Here’s what Carolina coach Ron Rivera had to say:
Q: How did cornerback Charles Tillman play in his return from his knee injury last week?
A: "He played well. He was fundamentally sound. I was a little concerned because we ended up playing him more than I really wanted to for his first game back. He was in position to make the interception. I know the receiver fell down, but he was on top. So, if the receiver stayed up, there would have been a battle for the ball. I thought he played physical and he looks to have no residual effects from having gone through the knee injury."
Q: Are you worried that Josh Norman’s talking is going to hurt the team?
A: "I thought Josh and I had a nice conversation."
Q: Is it more important to beat the Falcons or rest players for the playoffs?
A: "Our biggest focus, and our main goal right now, is to get home field (advantage) throughout (the playoffs). First and foremost, this next game we play has a lot of meaning. It's an opportunity for us to clinch home field throughout, and hopefully we'll be able to do that."
Q: What is it like playing a team twice in three weeks?
A: "For the coaches, the preparation will be a little quicker. Most of the tape is broken down that they need. They add this game that they just previously played. … We'll add that to the scouting reports and we'll get the breakdown and look at it."
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