FLOWERY BRANCH — Falcons coach Dan Quinn spoke to the media before practice on Wednesday.
Here’s what he had to say:
Opening statement: "Competition Wednesday, fully at hand. We had a really good walk through as the preparation begins and so we're off to a great start. I know there was a story, players had a meeting on Monday and, honestly, I think it's awesome. I've been a part of teams where that has happened and it's had a huge impact and from the player's standpoint they know me well enough to know I appreciate their leadership. It is all hands on deck for us to be at our best. I made sure, I wanted to communicate about that. I know that was a story that was out there.
And onto Tampa, great challenge. It’s our second time going back here in terms of the matchup. So that familiarity is there in terms of the people and the players and we’re expecting a great fight all across the board. So we started off with a great walk-through today and right back to it today, on our competition Wednesday and all the things we love about the process we go through to get ready.”
When can a situation like that team meeting become productive versus a distraction?
“I think it can become productive when, this is a really close group already, when you take that to a new spot, I think that’s when it can be productive. The only times I’ve seen where a situation like that wasn’t as effective, it was a third time, fourth time where some points with the group together didn’t get across. But having a team meeting has happened to lots of teams we’ve all been a part of. Coaches do it, players do it and it’s kind of a pretty cool thing in a lot of ways. Cause it’s like ‘A, man, I’m all in for ya. Whatever you need, you can count on me’ and usually that’s the case and when it’s not usually there has to be a second, third or fourth meeting and they’re not as effective. But knowing the group that we have, I couldn’t be more pleased that they got together, what they stand for, how bad they want it and I think that really comes across.”
When in this position, is it too early to look at each game like a playoff game?
“It doesn’t put too much pressure because, actually, we do describe it that way. We want to play championship ball. And we want to go about that every single game We’re not going to wait for another team to get ready. There are circumstances outside for us to have a championship week this week that started all the way back on Monday. We do actually subscribe to that. It’s a championship week for us. We know that. That’s no different than some of the ones we’ve had in the past. Our preparation, our mindset to go play and we will be ready to rock.”
Where does Freeman stand right now?
“He will have full participation. He’s been cleared. We will limit the contact for sure, just as a precaution. But he’s fully ready to play. He is absolutely jacked and for those of us who know Devonta in here, you can imagine the excitement he has. It jumps off the field and onto the tape about how much he loves football. We can’t wait to get him back out there.”
What about the offensive balance he can bring back to the team?
“In terms of the run game, he’s really understood the concept of what we’re looking for in our wide zone and taking it and pressing blocks all the way to bring our cutback back. So it feels like a while since he’s been out there because he got injured early on in the game and missed one so we can’t wait to feature him. He’s a real factor in the pass game as well. I think we all know that coming out the backfield, he can catch it like a receiver and he’s such a big playmaker for us. We’re absolutely thrilled to have him back in.”
Other injury updates?
“(Justin) Durant will be limited and (Leonard) Hankerson today won’t practice. He will be part of the rehab run to really push it to see where he can get to. But Durant, everybody else will be back in some capacity and limited fashion today.”
Still going to wait on that decision with Devin (Hester) til the end of the week?
“Yeah, we’re going to take it all the way, as far as we can. Every chance we get to take it as far as we can, we’re going to do that. So that’s what we’re going to do with Dev today. He will be back practicing and going for it. He’s such a competitor so he’s pushing as hard as he can.”
Are you worried about the pass interference penalties?
“The crew even that we have is big OPI (offensive pass interference) and DPI (defensive pass interferenc) and they’re really tough in that way. It’s at the line of scrimmage that we play but we do not have to get our hands inside. We like playing at the line but it’s the off the line stuff down the field that we’ve got to make sure we’re just on point. We know exactly the technique we want to play long, so at the top of the route that’s when we’ve got to be at our best. Making sure we don’t grab it, we can play right through the ball and that’s going to be an important one for us.”
When you looked at Desmond Trufant’s from the other day, thoughts?
“The contact happened just a fraction too early. He’s got really good ball skills so at that point we have to go over the guy and knock it out. Those are the ones there’s no one to hit a PBU on where he had a great break over on our sideline and that’s the one I’m saying: can you get in front and pick that one. The difference between the PBU and the pick is going back the other way.
“We understand that it does go a little bit with the price of doing business, we want to play on the guys and he is so close and so on it that he knows where he can and where he can’t in terms of that. He thought he was right on the money but it just turned out that he was a fraction early. But not backing off. Not with him, not with anybody.”
(Transcript by Erica A. Hernandez, Mobile Reporting Specialist of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
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