Here’s what Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones, who’s pace for more than 2,000 yards receiving, had to say to the media Thursday:
On the pressure to not go 1-4: "There is no pressure on us. The first quarter is done. It's four quarters. The first quarter of games are done. It's behind us. We have to continue to keep working and trying to get better each and every week."
On how he feels: "I didn't practice last week. I feel great. Always great. Just taking time. I'm a veteran guy. I know how to play the game. I know what it takes. Me missing a day of practice doesn't mean anything. I'll be ready to go on Sunday."
On being unselfish and not caring about scoring touchdowns: "For me, at the end of the day, I appreciate it with people noticing things like that, but more so for me, it's all about my teammates and being successful at the end of the day. I've had a lot of success by myself, but it's not good when you can't go accomplish things as a team."
On advice he's given to Calvin Ridley about the slow start to the season: "Like I said, we don't look in the rearview mirror. That's definitely behind us. Every day, you have to come out here and continue to keep working. You can't let games define who you are and your character as a player. You just have to come out here and keep working. Support one another, and it will turn around. It is what it is. You can't hang your head if you go out there and give it your all. ... If you are giving it your all, that's all you have."
On what he learned from the 2013, 2014 losing teams: "Like I said, most of it is just everybody staying confident. Not shying away from anything and just coming out here every day and keep working. Keep having that drive to continue to get better each and every day. It's not one of those things where our record defines who we are. Right now, we are 1-3 team. But at the same time, at the core, we are not built like that. We are way better than that. We just have to come out here and keep working."
On getting Devonta Freeman back: "Having Free back on the field will definitely help us be more explosive. Also, he'll open up more guys on the offensive side of the ball because you've got to watch Free on slip screens and little things out of the backfield. Even the way he runs the ball, if he's got a one-on-one matchup with a safety, he's probably going to win it 9 times out of 10. You have to have an extra set of eyes on Free."
On if the offense has produced at their level of expectations: "We are not there yet. We can always get better in various spots. We haven't played a complete game yet offensively. But that is where it starts, out here on this practice field. Guys building that confidence and taking that confidence into the game and executing."
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