drive because we took it off at about the 8-yard line. It’s still about finishing games. We’re 2-2 and back in it.”
(On what it says to have two receivers that get good looks)
“I can’t say enough about (Buccaneers WR) Chris (Godwin). Chris in practice, he’s hurting and to put that performance out there and again, the way he blocked. He’s a tough bird. (Buccaneers WR) Mike (Evans), we were just begging to finally get one-on-one. Jameis saw perfectly, read it. Great call by (Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator) Byron (Leftwich) to get the play-action pass right there. That was a huge one, the momentum. Great job of Byron putting him inside in third down away from the double coverage to where it was easier to read the double coverage. I thought Byron had a great plan.”
(On what it means to win a game on the road and put up 55 points against the defending NFC Champions)
“Wednesday will be fun. We’ll come back and it’s a new week. This is New Orleans week, which is always a big week. You can’t party long just like you can’t sit there and suffer long last week. You’re onto next week. We’ll enjoy this one on the plane home. We’ll be ready to go Wednesday.”
(On what he can say about his defense)
“The takeaway is that they gave us short field and they scored. I don’t go by yards. They set us up for touchdowns and our offense converted touchdowns when we got those takeaways, which is huge.”
(On how much growth there is for Buccaneers K Matt Grey after a rebounding from a long week)
“It’s huge and so is the confidence we have in the guy. He knows we have confidence. He’s not going anywhere. This kid’s talented. One kick doesn’t define you.”
(On Winston starting to find his stride in this offense)
“Jameis has played extremely well since the first week.”
(On former Rams QB Vince Ferragamo saying on television that Winston is playing the best he ever has in his career and part of it is his coaching)
“I can’t take any credit for that. Give it to (Buccaneers Quarterbacks Coach) Clyde (Christensen) and Byron (Leftwich). But, he’s playing really, really well right now, even the interception. He was trying to throw one in there and I don’t blame him because he’s got the talent to do it, just get a little bit higher.”
(On if he went into the game saying that he needed a certain amount of points to win the game)
“No, at halftime it was, ‘Do not let up. Do not let up because this team can score.’ Even with ten minutes left, ‘Do not sit on the ball.’ We threw a couple nice balls and got another good drive. The field goal was huge, but I would have liked to have gotten the touchdown, but the field goal was huge.”
(On if he has an update on Buccaneers WR Breshad Perriman’s hamstring injury)
“He’s had a problem, he pulled it, we’ll see how it goes.”
(On if the way his run defense is playing is exceeding his expectations)
“No, this is what we’re built for. We’re built to stop the run. We gave up that one touchdown when we just flat missed the tackle. We’re built to stop the run and then get after the quarterback.”
Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston
(On the key to success today)
“We finished. The defense played great again. We created some turnovers in the first half and we answered. When they gave us good field position, we got the ball in the endzone. We did better on third down and scored touchdowns in the red zone. To God be the glory, we finished.”
(On Head Coach Bruce Arians telling the team not to let up)
“(Offensive Coordinator) Coach Byron (Leftwich) said, ‘Last week, you know they hit us hard.’ So, we came out this week against a great team and we had to finish.”
(On if he thought this team was capable of outscoring a team like the Rams)
“I knew our team was capable of doing anything we put our mind to, just because I trust my teammates and I know the caliber of players and coaches we have on this team.”
(On if it was especially gratifying for him being decisive against a defense like this)
“I think we just played great team football. It was beautiful. It was great to get a great win like this. We’re definitely blessed, but now it’s on to the next game. We beat a great opponent. Now, we have to continue to do it.”
(On telling WR Mike Evans to be ready before the 67-yard touchdown pass to him)
“What I knew was the situation where they might do an all out blitz. Even Byron (Leftwich) was saying, ‘Alert zero.’ I said, ‘Mike, it’s coming to you.’ He got it up. They were doubling him the whole game. They gave us the opportunity and he burned them.”
(On WR Chris Godwin saying before the game that they might need 50 points to win)
“Before the game, (WR) Chris (Godwin) was like, ‘I see us scoring 50 points.’ And we did a great job. The defense helped us out a lot. We did a great job. We can’t get too high, we can’t get too low. We got to continue to move forward. We got to continue to play good football.”
(On General Manager Jason Licht’s father passing away this weekend and what it meant for him)
“I love (General Manager) Jason (Licht). I had the pleasure of meeting his father and his family, so we sent our condolences to him. That was a big win for him. That was for him. We thank him for the opportunity that he’s given us to be players for this Buccaneers organization and that was a big win for him, so shout out to Jason.”
(On beating the NFC Champions and what it means)
“Yeah, we know what we’re capable of. We just have to execute it week in and week out. If we do that and when we do that, we’ll be a tough team to beat.”
