Asst. HC/OC Mike Kafka, DC Shane Bowen, STC Michael Ghobrial, QB Daniel Jones, WR Malik Nabers

Defensive coordinator Shane Bowen

Question: So how do you fit three outside linebackers into two?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, it’s a good problem to have. Obviously, with (outside linebacker) Azeez (Ojulari) coming in and the impact he’s been able to have for us, he’s earned the opportunity to play. So it’s really good to get (outside linebacker) Kayvon (Thibodeuax) back out there, to see him go back through it, just see where he’s going this week, see where we’re at on Sunday. But optimistic with him, we’ll see where it ends. But it’s a good problem to have.

Question: Does he want a snap count?

SHANE BOWEN: I’m not sure. I guess we’ll have to see where the week goes with that. But I don’t have a number for you right now.

Q: Did you spend your bye week concentrating on the run defense, that side of it?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I mean, you look at everything. You go back and watch it all just to see what you’re doing. But, yeah, the explosive running, like that’s an area we need to improve, and that’s three to four runs a game. And then you have another 20-22 that you feel pretty good about. So we have to do a good job of finding ways to eliminate them, make sure we tackle, make sure we fit things properly, play with fundamentals, be where we need to be, get out of blocks and make sure we get to the football. So it’s a myriad of things that came up. When you go back and look, I think there were 33 back-to-back ones that were explosive, which is too many. And that is actually what sets us back behind everything. So I mean just the percentages, over 85 percent of the snaps you’re doing pretty good. It is 2.5 per rush, that’s a really good run defense. And then you get these explosives in there and it just escalates everything. So we have to make sure that we do a good job of eliminating them and minimizing them. Like maybe you give up a 10-12-yarder, but let’s not turn that thing into 25 or 30.

Q: Has there been a common denominator for them?

SHANE BOWEN: It hasn’t. It has been sporadic. I think it’s been different guys in different places at different times. So I think tackling is the one thing that comes up. Yards after contact we are toward the bottom of the league only in yards per carry. carry. Which teams get after contact. We have missed too many tackles. I think it has contributed. And then it’s just to understand, make sure where we have to be and not jump under, not jump outside, before that ball declares.

Q: You mentioned those factors a lot, but personnel-wise, did you make changes there to see if maybe just another guy would do a better job?

SHANE BOWEN: I think it’s just continuing to focus on our fundamentals like the tackling and making sure we work on that every day ad nauseum, but it’s got to be something we continue to improve . And again, apparently not doing enough if it doesn’t show up on Sunday. So it’s just something we have to continue to emphasize and work on. And I think the other big part of it is just getting off blocks, like making sure we trap. It’s one thing we’ve got to make sure we’re where we need to be when the ball’s still left to go anywhere, but at some point we’ve got to be able to pounce and show up and make some plays.

Q: Is there any advantage to the bye week versus, as you said, day-to-day you drill, you grind, you grind for the next game? The idea that there’s a reset that can be done where the guys come back to the training ground on Monday and you can kind of wipe the slate clean and say, ‘okay, we’ll go right back to what we’re supposed to do and get rid of habits’ , or is it really just more of the same?

SHANE BOWEN: I think for sure you change your weight; you find ways to recreate the situations they find themselves in on Sunday as best you can as a coach. Hopefully we will evaluate it week to week in relation to the exercises we do. But I think just with the extra time and being able to have them in the meeting room, you can really go through and show all the things consecutively where in a normal week you really practice a game. You train the previous match and then you are like on to the next one. So that gives you some time to dive back where the players can see the bulk of it instead of just a specific case on Sunday earlier. So there’s a little more focus, I suppose you’re able to get out of it.

Q: What have you seen from (Buccaneers quarterback Baker) Mayfield and what he brings?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, he’s having a really good year. Again, the ability to create is always there with him, to extend plays, to scramble, he will take the open lanes. If they are there, he does a good job of distributing, getting the ball in the hands of the boys. They have done a really good job after the catch. I think their perimeter players, running backs, they’ve all done a really good job after the catch. He will take his shots; he’ll find ways to get it to (Buccaneers wide receiver Mike) Evans down the field. We understand that. But I think he is comfortable in the system and it shows. He knows where to go with the ball and includes everyone. So it will be a big challenge for us. He is playing at a really high level right now. I think he’s top five in almost every category quarterback-wise. He has many weapons. I think the two backs, how they use them, not only in the run game but also in the passing game with the screens and some of that, they have a lot of ways they can attack you.

