With a day to reflect on Tampa Bay’s 34-17 divisional loss to the New Orleans Saints, Bruce Arians spoke to the local media about the contest in which quarterback Jameis Winston was intercepted four times, once for a pick-six, and the Bucs looked outmatched from top to bottom, beginning to end.
Now sitting at 3-7 it’s clear that there are a number of issues facing the roster and staff and the Bucs have just six games left until the beginning of what is sure to be another eventful off-season in Tampa.
Read Arians’ full transcript from Monday’s press conference below.
(Opening statement)
“There’s no secret, it’s turnovers. And this team, we have a gift habit. We keep giving away points early in games and then try to fight our way back. It was a 10-point game, we had three or four possessions to get it within one and just couldn’t get it done. It was a really good football team we were playing and when you make those mistakes you’re not going to win against a really good team. But it’s been a habit and it’s one we have to break. No matter whose fault it is, it’s just been a habit of a gift early in the first quarter and then playing hard from there on out. I think, as a team, it’s frustrating as a coach because I see us practicing and preparing extremely hard. Guys are staying extra hours to prepare and then it’s not showing up on Sunday. For me, as a coach, it’s my job to figure out why. That’s kind of where we’re at right now.”
(On the interception to Marcus Williams)
“It was just a high throw. That’s when [Winston] sprained his ankle and he just threw it high.”
(On the impact Winston’s ankle sprain played on his ability to step into throws)
“It was huge on that one. He kind of shook it off after that, but that one costed him.”
(On if Winston can dictate whether he finishes games in a situation like that)
“Oh yeah. If he’s healthy, he’s playing.”
(On if the Saints changed their blitz packages since their first meeting)
“They do something different every week. They have a really good package every week but the ones that we saw, the one that got us, the guy starts dropping and then he blitzes and we didn’t pick that one up and see it has a hot [read]. Overall we protected it, we just didn’t protect it well enough.”
(On why the Saints got the ball to their playmakers better than the Bucs early)
“One was a busted assignment. We’re playing two-man, you stay inside, Mike Edwards gets beat inside and gives up… the two plays to Michael Thomas, one’s a busted assignment on a drag route and it was Lavonte [David], not Devin [White]. The other, we walked it through on Friday, Sean [Murphy-Bunting] is supposed to be up there pressed so he doesn’t get picked, he backs up, he gets picked, it’s a touchdown. Was it them or was it us? I think it was us really. They have a lot of weapons, that’s one thing. You can only take away one and when you have Alvin Kamara he can do a lot of things for you. But again, he catches the ball for four yards, we wrap him up it’s a four-yard gain, we don’t make the tackle it’s 17.”
Saints WR Michael Thomas and Bucs CB Sean Murphy-Bunting – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
(On if 96 percent of the offensive production is too much to be put on a QB)
“Yeah, totally. If you throw it 51 times, show me who wins. Brady a couple of times, not always. When you’re throwing it 51 times and running it eight, you’re probably not winning the game.”
(On Scotty Miller)
“He’s improving. We knew that they were going to double-double [Mike Evans and Chris Godwin] so Cam Brate gets 12 targets, Scotty gets a bunch of targets, those inside guys had to win. We were losing our back in the protection scheme so Scotty produced, I’d just like to see him go one more yard where he’s supposed to be for that first down.”
(On if Winston’s ankle is a concerned)
“No, he looks fine right now. [He’s] a little limp but he’s OK.”
(On Will Gholston wearing a walking boot)
“We’ll see.”
(On his approach to the final six games)
“Win them all. You can’t win them all until you win one. [The Atlanta Falcons] on the road, a team that’s similar to us, they’re playing really well right now and have kind of found their stride after the open date, a lot of changes to the coaching staff but they’re playing with a lot of energy and it’s showing on tape.”
(On the biggest difference in the Falcons’ play these past two weeks)
“They simplified, it looks like, defensively. They’re playing really, really fast and they’re not very complicated. There front four is teeing off and doing a heck of a job. Offensively they’re moving the ball, scoring points.”
(On the changes on defense impacting the speed young players can play with)
“I don’t think there’s any doubt but sometimes it’s basic fundamentals. When you’re playing two-man you don’t get beat inside. You don’t take that fake, you force him out and yeah, that part of it, and [nickel cornerback] is Mike [Edwards’] natural position. We were going to play a lot of matchup zone, blitz him because he’s a good blitzer, and then other than two plays he played pretty well. He misses one tackle and misses that play right there.”
(On if he’ll look at Mike Edwards as a nickel or move him back to safety)
“We’ll see. I want Jamel Dean on the field, though.”
(On where the biggest improvement has been)
Bucs head coach Bruce Arians – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
“We picked our poison with this one. I think the run defense has been pleasing all year, I think our run offense has been pleasing a majority of the time, when we can use it.”
(On Ronald Jones not being very involved in the pass game on Sunday)
“He was in his normal screen game. Dare [Ogunbowale] is a better pass blocker and when we’re in two-minute he’s in the game, which we were in a bunch.”
(On Peyton Barber and Ronald Jones’ progression as pass blockers)
“That’s not either one of their forte.”
(On Carl Nassib being available for the Bucs’ next game)
“I hope, he tweaked it on Thursday. Knock on wood he’s out there this week.”
(On the defense struggling to force turnovers)
“They’ve got to start and usually they come in bunches, hopefully they’ll come in bunches this week. It’s the coverage getting sacks, the rush getting coverage, it all goes hand-in-hand. When we had good rushes, Drew [Brees] did a good job of just finding a check down, getting four or five, getting four or five. That’s what he does best.”
(On the reasoning behind the Bucs’ communication issues)
“I didn’t see too many communication issues in this ballgame. We had bad technique but the missed assignments weren’t communication errors except for the bad snap when he couldn’t hear down on the goal line twice and that’s on the center. If you can’t hear tell the quarterback to use a silent count.”
(On the explanation of poor technique)
“Losing their leverage. Mike on that one, Sean on the touchdown play, get up there where you can’t get picked, get in outside technique and push him into the safety. Don’t back up, don’t get beat inside when there’s no help inside.”
Saints RB Alvin Kamara – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR
(Whether the DBs are panicking or not trusting their reads)
“I think that’s part of it but Todd [Bowles] kept them after practice on Friday, walked through that exact play and when we don’t do it, it’s called youth. I’m glad I don’t have any hair.”
(On how well Dirk Koetter knows Winston and if that’ll change Atlanta’s game plan)
“He knows the guy and I’m sure he’s saying it’s the same old stuff but I don’t think, right now, they’re changing what they’re doing defensively because they’re playing really good and playing fast.”
(On if he expected New Orleans to run a lot of Cover 2)
“Yeah, that’s what they do. They play two, two-man, but when they played single-high we missed it. Mike [Evans] was open deep and we just didn’t get it done.”
(On O.J. Howard’s fundamental struggles)
“I never believed in sports psychology before but I’m starting too. There’s something missing when you have the talent and it doesn’t show up on Sunday, or it’s a focus issue.”
