Todd Bowles & Kevin Ross: Taking It One Week At A Time | Bucs Total Access

Reporter Casey Phillips sits down with Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles and Cornerbacks Coach Kevin Ross after Week 12’s game vs. the New York Giants. They discuss the offense’s ability to utilize their weaponry, getting back on track after the bye week and how QB Baker Mayfield’s leadership affects both sides of the ball.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Fuck got three?

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

Speaker 3 (00:05):
This is Buccaneers Total Access with head coach Todd Bowles.

Speaker 4 (00:09):
Stop the hell of the job, going back here may
Field shotgun look looks right?

Speaker 5 (00:17):
Hop back to Let those towards left.

Speaker 4 (00:19):
Cod Ball Evans at the five. Another three?

Speaker 5 (00:21):
Two? What tousdouts have a bay?

Speaker 1 (00:23):
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Speaker 2 (00:41):
Fire the Cannons now.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Your host, Bocks team reporter Casey Phillips and head coach
Todd Bowles.

Speaker 6 (00:47):
Welcome into the Todd Bowles show Casey Phillips here with
head coach Todd Bowles. First of all, congratulations on the
big win and just tell us a little bit about
what you think this win meant to this team in
this moment, coming off the streak that had been happening,
plus a bye week, and looking at this next stretch
of the season, what this meant.

Speaker 7 (01:04):
I'm happy about the bye week, we got to recalibrate,
and they came back and practiced, and we focused on
the little things and they executed them in the ball
games and practice. We went back to basics, block and
tackling fundamental type of stuff that we were giving up
prior to that. Guys came back healthy, but it was
really just doing the little things right and that carried

(01:25):
out in the game.

Speaker 6 (01:26):
Were there things that you felt like during the self
scouting portion of the bye week that you guys discovered
or that we would have maybe seen evidence of in
this game.

Speaker 7 (01:35):
Now, Tweaking techniques were one thing, but just being where
they were supposed to be.

Speaker 4 (01:39):
It was very.

Speaker 7 (01:41):
Invisible, like to see from the outside because they were
just normal, basic things that we were doing wrong that
we had to correct. Just lining up in the right place, defensively,
not getting beat by linemen, offensively finishing the blocks, and
from a colching standpoint, making sure the guys are doing
exactly what they are allowed to do and can do.
So those are the type of things we really tried

(02:01):
to focus on in the bye week and they kind
of paid all for us.

Speaker 6 (02:05):
Would you view this as maybe the most complete game
of the season in terms of not only just offense
and defense, but even pass and run on the offense,
of all those different phases.

Speaker 7 (02:15):
It was definitely one of them. I thought the first
game of the year, we did some things. I thought
we did some things against Philly. This coming back off
of bye week and this point in the season from
losing four in a row, it's got to be easily
the most complete one thus far.

Speaker 6 (02:28):
And then I know, first offensive drive man over eight minutes,
fourteen plays, second longest drive of the season in both
plays and time.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
Six different players touched the ball.

Speaker 6 (02:37):
What' stood out to you about that drive to again
get off to that fast start, jump out to a lead.

Speaker 7 (02:41):
Just everybody touching the ball, everybody getting involved there early,
everybody doing their job, nobody's panicking, everybody was on the
same page, and they executed.

Speaker 6 (02:48):
I know Jalen McMillan got to catch on that drive.
It ended up being his only one of the game.
But this was his first outing back from injury. What
was it like to have him back out there and
just the hopes for him moving forward now that he's
back healthy.

Speaker 7 (03:00):
It's great to see him healthy. You know, that was
the biggest thing. See him healthy. He did everything full speed.
He was open on a few other plays that we
couldn't get it to him. But I think it's going
up from there. It's going up from there. We're going
to need him down.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
The stretch and then Mike Evan's coming back.

Speaker 6 (03:13):
That's music to everybody's ears, I'm sure, even both sides
of the ball. But finished with sixty eight yards including
a twenty six yard catch and also drew you know,
a huge PI penalty. And I would just love to
hear the impact on the game that he had overall,
what it's like, how it changes the offense, and then
just what you saw from him in his first game
back and how healthy he looked.

Speaker 7 (03:33):
Just seeing him out there, he's going to draw a
double coverage. You're playing with two guys on him, you
got nine other guys. That allows everything else to open up.
He made plays, and he's going to make plays on
doubles anyway, but it allows everything else to open up offensively,
Guys like Bucky and McMillan and Oten and everybody else
is going to get involved. And you know, we're just
happy to have him out there, and he looked good.

Speaker 6 (03:55):
Was there a plan to have him on any kind
of pitch count or snap count or anything like that.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
Or was it just we'll see how he does.

Speaker 4 (04:01):
No, we let him go.

Speaker 7 (04:02):
It was the green light and he felt good afterwards.

Speaker 6 (04:05):
And now not only did you get Mike back, but
you had eleven different players recorder reception in the game,
which is tied for the teams most ever in a
single game. It's happened only four other times in team history.
What does that say about the game plan, the scheme,
the depth, the offense as a whole.

Speaker 7 (04:22):
It's a credit to Liam, is definitely a credit to
Baker finding different guys and when Mike and Chris got
hurt and we had to go with a lot of
other guys, they got some valuable experience and they earned
his trust. And when Mike came back, he just threw
to the open guy and it was easy for him
and it wasn't new to him or anything else. And
I'm proud of him the way he found the open
guys and got everybody involved.

Speaker 6 (04:42):
I think everybody loves Vita, but everybody really loves Vita
at fullback, especially if you look online as that's happening.
Take us through that play where he was in and
Shaun Tucker scored the touchdown.

Speaker 7 (04:52):
He is load, So whether he blocks you or misses you,
you're gonna jump around him while he's gonna run you over.
And all Sean had to do was stay right behind him.
And I'm sure he's going to be lobbying for the
ball pretty soon.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Basically, just the parting of the red Sea is Vita's job.

Speaker 4 (05:04):
At that point. That's exactly what it is.

Speaker 6 (05:07):
I know that for you guys also, I mean it's
our fifth time scoring a touchdown on the opening drive
this season, and after we know that the last couple
of seasons and last year that had been an area
of struggle. What seems to have changed to help you
guys really be getting out to those faster starts, getting
seven instead of three or zero on that opening drive.

Speaker 7 (05:23):
Just the focus, the focus in the execution, the focus
in the execution.

Speaker 4 (05:27):
I think the leaders are doing a good.

Speaker 7 (05:29):
Job understanding how we have to start, and the urgency
is there and we're not making as many mistakes.

Speaker 6 (05:35):
Six games now with at least thirty points scored the season,
which ties for the second most in the NFL, trailing only.

Speaker 2 (05:42):
The Buffalo Bills.

Speaker 6 (05:43):
What does that say to you about just the points.
And then what also has that allowed you guys on
defense to.

Speaker 2 (05:47):
Be able to do in the way it affects the
entire game.

Speaker 7 (05:50):
If you can get a lead and jump out, that
allows you to do a lot of things from a
past rush standpoint and a blitz standpoint. So getting out
early yesterday was a great, great thing for the defense
to get some stops and then pin in their ears back
and get after the quarterback.

Speaker 2 (06:03):
I know.

Speaker 6 (06:03):
Also, the last two games before this one there were
no offensive plays over twenty yards, and then suddenly this
game you had five different players getting receptions over twenty
five yards and of course the one run.

