Thaddeus Lewis on Having a 'Player Led Team' | Bucs Total Access

Team Reporter Casey Phillips sits down with Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterbacks Coach Thaddeus Lewis following the Week 5 game against the Seattle Seahawks. They reviewed the Krewe creating a player led team, Rookie WR Emeka Egbuka's connection with QB Baker Mayfield & Mayfield's mental side of the game.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
That's what's not three?

Speaker 2 (00:01):
What's three?

Speaker 3 (00:05):
This is Buccaneers Total Access with head coach Todd Bowles.
That the hell of a job.

Speaker 4 (00:10):
Going back, Go back, Go, Robbie Bag of those a
sideline route, it is.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Pot Pauw, Pop Paul, my Cabots or the guy try
all over it. Touch Down, Tampa Bay Fire, the Canets,
get up going.

Speaker 3 (00:25):
Talk to you by Advent Health.

Speaker 5 (00:27):
Whether you're in the stands, on the field, or celebrating
with your greatest fan, Advent Health make sure you're ready
for game day and every day feel hole with Advent
Health Exclusive Hospital of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Speaker 6 (00:40):
Fire, the Cannons.

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Now your host, Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips and head
coach Todd Bowles.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Welcome into the Todd Bowles Show. Casey Phillips here with
head coach Todd Bowles. You know, I know all wins
are important. This one felt like kind of a statement
win in terms of you have all these injuries, you
have to fly dang near around the world. I'm sure
it felt like and played a really good team. So
what did this win say to you? And what made
it feel kind of special?

Speaker 4 (01:07):
So there's a lot of resiliency to fly all the
way out there injured and those guys not to flinch,
especially with the score going back and forth, and just
step up and find a way to finish the ball game.
Says a lot about our team, says a lot about
the guys trusting each other. It's a lot about the
coaches and everybody's following what they need to follow. And
this was huge for us. It was a huge, very

(01:29):
good football team.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
Yeah, and you guys are now the first team in
NFL history with four wins by three or fewer points
in your first five games of the season. First of all,
last year, it just felt like we ended up being
on the bad luck end of so many of these
close games. And now every game that's close like this,
y'all are finding a way, it feels like, to pull
it out. What do you feel like is the biggest
difference and what does it take to have a team

(01:53):
the makeup of a team to be this team getting
these last second wins.

Speaker 4 (01:56):
I really think we're a smarter team. We went into
the season trying to be smarter than we were last year,
especially at the end of the ball games. In two
minutes in certain situations, you can see if Rashad go
down in bounds after getting the first down where he
really could have scored and brought the clock all the
way down. Last year we were probably running out of
bounds or scoring on those plays. And everybody has attention

(02:16):
to detail and understands what's going on. I think we
really are playing smarter.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
How about anything that stood out to you that was
unique about this end of game situation compared to some
of the other ones this season, or what made this
one unique.

Speaker 4 (02:30):
It was great because Lavonte got the interception to start
at the end of the ball game. He made the play,
Winfield got the hit and forced it out. It skimmed
off of Logan's helmet. Lavonte made the play. So for
our leader to make that play and then offensively to
run the ball when they know you're going to run
the ball, that says a lot about your team and
you impose your will anyway, and you get the first

(02:51):
down on the third and seven when they have everybody
stacked up in there, and then get down and still
have the wherewithal to get down and run.

Speaker 6 (02:58):
The clock down and win the game. Says a lot
about the entire team.

Speaker 7 (03:01):
And a mecca.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
I just keep thinking that we won't have more new
things to say about this guy every week. But man
seven catches for one hundred and sixty three yards in
a touchdown. First player in NFL history with at least
twenty five receptions, four hundred receiving yards, and five or
more receiving touchdowns in his first five career games. And
he now owns franchise records for rookies and receptions, receiving yards,

(03:24):
and receiving touchdowns in their first five games, which means more
than even Mike and Chris had when they started out.
So for him this game in particular, when he's had
so many good ones, why was this one so conducive
to him really exploding?

Speaker 7 (03:36):
Well?

Speaker 4 (03:36):
Number one, he went home, He had a homecoming back
in Washington, so it was a huge for him. But
I thought Grizz did a great job designing the plays
this week, and we came out aggressive and he stayed
aggressive the entire game. Baker was hot, everybody was focused
and locked in, and that's a loud stadium to play in.
But Mecca keeps doing amazing things. He keeps preparing the

(03:56):
right way, he takes care of his body. He's very
intelligent and he's a highly competitive guy.

Speaker 1 (04:02):
Yeah, and take us through his touchdown and two point conversion.

Speaker 7 (04:05):
Back to back.

Speaker 4 (04:06):
The touchdown looks similar to Atlanta. Obviously, him and Baker
have a connection that way. He runs that route great,
and then to come back and get the two point conversion.
You just see how much we rely on him, how
he's coming into his own and how we'll have three
number one.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
Receivers and you brought a Baker, I mean, his first
three hundred yard game of the season. He went twenty
nine to thirty three, two touchdowns, zero interceptions. His eighty
seven point nine completion percentage was the highest by any
quarterback in a game this season and the second highest of.

Speaker 7 (04:36):
His career specifically.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
When you look especially at that efficiency and that completion rating,
what stood out to you about that and why this
game was so efficient for him?

Speaker 4 (04:45):
It was taken what they gave him. I thought they
did a great job designing the plays. Like I said,
him and Griz did a heck of a job, whether
it was bootlegs, getting it out quick to the back,
throwing it over the middle, throwing the deep ball, finding
guys that were open. And he was laser sharp from
a physical standpoint, and from a mental standpoint, when he
gets rolling like that, he's hard to stop.

Speaker 1 (05:05):
And I mean, Rashad, we knew he had to step
up in a big way with Bucky being out. He
ended up with two touchdowns. Not a bad way to
do it. He's now tied Cadillac Williams for the six
most rushing touchdowns by a running back in team history.
What'sto oubt to you about those two touchdowns and just
the way he was able to step up in Bucky's absence.

Speaker 6 (05:23):
His toughness.

Speaker 4 (05:24):
You know, Rashad has a very tough player. We asked
him to do a lot too, as far as inside running,
outside running, blocking, catching the football, pounding it in tough,
getting cracked tosses. He does a heck of a job
the entire time. We have one A and one B.
We don't have a first and the second running back.
We have two number ones, and with one of them down,
he stepped.

Speaker 6 (05:44):
Up big time.

Speaker 1 (05:45):
I know that we did only have fifty six yards
rushing overall. What about the game situation or execution kind
of led to that.

Speaker 4 (05:53):
Well, they're very good against the run. Obviously they had
a great defense over there, but grizz opened it up
and we took what they get. They crowded a line
of scrimmage, so we kept throwing the ball. They were completions.
We were hot, we were confident it, and we kept
doing it. And that's great, not to take your foot
off the gas.