(On what this win do for the rest of the year)
“I think it’s a great start to a long road, some long road games. What a way to come up here in the Coliseum, a historic place and beat one of the best teams in the league and show that we’re capable of doing anything that we put our mind to. We played great Buccaneer football.”
(On what it was in the second half and fourth quarter when he knew they had to keep scoring)
“It showed the resilience that they have, but I have to credit our guys again. Just to continue to stay on it, not be complacent and just finish. That was our message at halftime. That was our message after the last game after we lost, but now we ended up victorious because we did finish. That’s going to continue to be our thing. ‘BA’ (Coach Arians) put it on the board at the beginning of the week. Finish. That’s it.”
(On if this year or this team is different and turned a page)
“It’s a week-to-week league. We finished today. Our main goal is to continue to finish and continue to win football games.”
(On if this was one of the best games he’s ever been a part of)
“It was very fun. It was fun being in the Coliseum in L.A. up under the lights. Lights, camera, action. We’re in Hollywood and we had a great game, so we just got to continue to do that.”
(On DL Ndamukong Suh’s fumble recovery)
“I was like, ‘What a way. What a way for him to get a touchdown against his old teammates.’ I was just blessed, man. I’m so grateful that this team played their hearts out. I’m so blessed that God favored us in this win.”
(On WR Chris Godwin’s big game)
“When (WR) Mike Evans is getting double covered, (WR) Chris Godwin always finds a way to get open and make plays. He’s been doing that all year. We’re happy to have two guys, two dominant guys and even more than that. Chris accepts that load. He takes it and he gets open and catches the football.”
(On coming back on the third down play in the series after the CB Marcus Peters interception)
“I’m still going to be watching that play over and over again, but we finished. We overcame that. We had a great drive to milk some of that clock a little bit to put them into a kind of got to get a big play mode. That was crucial. It was great for us to bounce back and we did it.”
(On RB Ronald Jones staying in bounds on the field goal drive)
“I was excited for ‘RoJo’ this whole week because he was back in his place. This is where he played. This is where he had a lot of highlight reels. If they didn’t have those penalties, he would’ve had more highlights than that and this game probably wouldn’t have been this close. But I was proud of him to be back in L.A. and do his thing. But the key to that play was him not running out of bounds. The key to that play was him spinning back inside, keeping the clock moving so we could milk some of that clock off and that was huge in terms of not giving them enough time.”
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans
(On what was clicking today after scoring 55 points on a good defense)
“We were hungry. We had a great week of preparation. We got some bad news about our GM Jason Licht. We wanted to go out there and play hard for him and his family.”
(On if they found out about Licht's father’s passing last night or today)
“We found out about it last night, so that was on a lot of our minds.”
(On why the offense, especially the passing game, was clicking today)
“They were doubling me for the majority of the game and all of our other playmakers were making hella plays. ‘CG’ (WR Chris Godwin) balled out, they couldn’t stop him. ‘Rojo’ (RB Ronald Jones III) and (R Peyton (Barber) ran the ball well. We were just clicking. The O-line played great. It was a good all-around game for us.”
(On how good it felt to finish this week after the way things unfolded last week)
“It was easy. It’s football, we know anything can happen. They stormed back. We were up 18 in the fourth and they stormed back and almost had a chance to tie it up. Defense came up in the clutch and the offense put enough points on the board.”
(On the 67-yard touchdown pass from QB Jameis Winston and what they saw)
“Before the play he said, ‘Be ready for this.’ I was getting double-teamed the whole game and then the safety bit on the play action and it was one-on-one and I knew I had it and (Q Jameis (Winston) threw a great ball.”
Buccaneers TE Cameron Brate
(On how big it was to get a win today)
“It was huge. Long trip, going against the defending NFC Champions. I don’t think too many people had the Bucs winning this one, but we had belief in the locker room and obviously we came out firing in the first quarter. We had a little bit of a lull during the middle of the game, but we finished strong and we were able to get a win on the road.”
(On Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians not having to tell you guys to not let up)
“Exactly, so we just looked one week back on what not to do with the big lead. So, it was dicey there in the fourth quarter for a little bit, for sure. (Buccaneers L Shaq (Shaquil Barrett) made a huge play and it was an awesome win for us.
(On second half being so close)
“Offensively, had a couple of drives where it stalled out. We weren’t really extending our drives, that was putting a lot of pressure on our defense. The Rams, they are a tough team to defend. They have playmakers all over the field. Obviously, there in the second half they were able to get some drives and put some pressure on us, but I thought (Buccaneers Q Jameis (Winston) made some really good throws down the stretch and I can’t say enough about (Buccaneers WRs) Chris (Godwin) and Mike (Evans) with their play.”
Buccaneers OLB Shaquil Barrett
(On how it feels to have a play that clinches the win)
“It’s amazing to be the guy who stepped up to make a play. In know it could have been anybody, we always have guys who are stepping up to make plays. Early in the game it was (S Jordan) Whitehead, it was (IL Lavonte (David), it was just everybody. It was my time to make a play and I made the play when it was my time.”