Speaker 2 (06:14):
For fifty six. What did you see is the difference.

Speaker 6 (06:16):
In specifically the explosive plays category.

Speaker 7 (06:19):
Just doing the little stuff, setting up the small plays,
the small plays and doing the right things will set
up the big plays. A little bit of quick passing,
a little bit of a running game kind of brought
them up a little bit, so we can go over
top and when everything's working, you know, the bank's open.

Speaker 6 (06:33):
I know we had four different players rush for a touchdown,
which is the first time in franchise history that's happened.
Plus we already have more rushing touchdowns now than all
of last year. How unique is it for you guys
to have so many different players who can contribute specifically
to the run game.

Speaker 5 (06:47):
It's great.

Speaker 7 (06:48):
They'll have a lot of options. You keep the defense
off balance, and if you can keep them off balance,
you know, bringing different guys in there, whether it's change
of pace, whether that power or whether they're speedbacks, you
can kind of keep them off balance and you can
do a lot of things that way.

Speaker 6 (07:01):
I know that Seawn Tucker had a fourth down conversion,
a touchdown, but also a fumble and a bit of
an issue on one kick return. What would you rate
his game overall and the things that you.

Speaker 7 (07:10):
Saw from him the two fumbles, it wasn't very good.
We got to take care of the football. Gotta take
care of the football. Sean knows that, and we'll get better
next week.

Speaker 6 (07:19):
I know Bucky ended up eighty seven yards rushing and
a touchdown, which is his fifth of the year, leading
rookies across the league, a new season high. Also in
sixty four receiving yards, so season best one hundred and
forty nine yards from scrimmage. And we could hear the
Bucky chance all the way up in New York.

Speaker 2 (07:35):
Tell me what.

Speaker 6 (07:36):
Stood out to you about this game and just what
this says about where he's at this season and the
ability to produce huge games like this.

Speaker 4 (07:44):
He's tough.

Speaker 7 (07:44):
That was a tough defensive front he went against. He
was breaking tackles, making people miss. He's mentally tough. The
moment's not too big for him. Moments not too big
for him. The three headed Monster's working pretty good. Reshides
against his touches. Seawn got his touches. They all scored.
But he can make people miss out in space. I'm
telling you, I haven't seen anything like that in a

(08:05):
long time. He can really make people miss.

Speaker 6 (08:07):
Cacy Phillips here with head coach Todd Bowles take us
also threw Baker's touchdown. There was a lot of unique
aspects to that one.

Speaker 2 (08:14):
Shall we say.

Speaker 7 (08:16):
Baker was feeling good yesterday and he was really into
the flow of the game. When he wasn't dispersing the
ball all the way around, he saw an opening, he
took it. I don't like him going airborne too many times,
but he got the touchdown. And you know, he made
some great scrambles yesterday that really helped us out.

Speaker 6 (08:34):
Does his celebration after that seem like something you would
have done back in the.

Speaker 2 (08:37):
Day as well.

Speaker 7 (08:38):
I don't think I would have done it back in
the day, but I understand.

Speaker 4 (08:41):
I understand when he's.

Speaker 7 (08:43):
Into the game and he's rolling like that, you gotta
let him go.

Speaker 6 (08:45):
It did feel like this was one of the games
where we saw the most of his.

Speaker 2 (08:50):
I don't know how else to say it other than
like Moxie.

Speaker 6 (08:52):
That the scrambling, he did, a little skirmish on the sideline,
that kind of celebration out there blocking for BUCkies big run.
I'm sure maybe a few of those things we would
prefer he did a little less of. Maybe not, But
what did you see from just the overall attitude that
he had in this game and the effort behind it
and what it did for the team.

Speaker 7 (09:10):
The block and play he made on Buckie's run was
probably the best playoffs seen him do this year, regardless.

Speaker 4 (09:15):
Of anything else.

Speaker 7 (09:16):
That's impressive for a quarterback to run down the field
that far as they follow me and still get a
chip block off that way. That means he's all in,
the team's all in. Everybody sees he's out there doing
everything else, and it just hypes the team up more.

Speaker 2 (09:30):
And then how about the rest of his game.

Speaker 6 (09:31):
We know this was the first one all season without
a passing touchdown for him, but it's because he didn't
seem to need to so tell us about just the
rest of his game outside of those plays and what
you saw.

Speaker 7 (09:41):
I thought he was sharp. You know, they got some
great pass rushes outside and inside. He was sharp. They
did a good job blocking for him. He found the
open guys. You know, he made some great throws, won
the rock, he got one in there to Kad and
some tight windows. He managed the game well when he
had to manage it. He threw it when he had
to throw it, and he scrambled when he had to scramble.

Speaker 6 (09:59):
Then, I know, we talked about Bucky's game and just
the run game overall, one hundred and fifty six yards
as a team, third most in a game this season,
And you mentioned that it's a tough front to go
against with the Giants. I wanted to give it an
opportunity to talk about the offensive line when you know
they don't always get all the credit, and specifically just
some of the guys on that unit that have stood
out to you and without Tristan Wurst to still put
on that kind of a show, both in protecting Baker

(10:22):
and the run game.

Speaker 2 (10:22):
What did you see well?

Speaker 7 (10:23):
One of my favorite players is Luke Getticky, because Luke
he loves Baul, He goes to fight, he shows up
all the time. He played well. I thought he did
a lot of good things. I thought Brettison, going back
to New York Giants and with something to prove in
his mind, I thought he played very well.

Speaker 4 (10:40):
Cody and Graham we already talked about.

Speaker 7 (10:42):
And I thought Schooley playing left tackle for the first time,
going up against some tough competition, I thought he handled
himself well.

Speaker 6 (10:49):
And then I know we also saw we mentioned earlier
how many different guys were getting involved. We saw twenty
six yard catch for Payn Durham, thirty yard catch for
Kim Jarrett, and I'd love to hear about those two
guys and those two plays specifically to know that not
only did you get guys involved who aren't always, but
they were these big time chunk plays.

Speaker 7 (11:05):
Pain has outstanding hands. He doesn't have the speed the
other tightends have, but he has a big catch radius,
and I think we can get to using him more
right there. Rock has been like that since he's come back.
Outstanding hands, great competitor, always on the right spot, and
he's always going to make a play when he's out there.

Speaker 6 (11:21):
I know Caid got a thirty yard catch, which was
his fiftieth reception of the season, which is a single
season career high for him, only the fifth tight end
in Bucks history with at least that many in a season,
and for its already be this early in the year
to have that, What has changed about Cad about the
offense and situations, trust with Baker, any of those things,
to have him now be a guy where just total

(11:42):
number of receptions even has gone up this much.

Speaker 7 (11:45):
Just having guys out and we leaning on him more
and him picking up the slack and being able to
catch the ball and run patterns that he normally wouldn't
have had to run, just picking up the slack for
everybody else. So now when everybody comes back, he's built
in part of the offense right now and we can
rely on him.

Speaker 4 (12:00):
I just want his.

Speaker 7 (12:01):
Hair to grow back and he probably won't drop any
more balls.

Speaker 2 (12:04):
You think that was the thing.

Speaker 6 (12:05):
It was like, he'd like I said that the hair
is the string.

Speaker 2 (12:09):
I like it. We'll let him know.