Speaker 1 (06:10):
And knowing that you weren't going to have Bucky going in.
What were the biggest ways that did sort of affect
the game plan or the team overall, and then how
you felt like everybody was able to overcome that when
you're missing one of your your biggest weapons. Alongside already
being without Mike.

Speaker 4 (06:21):
Evans, just a matter of Sean and Josh taking over
some reps and getting some snaps in there. Obviously Tez
getting a lot more snaps. He really came into his
own as well. Just using your other pieces. We got
Caid going early, we got Tedz going early, we got
Chep going in there. So we had other pieces that
started trickling in that we started using, and you know,

(06:42):
they kind of confused them since they weren't ready for
they were trying to cover a Mecca and Chris the
whole time, but the other guys contributed.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah, Caid definitely a bigger part of the game plan.
This week's second highest regular season receiving total in a
single game for him. He had the twenty seven yard
or twelve yard catch finished with eighty one yards. Was
him finally not having to be quite so much the
blocking tight end as the O line's gotten a little
bit back to more normal.

Speaker 4 (07:06):
Oro we're people down, you start using all your pieces,
and we included him in the game plan more. He
went back home to Washington obviously, so.

Speaker 7 (07:13):
That we have to play more games out there.

Speaker 4 (07:14):
It feels like the Washington guy has got a lot
more plays than everybody else. But he did the good
job waiting his turn and he came through for us.

Speaker 1 (07:22):
Yeah, and you brought up tes four catches fifty nine yards,
including a twenty seven yarder. Worked so well for him
in this game, and just where your confidence is at
with him moving.

Speaker 4 (07:31):
Forward, confidence is ten out of ten. He has a
lot of speed and he's a great route runner. He
has outstanding hands, he has a good feel for the game,
and as he gets the system down, you'll see more and.

Speaker 1 (07:42):
More to I saw that you know, two of your
top three receivers in the game were rookies. It's the
third game in Bucks history where multiple rookie wide receivers
each had at least fifty receiving yards.

Speaker 7 (07:51):
What is it said about the way they've been able.

Speaker 1 (07:53):
To contribute so early And to know you have, in
addition to these incredible vets like a Mike and Chris,
to now have two rookies that have shown that they
can be counted on so early in the start of
their NFL.

Speaker 4 (08:03):
Career says a lot about the professionalism in that room.
Says a lot about their coach b Mack. B Mack
does a great job preparing those guys, getting them ready,
and then they rely on Mike and Chris as well.
So they really got a couple coaches in that room
that they can rely on. And those guys just step
in like nothing ever happened, and they don't take a
step back, and they take the next man up mentality

(08:24):
very seriously.

Speaker 1 (08:24):
Casey Phelps here with head coach Todd Bowles. So I
hear this was the flu game for Chase McLaughlin got
a little game ball for it as well. Just I mean,
how impressive was what he was able to do.

Speaker 6 (08:35):
Chase looked like he never played basketball in.

Speaker 7 (08:37):
His life, but or even knew what the flu game.

Speaker 4 (08:41):
Was from my kicking standpoint, and he did tell me
a good joke last week, so I'll give him his props.
But he did a heck of a job for him
to battle through that, and he felt so bad Saturday,
I was wondering if he was even gonna play. But
for him to go out there and deliver those kicks
and concentrate a lot more, he needs to get sick
a lot.

Speaker 7 (08:58):
More off of it.

Speaker 1 (09:00):
And then I know, Also, you guys had talked about
needing to get off to a faster start. That part
of why you know they were having to be all
these sort of last second touchdowns was kind of playing
a bit from behind. So it felt like this game
definitely got off to the faster start, being up thirteen
and nothing.

Speaker 7 (09:13):
What was it that you saw.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
That enabled the team to do that, and how did
it help just the rest of the game plan and.

Speaker 4 (09:19):
Day, just the all guys locked in and focused. Usually
it's either nine of the eleven or ten of the
eleven and one guy breaks down mentally and then it's
a bad play on either side of the football. Everybody
was locked in earlier, everybody was in gaged in the
football game.

Speaker 6 (09:32):
Thereboy was into it.

Speaker 1 (09:34):
You mentioned how loud that stadium is. It's definitely one
of the loudest ones, and here you've had all these
changes on your offensive line and you're having to do
a lot of silent counts. How impressed were you at
their ability to handle the noise and to come away
so cleanly after seeing some games where there were a
few flags involved in this one felt like in terms
of pre snap and just playing so buttoned up in
mistake free in that area had to be exciting for you.

Speaker 4 (09:56):
I think those guys were settling in, you know, two
weeks in with Bradison where he is, and Barton back
where he is, and Tristan back where he is, and
Heck at the right and Hagard at the right, you.

Speaker 6 (10:06):
Know, it's become normal. You forget that.

Speaker 4 (10:09):
We got two guys out, and those guys did a
heck of a job battling all day. We didn't get
as much in the run game, but we got a
lot in the past game. They did a good job
keeping Baker clean.

Speaker 1 (10:19):
We talked about there were a lot of different injuries,
and especially in the secondary. So tell me a bit
about your decision of having you know, Zion is still
out there, but of the way you chose to use Perish,
the decision to bring in Kendall Bildor and how that
affected some of the game plan, and you guys did
from an outside and nickel corner position.

Speaker 4 (10:36):
We've been rotating Parish outside anyway. We've been trying to
give him a chance because we know he can play outside,
and he had a good chance to play out there.
It's a lot on his plate when he has to
go outside and inside, especially as a rookie, so his
mind has to switch almost every play. And Bildor has
a lot of experience, and he had a great camp,
and we were trying to find ways to get him
in the ball game anyway, and he came in with

(10:57):
a veteran presence and he played calm, he played collected.

Speaker 6 (11:00):
I thought those guys battled.

Speaker 1 (11:02):
We talked a little bit about Alevante's interception earlier, but
take us through kind of that play and what it
was like on the sideline and to see him get
that after I know you'd given him a little bit
of grief about missing one earlier this year.

Speaker 4 (11:13):
No, we held that call for a long time and
then we finally let it go with winn coming out
there and Tay making catching that ball for him was
huge because he dropped a lot of balls an individual
this week in practice and Boss was giving him a
lot of grief over that. So for him to make
that play at that time of the game being the
leader of our defense was huge. But Winfield made a

(11:33):
heck of a job. He did a heck of a
job blitzing and coming through there. Yeah, putting pressure on
Sam now I know.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
Sam Darnold played a heck of a game, you know,
twenty eight to thirty four, three hundred and forty one
yards and four touchdowns.

Speaker 7 (11:46):
What did he do so well?

Speaker 1 (11:47):
And just sort of the challenges that the defense saw
facing him and their weapons that they have.

Speaker 4 (11:52):
He did a good job getting the ball out quickly,
and we fell off him a few times in the
second half and we got to scrambled through the pocket
and found some open guys down the field.