(On what it means for the defense to finish the game this way)
“I mean, we have a lot of work to do still. 40 points is too much, over 400 passing yards is too much. We have to fix it. I don’t know what it is, but we have to fix it. We have to be able to win games like this, but we don’t want to have to win games like this. We don’t want to.”
(On why games get into a back-and-forth battle offensively)
“I don’t know yet. We’re a way better defense than that. That’s why it bothers me a lot that we gave up all those points and all those yards. We have to fix it because every game isn’t going to be like that. The offense isn’t going to have it going every game, they’re going to need us to help them out sometimes like they helped us out today. We have to figure it out.”
Buccaneers DL Ndamukong Suh
(On what it means to the Buccaneers to get the win)
“We always understand we have to play 60 minutes. Nonetheless, we were in this situation last week being up going into the half, understand that we have to come out, especially on the defensive side of the ball at halftime and take care of business. Although we did give up points, which is not wanting to do so, but you got to find ways to win, especially on the road.”
(On how big of a win it was)
“I think when you look at it, you understand there’s tons of talent in this league. So, no matter where you are at, whether in LA or Florida, you have to go out there and compete. There is talent on our team, and we proved that today.”
(On the overall performance of the defense)
“It’s as simple as finding ways to win. We don’t to be out here giving out points and I think we shut down the run, which we wanted to do, but we had to get after the pass. They have a great passing attack, great receivers, especially (Rams WR) Brandin Cooks, a guy I really respect. So, we had our hands full and we have to continue to find ways to win.”
(On you rushing 63 times against Rams QB Jared Goff)
“Knowing (Rams HC Sean) McVay and being with him all last year, they want to pass the ball. They pride themselves on getting yardage and making plays in the air, although they have some great running backs, but we know that they want to pass the ball and we need to shut down the run and then get after them in the pass.”
--RAMS--
-----------------------------------------------------
Rams Head Coach Sean McVay
(Opening Remarks)
“A lot of things that we’ve got to look at and get figured out, get fixed and that’s exactly what we will do. Hats off to (Buccaneers Head) Coach (Bruce) Arians and the Bucs, they did a nice job finding a way to get the win. There’s a lot of things that we can correct and a lot of things we will improve on. I think the only thing that we can look at as a blessing is that we get a chance to do that on a short week. We’re going to Seattle on Thursday night and that’s all that we know how to do is go back to work and try to figure it out.”
(On what was the most frustrating thing during the game)
“I think there is too many things to really point out one thing. There’s a lot of things that I think we’re all capable of better. We continued to fight, but ultimately it’s about finding a way to get it done and we didn’t do that today.”
(On the physicality of the game)
“It was a physical game. A lot of snaps, a lot of different ebbs and flows, a lot of ups and downs and there is going to be a lot of things that we’ve got to look at. A lot of things that we can all fix moving forward.”
(On if he is preserving RB Todd Gurley II early in games and during the season)
“No, there’s none of that. We’re doing what we can to try to find a way to win games. It’s not about conserving, we’ve got to win right now and that’s the most important thing. There’s nothing like that.”
(On what he saw from the Buccaneers that that persuaded him from running the ball)
“There’s a lot of different things. Ultimately, it’s our job to figure out what we think is the best way to move the football and score points. That’s what we decided on, that’s what I decided on today.”
(On why Gurley hasn’t been heavily featured in a long stretch of games)
“Yeah, each game represents different things so I can’t pinpoint one thing in particular.”
(On QB Jared Goff’s performance)
“I think there was a lot of really good things. There were so many different snaps, so many opportunities where we threw the football today. There’s going to be lot of things we can go back and look at. I loved the way that he continued to battle, took some shots, continued to respond and those are things that we can take away from a positive.”
(On whether the short week is an advantage or a disadvantage)
“Yeah, I think it’s a blessing because that’s the only thing that we can really control is that we play again on Thursday. We’re going to find a way to look at ourselves and see if we can play better. We get an opportunity on Thursday and I think that’s a blessing for us.”
(On if there is anything that he can change schematically to start more quickly on offense)
“Yeah, I’m not going to sit up here and continue to make excuses for why I haven’t done a good enough job. I’m just not doing it right now, we’re not getting it done. We’re just going to continue to put our head down and try to find solutions.”
(On if he ever imagined that his defense would give up this many points)
“Well, I think the points are a little bit misleading. We put them in some really bad field (position), they had a defensive touchdown at the end. This is a team game, we’ve got to do a better job collectively as a team and that’s exactly what we’ll do moving forward.”
(On if giving up 55 points at home is a wake-up call)
“I think it’s really a wake-up call for everybody. Ultimately, it’s about finding a way to win football games. We didn’t do that today, we make no excuses for it and we relish the opportunity to move forward the right way.”
