Here’s what Falcons coach Dan Quinn had to say after the 43-28 victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday night:
OPENING STATEMENT: “We knew this was going to be a hard-fought battle; the division games always are. It’s going to take everyone in all three phases for us and that’s exactly what happened. I thought the players and coaches really put forth a good plan heading into a short week to get ready. We went through that process and we did. It was definitely an all hands-on deck moment for us. Every week we have a group that will step up and make some plays. We’re not always sure who it is, but I thought really it showed the first couple drives of the second half offensively and then defensively getting some stops. I thought that was one of the real critical parts of the game. For us, attacking at all three phases is where we’re at our best.”
(On what it’s like when quarterback Matt Ryan heats up)
“He’s got a real locked in look about him. We knew we had some [options] and he had the correct reads and the correct progressions. He’s really been on point, Matt has. He knows where to go with the ball, the decision to make it, and early on we didn’t have as many catches with [wide receiver Julio Jones] and then he took fire again in the third quarter as well. Our run game came alive again tonight and when we have that balance, that’s where we can be so challenging.”
(On seriousness of cornerback Desmond Trufant’s injury)
“We don’t know the extent of it yet, so we’re hopeful that it’s not serious, but we don’t know the full extent of it. We’ll get an MRI tomorrow and then we’ll come back and obviously tomorrow morning we’ll have more information for you regarding that.”
(On cornerback Jalen Collins’ performance)
“I thought Jalen did a good job. I know he got challenged on one that was over to the sideline that he would like to have back, but it was a really physical tackle at the goal line that I was very glad to see. He looked fast, played with good length outside, and did exactly in terms of style we want to play outside. He did a good job going in. We thought he’d have a chance and he stepping up, just like we expected him to.”
(On getting other offensive weapons involved besides wide receiver Julio Jones)
“The amount of guys that get involved in the game is a big topic for us. We were pleased to see [wide receiver Taylor] Gabriel in a play we had been working on in practice for a few weeks, so it just wasn’t one this week. Sometimes you have to have that time go and feel comfortable with it, so it was great to see Gabe get involved. He had a nice catch on the keeper as well, so that’s where we’re at our best; we’re able to run the ball, have play action, and then take our shots down the field. We were aggressive with those tonight and I thought our receivers in particular played very aggressively tonight after the catch.”
(On confidence of position within the NFC South moving forward)
"We knew going in as a division game, this was for sure going to be a battle and it was. As we get ready, we're on to the next one when we get back. As far as looking too far ahead, one of the things that I do like about our team is we're able to stay on the present moment and focus on the team that is at hand. I think sometimes when you can look too far ahead, that can jam you up. Our focus this week was on us and how well we could attack, so we're going to stay right in that window."
(On how good he believes the team can be)
“Right now, offensively we’re playing very well and I can hitch on that. I thought special teams wise, we’ve got to get rid of some of the penalties that have been jamming us up. Defensively, our tackling is improving and our speed is improving. Through the first nine games we have allowed more big plays then we’d like. For us to complete all three phases, we can for sure improve in the red zone on both sides. That will be a real factor for us and what we are looking to do moving forward. As far as the whole team goes, they’re a very tight knit group and they love battling for one another, so that part within the locker room, it’s a very tight group and they really want to play hard for one another. We’ve got lots of areas to improve and that’s what we intend on doing.”
(On improvement of pass rush defense)
“I certainly felt [defensive tackle] Grady Jarrett and the mobile quarterbacks give you a challenge and [quarterback] Jameis [Winston] is no different where he can get outside the pocket and create another first down that was with his legs today. We’re working hard at it. Different guys are stepping up and making different plays. With [Derek] Shelby out, we’ve tried Grady some more inside and he’s answered that challenge. We will continue to work the guys inside to see who else we can develop along as our pass rush goes.”
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
Honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his "long and distinguished reporting in the field of pro football," D. Orlando Ledbetter, Esq. has covered the NFL 28 seasons. A graduate of Howard University, he's a winner of Georgia Sportswriter of the Year and three Associated Press Sports Editor awards.