Speaker 6 (12:11):
I know, you guys as a defense allowed just forty
five yards of offense for the Giants in the first half,
which is the fewest allowed by US in any half
this season, fewest and any half since four years ago.
How are you guys able to get to such a
fast start on the defensive side of things and then
to even be, you know, still pitching a shutout going
into the fourth quarter.

Speaker 7 (12:29):
Winning first down and started up front with Vita and Elijah.

Speaker 4 (12:33):
They were getting after the quarterback.

Speaker 7 (12:34):
I thought, yeah, yeah, the sacks didn't come up, but
he had his probably his best rush game from the outside.
He was in the backfield all day. I'm proud of
him because he was working his technique and everything else.
He was getting off the ball. But we won first
down that put him in second and third and long
we were able to take advantage of it.

Speaker 6 (12:51):
I know that at some point you learned that it
would be de Veto instead of Daniel Jones, And how
did that affect the game planning and just win In
the process, you start realizing that that was going to
be the situation.

Speaker 7 (13:03):
We knew at the beginning of the week, and you know,
we heard rumblings up there, but we knew at the
beginning of the week and it couldn't change what they
were doing, So we just focused on playing the Giants
instead of focusing on the quarterback.

Speaker 6 (13:14):
Although I will say coming into the season or coming
into the game, he had the highest sack rate of
any quarterback going back to the start of last season. Coincidentally,
you had a blitz rate of seventy eight percent in
the first half compared to your normal thirty two. Tell
me the thoughts behind just sending the house going full
send all first half?

Speaker 7 (13:34):
Well, getting back the basics for us on the bio
week is being who we are. You know, being who
we are, we're probably a pretty good rate blitz team.
So without having the injuries, with everybody coming back for
the most part, we can kind of get back to
who we are.

Speaker 6 (13:47):
So Calijah his fifth sack of the season in just
six games, which already surpassed his total from last season,
temporarily tied him with Vita for the team lead. And
so take through that sack and just what you've seen
of his ability to produce on that level this year.

Speaker 7 (14:04):
He's the only one up front that can get off
a block and then explode from A to B right now.
I mean, his closing speed on the quarterback is fast
at what the quarterback thinks it is, and he can
get there right now. And it kind of surprises quarterbacks
because he's so quick getting back there and he's still
tapping his potential and he can see what he can
do right now, and that's a scary thought.

Speaker 6 (14:26):
It also feels like in a league where it is
increasingly hard to lay a hit on a quarterback and
it not result in a flag. He is really good
at still, as we saw laying some hits in a
legal way. How hard is that to do at this point?
And how good is he at that?

Speaker 4 (14:41):
That's hard? It's difficult.

Speaker 7 (14:42):
He can still get the hit and make sure he
either lets go or goes to the side and not
pile on the quarterback. And you know, with him and
Vita in there and Vita commanding a lot of attention,
it's allowing him to get some plays in and when
they start going to him, it allows Vita to make
some place.

Speaker 6 (14:56):
Yeah, And it felt like Vita then was like, wait
a minute, I have to get mine now.

Speaker 2 (14:59):
I can't have you leading these things.

Speaker 6 (15:01):
So then Vita got his own sack to retake the
lead with six on the season.

Speaker 2 (15:05):
Take us through that play.

Speaker 7 (15:06):
He's on the mission. He just ran over to center.
It was just Bruce's strength right there, and he ran
over to center, and he was determined to get back there,
and he got back there.

Speaker 6 (15:15):
It is crazy to feel like he almost should be
doing that every play, because that's how we feel about him,
even though we forget he's going against the best of
the best in the world on the other side. But
he's just so talented in that way. And what does
it mean to have guys like him and Calijah together
on the interior? Specifically, even though I know, you know,
maybe you want your outside linebackers to have a few
more sack numbers, but to know you're getting that kind
of pressure from those two guys on the inside, how

(15:37):
does that affect the rest of what you're able to
do defensively?

Speaker 7 (15:40):
It's great because it flushes the quarterback out the pocket.
You know, if the outside guys get up the field
and just keep containing, they'll fall into some sacks. Because
those two guys are playing well inside, not only that,
they become better leaders off the field. They really try
to get everybody else going on defense, and that's great
for Calijah. Vida's been doing it for This is for
Elijah coming into his own and it's part of his

(16:00):
growth and it's really.

Speaker 4 (16:01):
Good to see.

Speaker 6 (16:02):
And then tell us about the decision to sign Mike
Edwards coming into this game and the role you had
envisioned for him prior to Jordan getting hurt in the game,
how you were going to use him, and the decision
to bring him back.

Speaker 7 (16:14):
Well, we're going to play extra DBS and the mic
was the perfect guy to bring back because he already
had knowledge of the system, his savviness and understanding of
the game and the scheme, the way he can disguise,
the way he can play both safety spots, he can
play Nickel, he can mask outside at corner. He allows
us to do quite a few more things. He opens
up Levonte, he opens up Winfield, he opens up Jordan.

(16:38):
He allows us to do quite a few things. So
bringing him back was a no brainer.

Speaker 6 (16:42):
So then now I know, while we're shooting this, we
still don't know Jordan Whitehead's situation. But if he does
miss time, how does that change the way that you
might use Mike and maybe make that signing even better?

Speaker 4 (16:54):
Just getting them caught up.

Speaker 7 (16:55):
Number one, making sure that he's comfortable when he's out there,
and then as he gets more comfortable, depending on who
we're playing in the situation between Izzy and Tavier and Mike,
we'll put some guys in there.

Speaker 6 (17:07):
And then Lavonte tied Bobby Wagner for the most career
passes defensed among all active linebackers, also forced to fumble
the thirty first of his career, which ties for the
second most among active players. Take us through his game overall,
and then just hearing some of those numbers.

Speaker 7 (17:22):
He played well, He's one dropped well, he tackled well,
he pressured well, he had some good rushes. The balls
just got out quick because he could have had a
couple of sacks himself, but him, Tyke and Winfield have
a knack for punching the ball out at key situations.
They're very good and when they're in stacks and then
piles and they can get the ball out and.

Speaker 6 (17:41):
Then, yeah, tell us what it meant to have Jamel back,
but then still also be missing Tyke and the influence
on the defense of both of those guys.

Speaker 7 (17:48):
With Dean back, I thought he played a smart game
for the most part, he understood where everything was supposed
to be, did his assignment, he carried, He did a
lot of small things that got back to basics that
helped him play a lot easier year where he didn't
have to overuse his legs too much at hamstring, but
he played well.

Speaker 6 (18:05):
And then Tyke Smith, what does it mean to be
missing him? And when maybe could we see him coming back?

Speaker 7 (18:10):
Hopefully he's back soon. He's another guy that can get
the ball out. He's a turnover machine. Is he played well?
Tyke brings a different dimension as well. Like both of
them out there, if we can get both of them back,
we can try to do some things to get them
both out there. But he tackles well, he takes on
blocks well. So anytime you can get somebody missing it
and get him back like that.

Speaker 6 (18:29):
It helps Casey philps here with head coach Todd Bowles
looking forward to this Carolina game. What is it like
to face Dave Canalis when you are so familiar with
him obviously, and then just what you know he has
brought to this Panthers team so far this season.

Speaker 7 (18:42):
He's done a great job. I mean he had to
build it from the ground up and still in his
first year. You can see the dividends starting to pay off.
Those guys are playing way better than they played in
the beginning of the season on both sides of the football.

