Falcons coach Dan Quinn was not in a very good mood on “Tell the Truth Monday.”
Quinn had to gather himself three times while responding to a barrage of hard-hitting questions about the team’s five-game losing streak.
The former defensvie coordinator was still seething over the third down-and-19 conversion run by Tampa Bay quarterback Jameis Winston, who broke four tackles.
He also discussed quarterback Matt Ryan’s ill-advised throw on Lavonte David interception, Julio Jones’ desire to help more in the red zone, how he tries to help out the offensive play-calling and his impression of the undefeated Carolina Panthers, whom the Falcons face at 1 p.m. Sunday in Charlotte.
Here’s what Quinn had to say:
Opening Statement:
"Tough day for all of us, players, coaches, fans, and everybody involved. Hardest sequence for us was probably the finish and that's what we watched as a team today, where we had the missed opportunity for an interception resulting in a penalty, which led to a scramble on 3rd-and-19. After watching today was as hard as it could be for us. Worst play defensively for us all year. Then that led into the third down touchdown and interception on the next drive. We watched that all together as a group to make sure we understood exactly the message about finishing that we want to have. The lessons in finishing are hardest because it's really clear. It's at that time of the game where it's at the moment we'll all recognize it. That's in any sport, whether its basketball or fighting, and that was the time for us yesterday when a game is at hand and we didn't get the job done. That was a lesson we wanted to make sure we got across today. It's going to be a huge part of what I want to get accomplished here, in terms of the finish and the attitude that we want to play with. We didn't get that done yesterday."
On whether it was a matter of everybody not swarming to the ball on 3rd-and-19:
“Yep, absolutely. When I watched it for the second time it was really frustrating, and one that makes you sick when you watch it to see a play like that and not have the type of mindset to go get it at the end. Yeah, it was clearly an example of that because there’s no guarantee, even in that spot, there’s still going to be a long field goal.”
On the interception:
“No, I think the guy just had good depth on it. There’s a certain coverage and style that they play. Sometimes they’ll play a back closer and sometimes deeper, so that’s kind of the scheme that goes with it.”
On the Robenson Therezie interception:
“One of the things that really we look for is can we match some of the looks from practice into the game? So when we don’t execute sometimes on some of those, those can be ones that are frustrating for sure.”
On how many guys could’ve had Jameis Winston down on the play he made:
“I’d have to go back and look, but I’d have to say for sure there had to be, I would think, somewhere in the four neighborhood, four to five.”
On the missed tackles in yesterday’s game:
“It was double-digits, for sure. It wasn’t quite as many, but it was high. Anytime it’s a double-digit that’s usually the ratio when you’re at that many, that’s when it’s at its worst.”
On whether Matt Ryan didn’t see Lavonte David in the passing lane:
“I think he understood where the coverage was, and then sometimes like what I was referring to at the moment, ‘Okay, that one’s not there, so I’ve got to go somewhere else.’ I think that he saw him, but I don’t know if he thought he could throw over him. In that coverage specifically, it’s pretty clear where the guys are maneuvered.”
On whether it was more of a bad decision or bad throw:
“Bad decision. If he’d been up higher he could’ve thrown it over. Sometime you’ll miss that throw overthrowing it, but as it goes through there’s going to be decisions to make as he’s going.”
On why they haven’t been a team that’s wants to finish, a good tackling team, or doesn’t turn the ball over:
“We’re not there yet, in terms of the mindset of finishing and the attitude of where we want to go. There’s been times this year for sure that we have, so I want to make sure that hasn’t been lost. Like I said yesterday, I believe we’re 6-6 for a reason on both sides. Were we able to finish on some? Damn right we were. Were we able not to on other occasions? Yeah, you bet. I’m not going to say it was all one way for the entire season. It’s still going to be the focal point of what we want to do, in terms of the fundamentals and a ball hawking defense, and one that takes care it, but I’m not willing to say there’s an overall blanket of not going after the ball and not ball hawking on defense and not taking care of it in every game. That would clearly not be the case based on the score of the turnover margin.”
On what they were doing to take Julio Jones away in the red zone:
“Yeah, I’ll have to check with Julio on that one. There’s certainly some that we did take some shots to him yesterday in the red zone. One that I think was going to go his way, and he got sacked on another one. We’ll go back and look at that. It was one that I haven’t discussed with him specifically, but we’ll go back and see if there are different things that came up in the game.”
On the red zone problems:
“Well, I think number one, the biggest fix for us, from the percentage while you looked at it, was the turnovers. That’s where it started, so we improved in that area, but there are still opportunities for us to go and attack. We’re going to find ways to do that. It’s a big part of what we want to do, especially towards the end of the week. That’s where the preparation goes, and we may even add some more emphasis to that earlier in the week.”