(On if Buccaneers pass rush provided the most pressure that QB Jared Goff has been under)
“Well, I think so. I think when you look at just the amount of times that we threw the football and some of the situations that the flow of the game dictated, that does put some pressure on our offensive line. They’ve got a good pass rush. They did a nice job. Very aggressive system that Coach (Buccaneers Defensive Coordinator Todd) Bowles runs and you give those guys credit for executing pretty well today.”
(On what he can do in response to the high number of penalties committed by his veteran players)
“Until you get a chance to really – because you’ve got to move on in the flow of the game – until you get a chance to kind of look inward, figure out exactly what resulted in those, what was occurring, it’s hard to specifically put my finger on one thing, but there were some things that were very uncharacteristic and things that we can’t do moving forward.”
(On if he will consider using Gurley more moving forward in an effort to get the offense flowing again)
“Well, I think there are some things that, yeah, you’d like to find some solutions to be more productive offensively and there’s a lot of different directions that we can go, but ultimately it’s my job, it’s our job to figure that out, and I haven’t done a good enough job and I’m not going to make any excuses about it other than just try go to work and figure it out.”
Rams QB Jared Goff
(On how much Tampa Bay’s defensive pressure bothered him)
“They did a great job defensively applying that pressure and keeping it on all day – they did a good job. We’ve got to be better regardless, but they did do a good job bringing pressure.”
(On if he can identify why the team is struggling to run the ball consistently)
“Defenses are doing a good job right now. I thought there was a lot of the game where we did do a good job, where we were moving the ball well. We were doing what we’re supposed to do and we were executing. Like you were saying, there was a lot of the game where we couldn’t run the ball effectively and were getting a lot of pressure, so it’s a little bit of both. Again, I know I say this a lot, but there’s a lot of good stuff to build on and a lot, a lot, a lot of stuff to clean up.”
(On if the team is getting used to using RB Todd Gurley II differently this season)
“I think it’s just that every game is different. Every game has got a different gameplan and every game has a different focus. It changes throughout the game depending on what the defense does and what we want to do offensively. This game was one of those where it wasn’t so much through him. We do want to get him involved more and do want to do that, but it’s dictated game-by-game.”
(On how frustrated he is following Sunday’s performance)
“Frustrating, for sure. Frustrating, for sure and I think I try to have a good perspective on it, knowing it’s only Week 4 and knowing that we did do some good things and we do have a Thursday night game (in Week 5). Let this one go by as quick as possible, because we’ve got to go up to Seattle on Thursday. But, it is frustrating and it is something that we do need to get fixed quickly.”
(On how difficult it is to play from behind for the majority of the game)
“After we got the pick-six, we thought we had a real chance to win there. Unfortunately, we didn’t. Our defense did some good things there at the end to get us the ball back from an interception and we have to finish drives. We have to execute better and do a better job. Today wasn’t one of those.”
(On what he saw before he fumbled on the final drive of the game)
“They did a good job applying the pressure. I was just trying to get rid of the ball and not take a sack there and let the clock run. I know we didn’t have any timeouts – I think maybe one or no timeouts – and just didn’t want to let the clock run and tried to get rid of the ball. I’ve got to be better.”
(On if he believes it is a blessing to have a quick turnaround before their Week 5 game on Thursday night)
“Yeah, I think so. I think you have to. We have no other choice. We’re 3-1, it could be a lot worse. The Bucs played a great game – tip your cap. They did their thing and beat us today and beat us for four quarters. Again, there were some spurts of good and some spurts of really good for us. But, the majority of it was not. We need to be better and we will be.”
(On if Tampa Bay did anything differently with its defensive pressure than what he saw on film from their first three games)
“No. Not particularly, no. I think they just do a good job applying that pressure and they’re good up front. No. 58 is a great player – (Buccaneers OL
Shaquil Barrett – they’re bringing blitzes all day and they were doing a good job. I think we did have guys open that I would like to have back – some of the stuff that I missed on the field – but I think, ultimately – I know I’m going away from your question – but ultimately, we need to execute better on offense and I need to execute better personally. I will and we will and I’m not worried about anything. I’m excited to get to play again in four days and not in another week.”Rams RB Todd Gurley II
(On if it is frustrating that he is not getting the ball as much as he has in the past)
"I control what I control. At the end of the day, we didn't get the win, whether I had 20 carries or two carries. Definitely want to get the win, that's the main thing, but Seattle next on Thursday.
(On if he is seeing things from opposing defenses that are making them more reluctant to run the ball)
"I don't call the play calls, bro."
(On how he maintains a rhythm when he's not running the ball as much, but still on the field)
"Like I say, I don't call the plays, I go out there and play. I block for ‘JG’ (QB Jared Goff), run the ball, run the routes – whatever –whatever the play call is, I'm going to go out there and do it just like everyone else is going to go out there and do their job. It's 11 people on the field and there's only one ball."