Speaker 4 (18:53):
Again.

Speaker 7 (18:53):
They took Kansas City to the limit yesterday, and I'm
proud of the way he's handling things in and out
of public and they're doing They're doing a very good job.
It's gonna be a tough game.

Speaker 6 (19:04):
Tell me what you've noticed about their offense so far
in the way it's developed with you know, Bryce Young
and then some of the other weapons that they have.

Speaker 4 (19:10):
What stands out, Oh, Bryce is more comfortable now.

Speaker 7 (19:12):
He's always been a good foot of a good football player,
but you know, he hadn't had a chance to show
it yet.

Speaker 4 (19:17):
Being a rookie.

Speaker 7 (19:18):
It's tough sometimes. But he's settled down and you can
see him making throws off scheduled throws on scheduled throws.
He's comfortable in the pocket. Looks like he has a
good command of the offense right now, and he's playing well.

Speaker 6 (19:28):
And who are some of the other weapons that stand
out to you that you'll have to prepare for.

Speaker 7 (19:32):
They got a couple of wide outs obviously, Tompkins is
there and he's playing good football. They got their first
round pick and he's he's playing very good football. I
mean he's he's gonna be something to deal with. He
can catch and run with the best of them. They
have a huge offensive line, they have very good guards
on both sides of the ball. They have very good
tackles on both sides of the ball, so it's gonna

(19:52):
be tough for us.

Speaker 6 (19:53):
Well, coach, thank you as always for your time. We
really appreciate it, and congratulations on that win.

Speaker 4 (19:57):
Thank you.

Speaker 6 (19:58):
Coming up next on Buccaneers Total Access, we'll have cornerback
coach Kevin Ross. Brought to you by Advan Health. This
is Buccaneers Radio.

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Shotgun Look Jared Golf, Bill High Snap, Here comes.

Speaker 4 (20:11):
A pressure, He's sacked on the back.

Speaker 5 (20:12):
Feeling the thirty one yard line.

Speaker 6 (20:14):
Levonte David shoots like a rocket, had got it?

Speaker 4 (20:17):
Bill High after rocket.

Speaker 3 (20:18):
Now more with Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips.

Speaker 6 (20:21):
Welcome back into Buccaneers Total Access. First half of the show,
we had head coach Todd Bowles. Now I'm so excited
to be joined by cornerback coach Kevin Ross coach, thanks
for being with me, Would and welcome and man, you've
got a great game to come in here to talk
about afterward after the last few coaches had drawn the
short straw on that front.

Speaker 2 (20:37):
But you get to talk about a big win here, and.

Speaker 6 (20:39):
I'd just love to hear what this win meant to
the team, what it felt like, you know, in the
locker room afterward, and just knowing what it had been
like these last few weeks before to get that win.

Speaker 8 (20:49):
We just talked about doing our job. We just talked
about getting on track and stacking w's. You know, one
week at a time. We understand our situation. We're just
going to try to approach it one week at a time,
with one day at a time, get it done.

Speaker 6 (21:03):
What did you feel like the attitude and the mindset
was this last week going into this game. We're coming
off a losing streak but also coming off the bye week.
What did you see from the players this last week.

Speaker 8 (21:13):
I thought they really needed to get away from football
a little bit because of what was going on. Uh,
But at the same time, y'are anxious to get back
at it because you you don't wanna l you know,
go in the bye week with a salitation in your mouth.

Speaker 6 (21:27):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (21:27):
I thought they handled it right.

Speaker 8 (21:28):
We prepared very well during the week, and uh, you
know the results showed.

Speaker 6 (21:34):
I know, you guys, as coaches also tend to do
some self scouting during the bye week of of what
the team's doing.

Speaker 2 (21:40):
Was there anything that you felt like, uh, you.

Speaker 6 (21:43):
Or the rest of the coaches kind of discovered during
that time, or anything that stood out to you that
maybe you were guys.

Speaker 5 (21:47):
Yeah, tackling.

Speaker 8 (21:48):
Tackling was Tackling is huge, you know in a ball games,
tackling and people just trying to do other people's job.
You know, you just gotta focus on doing what you'd do.
And uh, just you know, tackling, that was the big issue.

Speaker 6 (22:01):
M h.

Speaker 2 (22:03):
I know that.

Speaker 6 (22:03):
Defensively, man, what a game for you guys. I mean,
allowed just forty five yards of offense for the Giants
in the first half, fewest allowed by US in any
half this season, fewest in any half since.

Speaker 2 (22:15):
Four years ago.

Speaker 6 (22:17):
How are you guys able to just get off to
such a great start and hold them to so little,
especially early on.

Speaker 5 (22:22):
I thought they played pretty hard.

Speaker 8 (22:24):
I thought they played what they seen again, the tackling
was pretty good at that time, execution on defense is
pretty good.

Speaker 6 (22:34):
And then I know for you guys, at some point
you learned that it's not Daniel Jones that instead it's
Tommy DeVito. What does that mean for you guys in
terms of game planning and coaching during the week of
I know there's even things like little tendencies.

Speaker 2 (22:47):
You guys try to pick up.

Speaker 6 (22:48):
So when you suddenly get a different quarterback like that,
but also maybe you know they aren't going to change
their whole offense, how do you guys try to adjust
to that and make up for some of that?

Speaker 5 (22:57):
Oh?

Speaker 8 (22:58):
Man, me personally, I don't like that. I don't like
the scenario. I don't like the place against somebody I
really haven't seen or they didn't play this year. They're
rallying around, and you know, rallying around a guy that
you know, hometown hero type of guy. Watched his tape
from last year. They ran all kind of gadgets, reverses,

(23:19):
quarterback draws, things like that. You're gonna prepare for everything.
It's a team that has nothing to lose, and you know,
when you playing that kind of team, it's a dangerous team.

Speaker 6 (23:29):
We're talking to quarnerback coach Kevin Ross. I know coming
into the game, Divido had the highest sack rate of
any QB going back to the start of last season,
So I know this was definitely something that you guys
were gonna be able to take advantage of. And then
we saw a seventy eight percent blitz rate in the
first half of that game. Coincidentally, I'm sure compared to

(23:51):
normally you guys average thirty two percent so so far
this season. Tell me about that aspect of the game
plan and specifically what that can mean for for your
guys over there in the secondary.

Speaker 8 (24:02):
Well, I knew going into the game, and I told
the guys during the week, Uh, Coach Bowles is not
going to lay back on this sky and let this guy,
do you know, pick and choose where he wants to
throw the ball at. We're gonna force him to get
the ball in his hands.

Speaker 3 (24:14):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (24:14):
We just knew that we had to handle uh neighbors
and the other guys to you know, limited to catch,
limited to catches and the yardage.

Speaker 6 (24:23):
They catch after Yeah, and uh tell me about facing
the league neighbors and and uh, you know, a rookie
where you only have so much NFL game film on him,
but what you'd seen from him maybe in college and
then even to now of where what you guys knew
you were gonna be dealing with and facing.

Speaker 8 (24:36):
Back there and here's a guy that can run all patterns. Uh,
guy that can He's a game breaking type of guy.

Speaker 5 (24:42):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (24:43):
Those guys are handling pretty well though. I thought they
did a nice job against him.

