Rudy's Blog Player
(The above video is from this summer when C-Lo was in town working agent Todd France's football camp.)
FLOWERY BRANCH – New Orleans linebacker Curtis Lofton spoke with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday.
Despite his teammate Keenan Lewis’ comments about hosting the Falcons ‘funeral,’ Lofton said that the Saints have an ample amount of respect for Falcons’ offense.
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Credit: D. Orlando Ledbetter
Here’s what he had to say:
Q: What’s all of this NFC South hate about? We saw the fight with the Panthers and the Falcons and Saints always rumble.
A: I think that when you play each other so much that you have a dislike for each other. Sometimes, just the passion of the game gets involved and little things set you off. I think, that's what you've been seeing.
Q: How do you the Saints feel coming into this game after taking the lead in the NFC South?
A: Coming into this game, we are very conscious of where we are as a team. We are coming off a win, but playing Atlanta . . . . Matt Ryan is having a heck of a year and he has a ton of weapons. Julio (Jones), Roddy (White), (Devin) Hester and they have a ton of running backs. As a defense, I know that they are definitely going to test us. They are probably one of the best offenses that we've played.
Q: How did you all get the new defensive backs acclimated so fast?
A: That's just the credit to the guys that they brought in here. I think one of the things that they do here at the Saints is that they bring in smart football players. When you bring in smart guys, it allows you to flood them with a ton of information and those guys absorbed it and put it out on the field.
Q: What do you see in Falcons running back Steven Jackson?
A: Steven, for his size, he has great feet and great balance. He's definitely been running really hard this year. It's going to take us getting all 11 men to the ball to bring him down.
Q: How are you all handling the playoff talk?
A: There hasn't been any talk really at all. We have to look at this as a playoff game. If you lose, you're out. If you win, you keep going and you live to fight another day. The thing about it is, it's a playoff game. It's a division game. The intensity of the game is going to be increased definitely.;
Q: What about your teammate (Keenan Lewis) saying that the y’all are going to have a funeral for the Falcons?
A: He's a confident guy and he believes in his team. But we have a ton of respect for Atlanta and this offense. The first time that we played them they put 500 yards on us, so there is definitely some respect. There is some respect from both sides. We just have to go into this game with the mindset that we are going to go out there and play our best.
Q: Is it bizarre that the Saints can still win the division?
A: I think that the way this year has been, it hasn't gone the way the NFC South had hoped it would. This division has been one of the best in football, but it's a down year for us. Whatever team comes out of this division is going to give a lot of other teams heck and I hope that it's us.
Q: What have you seen from the improvement along the offensive line?
A: You see a group of guys who are working really well together. They haven't allowed too much pressure and they block really well together. I don't think they had that cohesiveness early on in the year, but I think they have it now.
FALCONS FAN MAILBAG: We take your questions from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday.
ICYMI: In case you missed it
GAME STORY: Steelers knock Falcons out of first place with 27-20 wi n
QUOTEBOARD: What the Falcons had to say after the loss to the Steelers
SIDEBAR: Falcons slow Bell but not Steelers wide receivers
SIDEBAR: A franchise record for Roddy White, but no reason to celebrate
COLUMN: The blame for lose No. 9 falls on Matt Ryan -- Mark Bradley
NOTEBOOK: Jones, Moore held out with injuries
BY THE NUMBERS: Steelers 27, Falcons 20
UP NEXT: The New Orleans Saints at the Superdome where the Falcons are 1-6 under Coach Smith
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