(On what his routine will be getting ready to play Seattle next week)
"I mean – you know how I feel about Thursday night games – I feel like they are the dumbest thing ever. But, for the most part, if you aren't really battling injuries or stuff like that, Thursday is kind of like a day you usually feel good anyway. Short week – nothing too crazy. Get a couple lifts in and then, like I'm saying it's really just get ready for Thursday. They played on Sunday as well, just like us. So, we just have a quick turn around, go up to Seattle try to take care of business.”
Rams WR Robert Woods
(On the progression of the game)
“It was a really slow start. I feel like we are a good team, obviously. We won the first three, came into this one, down 21 (points) and found a way to come back and persevere on offense. Defense just (stay) consistent, and then come down to the final possession of the game and not getting it done. But it’s really the same thing even in our wins and losses — it’s starting fast and starting early. We got behind and weren’t able to finish the game.”
(On the physicality of today’s game)
“It was a good physical game, you see it with the run game – a lot of physicality up front. Held us to under 30 yards, I think. But really just playing physical up front. They were playing physical on the ground, we had to air it out. I think (Q
Jared (Goff) threw 60 times or so. Really, we were just taking what they gave us. They take away the run, we put up 400-plus yards through the air.”(On if having two games within a 10-day span had any impact on today’s outcome)
“I don’t think it’s necessarily because of the short week. For me personally, I think it’s good for us to go through this loss early. Honestly, I feel like we are a good team who is able to bounce back, able to get a turnover, able to put up 40 points. So, it’s there. I think the biggest thing is just start early, be fast and don’t get behind 21-nothing.”
Rams TE Gerald Everett
(On his thoughts on the game)
"I think it was a hard-fought game. We have to get back to the drawing board, but we came out kind of flat. That's just us being honest. We didn't play up to our standards today and next week we're going to come back home."
(On what more we can expect from him going forward)
"Just being a complete player, a team player, being there whenever my teams needs me to be and just be complete."
(On how it felt to score his first touchdown of the season today)
"It felt pretty good. It felt pretty good. Just working hard with the guys throughout the weeks and just finally getting the opportunity."
(On almost having a huge comeback but falling short, and what they need to work on moving forward)
"Just need to work on our come out. Initially, we came out kind of flat but all phases of the team, we definitely have to come out faster."
Rams T Andrew Whitworth
(On the offense’s mentality of never feeling like they were out of the game despite being behind)
“I thought, honestly, if you take anything from the game that you can go, ‘You know what, I’ll hang my hat on that,’ is really that attitude. I mean, really, honestly, every time on the sidelines, it was, ‘Hey guys, all we’ve got to do is go score fast and give ourselves a chance, and get a stop.’ That attitude continued no matter the score, we kept going no matter what they did. You always look for – win or loss – things you can take from the game. Something I think we can take from the game is to get in that situation and not have anybody really say, ‘Hey, it’s over’ … but we kept making it a game and, you know what, I think you can be proud of that. It’s something to build off of.’
(On if Tampa Bay showed them anything different in pressure compared to the first three games of the season)
“No, not really. I think, when you end up throwing it 60-something times, you’re gonna see everything they have in their playbook, probably. It is what it is. Any time in these games if you’ve got to throw it that much, the team’s defenses are going to open the kitchen sink on you, and you’re going to get everything they’ve got in the playbook.”
Rams DT Aaron Donald
(On how frustrating this loss was and if this is a wakeup call)
“Well that’s anytime you lose. We have to find ways to get better, keep working and not let that happen again.”
(On if he felt they were able to get any pressure on Jameis Winston)
“No, I know I didn’t. I just have to try and find ways to free myself up but I still have to watch the film and see what happened.”
(On if this loss hurts their momentum going on to a divisional game)
“Like I said, you throw your pity party today and you’re right back to work tomorrow. You got to get over it, it’s a short week.”
Rams OLB Dante Fowler Jr.
(On how he thought the team did)
“The one thing I can say about our team is that we kept playing for the whole 60 minutes, so I tip off my team for that. We have a really mentally tough team we just weren’t able to pull it out and finish it out. I got to tip my hats off to the Bucs they did a really good job. (Q
Jameis (Winston) did a really good job getting the ball out, staying in the pocket, not letting that stuff go. We got to him, but he did a good job staying in the pocket and not just let us get to him like that. He made the throws that he needed to make. We just got to do a better job of getting him off the field and getting our offense better opportunities to get back on the field and make plays.”(On why he thinks they’ve been getting slow starts)
“It’s football, you know how that goes.”
(On how the team normally starts fast)
“Yeah it does but I really can’t give you a reason why. But the Bucs did their job. They came out and played fast. I have to call a spade a spade and they made the most of their opportunities. When a team makes the most of their opportunities, they have a really big advantage.”
Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians
(Opening Remarks)
“Obviously, it was a great team win. To be able to come out here to the defending champs and know it’s going to come down to the last five minutes of the game whether we played well or not. We did today and we’re learning. I thought we did offensively what it took to win the game, continuing to score points, being aggressive. Obviously, the defensive touchdown was huge at the end. Just can’t say enough about the whole coaching staff getting the guys ready. It was a tough loss last week, but victories like these galvanize a team. This team is starting to believe and see what they can be. Games like this, they’re big, they’re big for the future. It could have easily gone the other way just like a couple others have, but we found ways to win it. I guess we’ve got to learn how to play at home because we’re not bad on the road.”
(On if he thinks the pass rush sealed the win for the game)
“They sealed the deal, yeah. Big strip fumble and also an interception that ‘Shaq’ (Buccaneers OLB Shaquil Barrett) got. I don’t think anybody is going to catch (Buccaneers DL Ndamukong) Suh when he got a hold of that ball. That was a great scoop and score.”
(On trading scores with the Rams and being two scores ahead with eight minutes to go)
“It’s always going to come down to the last five minutes. It’s really how you play those last five. We had a lead, we gave up part of it, then we got it back. It was a really, really big drive going back and getting those points. There was no panic on our sideline, there was a lot of belief. I think we answered whether or not we’re tough enough to overcome a tough loss because we had a great week at practice and we showed up against a good, quality opponent on the road.”
(On him emphasizing the word “finish” all week and how big it is to be able to finish)
“It’s huge because that’s what young teams have to learn. They have to learn how to win. This could have easily gone the other way, but it didn’t. It didn’t because we finished it. All three phases finished the game to win it.”
(On how much the passing of Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht’s father was on their minds)
“Our guys are very resilient about it. It hurt the guys that know (Buccaneers General Manager) Jason (Licht) very well. We were sitting there and watching college football and you get that call. I’ve had that call and it’s tough. Like Jason said, his dad was doing what he loved to do, football and family and at a Nebraska game. So that part of it, that’s great. We’re all praying for him. We had him on FaceTime in the locker room and we gave him the game ball.”
(On jumping out to a 21-0 lead and finding a way to score in the red zone after having concerns in previous weeks)
“The red zone wasn’t a problem today. (Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator) Byron (Leftwich) did a great job, (Buccaneers Q
Jameis (Winston) did a great job all week of ironing out what we were going to see out here. They did a good job. I thought the throw to (Buccaneers WR) Chris (Godwin) was a great play. Two weeks in a row, we’ve come out in the first half and put a lot of points on the board and not punted, but once. That was a good drive because we took it off at about the 8-yard line. It’s still about finishing games. We’re 2-2 and back in it.”(On what it says to have two receivers that get good looks)
“I can’t say enough about (Buccaneers WR) Chris (Godwin). Chris in practice, he’s hurting and to put that performance out there and again, the way he blocked. He’s a tough bird. (Buccaneers WR) Mike (Evans), we were just begging to finally get one-on-one. Jameis saw perfectly, read it. Great call by (Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator) Byron (Leftwich) to get the play-action pass right there. That was a huge one, the momentum. Great job of Byron putting him inside in third down away from the double coverage to where it was easier to read the double coverage. I thought Byron had a great plan.”
(On what it means to win a game on the road and put up 55 points against the defending NFC Champions)
“Wednesday will be fun. We’ll come back and it’s a new week. This is New Orleans week, which is always a big week. You can’t party long just like you can’t sit there and suffer long last week. You’re onto next week. We’ll enjoy this one on the plane home. We’ll be ready to go Wednesday.”
(On what he can say about his defense)
“The takeaway is that they gave us short field and they scored. I don’t go by yards. They set us up for touchdowns and our offense converted touchdowns when we got those takeaways, which is huge.”
(On how much growth there is for Buccaneers K Matt Grey after a rebounding from a long week)
“It’s huge and so is the confidence we have in the guy. He knows we have confidence. He’s not going anywhere. This kid’s talented. One kick doesn’t define you.”
(On Winston starting to find his stride in this offense)
“Jameis has played extremely well since the first week.”
(On former Rams QB Vince Ferragamo saying on television that Winston is playing the best he ever has in his career and part of it is his coaching)
“I can’t take any credit for that. Give it to (Buccaneers Quarterbacks Coach) Clyde (Christensen) and Byron (Leftwich). But, he’s playing really, really well right now, even the interception. He was trying to throw one in there and I don’t blame him because he’s got the talent to do it, just get a little bit higher.”
(On if he went into the game saying that he needed a certain amount of points to win the game)
“No, at halftime it was, ‘Do not let up. Do not let up because this team can score.’ Even with ten minutes left, ‘Do not sit on the ball.’ We threw a couple nice balls and got another good drive. The field goal was huge, but I would have liked to have gotten the touchdown, but the field goal was huge.”
