Buccaneers
- Buccaneers HC Todd Bowles said both LB Shaquil Barrett and CB Carlton Davis are trending toward playing in the final game against the Panthers. (Rick Stroud)
Falcons
- Falcons HC Arthur Smith on the loss to the Bears: “Does it break anybody’s spirit here? No. Nobody liked what happened yesterday, but we’ve got life.” (Tori McElhaney)
- Smith said QB Taylor Heinicke will do “everything he can” to play against the Saints, via PFT.
Saints
Saints HC Dennis Allen told reporters that QB Derek Carr is healthy and hitting his stride as the team continues to push for a position in the playoffs heading into Week 18.
“He’s probably as healthy as he’s been in a while, and so, you feel his accuracy in his passing, you feel more comfortable in the pocket,” Allen mentioned on Monday, via the team website. “Obviously, I think the protection has improved, and that also leads to him being a little bit more comfortable in the pocket.There are still some times I think we need to do a little better job of being on the same page with everything. But for the most part we’ve been on the same page with what we’re seeing in the passing game.”
“He’s done a good job of protecting the football for the most part, and that’s the No. 1 stat in football, is the turnover-takeaway ratio,” Allen said of Carr. “I think it was a big part of the win. That’s one of the things that we continue to preach, is make sure that we’re taking care of the ball offensively and when we’re in the return units and special teams, and being able to take the ball away when you’re on defense or in the coverage units on special teams.”
- Allen said LB Nephi Sewell has an ACL injury and will require surgery. (Katherine Terrell)
- Nick Underhill reports that Saints OL Landon Young may have avoided a serious injury that will require surgery.
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