HEAD COACH DAN QUINN
Opening Statement:
“That’s as rough as it gets for us today. We knew it was going to be two-hard nose tough teams. We expected that and it was. Both of these teams expected a battle, and that’s absolutely the case. We emphasized the ball and we didn’t get that part of our game done. We ended up being minus two today, and that’s not good enough for us. The number came off the penalties, but at the end of the game when you’re out minus two that’s hard to overcome. I told the team inside, when you’re in a tough spot you do it together, and that’s exactly what we’ll do. When we don’t take care of the ball and make those kinds of decisions, don’t get enough turnovers, that’s when it’s as hard as it gets for us and that’s where it is for us.”
On how frustrated he is with Matt Ryan continuing to turn the ball over:
“As our whole team goes, we want to make sure we’re emphasizing the ball .We didn’t get that done today with the football and that’s hard. I understand the competitor that Matt is for sure. I’d like to go back and look at the tape and see if it was forced or not. He’s a terrific competitor and one I know gives us all he’s got. We’ll go back and look at the tape and see if there’s ones that we can correct from those.”
On what kind of spot he was in after Tevin Coleman fumbled the ball:
“I wasn’t hesitant to go back at all. We weren’t for sure. We just wanted to make sure we were going to keep attacking. It’s a big part of what we do. That particular play ended up being for a big long one, and he didn’t take care of it at the end of the play. It didn’t mean back off, in terms of our philosophy of attacking. The run game, the keepers, the play action, and drop back are all a big part of what we do.”
On what they can do to fix the offense:
“In the turnovers today, a number of those happened on our side of the 50. You can imagine if some of those drives get to be extended, hopefully, there’s some numbers on the other end of that. We’ll start there looking first, and then pass that look for opportunities, or other things that came up in the game with each week the new challenges that come.”
On sticking behind Matt Ryan:
“I totally will. He’s absolutely the competitor I want. He’s what we look for and our team looks for the whole way. We’ll go back and find out was there a decision that could be made that could be different. If there is in those scenarios, then we’ll find those and say, where else could you have gone with it? The one where we needed to protect the points at the end, those will be decisions we’ll look at, but for him, the competitor, the style of player that he is, we’re not backing off.”
On whether he was surprised Matt Ryan made that decision on the interception in the end zone:
“Yeah, I’d like to go back and look at it to see was it a misread? It’s easy for me to say now, but I’d have to go back and look at it tomorrow and then I can follow up with you.”
On whether benching players is an option if they can’t hold onto the football:
“Every time we’re looking at it, is it unique, or is it the situation? I’m not thinking in that way right now. For us as a staff, and me as a head coach, we’ve got to get that part across to our club.”
On how the defense played against Adrian Peterson:
“We knew when he’s at his best, the cutbacks happen. I think that’s part of what happened on the touchdown one where it bounced outside. It was going to be hard fought exactly like we thought. Good running team and we do a good job against the run, so for them we knew that was the battle upfront for us today. There were some good plays on both sides. They had some and we had some, and it was the fight exactly like we anticipated from them.”
On any updates on Justin Durant:
“I don’t have an update on Durant right now. He wasn’t able to return to the game. He had an ankle injury, and I’ll follow up with you guys on that injury tomorrow.”
On how big it is to have Philip Wheeler:
“We have lots of faith in Phillip. With him, the different scenarios he’s played MIKE and WILL linebacker. He’s a really experienced player and one that we totally count on.”
On what Devonta Freeman’s status is going into next week:
“We’re hopeful that he’ll be cleared for a full participation beginning early in the week. We’re anticipating him being back at full strength.”
On Matt Bryant:
“Matt Bryant has a quad injury, so we’ll take him as well as we go through this week.”
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