Speaker 6 (24:47):
I know that Vita and Calija, I mean, incredible game
for them and an incredible season for them so far.
They're just really doing incredible the the two of them
both leading the team in sacks with six.

Speaker 2 (24:58):
And five each, so eleven collectively.

Speaker 6 (25:01):
How does that affect the rest of the defense, what
you guys are able to do? Your guys specifically, When
not only are they playing well, but they are really
getting to the quarterback from the interior at that high
of a rate, it should.

Speaker 5 (25:13):
Help out our outside guys.

Speaker 8 (25:14):
If they're pushing the pocket really really well, should help
our outside guys out, and it helps us out because
the quarterback starts watching the rush instead of reading the
coverages and things like that. They did, so they're doing
a good job that way. It should help out everybody
coverage other outside rushers as well.

Speaker 6 (25:32):
I know also the offense, you know, they got out
to such a fast start and in really long drives
a lot of times, converting a lot of third and
fourth down staying on the field. How much did that
contribute to what you guys were able to do and
this game plan you were able to enact that you
wanted to against the Giants.

Speaker 5 (25:51):
Oh, I feel great.

Speaker 8 (25:52):
Anytime our offense takes the first drive and scores or
moves the ball like they did, just gives you a
overall team confidence. You feel differently about the game right
off the back when that happens.

Speaker 6 (26:04):
I know we normally ask offensive people about this, but
I'd love to hear your thoughts too. On the way
that Baker, especially in this game. The word that just
keeps coming to my mind is moxie. That the way
that this guy plays the scrambling and he's getting in
a skirmish on the sideline and he's out there blocking
for Bucky, and just that whole attitude that he brings.

(26:25):
We know how it seems to affect the offense in
some ways, but do you also see it having an
effect on the defense and those guys out there.

Speaker 8 (26:32):
I think that when Baker does what he does like that,
it affects the whole team. We take on a different personality, moxie, swag,
whatever you want to call it.

Speaker 5 (26:44):
He has it. I hate to say that on camera, Baker,
but you.

Speaker 2 (26:49):
Do have Yeah, you don't have to admit this.

Speaker 8 (26:51):
Because you know me and him have a thing with colleges,
with Temple and Oklahoma. But anyway, Yeah, he's playing really well.
He's doing really well, and the guys that rallying around.

Speaker 5 (27:01):
Them pretty good.

Speaker 6 (27:03):
And I know that you know, it's been interesting for
the offense missing some guys. I mean, I know the
defense has dealt with this as well. But when you've
been watching, you know, the offense and practice going up
against them or even in games, what have you seen
letting them have so much success, you know running the
ball and then this last game, I mean five different
players with over twenty five yard catches in the game
and eleven different players making a catch. As you look

(27:25):
at that from a defensive perspective, what have you seen
that has allowed them to be able to do that
even missing.

Speaker 2 (27:30):
Some key guys.

Speaker 8 (27:31):
Then you have to prepare for everything and everybody and
that's that's totally different. Since I've been here, we'd never
ran the ball like we have Bucky shot and all
those guys are doing a great job doing that. The
line is doing an outstanding job blocking. Uh, the coaching
is is putting guys in right spots and things like that.

(27:53):
So it's a you know, congratulations, you know they're doing
the hell of the job.

Speaker 5 (27:59):
They really are. They doing really good.

Speaker 6 (28:01):
And then tell me about the decision recently to re
sign Mike Edwards. What was some of the motivating factors
for that. The things that you guys felt like he'd
be able to be able to contribute at this point
in the season, of course, even before Jordan's injury, of
just the ways you were hoping to use him when
I think some people were like, well, wait, you have Jordan,
you of Antoine, you know, what are we signing him

(28:22):
for exactly, And then we saw in the game that
there was some unique plans for that.

Speaker 8 (28:26):
Mike's a playmaker. Yeah, it's period. He's just a playmaker.
He's around the ball a lot, and that's why he's brong.
He's back. He understands high level performances and he does
it pretty well.

Speaker 6 (28:38):
So what was sort of the plans for him pre
Jordan's injury? And then now if Jordan is going to
miss some significant time, how does that affect and change
what you guys might be able to do?

Speaker 5 (28:48):
Well?

Speaker 8 (28:48):
You know, we got this next man up theory and unfortunately,
I hope Jordan's not hurt very seriously, but it's always
the next man up theory.

Speaker 5 (28:58):
We don't really change what we do.

Speaker 8 (29:00):
We just do it with the people we have, and
that's where the coaching part comes in and we try
to get people prepared to play right now.

Speaker 5 (29:09):
Can't wait, you gotta go right now?

Speaker 6 (29:11):
And then Mike, I feel like I don't have a
stat to back this up, but I have to imagine
that per snap played, his interception rate has to be
one of the highest up there. So tell me why
you think he has been so good at that? And
I'm sure every you know player in the secondary is like,
how do I get.

Speaker 2 (29:32):
How do I get that?

Speaker 8 (29:34):
Like I said, he prepares well, he understands what the
offense is trying to do. He has really good hands,
and he just has a knack for, you know, playing
certain coverages.

Speaker 6 (29:45):
How do you guys feel about the turnover rate as
a whole that you guys have been forcing as a defense,
and then maybe specifically on the interception front of how
you guys feel like you are at this point in
the season or what you would be wanting in those areas.

Speaker 8 (29:59):
Interception we have to improve. We've had our hands on balls.
We just need to catch the balls. The other day,
for instance, they went forward fourth from one and four
from whatever a time or two. It's like a turnover
if we stop them. So the stats don't show turnovers,
but you know we consider that to be a turnover

(30:19):
if you don't make it.

Speaker 2 (30:20):
On fourth down downs.

Speaker 6 (30:22):
Yeah, okay, And then I know that you mentioned earlier
the tackling being one of the big areas you guys
had noticed during yourself scouting. How do you work on
that when that's something that, again, especially this late in
the season, you guys are not going to be full
on tackling each other in practice. There's a lot of
rules all season, even going back to the off season
about the level of contact. What are the ways you

(30:44):
guys as coaches try to improve an area like that
that is very hard to practice.

Speaker 8 (30:48):
Well, you have to do big time simulation out there
in the field. We emphasizing bring your arms, bringing your feet,
keeping your head up, see your target, running through your target,
making sure you wrap and open everything.

Speaker 5 (31:01):
A lot of a lot of guys, a lot of.

Speaker 8 (31:03):
Teams are starting to punch at the ball more than
tackling the guy, and that's what's causing a lot of issues.

Speaker 6 (31:09):
I know we talk a lot about the offensive line
being the unit that needs maybe the chemistry the most,
and how important it is for them to communicate, but
I know the secondary is probably just as much that case.
And going into this season, you know, you guys had
your your starters planned, of your corners, your safeties, nickel,
and that first game is it, that's all you've gotten

(31:31):
with those original planned guys.

Speaker 2 (31:34):
That after that it was.

Speaker 6 (31:35):
Just all sorts of injuries all over the place, moving
people around. Explain how hard that is both in terms
of just one to one replacing a Jammel Dean with
someone else, but then also how it affects the rest
of the defensive back unit when someone else subs in.

Speaker 8 (31:53):
I don't know how you. I don't know how you
do it. It's just a lot of communication going on
back there. It's more so, more is more important than
what the offensive line actually does because with you, well, one.

Speaker 5 (32:08):
Mistake back there.