Speaker 6 (12:01):
But he played a heck of a ball.

Speaker 4 (12:02):
Game had been a shootout in quite a while. We
got some fundamental things that we got to fix, but
we came through in the end, and those guys made
the player to win the game.

Speaker 1 (12:11):
And how about going against Jackson Smith and jig Bo.
We've seen first of all, Ohio State knows how to
produce a wide receiver or two, that's for sure. And
what was so challenging about facing him, and especially when
again you did have some injuries in the secondary.

Speaker 4 (12:24):
They move him around quite a bit. He has great hands,
he has great body control. He can go deep, he
can go short. He's just like Mecca. Obviously they were
saying he was Mecca before Mecca, so when he got there.
But he's a heck of a receiver. He made some plays. Obviously,
he made a big catcher on win. Win missed the
ball right there, and it was tough to corral them.

Speaker 7 (12:44):
And then for you guys, what did and didn't work
in the past?

Speaker 1 (12:47):
Rush You mentioned how quickly Darnold was getting it out,
So how did you feel about what you guys were
and were not able to do in that area.

Speaker 4 (12:53):
I don't think we got him on the ground. We
got back there, we just couldn't get him on the ground. Obviously,
it's a little different with cans out. We lose our
at leticism on the inside, so we got to do
different things to try to contain the quarterback when he
steps up in the pocket.

Speaker 1 (13:05):
Casey Phillips here with head coach Todd Bowles. We saw
the fumble recovery by Tyke his first career one tell
us about just the importance of that play, what he
did well to be ready for that, and just with
the significance of that In the time of that game.

Speaker 4 (13:18):
It was just everybody running to the football. They tried
the option, they fumbled a snap, obviously everybody was swarming
to the ball.

Speaker 6 (13:25):
He dug it out from the pile.

Speaker 4 (13:27):
He's been one of our best players since the season started.
He's really having a heck of a season that safety.
It kind of goes unnoticed, but for us in the
meeting room from a coaching standpoint, he's doing the heck
of a job for us, and he makes play affter play.
He's probably one of our best linebackers. If you're talking
about hitting and shit and using his hands on blockers,
he does a great job at that as well.

Speaker 1 (13:49):
That's great, and I know that we almost had two
more interceptions outside of Lavonte yah yah at the goal
line and then Winfield's getting called back with a flag.
What are you saying to guy about the idea of
finishing some of these plays and how close. It feels like,
you know your defense is to being able to have
the number of takeaways.

Speaker 7 (14:06):
I know you'd like for them to have.

Speaker 4 (14:08):
We're right there. We just got to catch the ball.
One went right through Yahya's hands and wins got called
back unfortunately on the penalty with Zion, But we're right there.
We just got to keep chomping at it and they
will come.

Speaker 7 (14:19):
I know.

Speaker 1 (14:20):
You guys held Walker to four carries for twenty yards
in the first half. He ended up finishing with eighty six,
including a thirty one yarder. What happened on that player
just kind of the second half in general to let
him get going a little bit more.

Speaker 4 (14:32):
We had a couple of misfits in the run game.
We had three guys actually on the one play on
the thirty one yard that we kind of let him
out there as opposed to being where we're supposed to be.

Speaker 1 (14:42):
And then what happened on Barner's touchdowns. I know, he's
a pretty big tight end to be facing.

Speaker 4 (14:48):
Huge side and Jan Levonte just missed the tackle on
and the other one he just made a play. We
got to cover it better and we got to do
a better job in zone coverage.

Speaker 1 (14:56):
How about the play of your defensive line still, you know,
watching the way that they're evolving without Collijah and the
ways you have some different body types, different types of
guys in there. What did you see from them overall,
knowing they were facing a guy like Walker, a guy
like Darnold, and the way they handled it.

Speaker 4 (15:11):
They play hard, you know, other than Vita and Logan. Obviously,
the third spot we still got to get used to
with Gains in there, with Simmons in there, with Roberts
in there, and all those guys doing different things, still
got to get used to. They got to get used
to the other guys playing in there and understand where
they need to be. But they come off the ball now,
it's just a matter of attention to detail.

Speaker 1 (15:32):
From the special team standpoint, I know we already talked
about Chase and his contributions, but Riley Dixon, I know
we had the one punt down at the one yard line,
which he'd actually said in his media appearance earlier that
you can always keep getting better until your downing punts
at the one yard line, and that was, I'm sure
a great thing to see. What did you see from
his game overall? And that punt in particular, that.

Speaker 6 (15:50):
Was great to give us field position.

Speaker 4 (15:52):
Unfortunately we let him out, but he did a heck
of a job getting the ball down there. I thought
Chase did a very good job with his kicks all day.

Speaker 1 (16:00):
So kick return not an area that you were probably
the most happy with on special teams allowed you know,
multiple of them being over forty or fifty yards each.
What was breaking down in that area and just how
much more challenging that made it on the defense as
well to get some stops.

Speaker 4 (16:13):
It's challenging because we can't start to the kick, so
we got to find different ways to kick the ball there.
But at the same time, we got to defeat block
as early and get back in our lanes and we
got to take our shots. I think we're breaking down
too early, so we got.

Speaker 1 (16:25):
To speed it up knowing that you guys will have
another long West coast trip later in the season. How
did you feel like the team handled the flight in
terms of the ways you employ sports science and guys
really committing to it, and the time change and just
how ready everybody was for it to be the game
where maybe you came out faster than most others when
everything like that was sort of against you and what
you learned about that process.

Speaker 4 (16:46):
I think for us, we just treated it like it
was a four o'clock game. So from a time standpoint,
we were only off by an hour. Our means were
at six instead of nine, and which was the same
thing at the East Coast time. We woke up at
the same time. We kind of did out normal routine,
so we didn't have a chance to adjust or let
the time get us, and we played a normal East
Coast type of ball game.

Speaker 6 (17:06):
So I thought they did a great job.

Speaker 1 (17:08):
Looking forward to this next game against the forty nine ers,
looking at when they've had Brock party, when they've had
Mac Jones, what are the biggest ways you see that
affect their game plan, if at all, and what each
of those guys has brought individually.

Speaker 4 (17:20):
I think both are highly intelligent. I think Brock he
goes down the field a little bit more. It's probably
a better athlete than Mac. Mac kind of the Ciphers
plays very well at just like Brock does, and he
does a heck of a job throwing it to the
right person and getting them in the right play and
directing the offense. So he runs the offense very well.
So between the two. Just got to prepare for the

(17:41):
scheme and see which one plays.

Speaker 1 (17:43):
And then Christian McCaffrey definitely seems like he is peak
Christian McCaffrey again, leading them and receiving and rushing and
doing everything.

Speaker 7 (17:50):
So what does he like to face and what is the.

Speaker 1 (17:53):
Unique challenge for a defense and maybe the way our
defense could potentially match up with him well or not,
and what he brings and how different he is from
so many other backs.

