NEW ORLEANS SAINTS VS. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERSSUNDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2012 ● MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERDOMEBUCCANEERS POSTGAME QUOTES

HEAD COACH GREG SCHIANO

(on the offense being shut out for the second week in a row in the first half) "Let me start with (pointing to himself) this is the guy it starts and ends with. I didn't get this team ready to go today for whatever that reason is. I didn't believe that to be the case, but as we played out the game on the road against a divisional opponent had a chance to go back and forth with them and we didn't do that. We turned the ball over in the red zone, and then when we did turn it over we were unable to hold and then you saw the game. It got out of hand. I did thing the guys fought, but it was in vain. It did not have an effect. I shouldn't say it was in vain because they fought their guts out, it's just that I didn't do a good enough job of getting ready and we didn't play well today against a team when you go on the road and do that in their place this is exactly what will happen. We have a lot of work to do between now and next week when we play the Rams. I haven't been here in a while, but I have been here before and I know what to do. We'll fight back."

(on a disconnect within the offense between Josh Freeman and the receivers) "I will look at the film to know for sure, but there was some miscommunication. They didn't see some things the same way and you need to be able to do that. That led to one or two of the turnovers. It's a fine line between performing and not performing in this league and we didn't today and that is the result you get."

(on not getting the running game going today) "In the beginning there were some fours, threes, a seven, but when you quickly fall behind I don't know if the running game ever gets a shot. Now I've said that twice this season, but up until this point there have been some tough losses but they were one score losses and this is a different animal. Today is a different animal and it will be addressed. We will do everything in our power in the next six days to get things straight and get them back on track. There is a lot of work to do."

(on if he sensed a lack of focus when addressing the team earlier in the week about their focus) "No. No, I did not. It literally was just something I was saying to the team about let's focus in on the next hour and a half of practice and lock in every waking moment that we are out there. Don't be standing on the side doing something else because maybe you can pick one thing up. It was just a sense of urgency coming off last week's result that I felt compelled to say. But I didn't sense that and I didn't sense that all week. I thought the guys prepared on and off the field, meeting room, film study, practiced well, but certainly did not play well."

(on if they are getting worse as a team) "Well the result would say that we are. I think there are factors to throw in there, but I don't feel like we are. I feel like the understanding of what we are doing is getting better, but it doesn't show on the field so if I am someone not in the organization I sit back and say it's not getting better. We need to make sure that all of this is going up in this next week. It's going to be quite a challenge. This is a physical game played on this turf and I'm sure guys are going to be bumped up but we have a lot of work to do in a short period of time."

QB #5 JOSH FREEMAN

"I wouldn't really call it a disconnect between me and the receivers; it was a situation where we just had way too many turnovers especially in the red zone early. And then you compound it when they scored quick and then we get the ball back and it (a turnover) happens again. W ended up getting pushed on our heels and you have to give the Saints a lot of credit."

(on turnovers in red zone) "You have to chalk it up to miscommunication. There were things that happened out there today that resulted in us not being on the same page, and you have to be together to score points and win. Today things just didn't click as good as they should have. It's kind of odd because the preparation leading up to these last few games have been on point. But then you get into the game and little things start happening, whereby earlier in the season things were going our way but now they aren't. And we've got to get a whole lot better as an offense, and that starts with me."

"I know I'm the quarterback and the offensive captain of this football team. And I take responsibility for what happened out there today. I mean it all starts with me: getting the play in, calling the play and executing the play. And I've got to play a whole lot better to give our team a chance to win."

RB #28 D.J. WARE

"These last two games are very important for us. We've got to go out there and show our next two opponents what we are all about. We've got a lot to prove and we are going to have to do that to finish the season strong. We have a lot of pride here in this locker room and now we have to prove it on the field."

RB #22 DOUG MARTIN

"We've just got to forget about this game and move on. All eleven guys on the offense need to come together and finish out the season strong. We still have a lot to play for."

"You don't come out here to play and start the game thinking that you're going to get shut out. But the game just got away from us. I mean the turnovers and us just not being able to get anything going on offense. We all thought it was going to be a back and forth battle with the Saints, but with the early turnovers we just got out of rhythm."

"They (the Saints) really made it a one dimensional game for us. We had to pass instead of focus on the run and that led us to keep getting behind and not do what we normally do on offense. That's not how we've played this year and it was really tough out there for us today."

TE #44 DALLAS CLARK

"It was definitely not one person's fault. We know in this league the head coach and the quarterback are usually the first ones who get caught under the bus in these situations, but I'll be the first one to say its me…and its everyone. We all have to play better and I know we have people in here that can make that happen."

"We're just making a lot of mistakes that you just can't do in the NFL, but today you have to give the Saints credit. They came out and made the plays today and put us in a bind out there. We had a lot of opportunities to do something but we just didn't today."

DB #20 RONDE BARBER

"You don't expect this to happen but it did. But looking ahead we have two games left to play; and every game we play is important. You sign up for 16 games every year and you have to play 16. And we are going to go out there and play hard because tomorrow is not promised to anyone."

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