WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Notes, Quotes

The Sports Xchange

December 07, 2018 at 6:34 pm.

–Defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul isn’t satisfied with the Bucs’ modest two-game win streak. He knows they have to win them all.

“We already know we’re in our playoffs and I can’t stress it more,” Pierre-Paul said. “It’s either win or go home.”

At 5-7, the Bucs will try to keep their slim playoff hopes alive Sunday against the Saints (10-2), who they beat 48-40 in the regular-season opener.

Since that game, New Orleans has won 10 in a row before losing to Dallas 13-10 on Nov. 29.

–The Bucs had too many injuries on the defensive line earlier in the season to utilize much of a rotation at that position. But lately, they have done a better job of keeping players fresh with the return of end Vinny Curry and the continued improvement of rookie tackle Vita Vea.

“These last three or four games we’ve kind of been in a five defensive end, three defensive tackle (rotation) and then (William) Gholston can go either way in base,” head coach Dirk Koetter said. “They still put some of those ends inside for sub-rushers. Gerald (McCoy) doesn’t like to come out. I mean, Gerald still plays a lot of plays. It’s not the rotation that we envisioned at the start of the year, but I think we have finally gotten into a better spot and we’re still not completely healthy. Several of those D-lineman are battling every week, Gerald included. I think hardly anybody isn’t. Getting Vinny Curry back up where he’s playing more snaps, I think that’s helped as well.”

–Forecast for Sunday’s game is 70 percent chance of rain with thunderstorms likely.

“We look at it. We started to look at it on Monday and then we monitor it during the week,” Koetter said of the forecast. “One thing I’ve learned in my time here, whatever’s projected four or five days out that probably isn’t what it’s going to be on Sunday. This time their sticking to it that it’s going to be 74 and stormy, so wear your raincoats.”

BY THE NUMBERS: 24 – Number of sacks by the Bucs since Week 7, the second most in the NFL only to the Saints, who have 25.

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