Speaker 4 (18:02):
He's a challenger because he's a half back, he's a
wide out, he's a full back. They use him in
so many different ways and get get him on so
many different mismatches. And he's such a great route runner
that you forget he's a running back sometimes but then
they toss it to him and then he runs for
another twenty yards. So he's going to be a challenge
for us. We got to know where he is at
all times.

Speaker 1 (18:21):
I know that they've had a few injuries as well,
different guys being out, so without you know George Kittle
in the past, he is at the point of having
the chance to return, but as the time we're shooting this,
we don't know if that's going to happen or not.
But George Kittle and Nick Bosa being two of their biggest,
you know, contributors, with and without them, how much does
that change things and some of the matchups you might employ.

Speaker 4 (18:43):
I mean, in the time you lose two all pros,
it's going to affect you a little bit. But they
got some players and they get after the quarterback even
without Bosa. Obviously they move the ball around a little
bit differently without Kittles, but they still get the production
and that's the important thing. So you got to prepare
for the scheme. Chan has them, got very well coached,
and they gonna come here ready to play, and we
got to be ready to match it.

Speaker 1 (19:04):
How about Fred Warner And I feel like I've heard
a lot of people compare him to Lavonte in some
of the areas of the type of caliber player they've
been for so long. What are the things about him
and at this point in his career, and just overall
how challenging he can beat a face and the way
he could potentially be a game wrecker.

Speaker 4 (19:20):
He's tough in the middle, he has a very good
nose for the football, very athletic, he comes downhill, he
makes impact hits when he comes, so he comes with
intent to do damage, and we got to make sure
we keep a hat on.

Speaker 1 (19:33):
So for the other weapons outside of a Christian McCaffrey,
what are some of the things that those guys do
and who are they that you're watching to really make
sure you guys slow down.

Speaker 4 (19:41):
No, we'll see if Jennings plays, obviously, and we'll see
if Pierce all plays. You know, both of them are
two very good receivers right there. They also have Valdez
Scantling as well, so they have different guys. They can
get the ball too schematically and get open and they
have a huge offensive line.

Speaker 1 (19:56):
Well, coach, thank you as always for taking time with us,
and congratulations again on that win.

Speaker 6 (20:00):
Thank you.

Speaker 1 (20:01):
Coming up next is quarterback coach Thad Lewis on Buccaneers
Total Access, brought to you by advent Health.

Speaker 7 (20:06):
This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 3 (20:08):
Buccaneers Total Access, brought to you by advent Health Exclusive
Hospital of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Dropping back the row,
we've threatened the blitz of coming after the home.

Speaker 5 (20:17):
Plus he sacked from the backfield at the forty two
yard line. Vitavea has his fourth sack of the season.

Speaker 3 (20:23):
Now more with Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips.

Speaker 1 (20:27):
We are back here on Buccaneers Total Access, brought to
you by Ivan Health. First half of the show we
had head coach Todd Bowles now so excited to be
joined by quarterback coach Thad Lewis. Thad, thank you so
much for being with us.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
Thank you guys for having me.

Speaker 1 (20:39):
I feel like this win was just so incredible for
what it says about this team. Of like, you have
all these injuries, you've got the one of the longest
toughest road trips facing a good team. What did that
say to you about the makeup of this team and
what you feel like you were able to learn about
what we have to look forward to this whole season,
of the type of guys, the type of roster we have.

Speaker 8 (20:57):
Coach Bose has been preaching it for a long time,
a player led team, you know, and it's all about
the players. You know, we can try to coach you
and put you in position, but it's all about the
players going out there to execute. And the guys made
up their mind you know that they you know, wasn't
going to let this long trip affect them. They were
going out there to handle business and they went out

(21:17):
they didn't flinch, next man up mentality. Like you said,
we have injuries, but the guys that getting the opportunities
are making the best of them. And you just see
other guys uplifting each other and picking each other up,
and we're playing together as a team, which.

Speaker 2 (21:30):
Is pretty good.

Speaker 1 (21:31):
It felt like last year every time we were in
situations like this in games, we were on.

Speaker 7 (21:36):
The wrong end of it.

Speaker 1 (21:37):
That it felt like every close game or every last
second thing just somehow never went our way. And now
this year they are going our way. What do you
feel like is the difference in that what's it feel
like out there of why some things that I'm sure
sometimes it can feel like luck, but sometimes it can
be the execution. What does it feel like to you
guys of why suddenly this team this year is on

(21:58):
the right side of these.

Speaker 8 (21:59):
Growth maturity uh As you can see the continuity between
the offense. Uh this is the first time that the
guys in that offensive unit has had the same system
two years in a row. You know, you go from
Dave the Liam now Josh kept it the same, So
guys are able to grow. You know, when the defense
has had the same system and special teams. Also just

(22:22):
they having the same guy two years in a row,
so you know, just you know, just with continuity and consistency,
you know, things go your way because the guys actually
know what to do.

Speaker 1 (22:34):
You know.

Speaker 8 (22:35):
Uh, one of the coaches that I know say, you
sink to the level of your training, and I think
in these tough situations, most of the guys are doing that.
And we were running plays and doing things that they
know what to do well and they executing and when
these situations come up. Coach Bowls give us the toughest
situation than the Spring. They've faced everything possible, so they

(22:55):
know how to handle it.

Speaker 1 (22:57):
I also feel like at I mean, four games, four
game winning drives is crazy, Like that's truly insane. Ay
for poor Josh Bizzard, I imagine he's aging.

Speaker 7 (23:06):
Rapidly in this job. But what has felt unique about
each of them?

Speaker 1 (23:10):
Do they all feel like similar things we've been able
to do and each you know, how of them each
game winning drive felt a little unique? Or or what
have you learned each time about what this team's able
to do?

Speaker 8 (23:21):
You just think about, uh, the the tough advantageous situations
for the defense, having the defensive head coach all spring
and training camp and were getting our butt whoop. But
they are all learning experiences and so the guys know
how to handle them. So you just look at it
and look back on that and it's like, gosh, these
situations were really tough in practice against our defense and

(23:43):
we're going out here executing it. But you know we've
done it before, and so I don't think it's been
a situation that we haven't went over at the guys
having faced and I just think they just have on
wavering faith when something happens. I don't see this team
shaking up or anything when something then bad goes wrong.
They're like, oh, well, here we go again. It's time

(24:03):
for us to pick up the slack and we're playing
team football and all units are helping each other out
and that's what you want to see.

Speaker 1 (24:10):
And you brought up the defense. I mean Lavonte's interception
at the end that was incredible. What was it like
watching that and just how incredible was that for you
guys on the offense to then know you were gonna
get the ball back.

Speaker 8 (24:20):
Like calling him the old man and we always say
he can't catch, but he caught down on any cruiser.

Speaker 1 (24:25):
Y'all gave him enough grief over his last couple of
weeks that he got shamed into catching it, you.