Speaker 8 (32:08):
That's what I keep trying to emphasize to these guys.
They make a mistake outside that could be six. A
linebacker alignment, makes a mistake up front, somebody can cover that,
but outside, you're not covering a whole lot of things
out there that could be instant six.

Speaker 2 (32:24):
Yep. And so basically all these injuries, it's that communication.

Speaker 8 (32:27):
Side, vacation side of it, and then you get as
many reps as possible with the backups in there.

Speaker 5 (32:34):
So we try to do it like that.

Speaker 6 (32:36):
I'm sure it's been it's been a fun adventure for
you guys so far this year as a coach.

Speaker 2 (32:40):
What is the biggest challenge for that for you?

Speaker 6 (32:42):
Even of having to consistently be bringing in different guys
all over the field that it's not even just one player,
it's been everybody at some point.

Speaker 8 (32:50):
I never worry about their physical ability. I always worry
about the mentality, the mentality out there, the confidence, having
the confidence to go out there in the middle of
the game, at the end of the game. That's that's
pretty tough to go in there in that kind of
situation when you're playing number one guys outside, that's pretty tough.

Speaker 6 (33:07):
All right, We're gonna take a quick break here in
Buccaneers Total Access brought to you by advant Health.

Speaker 2 (33:11):
This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 3 (33:12):
You were listening to Buccaneers Total Access with head coach
Todd Bowles and Bucks team reporter Casey Phillips, brought to
you by Advan Health.

Speaker 6 (33:21):
Welcome back into Buccaneers Total Access. First half of the show,
we had head coach Todd Bowles. Now we are joined
by a cornerback coach, Kevin Ross. So we talked about
right before the break all those different injuries you guys
had in the dB units.

Speaker 2 (33:33):
But you got Jamel back this week.

Speaker 6 (33:35):
What was that like for you guys to get him
back and how nice was that to have him out
there again?

Speaker 5 (33:39):
Well, it was pretty good to have to ban back,
you know. Uh this first time.

Speaker 8 (33:43):
I think that's maybe week one or two that we
had everybody out there. We will really no ty keys.
So hopefully he gets back soon. We were going to
need him. He's a he's a really good player as well. Uh,
But like I said, chemistry is everything back in backfield.
It's really it's that's the most important thing.

Speaker 6 (34:04):
So what did having Jamel back give you and what
did you most miss when you didn't have him. Of
of him specifically compared to even some of the other injuries,
of of what he brings, I.

Speaker 8 (34:13):
Think he instills uh confidence. I think when all of
the guys are out there, I think they just are
very confident in what each other can do, and they
play off each other, and they feed off each other.
Uh when another guy comes in, then you always feel
like you gotta help that guy out because he hasn't
seen as much as the other guys have, yep, or
done as much as the other guys have.

Speaker 5 (34:33):
So that's the that's the biggest thing to me.

Speaker 6 (34:35):
And what did you see specifically in this game against
the Giants from him?

Speaker 8 (34:41):
Well, he's he's very confident right now. He's he plays
with very uh good confidence. He did he did some
good things. Uh it's got to get back into the
flow of you know everything, But he's d he did
some pretty good things for us.

Speaker 6 (34:54):
How had he been playing, uh, prior to the injury.
What did you notice from him this season overall?

Speaker 8 (34:59):
Well, was telling him, I've been telling him since he's
been playing, if he catches half the balls that he
hit puts hands on. He leads the league in interceptions. Yeah,
and that's that's the major difference between him and say,
whoever's leading the league right now in interceptions.

Speaker 5 (35:13):
He catches that ball. He leads the league in interceptions.

Speaker 2 (35:15):
So basically, he's in the right position. Most of the time.

Speaker 5 (35:19):
He's in the right position.

Speaker 6 (35:20):
And then we brought up the idea that Tayke has
been missing. I know that he without him in there,
what all does that do to the rest of the
group and the ways that you're having to maybe sub
in you know, Christianisian or other people. That Tyke has
proved to be such a big playmaker and bring a
lot of unique skill sets to the game. So without him,
how does that affect everything else you guys.

Speaker 2 (35:42):
Try to do.

Speaker 8 (35:43):
He has versatility, he is He's very instinctive player, a
good tackler, really good in space. I think him and
Izzy are very similar. They're versatile, they can go to safety, Nickel,
they can do some things. So when we get those
two guys healthy and had the whole secondary back there,
we gotta get some guys can do a lot of things.

Speaker 6 (36:04):
Tell us about Tyke's mindset, IQ, all of that coming
in as a rookie, because I feel like I heard
Coach Bowles praise him a lot, which Coach Bowls is
not always the most forth coming quite compliments. So when
he said that, my ears perked up of like, wow,
this is and for a rookie. Nonetheless, it's not like
we're talking Levante David here. So what was it that

(36:26):
Tyke brought did showed, especially in the off season to
already be earning that kind of praise.

Speaker 8 (36:33):
He doesn't have any anxiety problems, He accepts challenges, he's
very calm, he knows what he's doing. He's one of
those guys you can tell him once what to do
and it's a done deal. You don't have to keep
repeating yourself about well you need to do this, you
need to do that.

Speaker 5 (36:50):
He's pretty good at that.

Speaker 6 (36:52):
And what is the specifically the IQ part and maybe
the things that are asked of a nickel in this defense,
because we all so here Coach Bowles defense not the
easiest to pick up or learn, pretty complicated, and so
to have a rookie and it's specifically at the nickel,
what are some of the complicating things about being in

(37:13):
Todd Bowles defense and what you would have to learn
at that spot.

Speaker 8 (37:17):
Well, you know, coming from Georgia, he kind of plays
similar schemes, so he kind of just it's kind of
like a carryover for him. Now he's not really learning
anything different, he's just doing it on a different level.
So he's a school he's like a season player.

Speaker 6 (37:36):
Really, Yeah, what were the things that he was being
asked to do at Georgia that would translate?

Speaker 5 (37:41):
Well, the underneath coverages? He can rely what he does.

Speaker 8 (37:46):
He sees the field really well, he sees the formation
very well. He understands pattern recognition very well. You know
what I'm saying, Some things you just can't teach. He's
on top of that.

Speaker 6 (37:56):
And so what would you say if you're building a
nickel in this defense?

Speaker 2 (38:01):
What are the trees?

Speaker 8 (38:02):
You better be able to tackle, you better be able
to blitz and all you better be able to pattern
read underneath?

Speaker 6 (38:09):
And then I know for him, he's also been able
to not just cover well, but I mean forcing a
lot of fumbles, making some really big game changing plays.

Speaker 2 (38:18):
What have you seen.

Speaker 6 (38:19):
About him that has allowed him to be doing that
of not just kind of the I'm not getting burned,
but I'm being able to cover and also still aggressively
make some of those plays and make a huge impact
in certain games.

Speaker 8 (38:31):
And Twine Winfield, Whitehead, Let's see who else. Those two
guys in particular, they finish on the ball every day
and just translates.

Speaker 5 (38:44):
It just carries over to the games.

Speaker 6 (38:46):
So basically the way that they're practicing and you're seeing
that translate. That's interesting. What are you still working on
with Taykee moving forward?

Speaker 8 (38:54):
Tyke just finishing plays and there's you know, it's a
long season for a rookie. I mean you they it's
getting ready to get to the point where it's very
while you know, how long is this gonna be?