(On if he has an update on Buccaneers WR Breshad Perriman’s hamstring injury)
“He’s had a problem, he pulled it, we’ll see how it goes.”
(On if the way his run defense is playing is exceeding his expectations)
“No, this is what we’re built for. We’re built to stop the run. We gave up that one touchdown when we just flat missed the tackle. We’re built to stop the run and then get after the quarterback.”
Buccaneers QB Jameis Winston
(On the key to success today)
“We finished. The defense played great again. We created some turnovers in the first half and we answered. When they gave us good field position, we got the ball in the endzone. We did better on third down and scored touchdowns in the red zone. To God be the glory, we finished.”
(On Head Coach Bruce Arians telling the team not to let up)
“(Offensive Coordinator) Coach Byron (Leftwich) said, ‘Last week, you know they hit us hard.’ So, we came out this week against a great team and we had to finish.”
(On if he thought this team was capable of outscoring a team like the Rams)
“I knew our team was capable of doing anything we put our mind to, just because I trust my teammates and I know the caliber of players and coaches we have on this team.”
(On if it was especially gratifying for him being decisive against a defense like this)
“I think we just played great team football. It was beautiful. It was great to get a great win like this. We’re definitely blessed, but now it’s on to the next game. We beat a great opponent. Now, we have to continue to do it.”
(On telling WR Mike Evans to be ready before the 67-yard touchdown pass to him)
“What I knew was the situation where they might do an all out blitz. Even Byron (Leftwich) was saying, ‘Alert zero.’ I said, ‘Mike, it’s coming to you.’ He got it up. They were doubling him the whole game. They gave us the opportunity and he burned them.”
(On WR Chris Godwin saying before the game that they might need 50 points to win)
“Before the game, (WR) Chris (Godwin) was like, ‘I see us scoring 50 points.’ And we did a great job. The defense helped us out a lot. We did a great job. We can’t get too high, we can’t get too low. We got to continue to move forward. We got to continue to play good football.”
(On General Manager Jason Licht’s father passing away this weekend and what it meant for him)
“I love (General Manager) Jason (Licht). I had the pleasure of meeting his father and his family, so we sent our condolences to him. That was a big win for him. That was for him. We thank him for the opportunity that he’s given us to be players for this Buccaneers organization and that was a big win for him, so shout out to Jason.”
(On beating the NFC Champions and what it means)
“Yeah, we know what we’re capable of. We just have to execute it week in and week out. If we do that and when we do that, we’ll be a tough team to beat.”
(On what this win do for the rest of the year)
“I think it’s a great start to a long road, some long road games. What a way to come up here in the Coliseum, a historic place and beat one of the best teams in the league and show that we’re capable of doing anything that we put our mind to. We played great Buccaneer football.”
(On what it was in the second half and fourth quarter when he knew they had to keep scoring)
“It showed the resilience that they have, but I have to credit our guys again. Just to continue to stay on it, not be complacent and just finish. That was our message at halftime. That was our message after the last game after we lost, but now we ended up victorious because we did finish. That’s going to continue to be our thing. ‘BA’ (Coach Arians) put it on the board at the beginning of the week. Finish. That’s it.”
(On if this year or this team is different and turned a page)
“It’s a week-to-week league. We finished today. Our main goal is to continue to finish and continue to win football games.”
(On if this was one of the best games he’s ever been a part of)
“It was very fun. It was fun being in the Coliseum in L.A. up under the lights. Lights, camera, action. We’re in Hollywood and we had a great game, so we just got to continue to do that.”
(On DL Ndamukong Suh’s fumble recovery)
“I was like, ‘What a way. What a way for him to get a touchdown against his old teammates.’ I was just blessed, man. I’m so grateful that this team played their hearts out. I’m so blessed that God favored us in this win.”
(On WR Chris Godwin’s big game)
“When (WR) Mike Evans is getting double covered, (WR) Chris Godwin always finds a way to get open and make plays. He’s been doing that all year. We’re happy to have two guys, two dominant guys and even more than that. Chris accepts that load. He takes it and he gets open and catches the football.”
(On coming back on the third down play in the series after the CB Marcus Peters interception)
“I’m still going to be watching that play over and over again, but we finished. We overcame that. We had a great drive to milk some of that clock a little bit to put them into a kind of got to get a big play mode. That was crucial. It was great for us to bounce back and we did it.”
(On RB Ronald Jones staying in bounds on the field goal drive)
“I was excited for ‘RoJo’ this whole week because he was back in his place. This is where he played. This is where he had a lot of highlight reels. If they didn’t have those penalties, he would’ve had more highlights than that and this game probably wouldn’t have been this close. But I was proud of him to be back in L.A. and do his thing. But the key to that play was him not running out of bounds. The key to that play was him spinning back inside, keeping the clock moving so we could milk some of that clock off and that was huge in terms of not giving them enough time.”