Speaker 8 (24:29):
Know, and you know he had an easy one and
he caught this tough one. So nah, But it's, you know,
just a veteran guy being at the right place at
the right time, sinking to the level of his training
and understanding the situation, and he dropped into the right
zone and made the right read and caught the ball
in a critical situation. But you know, big time players,

(24:51):
you know, step up in big time situation, and he's
been that for this organization for a long time. So
it's just fitting that Leavonte is the one that comes
down with the intercepts too. Silly deal, for sure.

Speaker 7 (25:03):
I like it.

Speaker 1 (25:03):
We're talking to quarterback coach Dad Lewis, you talk about
players stepping up in big situations. Chase McLoughlin man last
week with his you know, sixty something yarder, which is wild,
and then now another game winner from him. How does
that affect, you know, Baker the offense overall. When you
have a guy like that that you know is as
accurate as he is and then also can kick for

(25:25):
as long as he is like, what does that do?
As you guys are going out there, especially when you
know all you need is a.

Speaker 2 (25:29):
Field goal and across to forty, we know we have three.
For sure.

Speaker 8 (25:34):
He's very accurate and everybody loves him. But it just
gives the offense confidence that, hey, we have points, so
we can't go out here and mess this up once
you get in those situations, so you know in the
red zone, no stp sacks, turnovers, the penalties, and the
guys are taking at the heart because they know Chase.

Speaker 2 (25:49):
We have three with Chase, and you know that's good.
It's good overall.

Speaker 8 (25:54):
You know communication, you know, with the offense understanding like, hey,
win field goal range, that's not mess this up. The
only thing better we can do is get seven. Other
than that we have three. So guys have been playing well,
have been cognizant of that, and you know that just
gives you that much more confidence to go out there
understanding that once you cross the forty, we have three.

(26:14):
Next best thing for us to do us to get seven.

Speaker 7 (26:17):
A Mecca's game.

Speaker 1 (26:18):
I think we need to go play in his hometown
every week. Not that he hadn't been playing amazing before,
but holy cow. I mean seven catches for one hundred
and sixty three yards and a touchdown. This game was
the most receiving yards by a rookie this year, and
he already owns three of the top five rookie receiving
performances this season. Why was this game such an explosion
for him? Even compared to other ones he has done

(26:40):
that are so great? Why do you feel like he
and Baker were on just such a different level.

Speaker 7 (26:44):
It felt like this game they've.

Speaker 8 (26:46):
Been on that since the spring. But I just think
about last week. He was this first time being a
number one option when Mike's out, So him getting that
field Andy going against the number one dB and a
number one guy in the NFL. It's different when you're
the number two option over there when you have.

Speaker 7 (27:03):
Mike, a little less attention and a little.

Speaker 8 (27:04):
Less attention when you But I think the kid learned
from it really good. And him and Baker, you know,
talk about situations and they communicate when we watch the
practice together, those guys ask questions and make a communicated
to him. But I just think he took that next
step learning from the week before, understanding like if I'm
a be the guy I have to make those plays,
you know, if I have to step in in the

(27:24):
absence of Mike Evans, you know, and he's just so
mature to be that young. He's played a lot of football,
Let's not get it twisted, you know, playing at Ohio States,
played on big stages. But I mean, all you said
seven catches, but he also had seven targets, so he
caught everything came as follow you know, which is crazy,
that's unheard of. But I mean the kid is playing

(27:48):
beyond his years. And I mean he's a great sight
to see and I'm just glad we took him at
nineteen for sure.

Speaker 1 (27:54):
Yeah, that's looking like a real good choice right at
this point. How about take us through the touchdown and
two point conversion? What did Baker and Mecca both do
well on that?

Speaker 8 (28:03):
So during a touchdown, we caught him in the coverage
we called forty four eras where they put a triangle
over the two inside receivers and play one on one
on the outside, and we had the perfect play call
on to nail down that safety and a Mecca knew
all he had to do was wins one on one outside,
stay away from the safety and bake it threw a
great ball and coming back with the two point conversion,

(28:23):
just understanding we've run this play, Baker has to read
it inside out. The guy stayed in Mecca did very
good on the stutter going back to the corner, and
Baker just placing the ball. So just being on the
same page and we had those same scenarios in practice,
and that just was good to see it play out
in the game in that same situation.

Speaker 1 (28:42):
And Baker's first three hundred yard game of the season,
the efficiencies like you talked about with a Mecca of
catching all seven with him, I mean, Baker was twenty
nine to thirty three, two touchdowns, zero interceptions, and over
three hundred yards. That is about the best stat line
you can hope for as a quarterback, I imagine. So
what really stood out to you about his performance in

(29:03):
this game that he owned it.

Speaker 8 (29:04):
He he knew what to do, He had a pre
in and po snap plan, he knew where the guys
were lined up. He was a step ahead of the
defense all day. He took what they gave him. He
didn't force anything, He let the game come to him,
and he was laser sharp focused throughout that entire game
and We saw it throughout the weekend, especially on Friday
when he had to get at the guys a little

(29:25):
bit about let's get it going, and I just told him, man,
it's your team. Sometimes you're gonna have to have that
those tough talks with guys. You have to get on
guys and they gonna have to respond. And they were
all in lined yesterday, which was pretty good to see.
And I think we we can look forward to that,
you know, the rest of the year, because those guys
are on the same page.

Speaker 1 (29:45):
And then what have you seen is his biggest strengths
this year In particular.

Speaker 8 (29:49):
It's it's footwork, his command at the offense. Like I said,
this is his second year in the same system, just
knowing the system, always having a pre and a pro
snap plan. He's doing a better job not taking as
many hits, scrambling when he has to, but taking the checkdowns,
like take away the defensive That's hard for any quarterback.
I don't care if they give you a check down
ten out of ten times, you might on that night
when try to push the ball downfield because you can't

(30:12):
believe they give it to you. But he's doing a
great job of that keeping the ball out of harms way,
understanding that we have a chance to win every game
if we do not turn it over and we are
doing a great job as offensive.

Speaker 1 (30:22):
That and I mean it does feel like protecting the
ball he's really gotten so much better at that this year.
I mean, we know last year, definitely that was not
the area that you guys were happiest with in his game.
And outside of that, you know, one interception that he
threw last week that I know he wanted back immediately.
I mean, just been doing an incredible job of protecting

(30:42):
it this year. What do you feel like it is
that you guys were able to address in the offseason
or what has helped with that mindset shift or you know,
whatever he's doing of why this year that has sort
of clicked when it's not like he was trying to
turn the ball over.

Speaker 7 (30:55):
Before I was. You know, it's not like that was
the goals.

Speaker 1 (30:58):
So what happened that you guys were able to work
gone that feels like it it really sunk.

Speaker 7 (31:01):
In this year.

Speaker 2 (31:02):
Let me just go back and you watch every interception
thrown last year.

