Todd Bowles: Baker Mayfield Makes Big Plays | Press Conference | Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Todd Bowles: Baker Mayfield Makes Big Plays | Press Conference | Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Afternoon. Thought we saw Zion out there like a cast. Just what’s going on with him right now? Uh he’s got a thumb procedure done. So we’ll see how he feels toward the end of the week. It’s going to be touch and go. Something he could presumably play with. Presumably. We’ll see. His pain level is that that’s what’s going to depend on. Happened during the game. It happened before the game. It actually happened a week ago. So he just played with it and we had taped them up and casted it up for him. But that’s Sunday would be in play potentially right now. Yes. Looking at the 49ers defense, they they’ve undergone some personnel changes. It’s more of a younger team now, but uh they’re playing really well. Can you just speak to what they’ve been able to do with Robert Sally coming back to to be so good like on third down for example where they’re I mean they play fast number one. They play very fast. They’re very good up front with games and stunts and they play powerful. Linebackers are not only big, but they can run, they can cover, and then they can knock you down. The secondary play is very smart and they play very disciplined football. I think with Robert going back, they’ve done a heck of a job with that group. McCaffry is catching a ton of passes, Todd, a ton of targets, a ton of catches. You faced them many times over the years. Um what’s the challenge there in the flats and and and how do you contain him as as a target? Challenge is everywhere. The biggest thing is the yak yards. You know, you don’t mind him catching checkdowns, but he’s so good with it after the catch that we got to rally to the ball. We got to get people around them. Is that something you’ve improved on since u like you know that Atlanta game with Robinson right off the bat? Uh you think you’ve made some strides there covering the flats? We made some strides in the short passes, not going long yards. We can still be better at that, but we made a lot of strides at just being playing discipline that way. Todd, you guys are used to kind of having game plans in flux because of injuries. Um, but it’s hard to read where Dean and Morrison are. Are they in play? Are they potentially there some? Dean is in play. We’ll see what he does tomorrow, but he’s in play. Morrison, I don’t I hadn’t seen enough of him. I’ll start on my part. I’m sorry. Um, how how is Mike coming along in his rehab? He’s coming along. I mean, he’s healing. I can’t tell you how fast or when, but he’s healing and he he’s working trying to get back fast as he can. So, is there much difference between whether it’s Brock Perie or M. Jones, the way they run their offense or what what Mac has done versus No, I think it’s the same. Obviously, they both M is very smart. Brock is very smart. You know, Brock’s been in it longer, so he’s been throwing the ball and he can throw it around a little better, but Mack has picked it up well, and they haven’t missed a beat. You guys have had a lot of success throwing the ball down the field uh with Faker this last game obviously, but but just in general over last year. I know it seemed like something Rosar Josh wanted to bring more of. You always want explosive plays. What’s been the key, you think, to hitting those this year? I think setting them up. I think he does a very good job throwing the underneath stuff and setting those plays up and the guys do a great job uh designing plays to try to get those shots down the field and we’ve given Baker enough time to hit him and he’s hit him. It’s not just your team, but your team is certainly leading the way. There have been 17 games this year where teams have scored the go-ahead touchdown in the final minute to win the game. What do you think it is about this year in this league that is allowing so many teams to be able to do that? And there’s a lot of parity in this league right now. And without a lot of people playing in training camp, these first five weeks are really preseason ball games as far as penalties and getting everybody on the same page and doing those type of things. So hopefully that calms down and hopefully we can do the right things and cut down on the mistakes and stretch the games out a little bit and not win them at the end. So, but it’s been like that all over the league and you see it every week. So then how when it’s so early like that and and you yourself you held your starting quarterback out of preseason games. Um how like what areas are you really trying to kind of look to have that edge? Is it a matter of maturity and and guys kind of playing together? You know maybe one extra year that can give them sometimes a leg up. What do you think it is that’s giving some of these teams a leg up? It’s a matter of situational football whether it’s twominute red zone third down and you you got to be very good at something in critical stages of the game then you have to execute it and that takes all parties involved players coaches you know injuries play a part in a lot of those things and you try to do that the best you can while you get on your feet do you expect to see fewer of those types of games in in November and December when teams start to separate themselves more? I mean, I can’t speak for other teams, but you know, I would hope that we get on a roll and start going and stretching games out. Everybody else, I can’t speak for proud you of uh the two guys on the right side of the offensive line, Todd, the players and the coaches that are working with them. They’ve done a great job settling in. You forget we’re missing those two guys. And you forgot it the last game because they played so well and they play hard and tough, but they prepare that way. and Carbon and Pikuchi have done a great job getting those guys ready and settling them down to where we understand the things they do well and try to execute those things in the game. What’ you think of the pass protection overall? It’s always good. You know, Baker can move around as well and make it even better. So, you know, he can do some things to get the pass protection well, but for the most part, I thought they set up and they gave him some time. So, five five games into this season, you’ve had a chance to observe Josh Gazard as a play caller. What what has impressed you the most about him? What is he doing well five weeks into the season? I mean, just his calmness. You get better every week. The first game is not going to be like the fifth game. You know, you get better