FALCONS COACH MIKE SMITH
Opening statement
“Like all of you that watched the game today, we felt like we had lots of chances to have a different outcome. We have to take advantage of the opportunities that we have in all three phases. I think that we normally have been a very good team in the red zone, and we were not able to convert and score touchdowns there. When you do that, you put yourself behind the eight-ball when you’re playing a good football team like the Pittsburgh Steelers. Overall, we didn’t play well enough to win the ball game. Consistency throughout is something that we’re still striving for as a team. We will move on to New Orleans and get prepared for a very interesting two weeks, not only in the NFC South, and for the people here in Atlanta, but for the people around the NFL.”
QUARTERBACK MATT RYAN
On still controlling their fate
“This year, the way our division is shaking out, it’s been the most unique (year) that I’ve been a part of. Strange? No. We know that position that we are in. It’s the position that you want to be in every year. You want to be in a position to continue to play regardless of what your record is.”
On the late penalty
"I can't talk about that. I would love to talk about it. You can't talk about it. It's too expensive to talk about it."
CORNERBACK DESMOND TRUFANT
On the loss
“It was definitely a tough loss. It was a hard-fought game. I left some plays out there. I made some bad plays, but I still had a chance, but we just didn’t get it done. We have to move on and get ready for New Orleans.”
On the defense’s start
“We started off solid. We were holding them. We were not giving up touchdowns. They got a little momentum going in the second half. We just couldn’t get off on third down when we needed to. We just have to continue to fight, that’s all we can do.”
On the slow starts
“We just have to take advantage of the opportunities that we get. It’s always hard to come back against a good team. We just have to continue to fight because we’re still in it.”
LINEBACKER PAUL WORRILOW
On facing Le’Veon Bell
“I think we did a good job against the run. He’s a good back. He got that explosive play out of the backfield, which was a missed execution on our part. But I think we did a good job against the run, and that gave us a chance to get them to third downs. When you lose, you obviously have to do more.”
On holding the Steelers to two field goals to open the game
“Anytime that you can limit the points they are putting on the board, (that’s important). What was disappointing was that drive right before the half. That’s something that we consistently have to do better on. I feel like throughout the season that’s been the story with situational stuff right before the half or at the end of the game. That’s something that we have to improve upon.”
RUNNING BACK STEVEN JACKSON
On the redzone
“It’s really hard when you face a good quarterback like (Ben) Roethlisberger. When you’re in the redzone and you’re not scoring touchdowns, it allows for them to continue to put up seven when you’re getting three. It’s not going to match at the end of the game. That’s what actually hurt us today.”
On running the ball
“We were always in the game. We knew they were going to be a very stout defense against the run, but I feel like the guys up front did a good job against a good Pittsburgh defense. I would love to have been able to stick to the run a little more, but games go through highs and lows. Whenever we have the chance to run the ball, I think the other guys and the offensive line did a really good job.”
LEFT GUARD JUSTIN BLALOCK
On the void left by Julio Jones’ absence
“It’s tough to not have a player of that caliber out there on the field. He can turn a little five-yard slant into a touchdown from almost anywhere on the field. Sometimes, just having that kind of threat out there makes defenses play you a different way at times. To not have that threat out there at times can be a detriment. But in this league you are not going to have everybody 100 percent every week.”
WIDE RECEIVER HARRY DOUGLAS
On the interception
“That was just a guy just jumping a route.”
