NFC Notes: Buccaneers, Panthers, Saints

Buccaneers

When asked about the Buccaneers’ season-high of 487 yards in Week 17, OC Byron Leftwich responded that skeptics aren’t acknowledging the improvements they’ve made throughout the season. 

“When you really listen to people talk about us, that’s emotions talking,” Leftwich said, via Joey Knight of the Tampa Bay Times. “That’s not really people that’s watching us, watching us get better every week. For some reason, everybody wants to throw dirt on the Bucs, but we’re not ready for people to throw dirt on us.”

Leftwich doesn’t think that their offense has overly struggled this season regardless of their 8-8 record. 

“I think (there’s) been moments where we haven’t really been that bad,” Leftwich said. “I think you guys over-exaggerate because we look different.”

Buccaneers QB Tom Brady points out that they have changed some things schematically for their offense this season.

“I think over the year different things have changed with our offense. Players have changed, some scheme things have changed,” Leftwich said. “Some things we’ve done consistently well, some things we haven’t, and we try to get rid of those things. I think the point is, you’re always trying to gain progress every day. And certainly we didn’t start at a great place. There’s certain games where it was probably better early and worse late, some games where it was not great early and great late.”

Panthers

Hall of Famer and former GM Bill Polian points out that Panthers’ interim HC Steve Wilks has done “really outstanding” with the roster he inherited this season. 

“You’re judged in this game by what you do with what you have,” Polian said, via David Newton of ESPN. “What Steve has done with this team is really outstanding.”

An anonymous NFL executive added that Wilks has proven capable of the full-time job. 

“He’s more than shown he’s capable,” said the executive. 

Panthers G Austin Corbett mentioned that Wilks has proven himself as a leader to the team. 

“Being a head coach in the National Football League, you have to be a leader, you have to know how to control a room,” Corbett said. “He’s done a fantastic job and we need to just build off this momentum we have.”

Saints

Saints HC Dennis Allen said, despite a losing season, that the team’s young players have stepped up and captured key roles.

“There’s been some really good growth out of some young players,” Allen said, via ESPN. “None of you guys knew who (WR) Rashid Shaheed was when he first showed up. And for him to develop the way that he has, has been outstanding. I know that when we took (WR) Alontae Taylor in the second round, there were a lot of people that said ‘What are we doing?’ And watch his growth. So, yeah, it’s awesome to see these young guys grow up and develop, and they still have a long way to go, but that’s what this is about.”

Saints TE Juwan Johnson knew Shaheed would be great when he was catching passes off of the JUGS machine while rehabbing a knee injury.

“He wasn’t able to play yet, he was still on the JUGS catching when he couldn’t even run full speed yet,” Johnson said. “I just know he wanted to get better in that moment…I’d seen it in him then that he was going to be pretty good. I didn’t think he was going to be this good, but he’s doing great.”

Johnson expressed confidence in GM Mickey Loomis‘s plan and said that he’s been great at identifying talent that slips under the radar.

“I don’t know what Mickey [Loomis] is doing. I don’t know how he finds these guys. I don’t know what he does, but man he does a great job man,” Johnson said. “And the thing is, us undrafted guys, we don’t come in thinking we just arrived just because we’re on the team. We just want so much more.”