Transcript: Tampa Bay Buccaneers Postgame Quotes | Saints-Buccaneers 2020 Divisional

Get postgame reactions from Tampa Bay head coach Bruce Arians and Tom Brady.

Jan 18, 2021 at 02:13 AM

BUCCANEERS HEAD COACH BRUCE ARIANS

(On how the defense was able to force four turnovers in Sunday's game)
"I think our guys knew they had to play tight coverage. Coming in, we we're going to play man-to-man, get on them, not let them get going and not let [Drew Brees] dink and dunk. Get after him, get off the spot and make him throw on the move. They ran the ball pretty [well] on us there for a spurt, but once we got the lead, we kind of had them where we wanted them."

(On LB Devin White's performance)
"It was great. Just to see Devin make those plays – that's what he's capable of making. Everybody was criticizing how he can't cover anybody – I think he just proved that he can."

(On the defense's performance after allowing 38 points against New Orleans in Week 9)
"It's a different football team than that week. I try to tell everybody that – nobody wants to believe me. This is what we're capable of playing. Defensively, we've had some rough spots at times, but we've had some really, really good times. This was one of the best times."

(On RB Ronald Jones II and RB Leonard Fournette's performances)
"It's a great combination to have 'Ro' (Jones II) healthy again and then Leonard's playing really [well]. The blocking unit did a great job of blocking those guys – the tight ends, especially. The last time we played them, our tight ends struggled with these big guys. Joe Haeg did a great job and Gronk (Rob Gronkowski) did a great job also."

(On how the offense's zero-turnover performance made the win possible)
"Going into the game, we knew all week we had to protect the football. Protect the quarterback, protect the football and take it away. That was the outcome of the game [and] that was what decided the game. It was going to be the turnovers and we talked about it all week."

(On the celebration in the locker room)
"It's jamming pretty good right now. I don't have any dance moves, so I'm not in it."

(On holding Saints WR Michael Thomas to zero catches)
"Carlton [Davis III] has played him [well] over the years and he's a physical corner. I thought Todd [Bowles] had a great gameplan for all their guys. [Jared] Cook and Deonte Harris were the guys that scared me, but the guys really punched the ball out – got one [fumble] with Cook and got the interception from him. The guys really stepped up."

(On the offensive line's protection for QB Tom Brady and G Aaron Stinnie's performance in his first start)
"Tom was clean most of the day. He did a really good job – I thought – of protecting the football [and] not taking any chances – got close a couple of times. Aaron Stinnie played his tail off – I knew he would. He's been around now for a year and a half, two years. He's a good little player."

(On where this win ranks in his coaching career)
"It's up there – probably with the Green Bay win in Arizona that put us in the championship game. That went to overtime. [I am] looking forward to going back to work this week and playing another great team [under] different circumstances and get ready to play."

(On S Antoine Winfield Jr.'s forced fumble)
"I can't say enough about him. To me, he's the Defensive Rookie of the Year. 7.5 sacks isn't anything [compared] to what he's done."

(On if he had any doubt this team would perform at this level late in the season)
"No. I just saw the steady progress. We battled through some injuries, losing Vita [Vea], losing O.J. [Howard] and those guys – and we battled through some injuries today. [Jack] Cichy breaks his arm on the first punt, so we're down to three linebackers. Our guys stepped up there at the end of the game [when] we were almost out of corners. I can't say enough about our guys – this is a very resilient team. These guys work and they have a great belief in each other."

(On the decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 from their own territory in the first quarter)
"I had a lot of confidence that we'd get it done. Tom [Brady] does a really good job on that stuff and got us in the right [position]. We had a couple plays called and he could take the sneak if he wants it."

Photos: Game Action #1 | Saints-Buccaneers Divisional Round 2020