Speaker 2 (39:05):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (39:05):
Uh but uh we just got it getting back healthy
and getting back healthy and get him on the field
and understanding now the level of play. You think it's
fast now, well if you getting to the playoffs, you
know it's gonna be faster.

Speaker 6 (39:19):
So and then you mentioned Christian is he in stepping
in for him? He's had to do.

Speaker 2 (39:24):
He's had to step in all over the place.

Speaker 6 (39:27):
So yeah, he's he's been this little Swiss army knife
for the for the defensive. Look at that. That's that's
saying something. And then this game, he led the team
in tackles with ten. Why has he been able to
step in at you know, nickel corner safety, all in
a matter of a couple of weeks.

Speaker 5 (39:45):
At times, it's like I said, it's not it's not
too big for him either.

Speaker 6 (39:48):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (39:48):
He accepts the challenge. Uh, prepares very well. Coach Opone
does a nice job whitting.

Speaker 5 (39:54):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (39:54):
Rashad does a great job whitting. Uh he has it.
He's a great tackler. You know, he normally stops you
on contact. He's one of the best tackles we have,
I believe.

Speaker 6 (40:05):
For people who might be saying, oh, we're talking to
cornerback coach Kevin Ross. For people who might be saying that, oh, well,
how it's all defensive back positions. How how big of
a difference can it really be of nickel the outside
of safety? What would you say to people to make
them understand how difficult it is what Christian has A
has been asked.

Speaker 2 (40:22):
To do this year?

Speaker 8 (40:23):
Oh wow, it's it's a scary feeling.

Speaker 5 (40:28):
I can just tell you this. It's this very scary feeling.

Speaker 8 (40:30):
Being out there and the outside. If you have not
played out there, I s I hear a lot. I
hear a lot of things out there about you know,
how they how they should do this, not as you
do that.

Speaker 5 (40:39):
It's a stunt man out there.

Speaker 8 (40:41):
You know, one bad move out there, you make a
bad move you did.

Speaker 2 (40:45):
Just the mental aspect of that aspect of it.

Speaker 8 (40:47):
Just the you know, you get beat. You know, like
I said, you could, you could have a guy covered,
got the quarterback gets out of the pocket, throws a
long ball where it's the defensive bag.

Speaker 5 (41:01):
Blah blah blah.

Speaker 8 (41:02):
They only see the end results of the play. They
don't see the whole play. They don't see what happened,
why it happened, why he did what he did.

Speaker 2 (41:09):
What do you are?

Speaker 6 (41:09):
The biggest things that you're still working on with Christian
at this point.

Speaker 5 (41:14):
All of them just making plays everybody.

Speaker 8 (41:17):
I just I want every I want everybody to realize
that you know, you're right there on that receiver that's
making plays, finishing plays. Jamal did a nice job that
the day of punching the ball out on neighbors. He
could have recovered that ball. M had he finish that play.

Speaker 6 (41:31):
And then I know, uh, you mentioned before the start
of last season, you'd said, y, you did your little
prediction in there that Zion was gonna be the most
improved guy on the team, and I think that you
you ended up being right.

Speaker 2 (41:42):
I think that's right.

Speaker 8 (41:43):
He's he's been working very hard every day. I don't
have to tell him what to do, how to do it.
He's been out there preparing. I'm very proud of what
he's done so thus far. Uh, He's even gonna get
even better.

Speaker 6 (41:57):
What was it that about him that gave you the
confidence to say that all the way back last year
and then how you felt like coming in this year
that he seemed even compared to them, The growth that
has happened even since you made that statement.

Speaker 8 (42:10):
Well, we talked about being a pro and being talked
about being a professional. We talked about it's just not
good enough to accept the lifestyle of a pro. You
have to prepare and be a professional in all phases
on and off the field. He does a great job
with it. I'm very proud of him.

Speaker 6 (42:26):
And what is his sort of attitude and mindset and
what he brings to the group, Because I feel like
there are some, shall we say, stereotypes about cornerbacks, and
I feel like Zion does not fit most of them.

Speaker 2 (42:39):
In a lot of ways, So tell me how unique
he is in that area.

Speaker 8 (42:44):
He's not a cocky person, but he's a confident person.
He has all the attributes to be a great corner
and it's starting to show he too. All he has
to do is catch the balls is thrown to him
and he'll be in the.

Speaker 5 (42:58):
Top as well.

Speaker 6 (43:00):
Alright, we'renna take another quick break here on Buccaneers Total Access.
We're talking to cornerback coach Kevin Ross. Brought to you
by Advan Health. This is Buccaneers Radio.

Speaker 3 (43:08):
Buccaneers Total Access with head coach Todd Bowles. Now continues
brought to you by advand Health.

Speaker 2 (43:14):
Welcome back into Buccaneers Total Access.

Speaker 6 (43:16):
First half of the show we had head coach Todd
Bowles and now we are talking to cornerback coach Kevin Ross.
So for Zion this year, you talked about the fact
that he has you know, the right attitude and work ethic.
What are some of the tangible kind of ex's and
o's of it of what he's been really really good
at and then what you're also still working on with him.

Speaker 5 (43:35):
Well, let's talk about the bed.

Speaker 8 (43:37):
First, we had to tackle better, which he did this
past week, he tackled a lot better. It's not that
he's not a willing tackler, it's just his technique. Other
than that, like I said, finishing on the ball, and
you say, well what you keep saying, well, finish on
the ball.

Speaker 5 (43:54):
Catch the balls.

Speaker 8 (43:55):
These guys actually do a lot of ball duels, but
I think they get so excited when they have the
opportunity that they don't focus the way they need to focus.

Speaker 5 (44:03):
On the ball at the end.

Speaker 8 (44:04):
And that's where they have to have, you know, a
commnist about him just to go ahead and catch the ball.
They need to talk to Mike Mike Average about it,
cause he does.

Speaker 5 (44:11):
It very well.

Speaker 2 (44:12):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (44:13):
And then I know you also ended up having uh
Josh Hayes getting thrown into the mix there for a
little while. What did you notice from his play and
and him trying to handle being thrown in there in
some pretty crazy situations.

Speaker 8 (44:26):
Uh, he's probably the most uh physical guy we have
in the back end as far as corner goes.

Speaker 5 (44:32):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (44:34):
He he too has to have to realize like when
to do certain things right, it's a it's a way,
it's it's a way to do certain things and h
how to use it and then the only thing that's.

Speaker 5 (44:47):
Gonna teach him that is game experience.

Speaker 2 (44:49):
MM.

Speaker 5 (44:50):
That's what happened with uh Thunderberg as well.

Speaker 8 (44:53):
These young guys, they just had to go through some
of the experiences of playing corner out there. There's no substitute,
can't read the things to you to say okay, and
when they do this, you do that.

Speaker 5 (45:04):
You have to actually go through it.

Speaker 6 (45:06):
And do you feel like that is true of corner
maybe more than a lot of other positions, even of
where there's just no way to simulate it.

Speaker 5 (45:12):
There's no doubt. It's like quarterback.

Speaker 8 (45:14):
They hear about pressures and what to do with the ball,
and until you actually go out there and do it,
then you will not get better at it.

