Buccaneers
- Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles spoke on several topics, beginning with whether OT Tristan Wirfs is ruled out for Week 17’s matchup against the Dolphins: “Yes, along with Anthony Nelson and [Calijah] Kancey.”
- Buccaneers DL Calijah Kancey made his return to practice, yet still won’t be returning this week: “He’s ramping up. He looked quick, he looked good hitting bags, so we’ll just keep ramping him up and getting him ready.”
- The team will start Benjamin Chukwuma at left tackle in Week 17: “Yeah, he’ll play left tackle this time. We liked what we saw last time, so he’s getting a chance to play and get better.”
- Bowles also commented on what he saw from OLB Jason Pierre-Paul in practice this week: “Really just grasping the system, obviously, and getting used to playing again. So, there are different things that he’s got to grasp that will increase his workload. As he gets more comfortable with that, he’ll get more playing time. They’re all different. I don’t know — you can’t get back into football shape unless you play football, so he’s been playing and getting used to everything the past couple of weeks. Back then, he was playing every day. He was retired here now that he’s coming back, so that’s a little different. We like where he is right now, it is just getting the mental part caught up with the physical [part].”
Cowboys
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott wants to finish the final two games of the season on a strong note and is hoping to play in Week 18 so that the team can come away with an even record.
“For sure, no question,” Prescott replied when asked if he wanted to play in Week 18, via the team’s official site. “I love this game, I love any opportunity that I get to play it. That being said, if I get to go out there, I’m going to give it my best, prepare the same way, and I’m going to be the same player that you guys know. I understand the reasons why maybe not, and if I’m approached with that, I’ll handle that then. In my mind, any conversations I’ve had with Schotty (coach Brian Schottenheimer) or anybody about it would be I’m playing. A lot of pride, I think that’s another reason I want to play. In a season of me being healthy, I’ve never had, in all of my life, career, a season under .500. So that tie’s going to come into play really well. It’s a huge difference.”
- The Cowboys are set to miss the postseason for the second straight year. When asked about how close he thinks they are, owner Jerry Jones said he was surprised that their defense didn’t turn things around by the time they played the Lions in Week 14: “To be very candid with you, the loss against Detroit was a surprise to me. I thought we had turned the corner defensively. … I thought it was onward and upward at that point.” (Jon Machota)
- As for whether he’s pleased with the defense’s scheme and coaching staff, Jones responded: “No. No. Not at all. We have a lot of work to do over there. But we can do it.” (Jon Machota)
- Jones said he didn’t have any explanation for why LB Logan Wilson didn’t play in Thursday’s game: “I don’t have an explanation for you for why Wilson wasn’t in there. We planned to have him in there. He needs to be in there. He has good instincts. The reason we got him was because he reads the play quick and can basically be in his lane of responsibility and react quick. It’s critical that a linebacker have quick reacting (ability). He’s able to do that. That’s why we got him.” (Jon Machota)
Saints
Saints RB Alvin Kamara appeared on former teammate LT Terron Armstead‘s show, The Set, and commented on the idea that he was holding the team hostage by threatening to retire.
“I saw a lot of people looking at that and saying, like, I was holding the Saints hostage by saying that if they traded me, that I would retire. Which is not at all what I was saying,” Kamara said. “What I was saying was the same thing that I’ve said my whole career. I want to be in New Orleans, right? Period. In the simplest of forms. I want to be in New Orleans. If I were to have to play football somewhere else, then I don’t want to play football, that’s all I was saying.”
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