understanding of your players. They get a better understanding of you. You get a better feel of how you call it, what you’ll call, what you won’t call, and the feel for the game, and it starts opening up for you. You seen it open it up for him last week, and you just like the progress he’s making. Todd, it would be easy maybe for your edge rushers to get frustrated, but it seems like people that keep these metrics of the ball against you guys is coming out really fast. Is that what you’re noticing when you when you kind of watch it is just they’re not holding it very long? It’s coming out quick. I mean, it’s been coming out a lot quicker this year and understandably so with everybody just starting out and all the injuries going on with everybody, but it’s coming out awfully quick. We’ve had free runners that couldn’t get there. So, you know, we just got to keep grinding it and keep going and trying to mix it up and, you know, make him hold the ball a little longer. Todd, I see that you signed Owen Wright, running back. Is that was that just the reasoning for depth or is it because maybe you might not have Bucky for, you know, a while? It’s a little of both. I mean, we needed another running back for the practice squad practicing those other guys with Rashad playing and then Shawn bumped up and then obviously Josh bumped up. We need another guy for the practice squad to get all those reps in there and Owen Owen had a good preseason for us. Any update on Bucky at all? No, it’s still it’s still his leg. It’s still his ankle and it’s still his shoulder. So, he’s getting better by the day. So, we’ll see. You see a leg in addition to the ankle? No, just the ankle. How aware are you at home games about uh how many fans might be rooting for the visiting team? And does it bother you? Do you think um it hurts the team a little bit in those situations like the Philly game? Um and are you very aware of what’s going on in home games? I think it’s like that in the state. You know, I spent some time in Miami and a lot of people from the east and the northwest have homes down here and snowbirds and everything else. So, you’re going to get a lot of transplants. So, you’re going to get a lot of fans from the other teams. I kind of got used to that in Miami. That doesn’t mean we have our own crowd because we have a bunch of fans coming out and playing. But you see them and you can’t fault somebody for living in Florida and then rooting for their home team. Obviously, you want the stands to be all uh red and pewtor or creamsicle, but other fans don’t really bother us. We play our game and we win ball games. Our fans will be louder than theirs. I went I went back and watched the Niners game again from last year another time. Um and you know what what do you think is the difference? Um, for instance, you know, you guys were were in position to where you could either tie the game or you could win the game. And um, you know, obviously kick the field goal, tie the game. Points would have won it. Um, you know, the defense wasn’t able to hold and and they kicked the field goal to win, but what what what’s different about your team this year that’s allowing you to be able to close out these games to be able to just I mean, is it really just one or two more plays than the other guys? It’s always one or two more plays, but it’s a maturity factor and and understanding of everybody playing smarter football, too, with Rashad going down in bounds and Levante making the game with an interception right there and uh just the small things in two minute that we didn’t get done last year. Todd, the the last few games against the NerS, I think they’ve had north of 400 yards. Just what makes the the Shanahan offense so hard to to game plan against? He’s a great coach. I mean, he studies himself very well. They change all the time. Uh, they do a great job of self- scouting themselves and understanding what you’re looking at and trying to change those things up. And they got great players that can execute. The win probability is kind of a complicated statistic, but it was a graphic that measured how much teams have helped themselves in win probability by going for it instead of kicking. And you were number three in the league, third most. Do do you think that the analytics that the voices you have advising and things have made you a a more aggressive Boulder coach? I don’t think Zach has made me in a a bolder aggressive coach. It’s great to have the knowledge. I think he’s helped us a great deal this year. Uh and that’s a very underrated hire that we really like that we really pre pleased with. And it’s not just me, it’s the other coaches as well. So, uh Zach has done an outstanding job. I can’t speak for I’ve probably been bold my entire life, but you guys wouldn’t know that or say that. But, you know, that’s story for another day. But, you know, he he he he’s he’s he was a great hireer for us and he does a great job at, you know, getting the players aware of the penalties and the referees and the week ahead and everything else. So, he’s he’s he’s been outstanding. Ty, how much can the adversity that you’re dealing with now through all the injuries help you down the road by giving guys more opportunities and seeing what they can do? Well, hopefully that comes with wins and you can stack the wins early and you can get your star players back later. That just helps you uh solidify the second half of the season and get on the same page and hopefully get on the roll that way. But with guys getting experience and playing early and us having to be winning in the process can’t do nothing but help us. Todd, I know it’s the ultimate team sport, they say, but can Mfield play any better than this? I mean, is there a player in the league in your mind that means more to their team than than what Mayfield’s doing right now? For me, no. The other 31 coaches are probably going to stand up here and say the same thing about their quarterback. So, love what he’s doing right now. Uh, love the way he’s playing. Love the space he’s in mentally, physically, getting it done. and the mastery of the offense in his second year, I think, has really done a lot. And them understanding and communicating what he likes, what he doesn’t like, and him just throwing to the open guys and making everybody better has really helped. And very proud of that. Okay. Thank you. Y Thank you.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles spoke to the media after Wednesday’s Week 6 practice. HC Bowles discussed CB Zyon McCollum’s status, rallying to the ball on defense and the upcoming battle vs. the San Francisco 49ers.

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