Buccaneers' Todd Bowles Speaks Ahead of Offseason
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00:00 >> Morning.
00:00 >> Morning.
00:01 >> I don't know if you look back on tape as actively in the final game as you would
00:05 most weeks, but just what stands out to you when you look back on the way things
00:09 unfolded yesterday?
00:09 >> We fought, but we made some mistakes in the fourth quarter that got the game away
00:15 from us that we normally didn't make.
00:17 And we fought hard, but we didn't play smart in the fourth quarter.
00:21 >> Can you elaborate on that in terms of what area, not pointing the finger at
00:26 the players, but just what areas you feel had an unravel for you?
00:30 >> The areas I would point out would be pointing the fingers at the players.
00:33 >> What are you most proud of about the 2023 season?
00:38 >> Just the fight and the effort.
00:41 Those guys stayed together.
00:43 Proud of the coaching staff, proud of all the departments that took care of the
00:47 players, equipment staff, trainers, nutritionist, strength staff.
00:52 The building completely came together as a group.
00:56 It was enjoyable to come to work every day.
00:59 Everybody worked hard.
01:00 Everybody worked hard to have a hand in this.
01:02 Sorry we couldn't see it through, but very proud of the effort everybody put in.
01:06 >> Tal, looking towards the off season, this is kind of your first off season
01:10 with some cap room and some financial flexibility after,
01:14 obviously, last year and your first year.
01:17 What are you looking forward to as kind of putting your own stamp on this roster?
01:20 >> It's a little early right now, still getting over the game a little bit.
01:25 We know we got a lot of decisions to make, some tough ones here and
01:28 then some outside on the horizon.
01:30 Hopefully we can get some better guys in here and continue what we've been doing and
01:34 get better next year and go further.
01:36 >> Tal, when you look at these two games against the Lions,
01:40 Jared Goff wasn't effective as much as you probably would have wanted him to be in
01:43 terms of getting sacks of pressures and then didn't throw an interception either.
01:47 Is it just kind of a situation on defense where you try to play coverage,
01:52 rush forward and didn't get enough, or
01:54 if you blitz him, he's really good at picking apart one on one matchups?
01:58 >> No, we did a little of both.
01:59 I mean, the biggest thing was the underneath coverage.
02:02 Like I said earlier, they didn't get as much.
02:04 They got out late.
02:06 On into the fourth quarter, we held them down pretty good.
02:08 They started making some plays in the fourth quarter, giving them a lot of
02:11 credit, they got a lot of talent.
02:13 Some things we didn't do as well in the fourth quarter than we did well in
02:15 the first three quarters.
02:17 But he's a great quarterback, they have a very good football team.
02:20 And you know, the better team won yesterday.
02:22 >> Todd, Levante turns 34 tomorrow.
02:25 Can you just speak to the level he continues to play at?
02:28 If the business side worked out, would you like to have him back?
02:31 >> Love to have him back.
02:32 He's one of my favorite players I've ever coached.
02:35 Don't even look at his age, he plays timeless.
02:38 He plays timeless football.
02:39 He plays it the right way, prepares the right way.
02:42 He's the ultimate professional.
02:44 >> How would you characterize the season that Devon White had?
02:48 >> Probably up and down, some injured, up and down like our season.
02:52 We had some good days, we had some bad days.
02:55 And I said I love a lot of guys that played that way.
02:58 Have a great day.