FLOWERY BRANCH -- Here’s what Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had to say to the media on Wednesday:
On getting the offense back on track: “I think, you know, obviously the last two weeks, we were not up to the standard of we want to play. The only way I know to do is get back to work. Get back into the meeting room. Make sure that we’re doing stuff right right in the walkthroughs and then have productive practices and so that’s certainly what we’re looking for, you know, today when we get on the field. We got to put in the work. I really think we can do it. We’ve done it at times throughout the year and we just have to keep putting in great effort during practice and making sure that we’re putting ourselves in positions to be successful when we’re playing.”
On the last 26 drives: I think sometimes, you know, when you have weeks, like we’ve had, you know, it’s not one thing. It’s little things here and there that add up. We definitely have to be opportunistic.
On KYLE PITTS UNLEASHED: I think that you’re a play away from that. I always feel like you know, one explosive play away where you kind of get into a little bit of a rhythm. And it’s the same for myself, for him and for all our guys. It’s about staying on the details. Staying on the fundamental side of it and making sure you know, my feet are in good spots. You know, using good footwork to get myself in position to deliver the ball. Same thing for him, running routes, making sure that you know, releases are what we want. Stems are where we’re supposed to be and the timing and spacing is what you want. So that’s what we got to work on this week.
On his toe injury: “I feel pretty good. Yeah, I feel pretty good today.”
On rebounding from a stretch and the role of leadership: “I think it’s huge. You have to stay the course. I think experience helps you with that and you got to try try and pass that on to some of the younger guys. We’re…we still got seven games to go. There’s a lot of football to be played. A lot of things we can clean up and do better. We have to correct them now, but you can stay the course you never know what’s going to happen. And you have a belief that it just takes one or two plays, one or two series to kind of get you into that rhythm and get you rolling. I think if we can do that… like we’ve shown at different times throughout the year we can be explosive, score points and get the job done.”
On look back at the good film: “For certain guys. People are at different spots in their career and you know what help helps guys go. That’s the balancing act of coaching or leadership is, you know, finding the ways to get the guys as confident and you know, just in the right mental space that you know, they’re gonna go out there, they’re gonna play well. You’re always searching for different things. Whether if it is showing some of the stuff that we’ve done well throughout the year. Kind of bringing those clips back up or it’s opponent clips that we’re going against. You try and use all those things.”
On how you all can pay smarter: “Yeah, I think it’s about doing the basics really well. It’s making sure that each position, each guy, whatever play is being called, you’re operating, how we’re coached to. You’re not trying to do too much sometimes or go outside of the scheme and try to do something heroic. I think it comes back to let’s do what we’re coached. Let’s make sure that we’re fundamentally sound as we can be. Let’s not have self-inflicted wounds. We probably had too many penalties. We had some procedural penalties. , stuff like that. I mean, those kinds of things are hard to overcome. They make it really difficult for you to be consistent and efficient. I think we can do a better job than we’ve done the last couple of weeks.”
On getting some explosive runs: “You’d like to get them. That’s what we’re working towards. We are trying to find ways to be better. Create chunk runs. Makes it difficult on a defense. It opens up things in play-action pass, it helps slow down pass rush. It does a lot of those things. We haven’t done it up till this point as well as we would like. But I really believe if we keep working on it, they’re gonna come. We just got to keep hammering away at it, but it certainly helps. It certainly helps you do the other things that you want to do.”
On shaking off two bad losses: “I always feel like sometimes the toughest of situations, the best learning opportunities things you can pick up things you find out about yourself. And I think, you know, you grow from going through the tough stuff, and it makes you know, a better competitor as you go forward a harder, tougher competitor. I’ve always thought that in situations where you go through it, you don’t play the way you want.”
On his connection with Russell Gage: “I’ve been around Russ for a handful years. I think I’ve got a good rapport with him. Good feel. I think he does a nice job for us. You know our production across the board just hasn’t been that productive the last couple of weeks. I do think Russ did some good things in that game the other night made some really good plays. That’s what I expect from him. I think we all expect that from him, you know, as we move forward.”
On Jacksonville edge rusher Josh Allen: “He’s a good player physical. He has done a nice job for them. Good pass rusher. Strong against the run game. I think he’s playing really well for them. I’ve been impressed with watching them the last couple of days with how he’s played this year.”
On drive starts and first downs: “No doubt first down efficiency is huge. Playing in front of the chains is critical. Third downs are always tough in the league. It’s nice when you stay out of them. When you’re converting first downs on first and second down, it makes life a lot easier. I think that’s certainly an area we can be better.”
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