Courtesy of the Buccaneers

(On the quarterback situation)
“It looks like Brian [Griese] is still coming back from his arm injury. All I can say is, we’ll keep you up to speed there. Obviously, throwing the ball is important. Jeff took the majority of the reps today. Luke McCown will be ready as well. That’s the best I can put it right now.”

(On how Jeff Garcia performed on the practice field)
“I think he did well today. We had a modified practice today, obviously. We have a number of players that weren’t able to participate; others were limited. But I thought he did a good job and I was really encouraged by seeing him back.”

(On Garcia not being in form earlier in the season and if he’s more in form now)
“That’s why we made a change. Yeah, I do, I think he is coming back and that’s a good sign. If you’re Jeff Garcia and you play the way he does, mobility and creative playmaking is a big part of his style. I agree with him.”

(On concerns about LB Barrett Ruud’s health)
“Barrett did not practice today, but knowing Barrett, he’ll find a way. You’d like to see your middle linebacker flying around feeling good, but that’s pro football. We do have some injuries right now to key guys and that’s the way it is. It’s a great opportunity for somebody to step up, but I’ve got confidence that Barrett will find a way to the field. This is a big game for us.”

(On red zone efficiency on offense)
“You beat yourself up on it. Last week we got there three times. We analyze it to the point of insanity, really. We got down there early in the game and we missed [Jerramy] Stevens wide open for a touchdown. Then we got a third-and-10, we got a three-man rush and we kicked a field goal. It was a good drive, we just didn’t capitalize on a great look. Second time we got down there, there were seconds left in the half and the coach kind of took it out of some guys’ hands and chose to play a safe situation and get a field goal. Late in the game, we got a touchdown. So stats are stats, look at the film, we’ve got to do a better job. There have been a couple times where we’ve kneeled in the red zone. We’ve got to play better and I’ve got to call better plays too.”

(On the five-game home losing streak to Carolina)
“I think there has been a common thread – they’re pretty good. There have been some impact plays in this game that have obviously decided the outcome. We’ve missed some kicks, a turnover here and a turnover there has hurt us and I’ve got to do a better job.”

(On exploring trade options with the deadline approaching)
“Nobody makes trades. I think we’re the only team that’s made a trade in the last 10 years at the trade deadline. Nobody makes trades. It’s fun to talk about. The reality is there are not many trades that happen. We’ll always open for work here, but that doesn’t mean there are a lot of willing partners. Making trades at midseason, let’s be honest, is a tall order to get somebody in here and get them ready to play in your system. This is a little bit different than any other pro sport. The NBA, sometimes they can suit up and figure it out with 24 seconds to shoot it. Major League Baseball, you’re still playing third base, you’re hitting fifth here instead of third, it’s not culture shock. So there are some reasons why I think trades don’t happen. It’s just hard on both sides, I think.”

(On the lack of big plays in the passing game)
“I’d like to see a lot more big plays. I’d like every play to be a big play. I’m one of those kind of guys. I’m a thrill-seeker, you know?”

(On Panthers DE Julius Peppers getting back to form)
“He’s great. He had some issues last year physically, I’m sure. Health-wise, I don’t know exactly what they were, but this is one of my favorite guys to go compete against. I enjoy it a lot because he lets you know right away in terms of where you are as a football team. You’ve got to account for him. He’s a great player. Jon Beason, same thing. I really think the young linebacker out of Miami is a go-getter. He’s really something.”

(On Peppers moving to the right end and presenting a bigger challenge)
“Yeah, if you’re the left tackle. You wake up and say, “Damn it, they moved him to the right side.’ He’s a great player and he can rush anywhere. He’s great on his feet. They’ll drop him off in zone and he can run like a cat. I’ve seen him chase some plays down and his pursuit ability is rare. He makes some of the darnedest plays and he’s a great physical talent. They’ve kind of zeroed in on what they want him to do and he’s doing it well.”

(On the rivalry with Carolina)
“There’s a lot of respect. These games have gone down to the wire. These have been hard-fought football games. Two teams that are very similar, in my opinion, anyway. Two-back team, for the most part, like to run the ball. Both teams play an aggressive style of defense. Both teams have very good kickers. This is a very physical game.”

(On having fewer deep passes this year)
“I don’t know. We won the Chicago game going deep. We’ve had some deep passes. We’ve missed some deep balls, and like I said last week, I don’t care who you get in here to throw deep against that, you’re probably not going to get very many down-the-field options. That’s the way it is. Hopefully we’ll get a chance or two on Sunday.”

(On Miami’s single-wing plays)
“It’s an unbalanced line, you’ve got Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, they’ve got a lot of talent. There’s been a couple of runs – Ronnie Brown ran over the safety one time and ran for a 50-yard run. It wasn’t exactly because it was a single-wing, it was one hell of a run. There’s a time and a place for anything. I give [Offensive Coordinator Dan] Henning a lot of credit. He’s done this a long time and he’s found a little tool right now that he’s putting to good use.”

(On if the Panthers remind him of the 2003 team)
“DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart – Stewart, he’s a No. 1 draft choice for a reason. They weren’t the only team that liked him. They’re talented guys and completely different. Powerful, big, fast elusive Stewart and DeAngelo is very thick and quick. He’s got tremendous lateral ability. They’ve improved themselves. [Jordan] Gross is a good tackle, we know that. They’ve added [Jeff] Otah, first-rounder out of Pitt, they traded up to get him, and [Jake] Delhomme is back. With Steve Smith and [Muhsin] Muhammad, they have all the components in place right now to be pretty good and they’re feeling confident.”

(On if the Bucs took a look at Stewart before the draft)
“Yeah, we had him in here.”

(On what they saw in Stewart)
“Did you watch the USF game? No one ran like that ever against USF. That’s one of the best defenses in college football, and not just that game, every game. He’s just an outstanding football player. That game in particular blew me away.”

(On Delhomme’s recovery from last year’s injury)
“I’m happy for him. I think he’s a great guy. I love competing with him also. He’s beaten us three or four times. If you want to know the common thread, Delhomme’s been a problem for us in the last seconds of this series, and so has [John] Kasay. I don’t like Jake this week, and I don’t like Kasay either. But they’re great competitors and clutch performers. You can ask San Diego. He made an unbelievable play to beat them out there.”

(On injuries to the quarterback affecting the offense)
“I’ve had a lifetime of injuries. It’s hard to describe in a short little press conference here, but it’s hard. You’ve got a lot of things you’ve got to deal with, obviously, and no one plays the position the same. Nobody likes this play as much as this guy or this thing as much as this guy and no one has the same style. Obviously it’s tough on you.”