Buccaneers WR Mike Evans
(On what was clicking today after scoring 55 points on a good defense)
“We were hungry. We had a great week of preparation. We got some bad news about our GM Jason Licht. We wanted to go out there and play hard for him and his family.”
(On if they found out about Licht's father’s passing last night or today)
“We found out about it last night, so that was on a lot of our minds.”
(On why the offense, especially the passing game, was clicking today)
“They were doubling me for the majority of the game and all of our other playmakers were making hella plays. ‘CG’ (WR Chris Godwin) balled out, they couldn’t stop him. ‘Rojo’ (RB Ronald Jones III) and (R
Peyton (Barber) ran the ball well. We were just clicking. The O-line played great. It was a good all-around game for us.”(On how good it felt to finish this week after the way things unfolded last week)
“It was easy. It’s football, we know anything can happen. They stormed back. We were up 18 in the fourth and they stormed back and almost had a chance to tie it up. Defense came up in the clutch and the offense put enough points on the board.”
(On the 67-yard touchdown pass from QB Jameis Winston and what they saw)
“Before the play he said, ‘Be ready for this.’ I was getting double-teamed the whole game and then the safety bit on the play action and it was one-on-one and I knew I had it and (Q
Jameis (Winston) threw a great ball.”Buccaneers TE Cameron Brate
(On how big it was to get a win today)
“It was huge. Long trip, going against the defending NFC Champions. I don’t think too many people had the Bucs winning this one, but we had belief in the locker room and obviously we came out firing in the first quarter. We had a little bit of a lull during the middle of the game, but we finished strong and we were able to get a win on the road.”
(On Buccaneers HC Bruce Arians not having to tell you guys to not let up)
“Exactly, so we just looked one week back on what not to do with the big lead. So, it was dicey there in the fourth quarter for a little bit, for sure. (Buccaneers L
Shaq (Shaquil Barrett) made a huge play and it was an awesome win for us.(On second half being so close)
“Offensively, had a couple of drives where it stalled out. We weren’t really extending our drives, that was putting a lot of pressure on our defense. The Rams, they are a tough team to defend. They have playmakers all over the field. Obviously, there in the second half they were able to get some drives and put some pressure on us, but I thought (Buccaneers Q
Jameis (Winston) made some really good throws down the stretch and I can’t say enough about (Buccaneers WRs) Chris (Godwin) and Mike (Evans) with their play.”Buccaneers OLB Shaquil Barrett
(On how it feels to have a play that clinches the win)
“It’s amazing to be the guy who stepped up to make a play. In know it could have been anybody, we always have guys who are stepping up to make plays. Early in the game it was (S Jordan) Whitehead, it was (IL
Lavonte (David), it was just everybody. It was my time to make a play and I made the play when it was my time.”(On what it means for the defense to finish the game this way)
“I mean, we have a lot of work to do still. 40 points is too much, over 400 passing yards is too much. We have to fix it. I don’t know what it is, but we have to fix it. We have to be able to win games like this, but we don’t want to have to win games like this. We don’t want to.”
(On why games get into a back-and-forth battle offensively)
“I don’t know yet. We’re a way better defense than that. That’s why it bothers me a lot that we gave up all those points and all those yards. We have to fix it because every game isn’t going to be like that. The offense isn’t going to have it going every game, they’re going to need us to help them out sometimes like they helped us out today. We have to figure it out.”
Buccaneers DL Ndamukong Suh
(On what it means to the Buccaneers to get the win)
“We always understand we have to play 60 minutes. Nonetheless, we were in this situation last week being up going into the half, understand that we have to come out, especially on the defensive side of the ball at halftime and take care of business. Although we did give up points, which is not wanting to do so, but you got to find ways to win, especially on the road.”
(On how big of a win it was)
“I think when you look at it, you understand there’s tons of talent in this league. So, no matter where you are at, whether in LA or Florida, you have to go out there and compete. There is talent on our team, and we proved that today.”
(On the overall performance of the defense)
“It’s as simple as finding ways to win. We don’t to be out here giving out points and I think we shut down the run, which we wanted to do, but we had to get after the pass. They have a great passing attack, great receivers, especially (Rams WR) Brandin Cooks, a guy I really respect. So, we had our hands full and we have to continue to find ways to win.”
(On you rushing 63 times against Rams QB Jared Goff)
“Knowing (Rams HC Sean) McVay and being with him all last year, they want to pass the ball. They pride themselves on getting yardage and making plays in the air, although they have some great running backs, but we know that they want to pass the ball and we need to shut down the run and then get after them in the pass.”
--RAMS--
-----------------------------------------------------
| Subject | Author | Views | Posted |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Shaky | 430 | September 30, 2019 12:16AM |
| sstrams | 273 | September 30, 2019 03:20AM |
| Hazlet Hacksaw | 196 | September 30, 2019 03:22AM |
| Atlantic Ram | 196 | September 30, 2019 04:14AM |
