CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Here’s what Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had to say after the 29-21 win over the Panthers on Sunday:
Key to the running game to have over 100 rushing yards: “I thought our offensive line played well. I think they came in. They had a great week of practice. I think their confidence is building. I thought they created some good gaps for our runners and I thought our runners ran hard the entire day. All three of them finished really, really well in the run game. In order for us to be successful that is going to have to be how we do it moving forward. Happy for those guys. They played hard. They played well.”
Importance of long pass to Russell Gage: “Yeah, I thought it was a good jump start for us. To try and get a double move. Kind of show them something and get behind them. We had another chance and missed with Tajae Sharp, which could have been a big play too. I thought Art called a great game of taking our chances down the field. Running the football. Some great calls on third down to extend drives. And that is what we need to do. When we get chances when we have single safety coverage in one-on-one chances, when we get those it is great to take shots like that.”
Credit: AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman
Credit: AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman
Importance of long pass to Kyle Pitts and running the clock out: “Obviously, when you have a lead and you have the ball, you want to end the game with the ball in your hands. We had two chances to do it. I think ultimately if we want to be the best football team we can be we have got to take advantage of that first opportunity. Again, we had that second opportunity and I thought that was another great call by Art to get Kyle coming backside, put him in space. I also thought a really heads up play by Kyle too. Get vertical and then cut that thing back inside. Get what he could get, protect the football, and keep the clock running.”
Thoughts on the new confidence of the offense: “Yeah, I think there is definitely confidence building for those guys. I think it is continuing to work at the same little details that I think those guys are getting better at. The thing I love about those guys is they have stayed the course. Where it hasn’t been pretty or perfect, you know the entire year they have stayed the course. They have continued to work hard. They have had great attitudes Wednesday, Thursday, Friday on the practice field pushing themselves to get better. Not getting bored with the same old same old working combination blocks. I think we are starting to see it improve and we are going to need it as we come down the last four games of the regular season.”
What he said to the referee after the failed two-point conversion: “I thought the guy hit me right in the face. Let him know that. You know it is hard. Trust me. I get those guys are in a tough spot to see everything and I understand that. I also think you can in the right way lobby for your cause too. I was trying to be respectful, but trying to let them know I thought that was a penalty.”
How the progress of the defense affects the offense: “Well I think it is huge. Turnovers, short fields that they have created are huge for offenses. I think where we can take our next step is making sure that we convert on all of those opportunities that we get. But, it is definitely encouraging to see from those guys. Stepping up. Making plays. Creating those turnovers. Getting fourth down stops. Turnover on downs are huge. I thought they played very well today.”
If he pays attention to conference standings: “I’ve got an understanding of where we are at. I don’t think you obsess over it. You have to focus on taking care of your own business and finding ways win week in and week out. But we understand where we are at this time of the year.”
How he approaches the next set of games: “ You make the big things little. You don’t overwhelm yourself with what we have to do from the next four games. You worry about what we have to do in this next football game. Each week is a new challenge. Each week is a different challenge. And what is going to be required of us is going to be different every week. We have got ourselves in a position where we are still in the mix. That is all you can ask for this time of year. You want to be in competitive games that mean something. Certainly, next week is that for us.”
Thoughts on the success they have had on the road: “I don’t know. If we knew, we would solve that issue. I am not sure. I guess luckily enough we are on the road next week so maybe that is a good thing for us. But we have got to find a way whether it is home or on the road to play our best football and play consistently. For whatever reason we have done a better job of that on the road this year.”
How he developed his attitude towards paying attention to playoff standings: “I think that comes with experience. I think that every year is different too. And you know I was really fortunate early in my career. We were in the driver’s seat a lot. Maybe on the other end of it learning that if you obsess over where you are at from leading the division, it takes away from focusing on winning the next game too. I think I have learned as I have gone along in my career from all kinds of different situations that I have been in that is really doesn’t do you any good to focus on anything further than the one opponent you are playing that week. And it is easier said than done. You have to remind guys all the time, we can’t look too far ahead. You have to have this narrow focus. I keep going back to you have to make the big things little. You have got to keep things really simple. I know I am not smart enough or have the wherewithal to handle too much. It is all about small focus and I think if we do that we will be okay.”
If he doesn’t let guys think about tie-breakers or what-ifs: “It doesn’t make a difference. We can only handle what is in front of us. We can’t change anything that has happened up until this point. Again, it is all for not, none of it matters if you don’t win games. We just have to hammer out wins as we keep moving forward.”
If he thinks they have played their best and consistent football yet: “No. I mean listen, we played well enough to win today. I think we can play better than we did. There are areas that we can improve. And that is always the case. Win or loss. I still think there is more consistency for us. I still think our best football is still in front of us. We are working to get there.”
What he thinks their best football looks like: “Well I think it is probably different every week, but it is not turning the football over, it is being opportunistic with short field opportunities, it is making sure we score when we have turn overs. Taking advantage of the opportunities that we have in front of us. I look at today and I look at two or three opportunities that we could have done better. It is good enough to win and you don’t apologize for winning. There is no doubt about that. We have got to focus on improvement. Daily improvement and trying to be better than we were this week when we go out to San Francisco next week.”
If the improvement of the running game increases his confidence: “I think we are improving. I think the belief level of how we are as an offense and what we are being asked to do I think there has been improvement in that. I think we have gotten better. I think my confidence has been there every week. I really do believe that regardless of how a game shakes out you have got to find a way to win. Whether that is running the football, throwing it, whatever it is. You’ve got to find a way to get the job done. But I do think the confidence across the board for our offensive line. The way that they have worked. The way that we are running the football the last couple of weeks they should be proud of what they are doing.”
If the pass to Kyle Pitts was designed like that: “I have got to look at it, but who cares. He was open. So, we will take a look at what happened. You don’t ask a question when a guy is wide open you just get it to him and move on.”
What happened with the missed pass to Tajae Sharpe: “Yeah just have to get it further down the field. We just didn’t connect on it. I have got to give him a better chance to make a play on the football.”
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Falcons at San Francisco, 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 19
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New Orleans Saints at Falcons, 1 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9
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