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What they're saying about the Bucs-Rams game

 
Published Dec. 24, 2012

Greg Schiano, Bucs coach, on the five-game losing streak:

"Three of the five, I would say flip a coin, you're winning or losing, (and) we are sitting here talking about, 'We've lost a couple here, but we are in the playoffs and that's great.' That didn't happen."

Josh Freeman, Bucs QB, on his recent play:

"I've got to take the blame as the quarterback. Saints game, this game, not really the brand of football I want to play. …

"(I'm) not depressed, just, I'd say, frustrated. As anyone who goes out each week and does everything they can to win (would be). When you lose, it's frustrating."

Mike Williams, Bucs WR, on Freeman:

"People are going to say what they want to say about him. I think he's the Buccaneers quarterback for the future."

Michael Bennett, Bucs DE, on who should shoulder the responsibility for the struggles:

"People want to say the coaches this, the coaches that. … It's not the coaches. It's the players."

Ronde Barber, Bucs S, on the team's development:

"Collectively, we're not where we want to be and clearly out of the (playoff) picture, and we probably were last week. This team will be the type of team that we envision."

Jeff Fisher, Rams coach, on moving forward:

"We've got seven wins now. I don't think many people thought we would do that, but we've got a chance to get eight, so that's what our focus is."

Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Rams LB, on rookie CB Janoris Jenkins:

"He's a huge playmaker. Any time the ball is up, he has a play to make on the ball."

James Laurinaitis, Rams LB, on being prepared:

"We felt like we had a good bead on these guys going into the game, and what they were trying to do. They had some tells. So we've got to credit the coaches and credit the guys for studying hard."

Pat Yasinskas, ESPN.com NFC South blogger:

What might be more disappointing than anything is that the Bucs haven't even been competitive the past two weeks and that's been against mediocre teams. All the progress that coach Greg Schiano seemed to bring in the early and middle part of the season has been negated. Things may not be as crazy as they were when the Bucs lost their final 10 games under coach Raheem Morris last season, but the quality of play is starting to look very similar. …

I've always been a big believer in Freeman and thought the Bucs had found their franchise quarterback. But, like many Tampa Bay fans, I'm starting to have some very real doubts.

Chris Burke, SI.com:

When Tampa Bay was 6-4 and riding a four-game win streak, Greg Schiano looked like a sleeper Coach of the Year candidate. Now, the Bucs are 6-9, have lost five in a row and, based on Sunday's showing against St. Louis, have totally folded up shop on Schiano.

It's hard to imagine Schiano's job would be in jeopardy already. If Tampa Bay starts 2013 slowly, on the other hand …

Jeff Gordon, St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

Still, a 15-point road victory is a notable accomplishment for this rebuilding team. The Rams defense threw the kitchen sink at Freeman and came away with four interceptions. The team had a solid emotional reaction to last week's disappointing home-field lost to Minnesota. The rebuilding program took another step forward.