FALCONS HEAD COACH DAN QUINN
Opening statement
“Good afternoon. As you look at it, Carolina is the best the league has to offer right now, but our performance was totally unacceptable. Too many explosives defensively that put us way behind, then couldn’t convert or move some of the opportunities offensively that we are capable of, got us way behind. That part was extremely disappointing, totally unacceptable performance for us.”
With a 21-0 start, what went wrong?
“I think the explosive plays, the run game that started right off the back, the deep play to Ginn. Those two ones weren’t anything new to scheme with us not executing like we are capable of. One of things we really pride ourselves on is being good against explosive, defensively, and that was not the case today.”
You said this was totally unacceptable, what changes are you going to make?
“I think number one it was totally unacceptable for everybody, that’s the coaches and that’s the players. Basically the message going back to the team is everything counts, look for smart, tough and finish. That’s what I expect from our club and that’s what we will get done. When that doesn’t happen, yeah I have a lot of disappointment and that is unacceptable.”
Would you say this is the worst performance you had this year?
“No question about it. We’ve been in some close games, ones that went both ways, but that was not the case today.”
On 74-yarder looked like the cornerback gave up on the play and was looking for the call, did you all see that on the sideline?
“Not on the sidelines, I’ll certainly watch that one closely and see. It wasn’t an unusual play for us in terms of how to play the style. He got beat over the top and our defense got beat over the top.”
You pulled the defense to the side, why isn’t the message getting through?
“I talked about poise on the sideline today with the club. We knew that was going to be an important part going into this game, so for us to not to have opportunities where we lost our poise or didn’t make the correct decisions. That’s where I wanted to make sure to remind us this game is going to be out there. There is still a lot of ball to be played at that point when I brought them together. They had the explosives, I wanted to go right back to our poise and play football in the exact style that we want. So when that didn’t happen, I wanted to make sure that I didn’t let it linger, I wanted to address it right then.”
But they didn’t get the message?
“They did not. In that case the message was about poise, both sides, the offense as well. That’s totally unacceptable all the way across, like I said, players, coaches, everybody in terms of style and attitude that we played with.”
Was that after Cox and Hageman had their blow up on the sideline?
“Yes it was that series or the series right after. They are like father and son, both emotional guys, and that’s what makes them both good. That wasn’t the one that set me off to talk about keeping our poise; there are a number of examples today.”
Which one set you off?
“I don’t know which one, if there is one mark to point to. There is a number of times obviously I just felt like for us to play the style and attitude we want, it doesn’t go that way. I just wanted to address that. I think it was on this drive, it must have been two or three after that one, a push after that one. I think it was a culmination as opposed to one isolated incident. I probably should have clarified that at the start.”
You play Carolina again in two weeks, what do you expect?
“I expect for us to have a much better performance. Like I said, they are the best the league has to offer right now and that showed today. Our performance hopefully is not indicative of how we will play against them again.”
On the offense
“I think the inability, at the line of scrimmage the quarterback had to hit some and our running game to get going that was going to be a factor. Then we get out of bounds we are down 21-0 at one point, sort of had the downs at that point. Some of course you look at and find ways to improve.”
What impresses you about the Panthers?
“Coming into the game I knew that they had done a really good job in terms of throwing the ball and going after it defensively. I thought, they are a complete club. The way they are playing, speed and effort that they are playing with, defensively, especially in the front seven, I think they are really aggressive. They have some uniqueness about them offensively. The explosive plays were a real factor for us today. They showed that part of their game where that wasn’t one of the things I thought was that unique about them going into the game today.”
What do you need to see from this ball club going forward?
“Number one I want to make sure that everything counts, the toughness, the effort and the finish. Those things more than anything in terms of the scheme, the way you can finish a block, the way you can finish a rush, the way you can play the technique just right, those are the things I’m looking for individually from them.”
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