Speaker 7 (31:05):
That sounds fun and.

Speaker 8 (31:06):
You just think about the situations that we threw 'em in.
Some of 'em came in two minute drills. Some of
'em came in the red zone, like one last week
that cost us the game, you know, And you just
look at those situations where we turned the ball over.

Speaker 2 (31:19):
They were not ideal.

Speaker 1 (31:20):
You know.

Speaker 8 (31:20):
It wasn't like it was a gotta have a situation.
Some of 'em, you know, were bone head mistakes. But
you just watching it and owning it and talking and
being honest about it and understanding that this can't happen
for us to win football games. We can't turn the
ball over. And I think he took that to heart,
and you know, and that was just one of the
aspects of the offseason that you wanna scratch off your list.

Speaker 2 (31:41):
Hey, get it done.

Speaker 8 (31:42):
We gotta clean this part up of your game and
we could take it to the next level. And he's
doing a great job of that. He owned it, and
he sat down and he was honest with itself, and
he was like, well, you know, his self talk to
hisself is a little rough.

Speaker 2 (31:54):
You know, he had some self talk.

Speaker 8 (31:56):
But it was fun, you know, it was fun to
watch it, just fun to iron it all loud and
understanding that, hey, we can't do this and he owned
up to it and he's playing LIFs out and same
thing in training camp. He didn't turn them all over
like that in training camp. So you know, practice make permanent,
not perfect, so permanently if we don't turn it over
and we won't have to turn it over into game.

Speaker 2 (32:17):
So we just got to keep that going.

Speaker 7 (32:18):
I like it all.

Speaker 1 (32:19):
Everyone take a quick break here on Buccaneers Total Access
brought to you by advent Health. We're talking to quarterback
coach Thad Lewis. This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 3 (32:27):
You were listening to Buccaneers Total Access with head coach
Todd Bowles and Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips, brought to
you by advan Health, Exclusive Hospital of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Speaker 1 (32:39):
Welcome back into Buccaneers Total Access, brought to you by
advent Health. We have quarterback coach Thad Lewis here with us.
I know that we talked about the big thing that
you were working on with Baker was the keeping the
turnovers down. What is the challenge of the ways that
you sometimes have to rain him in, both whether it
be challenging turnovers or especially like trying to be you know,

(33:00):
running head first through a wall, throwing a stiff arm occasionally.

Speaker 7 (33:04):
You know, the things that.

Speaker 1 (33:05):
Make him great and who he is and that make
guys love playing for him, right, so you got to
keep him himself, but also like, hey, maybe we slide occasionally,
maybe we don't make this throw.

Speaker 7 (33:16):
What's been the challenge in the approach there?

Speaker 8 (33:18):
It's usually when you get banged up that he starts
taking care of himself. Yesterday, you saw him slide, You
saw him get down, You saw him and then try
to make the extra to get an extra yard. Just
took what Davis got him.

Speaker 1 (33:30):
But so you just need to kick him in the
shin occasionally right before a game.

Speaker 7 (33:33):
Is what I need.

Speaker 8 (33:34):
Yeah, I mean I just talked to him, be like, hey,
can you please protect yourself today? And only you know
if you gotta have it. Situation's touchdown, first down. You
know you can be tough, but hey, just get down
and slide, you know. But he did a good job yesterday,
But you have to let him be himself because in
some of those situations you actually need it. But you
want to protect yourself, and that's just something you just

(33:56):
keep preaching, Keep preaching, keep preaching, because I'm not out
there and it's hard for you not to be competitive
and try to go for the extra age. But just
knowing situational football, when I have to be aggressive and
when I don't, and I would like him not to
be as aggressive as many times as he is aggressive.
But I mean, he's doing a better job of that,

(34:16):
and he's in. It started yesterday and he didn't take hits,
unnecessary hits like he took the last two weeks, and
that was good.

Speaker 1 (34:23):
Whenever he is kind of banged up, whether it's now
or just other times in his career. At any quarterback,
when you know that they are a little banged up,
you know, always love the difference in hurt verse injured. Right,
everybody basically is always a little bit hurt in this
sleep question, So how do you guys work with him
in terms of how it affects the game plan overall
and the idea of the throws you can and can't make,

(34:44):
and just some of the strategy behind knowing when someone
is a little bit hurt and not playing at their
one hundred percent.

Speaker 7 (34:50):
How you guys try to make those adjustments.

Speaker 8 (34:52):
I mean, you have to, is it in this communication?
It's I maker, How do you really feel today? What
you can and can't do, and that we can limit it.
We also also can tell the backup guys, hey, get ready,
you might have to take these reps, but just getting
him the mental reps and individual drills, just going through
the reeds and everything so he can keep his feet,
you know, the same, even though he might might not

(35:15):
be able to physically throw the football like he was
you know, a couple of weeks ago until the end
of the week. But you know, it's just certain things
you can do to keep him mentally sharp. And I
mean he's on top of that anyways, but you know,
some of those reps, you hope he's not injured so
he can take those reps out there on the field,
because with any quarterback, it's tough not taking.

Speaker 2 (35:37):
Reps and then going out there.

Speaker 8 (35:38):
To play a perfect game like he did yesterday because
he took every rep.

Speaker 2 (35:42):
In practice this week.

Speaker 1 (35:43):
While occasionally Baker can come across a little meat heady
in the way he plays, you know that he is
really a very cerebral quarterback, very good at preparing. So
tell me what that looks like. What that for those
of us who don't know, like, what are the things
about him preparing that impresses you, and the mental that
we don't always know about it.

Speaker 8 (36:01):
It's like he game plans himself, so he could come
in and he'll have an idea too, or something he
he sees or what how he see the game. And
so if you you don't know what you talking about,
he'll call you out on it because he actually does.
I mean, he comes in, he looks at first and
second down, he looks at third down, he looks at
the red zone. He knows the coverages, he knows all
his protection issues, he knows everything. And so I mean,

(36:26):
his preparation is coming in early. I'm in here at
at at three thirty four o'clock in the morning. He's
right behind me just seeing him take that next step
of his game, you know, just to prepare. And he's
watching film just as much as the coaches are watching film.
He has his personal laptop, he has his notes that
he take, has his color coordinating uh situations he does

(36:47):
with his highlighters, and it's it's so amazing to see
how he's hi, how he prepares and the things that
he he do, and.

Speaker 2 (36:55):
It's it's amazing.

Speaker 1 (36:58):
We're talking to the quarterback coach Thad Lewis so the
offensive line this year. Holy moly, what a what an
endeavor that's been for everybody, of all the changes, all
the movements, when that was gonna be the position group,
the most consistent, the most everything, and then of course
it didn't go according to plan. Tell me for Baker,
what is the mental aspect for him of all the

(37:18):
different changes at offensive line, how that has affected him
and his role even in getting those guys.

Speaker 2 (37:24):
Ready, I'm thinking is affecting him at all. I think is.