Q: Dexter Lawrence can’t play every snap. If I remember correctly, he was last game on the bench to start the third quarter after the 20-minute break. Why did he need a breather there?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I think we do a good job of trying to manage the whole game where those snaps are accounted for. (Defensive line coach Andre Patterson) Dre does a really good job of handling that and just making sure we got these guys fresh in the fourth quarter when it matters most, especially with a lot of these games coming up. That game, you go back and see, it was four drives there at the end where we had to get a stop and we were able to. So just trying to get through the whole game with him a little bit, so we’re fresh in fourth. Obviously, we want him out there every time. I wish he could play 100 percent. I would never take him off the field if I could. But in order to get him the best we can, we have to find some places to rotate other guys.

Q: (Inside linebacker) Bobby Okereke is really important to this defense, but it doesn’t feel like he’s had the impact that he might have. What do you see from him and how might you get more out of Bobby?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I think he’s done a great job, I really do. I think he continues to play downhill and try to find ways to pick his moments when to trigger and come downhill and be a little bit more confident downhill. But he is physical when he does it. You notice him on the linemen taking those guys on. I think just continue to develop in the passing game where we can find ways to take advantage of his length. Zone coverage, that’s between him and some of these other longer players. They can take up a lot of space without really being in many places, just because of their length and their visibility. So continue to develop some of that where we can use him that way and take advantage of some of his length and ball production that he’s had.

Q: As a defensive coordinator, does a quarterback change affect you at all?

SHANE BOWEN: I mean, no. I think we need to make sure we are focused on us and control what we can control. We have plenty to worry about defensively, especially with this cast coming in. I think the biggest thing for coaching staffs, for players, you support all your teammates whether they’re playing or not. You get to ride behind whoever is in there. You’re going to support the guys that aren’t in there the same way, because again, they could be in there at any time. It’s football. Being a good teammate, making sure you support each other, encourage each other and at the end of the day we have to do our part. We have to do our part to help those on that side of the ball. We have to do our part, get some takeaways, another area we struggled with. That’s another way we can help the crime as well.

Q: Is there anything you do differently? We only get to see the first ten minutes of training. Have you added more ball stripping exercises or anything you’re doing to change this weekend?

SHANE BOWEN: Yes, I think more emphasis is placed on showing them options. I mean going back through the opportunities we missed to attack the ball. I think what’s glaring to me is with all the sack production and press production, not being able to get it (the ball) off the quarterback. Quarterbacks are the number one fumbler in the NFL year after year. So when you get opportunities to get it away from them and you’re back there, make sure we don’t miss opportunities to get it away from the quarterback because we’ve missed a handful where we should have been able to get it away from the quarterback. quarterback.

Q: How do you explain a choice? Have you been around something like this before?

SHANE BOWEN: I wish I had an explanation because then I could probably have a solution. I think we should make them when we have chances. There are a couple that we haven’t done when we’ve had a few chances to get them. Continue to make sure we take advantage of our opportunities when we are in vision and breaking zone type coverages. You’re playing man, it’s going to be hard. Again, the main purpose of man coverage is to make sure your guy doesn’t catch the ball. So when you’re in these man coverages, it becomes a little difficult because you’re focused on driving and closing space, and you have to play a little more through your hands, where you don’t have as much vision to break some throws. I think the batted balls are coming up, that’s an area we’ve done decently in, but to be able to get some more batted balls, get some tipped passes in the air that we can come down with and ultimately make for us to continue to impact the quarterback. It forces them to make some errant throws, some quicker decisions with the football when he might not be ready and hopefully in the right spot and we can make plays when they’re there. I’m looking like you right now. We are looking and trying to find ways to generate some more revenue.

Q: When you show the clips of getting to the quarterback and emphasize that, what do you point out that they can do better and what do you want to see from them?

SHANE BOWEN: Yeah, I think just attacking the ball. There have been a few times where the quarterback doesn’t feel that guy, especially on the edge. If he comes from behind. There were a couple where we got head on him and he has it there and he doesn’t really see us and we don’t attack it. So make sure there is a weight on the ball. Again, you’re talking out of both sides of your mouth because this week we’re telling them the same thing. The baker is strong in the pocket. He will try to avoid. Make sure you are able to stay on your feet. You can’t lunge at the guy. But at the same time, if the ball is there or if I’m trying to reach from the back, don’t miss opportunities to use our length, be long and try to knock the ball down at his arm, at his elbow, whatever had to be, to see if we can get the ball away.