Speaker 6 (45:21):
I know that Thunderberg was a guy here, he's undrafted already,
the odds are stacked against you at that point to
make the roster, and then he ends up also being
hurt some during the preseason, which I'm sure also didn't
help with that whole experience part of it. But even
through that, he showed you, guys enough that you said
that this guy is worth a roster spot, even as
an undrafted guy who missed some time in the preseason

(45:43):
when he was available in the offseason. What was it
about him that made you guys say, we see something
that this is a guy who's worth one of the
fifty three.

Speaker 8 (45:51):
If you watch his college tape, he's very instinctive. He
was always in a good position to make plays. Again,
what you said was the most important thing was he
didn't have enough time on the grass in the preseason
to feel some things out. And now he's got to
know it's gonna be baptized in real gains unfortunately.

Speaker 6 (46:12):
Yeah, what is it that you've seen that he's done
well in the time that he's gotten in there?

Speaker 5 (46:17):
He he he too.

Speaker 8 (46:19):
Like I said, he can see the field very well.
It's just as I can't explain it. It's just you
have to actually go through it. Yeah, you know these
lights versus the gain lights, it's like a different type
of deal and the like here, I keep telling these
guys here, we can do it over again.

Speaker 5 (46:37):
Over there, we can't do it over again.

Speaker 6 (46:40):
I know we kind of talked about building the nickel
of what it would need to be in Coach Bowle's defense.
We've definitely seen a certain like body type that is
what he likes in an outside corner. Tell me the
physical traits that he likes and wants in his defense.
And then just overall, if your building what it takes
to be an outside corner in Coach Bowls defense?

Speaker 2 (47:03):
What does that look like?

Speaker 8 (47:05):
Two things? Number One, you can't give up with the
big play. Number two, if you're five nine, five eight,
you better play five. You better play six to two
cause that's what he wants. Yeah, so you got to
play big out there and just can't give up big
plays right off the back. These corners to play here
in Tampa, they have to be very versatile in coverages.
We play a lot, a ton of coverages. We play

(47:26):
more pr probably than anybody else in the NFL.

Speaker 6 (47:30):
And I know it seems like Jammel and Zion are
maybe two of the most athletic corners out there. I mean,
the s the speed, length, high combination is is pretty incredible.
What does that allow for you guys to do? How
does that change the dynamic compared to like you said,
you know, a five nine, five ten corner and what

(47:50):
that ends up looking like.

Speaker 8 (47:52):
Well, Coach Bowles believes in first stopping the run and
when you when you're doing that then you putting eight
man fronts together a whole lot, which puts more pressure
on the outside guys. So those guys understand that that's
what we talk about, is what we preach about.

Speaker 6 (48:09):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (48:09):
Sometimes they're involved with the run even when they where
receivers are cracking back on the UH linebackers or the
safeties we have to replace. Sometimes they have to take
on guards. Sometimes they have to take on tight ends.
Sometimes they have to take on fullbacks. Does not matter
they have.

Speaker 5 (48:24):
They can't pick and choose how they gonna do it.

Speaker 2 (48:27):
I know you guys.

Speaker 6 (48:27):
Also, we're talking the corner about coach Kevin Ross. UH
decided to sign Troy Hill.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
UH.

Speaker 6 (48:32):
Tell us a little bit about him, the the decision
to bring him in and what his kind of history
and experiences in this league.

Speaker 8 (48:37):
Well, that's it, right, their experiences. He's got nine or
ten years in in the in the league right now,
so he's seen it. He seen just about everything. UH,
and that's what y kind of guy you want when
you get ready to uh, you know, finish up the
season that we are. We right now we're chasing first
place and we need we need good players to finish up.

Speaker 6 (48:56):
So what are some of his biggest uh skill sets
on the field of of the type of corner he
would be.

Speaker 8 (49:02):
I don't I think he plays smart, you know what
I'm saying. I think he understands what people are trying
to do to him, and so he he can counter
mentally by disrecognizing formations and playing against other guys. He
knows body types, he knows speed, He knows when to
do things and when not to do things.

Speaker 6 (49:19):
I know that sometimes when players get injured before the
season ever really starts, we can almost forget that they
were originally on the Rostern part of the plan. And
Bryce Hall was definitely a guy that you guys had
some higher hopes for and then to unfortunately loose him
before things really even got going. How much did that
play into just the overall plans of this depth and
who ends up being in there when you thought this

(49:40):
was your your primary kind of backup going into the season.
How much did did you guys end up missing him?

Speaker 8 (49:45):
Bryce had played some good ball in New York watching
him on tape, thought he would be an excellent guy
to fit in here. He was up until he got hurt.
He's a guy again that prepares very well understands what
you're trying to do, understands what he needs to do
to stop you.

Speaker 5 (50:05):
Were missing.

Speaker 6 (50:07):
And then I know you guys are now about to
take on the Carolina Panthers, and I feel like, unfortunately
you're about to take them on at a time where
they seem to be figuring things out.

Speaker 2 (50:13):
It's right, it's a little unfortunate on that front.

Speaker 6 (50:17):
What do you notice about them now versus the beginning
of the season, even of like you said, they're starting
to get hot, they're playing the Chiefs down to the
last minute. And how different they already seem to look
as a team as compared to Week one.

Speaker 8 (50:29):
Dave's done a great job with the quarterback. That's the
biggest difference. Uh, the quarterback's getting ready to the ball,
he's not panicking, he understands where to go with the ball.
They're not giving up the ball a whole lot like
they have been in the past. And so we'll have
a handsful come Sunday.

Speaker 6 (50:45):
Yeah, and tell us about some of their wide receivers
and weapons that they have of what that's gonna look
like for you guys to try to cover.

Speaker 8 (50:50):
Well, they've had some injuries as well. Their receivers are
very reliable. They have a couple that were here, so
we know that, we know more. We know Tompkins. Uh, legit,
we have to figure out what's what's up with him.
They got a good they got a nice little base
going on.

Speaker 6 (51:08):
When you are familiar with a coach the way you
are Dave Canalis of, you know, you've obviously gone up
against his offense and practice a lot. I've been around
him a ton, know what he likes to do. But
then he, I'm sure feels similarly about y'all's defense and
your personnel there. How does that tend to play out?
Is that does that become kind of a big chess
match or is it you know, how much does the
familiarity there factor in?

Speaker 2 (51:30):
And how do you guys try to you know, have
an advantage to go beyond that?

Speaker 8 (51:35):
Well, I I know coach Bowles and U Basically what
we're trying to do is just get guys in position
to make plays, and then it's up to the player
to make them aware of what they like to do
in certain situations. And it'll come down to between your players. Uh,
That's that's basically what's gonna come down to. Are players
making plays and stopping their guys period.

Speaker 6 (51:55):
Do you have certain goals for your position room throughout
the rest of the season.

Speaker 5 (52:01):
Yes, I do. Yeah, no more mistackles.

Speaker 8 (52:05):
We need probably another fifteen interceptions before the season's up
with and if we can do that then we'll be okay.

Speaker 2 (52:12):
I love that. That's great, well, coach, thank you so
much for the time.

Speaker 6 (52:15):
I know you guys are busy trying to get everybody
ready to go for this next week, so we always
appreciate you spending the time with us and chatting with everybody.
Thank you all right, and thanks to all of you
guys for listening as well. That has been Buccaneers Total
Access and we are brought to you by Advent Health.

Speaker 2 (52:29):
This is Buccaneers Radio.