Speaker 8 (37:29):
Shows you his ability to make guys play to the
best of their ability, because people probably counted us out
when certain guys were down.

Speaker 2 (37:37):
On that offensive line.

Speaker 8 (37:39):
But the way he bring those guys together, the way
he instilled a confidence in him, the way those guys
take pride in protecting him because they know the leader
and the guy that's taking a snap every play. You
know his character, his heart, of what those guys mean
to him. I mean they go out every time and
do is through an office quarterback dinner, and I mean

(38:02):
they'll do anything for Baker. And I think they've come
together no matter who's in that lineup because of what
they do as a unit. You know, on and off
the field. It shows on the field, and it don't
matter who's in there, and I'm pretty sure they'll give
everything they have to make sure they protect Baker.

Speaker 1 (38:18):
How has the chemistry tried to manifest, whether it's Gram
at center, when it was Ben at center, what does
that look like? And how do you try to make
sure that you know, when you didn't have a ton
of heads up that this was the plan, that Ben
and Baker were on the same page there as well,
and how did that work for both of those guys.

Speaker 8 (38:35):
You're just an adapt and I think communication. I tell
everybody over communicate, under assume, and I think you know,
it was those times where we had to over communicate
everything because it was new, and those guys did a
great job of that. And you know, you know walkthroughs
in the meeting settings, you know, just discussing it, how
they see it, how they do not see it, you know,

(38:56):
being on the same page the dudes and the don'ts,
and I think were able to you know, mix some match,
you know, just because of that, you know, communication.

Speaker 2 (39:04):
Aspect of it.

Speaker 1 (39:06):
And as we talk about kind of the chemistry looking
at some of our different wide receivers, one you mentioned
that you felt like you saw Baker in a Mecca's
chemistry all the way back in the spring. How quickly
did that manifest and why do you feel like those
guys were able to get that chemistry so fast?

Speaker 8 (39:21):
I mean, you know, as a veteran quarterback, you wanted
to take a young guy and put him under your
wing and you know, try to explain to him what
you expect what you do not expect. But that kid
came in ready and he already knew you know, practice,
I have to go hard in practice because if I
get open and practice, the quarterback and throw me the
ball in the game, and that's.

Speaker 2 (39:41):
For any receiver.

Speaker 8 (39:43):
If he trusted you to do the right thing, you're
going to get the football. And that kid understood that
early on and often, and the chemistry just grew from
spring all the way into now and it's continuing to blossom.

Speaker 1 (39:56):
Brady said it on the broadcast that there's a chance
a Mecca had actually correc Baker early on in a
practice on a call. Yes, Yes, that's wild. That is
about as ready as you can be as a rookie.
Were you kind of amazed in that moment?

Speaker 2 (40:10):
Yes?

Speaker 8 (40:10):
And no, because you can just tell the kind of
player he is, and the kids very smart as well.

Speaker 2 (40:15):
And then also.

Speaker 8 (40:18):
I've been around Ryan Day and I actually played for
him in Philly and and sant France, So I know
if you if you play on the Ryan Day team,
you'll be prepared for sure.

Speaker 1 (40:30):
How about the chemistry with Chris that it's like obviously
it was there in the past, but then now it
had been quite a while without them getting to work together.
So when Chris was starting to come back finally, what
were the ways that you were trying to use, you know,
how Baker can help Chris, you know, knock some of
that rust off, get ready and where they stand now
at this point of being back to true Baker and

(40:50):
Chris magic.

Speaker 8 (40:51):
I mean, there's only so much you can do because
he was very limited. But Chris is always in the game.
He was always at Walkers, he always know the plays,
he's always asking questions, always following, he's always coaching, he's
helping the young guys out. So he's never was away
for the game. He impacted the game without being out
there physically, still with his knowledge and you know, his
wealth and being a veteran, but just coming back, you know,

(41:14):
just just getting the practices and being able to do
what he can and what he can't do. And you know,
and I think that chemistry is always going to be
there because him and Bacon see things the same and
just picked right back up, you know, like it it
never left. So that's pretty cool to see.

Speaker 1 (41:32):
Right, We're gonn take one more break here on Buccaneers
Total Access, brought to you by Advan Health. We're talking
to quarterback coach Dad Lewis. This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 3 (41:40):
Buccaneers Total Access with head coach Todd Bowles. Now continues,
brought to you by advand Health, Exclusive Hospital of the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Speaker 7 (41:50):
We are talking to quarterback coach Thad Lewis.

Speaker 1 (41:52):
Right before the break, we were talking about a few
of the wide receivers in Baker's chemistry with them. I
wanna talk about both Sterling Shepherd and Ted Johnson, especially
after that game last week. Sterling, I mean, first of all,
he and Baker, that chemistry goes back to a hot minute, right,
tell me what you love about Sterling, what Baker loves
about him, and and just the way he's been able
to step up in these moments.

Speaker 8 (42:13):
Just a pros pro just Shep's great to have on
your team. I mean, bruh, it's a ball of energy.
It's very funny. Shep's gonna give you a laugh every
day and he brings it and he he's himself. That's
how you describe Shep. But you love the guy. You
love him to be on your team. Practice is hard
as ever. I'm talking about every route he thinks he's

(42:36):
getting the ball, so he's running for a speed and
that's great to see as a wide receiver. But it's
also great, you know, to show the young guys that
this is how it's done. And it's been a joy
to have him and to be around him for sure.

Speaker 7 (42:49):
And what he do well on that touchdown play.

Speaker 8 (42:53):
Him and Baker just that chemistry of seeing each other
and you know, it's so funny. We did scramble drill
the little things and that was it. That was part
of the Scramblesville. You see the guy you know, and
you go into the corner, he come see you. He
gives the guy what we call it like a fake
fake left and come back in. And he attacked the football.
Some people wait for the football to come to you.

(43:14):
The thing that he did the best was attack the
football where the guy couldn't knock it down and they
saved your quarterback right there. And that was a good,
great chemistry that goes back to Oklahoma on there we half.

Speaker 1 (43:25):
I like that and Ted Johnson this was like his
coming out party. It felt like, you know, and we'd
seen him get his first catch, you know, the week before.
But now this one man, you know, four catches, you know,
over fifty yards. One was a chunk play and what
do you feel like is his potential? One are the
things that Baker was excited about when we drafted this guy.
I mean, and again seventh round, I'm like, what a steal?

Speaker 8 (43:45):
It feels like yes, yes, And we just found out
he can stretch the field, found out he's very slippery
with the ball in his hand, and he's just a playmaker.
And I joke with him in the metic, I said
something about coming to this Pacific Northwest, I make you
from here. Had Ted played up here at Oregon, you guys,
you know, came out your shad up here and now
but these both of 'em mature to be their age

(44:08):
and aks questions looks up to Mike and Chris and
does it the right way? Has a routine already to
be so young, both of 'em, and I think he
just took advantage of his opportunity and his role would
continue to grow.