On how much input he will try to have with Kyle Shanahan and the play calling:
“The best way I can help the guys is I can help looking at the other team’s defense. That’s generally how I try to help support the guys in the best way is looking at their defensive side first.”
On whether he’s been through a stretch like this in his coaching career:
“I’d have to look back, but it’s been a minute. I don’t mind the challenge that comes with it, I will say that. Some of the things that you have to have some struggle to come out the other side, and it has been a struggle, it’s been a fight. I don’t back off of that. I own that we haven’t played as well as we can, and that’s our job to make sure collectively as an entire group that we’re able to play our best ball. That’s what we’re going to get done.”
On what makes him believe he can finish strong against Carolina’s defense which is one of the best defenses in the NFL:
“I think the reason I have such belief about what we can do is because of my belief in the team and what I think we can become. As we’re starting this fourth quarter of the season it’s my belief in the players that enables me to have this vision of what I want us to play like, and the style and the attitude that I want us to go after the ball defensively, and the way we own it and attack offensively. I guess that’s where that stems from is my belief in these players.”
On any thought of Matt Ryan being overwhelmed with Kyle Shanahan’s offense:
“I think overwhelimg would be a strong statement for a guy who went 30-of-45 and 50 percent of third downs and had four drops with it. That’s my first take on that.”
On how they will stop Cam Newton from running the ball:
“Fair question. Tackling. He’s a terrific runner and every time we’re going into prepare there’s obviously a style and attitude that you need to tackle with and I think the people that can break the tackles and have the juice to make somebody miss, you better be on point with your tackling and we will be.”
On getting away from running the football:
“For sure, and that’s part of the thing that we don’t want to get away from in our identity of having balance. There are certain schemes in games that call for more, but that’s something that we certainly talked about and having our balance in the run game for sure.”
On how to keep this from snowballing even more than it already has:
“I think the number one thing is we want to go through a real process each and every week to get us ready to play. All the way from Monday and the preparation that goes in Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. For us to be able to be at our best it’s our fundamentals, how hard the guys play for one another and that part I don’t question. We’re going to get our technique right to be at our best and the guys are really close. It’s a tight group, so it’s not one where it’s pointing fingers, you didn’t do that and you didn’t do that. Usually that’s when your problems happen, and that’s not the case with this group.”
On his relationship with UGA’s new head coach Kirby Smart:
“Number one, I’m really excited for Kirby. This is a long overdue opportunity for him, and what a cool place for him to be up the road in Athens. Not only for a great job, but for his history there and playing there. I’m very excited for him. I went through it just to say I wanted to offer him with, I’ve been through that where you’re getting ready to play a championship game and trying to get a staff together, and how do you go about handling that in the best way because you want to make sure you’re giving all your time and attention to the guys, and the fans, and everybody who’s helped you have a chance to become a head coach. I just wanted to share some ideas and insight with him on that.”
On Grady Jarret’s first sack yesterday:
“Yesterday, I thought Grady had one of his better games. I thought he was really physical at the line of scrimmage both in the run game and pushing the pocket. He’s somebody that’s continually gotten better. Much like Justin Hardy, we were trying to fit him in and get him some early on, but he’s also somebody that’s really coming on.”
On what he would think if someone told him that Julio Jones would go a month without a touchdown and the team wouldn’t have a rushing touchdown since October 15th:
“I would’ve said I probably don’t believe you. I didn’t know that stat and that would be hard to think that would be the case.”
On Josh Norman:
“We’ll find out. I do like his style and his attitude that he’s playing with.”
On Lamar Holmes being waived:
“He was getting better, but from the setback that he had all the way, and had to do another surgery, and then get back going on the rehab. It was a long road back for him for sure.”
On whether he’s more frustrated or angry:
“Angry.”
On whether the players are angry:
“For sure they are. Sometimes anger can be fueled and used in the right way too. Sometimes it can be used as a motivator and used as an emotion in that way too.”
On what he feels like he’s gotten from Brooks Reed and Justin Durant:
“We’ll start with JD first, and then go over to Brooks. With JD, it’s the versatility. He’s plays in our base and nickel package. It’s the speed that we wanted to bring into our defense to make sure that we could just be absolutely flying, so I think that would be the first part with him. With Brooks, we were hoping for an edge setter who could also provide some pass rush as well. We’re starting to feature him a little bit more in the nickel package right now. We’ve flipped him and O’Brien Schofield some and we’ll see if we stay down that road depending on the game plan and the week. We did that for the last two weeks, but that’s kind of what I’ve seen so far from those guys.”
On whether they’ve given him enough:
“Yeah, they’re giving it all they got.”
(Transcript provided by Caliegh Lents, Atanata Falcons PR)
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