Rams Head Coach Bruce Arians – Rams-Buccaneers Postgame Quotes – September 29, 2019

(Opening Remarks)

“Obviously, it was a great team win. To be able to come out here to the defending champs and know it’s going to come down to the last five minutes of the game whether we played well or not. We did today and we’re learning. I thought we did offensively what it took to win the game, continuing to score points, being aggressive. Obviously, the defensive touchdown was huge at the end. Just can’t say enough about the whole coaching staff getting the guys ready. It was a tough loss last week, but victories like these galvanize a team. This team is starting to believe and see what they can be. Games like this, they’re big, they’re big for the future. It could have easily gone the other way just like a couple others have, but we found ways to win it. I guess we’ve got to learn how to play at home because we’re not bad on the road.”

(On if he thinks the pass rush sealed the win for the game)

“They sealed the deal, yeah. Big strip fumble and also an interception that ‘Shaq’ (Buccaneers OLB Shaquil Barrett) got. I don’t think anybody is going to catch (Buccaneers DL Ndamukong) Suh when he got a hold of that ball. That was a great scoop and score.”

(On reading scores with the Rams and being two scores ahead with eight minutes to go)

“It’s always going to come down to the last five minutes. It’s really how you play those last five. We had a lead, we gave up part of it, then we got it back. It was a really, really big drive going back and getting those points. There was no panic on our sideline, there was a lot of belief. I think we answered whether or not we’re tough enough to overcome a tough loss because we had a great week at practice and we showed up against a good, quality opponent on the road.”

(On him emphasizing the word “finish” all week and how big it is to be able to finish)

“It’s huge because that’s what young teams have to learn. They have to learn how to win. This could have easily gone the other way, but it didn’t. It didn’t because we finished it. All three phases finished the game to win it.”

(On how much the passing of Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht’s father was on their minds)

“Our guys are very resilient about it. It hurt the guys that know (Buccaneers General Manager) Jason (Licht) very well. We were sitting there and watching college football and you get that call. I’ve had that call and it’s tough. Like Jason said, his dad was doing what he loved to do, football and family and at a Nebraska game. So that part of it, that’s great. We’re all praying for him. We had him on FaceTime in the locker room and we gave him the game ball.”

(On jumping out to a 21-0 lead and finding a way to score in the red zone after having concerns in previous weeks)

“The red zone wasn’t a problem today. (Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator) Byron (Leftwich) did a great job, (Buccaneers QB) Jameis (Winston) did a great job all week of ironing out what we were going to see out here. They did a good job. I thought the throw to (Buccaneers WR) Chris (Godwin) was a great play. Two weeks in a row, we’ve come out in the first half and put a lot of points on the board and not punted, but once. That was a good drive because we took it off at about the 8-yard line. It’s still about finishing games. We’re 2-2 and back in it.”

(On what it says to have two receivers that get good looks)

“I can’t say enough about (Buccaneers WR) Chris (Godwin). Chris in practice, he’s hurting and to put that performance out there and again, the way he blocked. He’s a tough bird. (Buccaneers WR) Mike (Evans), we were just begging to finally get one-on-one. Jameis saw perfectly, read it. Great call by (Buccaneers Offensive Coordinator) Byron (Leftwich) to get the play-action pass right there. That was a huge one, the momentum. Great job of Byron putting him inside in third down away from the double coverage to where it was easier to read the double coverage. I thought Byron had a great plan.”

(On what it means to win a game on the road and put up 55 points against the defending NFC Champions)

“Wednesday will be fun. We’ll come back and it’s a new week. This is New Orleans week, which is always a big week. You can’t party long just like you can’t sit there and suffer long last week. You’re onto next week. We’ll enjoy this one on the plane home. We’ll be ready to go Wednesday.”

(On what he can say about his defense)

“The takeaway is that they gave us short field and they scored. I don’t go by yards. They set us up for touchdowns and our offense converted touchdowns when we got those takeaways, which is huge.”

(On how much growth there is for Buccaneers K Matt Grey after a rebounding from a long week)

“It’s huge and so is the confidence we have in the guy. He knows we have confidence. He’s not going anywhere. This kid’s talented. One kick doesn’t define you.”

(On Winston starting to find his stride in this offense)

“Jameis has played extremely well since the first week.”

(On former Rams QB Vince Ferragamo saying on television that Winston is playing the best he ever has in his career and part of it is his coaching)

“I can’t take any credit for that. Give it to (Buccaneers Quarterbacks Coach) Clyde (Christensen) and Byron (Leftwich). But, he’s playing really, really well right now, even the interception. He was trying to throw one in there and I don’t blame him because he’s got the talent to do it, just get a little bit higher.”

(On if he went into the game saying that he needed a certain amount of points to win the game)

“No, at halftime it was, ‘Do not let up. Do not let up because this team can score.’ Even with ten minutes left, ‘Do not sit on the ball.’ We threw a couple nice balls and got another good drive. The field goal was huge, but I would have liked to have gotten the touchdown, but the field goal was huge.”

(On if he has an update on Buccaneers WR Breshad Perriman’s hamstring injury)

“He’s had a problem, he pulled it, we’ll see how it goes.”

(On if the way his run defense is playing is exceeding his expectations)

“No, this is what we’re built for. We’re built to stop the run. We gave up that one touchdown when we just flat missed the tackle. We’re built to stop the run and then get after the quarterback.”