Falcons’ Bijan Robinson: ‘We need to come back, refocus and get our minds right’

BIJAN ROBINSON, running back

On the rushing attack: “It’s more just the game plan of what plays we are going to run. How we are going to get off and get out. It really just being more physical than the other team. We know that we can’t account for everything. It’s up to us running backs to make moves and get what we can. Get those first downs and long explosive runs that we want to do.”

On the passing attack: “We have to execute in the pass game as well and make them back off. So then we can continue to try to gash them upfront. That’s really the main focus. Main goal for us.”

On the team moving forward: “From this game right here, it definitely (is bad). We need to come back, refocus and get our minds right. We have a division game next week that need to win. We can’t come worrying about poor me or running slow. We just have to not worry about it and continue to push. With these long seasons we just want to have the best results as possible.”

BUD DUPREE, outside linebacker

On the getting to another gear: “We have to kick it up. We need to take another step. That’s good that we’ll be able to bounce back this week with a division game. That’s a beautiful thing. We need to focus on winning the next game.”

On getting stops: “Try to do a change. We had chances. We didn’t make the stops. Particularly me, in the one moment, I should have that stop. I saw the play happen. I should have just trusted the instincts and went ahead and took it.”

JESSIE BATES III, safety

On efforts to slow down Washington’s offense:

“We just take away some of his main targets that he wanted to use. I feel like we did a really good job of doing that. I feel like we have got to get better in the red zone. Something that’s been our strength throughout the year, I think they may have went three for three in the red zone today. So that’s something we have got to get better at like I said. I felt like we did a really good job of responding in the second half. Just something that we continue to learn from and continue to build.”

On whether the defense racking up sacks today was encouraging:

“Absolutely encouraging to see us get to the quarterback and definitely trusting the process came to life today. Congratulations to Calais. Happy he accomplished that feat. Only a few players in NFL history ever have, man, so that’s awesome. At the end of the day though, we have got to get back to work. It was definitely a hard one today, and we’ve got to learn from it and do what we do.”

On what it meant to him to be on the field when DL Calais Campbell recorded his 100th career sack:

“It means a lot, man. It means a lot. Just to see it first-hand, you know all of the work and success that he’s had over his career. Just to be close to that player and say that I had a little piece or part of his career that I played with him and to be on the team when he accomplished that, it means a lot.”

CALAIS CAMPBELL, defensive end

On recording his 100th career sack: “Yeah, it’s bittersweet, but I think it’s still pretty sweet. I think the best part about it was the genuine happiness all of my teammates had for me and just running around seeing how hype everybody was and coming to the sideline and literally everybody coming and dapping me up and just giving me some love, that’s a good feeling. We’d love to win the game, and then we’d have a better reason to celebrate.”

On how it feels to play well but lose the game: “We’ll watch the tape, and we’ll figure it out. I feel like there’s still just too many mistakes here and there that lead to big points. As far as our defense, we’re so talented, so gifted, and we have to have this mentality, this accountability that allows us to go to a higher level. I feel like we’re playing good defense one hundred percent without a doubt, but there’s another gear here that I just want us to get to. I think it starts with just the mentality, the will inside, in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line you saw it, you can feel it where it’s nothing they can do, we just keep coming and we have got to get that in the first quarter.”

On his thoughts of sacking 50 different quarterbacks during his career: “That is unique, it is cool to be able to spread it out. Spread out the physicality with all of the quarterbacks. I probably have to get a little thing set up when I get all of them. I can send them a jersey and see if they’ll sign it for me. I don’t know though, it’s pretty surreal. I didn’t even think about that, but I will say I love this game with all of my heart. Every time I play, I go out there and give it my heart, and to be able to go down in the history books that one hundred sack club is a cool thing I’ve dreamed about for a long time. To go and get 50 different quarterbacks too, that’s pretty surreal.”

JONNU SMITH, tight end

On his touchdown: “Yeah, it’s funny because I hadn’t been in the end zone. It was like a welcome back moment for me. I was so excited, I dang near juggled the ball, but I pulled it in, and it was a good feeling, especially at the time it was during the game and giving us a chance to go ahead and start driving this thing. So, just trying to make those plays when my number is called and put our team in the best situation to scrap out these wins.”

On how to ensure confidence in QB Desmond Ridder: “He’s good. He’ll be good. I know the guy we’ve got. I know the guy I sit next to every day, next to my locker. We’ll be completely fine on that end. I think we have to play better as a whole. It’s not just Desmond. It’s all of us. We’re a unit. Starting with me, I could’ve done things better today. That’s the attitude that we all need to have collectively. Not necessarily looking at positive things, but the negative things as well. If we play our brand of football, we’ll be fine. We just have to find a way to limit mistakes.”

The Bow Tie Chronicles