Here’s what Carolina coach Matt Rhule, who has the Panthers off to a 2-2 start, had to say about the Falcons to the Atlanta media on a conference call Wednesday:
Q: What do you see from this Falcons team? They’ve shown some different personalities over the first four games.
A: “I see a really good football team. I see Julio Jones. I see Matt Ryan. I see Todd Gurley. I see Russell Gage. You know, I see (Grady) Jarrett. I see (Dante) Fowler. I see just a bunch of really good football players. I know they’ve had many injuries in the secondary. But they’ll be back healthy this week. So, we are preparing for a great football game. We know that they’ll be ready to play. It’s a tough place to play. We are focused on trying to play our best game against them.”
Q: How do you view the Falcons defense? They give up big plays, but have a goal-line stand to their credit.
A: “We haven’t created a ton of big plays. We are always trying to find a way on our end to create them. I think for us, just them having their guys backs -- injuries have really this year in the NFL with no OTAs and the changing of training camp -- injuries are hitting all of us in the league right now. We are trying to figure out how to deal with it because a lot of the guys that are playing, the (second-stringers), and the (third-stringers) haven’t had a chance to really play in any (exhibition) games. I think with the first quarter of the season done, a lot of teams, I think you’ll see them look a little bit different in the second quarter of the season. But I know for the Falcons, when we watched them, we see a good defense. We see a dominant defensive line. I’m sure (Takk) McKinley will be back and we’ll have to just try to find a way. The last couple of games that we played them it’s all been them harassing our quarterback. I think the big key for us is finding a way to protect Teddy and keep him comfortable.”
Q: How has Panthers running back Mike Davis (Stephenson High) been playing with Christian McCaffrey out?
A: “Mike has done a tremendous job. He’s run the football well. I think we are figuring out the runs that he likes. He’s caught the ball well out of the backfield. He’s picked up blitzes. I’ve been pleased with his progress and his development. He’s a great guy. I think the guys rally around him and I think that’s a key for us.”
Q: What kind of dynamic does Panthers wide receiver Robby Anderson bring to the offense?
A: “Robby is fast. He’s explosive. He’s dynamic. He’s tough. Competitive. Those are keys. It’s one thing to be fast, it’s another to be a fast and competitive guy. He blocks for us. He runs the full route tree and he catches the ball. He also caught a lot of balls underneath and then (made some) runs after the catch for us. I think he’s playing really well. We have to continue to find ways to get him the ball all over the field to take advantage of his run after the catch potential.”
Q: What was it about (offensive coordinator) Joe Brady that really appealed to you when you were putting your staff together?
A: “He was trained in New Orleans and I always respected that type of offense and have liked that type of offense. I saw the way he tailored it to LSU and gave it a little more college-type feel. I talked to him and he has the right mindset. My kind of guy. He’s a really good coach and I think we put a really good staff around him. They work well together. I always look at production and seeing what he did at LSU, I knew that he knows how to produce. I think he would come here and help us. We are not where we want to be, but we are making good progress.”
Q: How’s the Panthers' young defense developing?
A: “It’s been trial and error. It’s been guys finding their way. I’ve been pleased with their work ethic and pleased with their mindset. They try to get better each and every week. If we’re not good on third downs, the next week try to improve on third downs. So, I see them making small, but very significant steps each week. I’ve been pleased with the effort of the guys on defense. They work hard. They are good guys. I think the future is bright around here for us defensively.”
Q: How’s rookie defensive tackle Derrick Brown (AJC Super 11, Lanier High) playing for the Panthers?
A: “I think he’s playing really well. He’s been really good against the run. He plays a lot of snaps for us. Great guy. He’s going to be a really good player in this league for a long time.”
Q: Is it good to see Teddy Bridgewater back as dual threat after his runs last week?
A: “I was happy for him. He’s worked so hard. He asked for runs and the fourth-and-2, he converted with his feet and (he had) that long touchdown run. To me, anything you want to know about Teddy, just look at how the guys responded to him. They were so excited after that play. That, to me, is the ultimate gift that he has, he makes people better around him. People love playing for him and playing with him. I enjoy each and everyday that I’m near him and have a chance to work with him. I think he’s going to continue to grow and develop. I think he’ll get a little more comfortable in our system and our processes. He’ll get better and better.”
Falcons' next four games
Panthers at Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11
Falcons at Vikings at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18
Lions at Falcons at 1 p.m. Sunday Oct. 25
Falcons at Panthers at 8:20 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29
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