Speaker 2 (44:23):
Meck just was a you.

Speaker 8 (44:24):
Know a little further ahead of him because he's bigger,
can do more. But now we find it out that Tez,
you know, actually can do more and he's actually in
that rotation with the receivers, and I'm pretty sure, you know,
we'll see.

Speaker 2 (44:36):
More of him for sure.

Speaker 1 (44:37):
We're talking to quarterback coach that Lewis So Teddy Bridgewater,
I know you had some familiarity with him coming in.

Speaker 7 (44:42):
Tell us, uh, your history and background with Teddy.

Speaker 8 (44:45):
Yeah, just being from the same uh neighborhood growing up
back in Miami, from the Opa Locka area. I know
his older brother. I'm a little older than Teddy, but
just watching him grow up playing playing football, and you know,
watching his story never being able to cross the path
or play on the same team cause I was older,

(45:05):
but just to get him, you know, here and and
continue to build on his legacy, you know, just coming
off an injury. How many people come off a gruesome
injury like he did and come back and bounce back
speaks volume and It's so funny.

Speaker 2 (45:19):
I I think about it.

Speaker 8 (45:21):
He's still young, but a lot of these young guys
that we have coming up, you know, looked up to
Teddy and.

Speaker 2 (45:27):
It's crazy just seeing that.

Speaker 8 (45:29):
And it's like I was the older guy when Teddy
looked up to me playing in Miami, and now he's
the older guy.

Speaker 2 (45:35):
Just to see how the young guys.

Speaker 6 (45:36):
Look up to him.

Speaker 1 (45:37):
Yeah, what does he specifically bring to the quarterback room
and a Baker I know that, you know again for
wide receivers and other guys on the team, Like he's
really amazing, But what's their chemistry become like and the
way that they compliment each other?

Speaker 8 (45:49):
Well, right, I mean things Baker might not see, he
can see, Like yesterday came to him said, uh on
the sideline the time, I hate Baker. They they playing
everything top down. We got to get some of these
check downs. Just just be afraid to take the check down.
Take the check down, you know, just some of that,
you know, just seeing some of the things when coaches
have to be focused on and he can be the
player coach for you, you know, just be baking eyes

(46:09):
and ears, you know, just another guy that can help
him even in the process of game planning and studying.
You know, those guys can get together and he can pay.
This might be the tips and tails of when these
guys are blitzing. So you need that guy in your corner,
you know that can have your back and be your
eyes and ears, you know, to see some of the
stuff you don't see.

Speaker 1 (46:29):
And how about just his kind of physical skills this
one on the field, and when he did get in
there kind of in preseason, I know, it was throwing
him into the frying pan right out of the gate.
You know how he hadn't been here for very long.
But what do you feel like his potential is, you know,
on the field, in addition to just what he's able
to do kind of in the meeting room, just seeing.

Speaker 8 (46:45):
His professionalism first and foremost, seeing that he came in
ready and just knowing he played a lot of football
at the game still moving slow to him, he can process,
he can go out there, he can get the ball.
Think he does well is anticipate, you know, so when
he gets in the game and some of the receivers
that have to get their eyes around, you know, because
the ball might be coming. You might not see him

(47:05):
throw it, but the Ball is on the way and
he just know how to play the game of football
and he's brung that aspect and he's helped Bake out
as well, you know, just playing the quarterback position. You know,
they actually can talk and have those conversations because they've
both done it, and that's great to have.

Speaker 1 (47:22):
Now, I know we're talking Monday mornings, so y'all are
at like the most very beginning of the game planning
for this next week. So I won't make you go
into too much detail there because I know y'all still
got a little bit of work to do on that front.
But forty nine ers defense overall, and no, I mean
no Nick Bosa.

Speaker 7 (47:38):
That's helpful, fortunate, right yep, But.

Speaker 1 (47:42):
Still got you know, Fred Warner in there, who we
know is you know, up there with Levonte in terms of,
you know, some of the most talented people ever. So
tell us a little bit about what Fred Warner means
to prep for and then just their defense overall and
what it looks like at this point.

Speaker 8 (47:56):
I mean, they're a good defense, they're a good football teams. Uh,
Nick Bosa, it doesn't matter. It's still playing at a
high clip. We just saw that last Thursday, the night
against the Rams, and Fred Warning is the glue to
that defense.

Speaker 2 (48:08):
He makes him go.

Speaker 8 (48:09):
He's one of the best insideline reckers we're probably gonna
face this year and last year. Playing with a broken
bone in his foot and still making those plays is unreal.
And we just know we have to account for that guy,
know where he's at. But the entire defense is good,
and we just have to make sure we go out
there and execute and get a hat on the hat,

(48:29):
especially in the run game. Make sure we get a
body on him, you know, in order for us to
be successful for sure.

Speaker 1 (48:35):
And for you, what is your favorite part about getting
to coach Baker? What is the thing that he brings
that you and the way you guys work well together
of just what makes that fun on these days where
you got no sleep and that you're still excited about
for working with him, because he's.

Speaker 8 (48:50):
Gonna come to work no matter what, and he brings
his hard hat every day and he's a worker, haulic
and I want to just make sure I I match
his energy, you know, as he comes out in practice,
and he's very intentional if he's injured, if he's hurt,
I mean, coach Moore says it, you got to carry
him out boots first in order to get him off

(49:10):
the field. But I just appreciate him coming in and
being that tough mentally and physically guy you know that
still has that chip on his shoulder that's matured enough,
you know, to understand, you know, to get down and
not be as aggressive, you know as he wanted to be,
and just carry this team now. I mean, you're the leader,
if you believe it or not. And he's taking that

(49:30):
next step. So it's been a joy to coach for sure.

Speaker 1 (49:33):
And why has he been so good at being able
to handle the fact that he's had about one thousand
coordinators at this point in his career and you know,
just his ability to adapt to that. But then how
nice you know the way he and Grizzard have been
able to bond now between last year and the year.

Speaker 2 (49:46):
He's coachable.

Speaker 8 (49:47):
You know, most people don't think some of these quarterbacks
and they superstardom are not coachable. He's a very coachable guy.
And he has his ideas and things like that. But
it's collective. You know, everything's collective. It's what you like,
what you don't like, you know, what best suit you.
You know what can he do best to put him
in the most advantageous situations to go out there. And

(50:07):
it is a collective group effort. You know, we don't
work for each other. We work with each other and
that's the best way to have it.

Speaker 1 (50:14):
Well, coach, thank you again so much for coming in
and talking to me on again. I know, a really
rough schedule day, so thank you. We we really do
appreciate and again congratulations on that huge win.

Speaker 2 (50:23):
All right, thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (50:24):
All Right, that's gonna do it for us. On Buccaneers
Total Access, brought to you by Advent Health. This is
Buccaneers Radio.