Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Logan Mankins has insisted that his side need to battle on, despite their season being all but over.

The 32-year-old joined the club just before the start of the season in a trade deal from the New England Patriots, and has been part of a struggling team for the first time in his NFL career, with his side currently at 1-7 in their campaign.

"It's a grind right now," Mankins told the Tampa Tribune. "We're not where we want to be and the only way I know to get out of that is to keep working hard, keep fighting on Sunday.

"I was raised to where you always fight to get back up. That's what I'm trying to do."

Lovie Smith's side face the Atlanta Falcons in their NFC South clash on Sunday.