What Dirk Koetter had to say about the Falcons

A: "Well, the whole first game back, we came there last year when I was the coordinator. We came back there last year. Every game in the NFL is huge for both teams, so, I try not to make a huge deal about that. Both teams want to compete. Both teams what to win."

Q: How’s your defensive line?

A: "As far as our defensive line goes, we've had some changes since last year. We brought in Robert Ayers in as a free agent and we drafted Noah Spence in the second round. We already had a Pro Bowl player in Gerald McCoy. We've added some new pieces and we are obviously running a different scheme than we had in the past with Mike Smith and a new (defensive) line coach in Jay Hayes coming over from Cincinnati after 13 years over there. Our defensive line has played well in the (exhibition) season and we're hoping that will carry over into the season."

Q: How much more has Jameis Winston matured in Year Two?

A: "Well, that sort of remains to be seen as we start the season, but Jameis is a very mature guy to start with. He really loves football. You don't have to fight too hard to convince Jameis to come to work, to come early and stay late. I mean this guy is a football junkie. He's already mature. He definitely the leader of our football team now. A year ago, he was picking his spots. He was doing a good job of knowing his place as a rookie. But about halfway through that season, it became clear that he was the leader of our offense. Now, the players have voted him one of our five captains. Jameis is just a heck of a competitor. We are looking for big things, of course."

Q: What did Winston learn from studying Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan?

A: "When we were first putting in this offense a year ago, Matt had been in this system longer than me. Matt had been in this system previous to me under Mike Mularkey. So, his footwork and his drops were the main thing. Just his mechanics and his movement in the pocket. How Matt matched his footwork to the depth of the routes. That's one for hardest things for a young quarterback coming out of college to learn….we just probably have more variations of drop backs and footwook than what he was used to. We had three full seasons of (film) cut-ups from the time that I was in Atlanta and a pretty good darn quarterback showing him how to do it."

Q: How’s the in-game decision making different for you as the head coach?

A: "On game day when it's fourth-and-1 or something, usually I'm sitting there waiting for the head coach to tell me to punt or go. Now, ultimately, that's my call. We have a great coaching staff here to help with that. I do have a fulltime guy, who's sole responsibility is clock management, game management, game-ending plays and that sort of thing. All through our OTAs, fall camp and preseason, situations have come up. We've been talking through them and working through them, but as you guys know, that's one of the crazy things about the NFL, you get in those games and all kinds of situations come up. When you put the game clock on it and the pressure on it, man, it's something that I know that's going to be my biggest challenge in the game. I'm looking forward to it. I think it's exciting. But I also know that will be the biggest thing that I have to make an adjustment with."

Q: Do you talk to your team about expectations and how do you manage them?

A: "We are just trying to go out there and do our best every week. I think you, and I know this sounds unbelievably cliché, you have to go week-to-week. We can't look too far ahead. Other people talking about your team, whether if it be our team or the Falcons or anybody else, anybody who's not on the inside they don't really know the whole story about everything. That's what makes the NFL so great. There is so much interest. There are so many people talking about it. Of course everybody has an opinion. We understand that our job is to go out there and play to the best of our ability. We can't worry about what other people are saying."

Q: What’s your assessment of how the Falcons have changed?

A: "I think coach (Dan) Quinn and his staff have done a heck of a job. Obviously, Coach Quinn is trying to get the team to play in his image. They've definitely done that. With one year behind them and going into their second year, the additions of personnel that they've made and the changes. You can see them playing fast. They got off to an unbelievable start last year and then were the only team in the regular season to beat Carolina. Like us, we're excited about our additions. They are excited about their additions. Two teams, crazy that we are here Week One with a divisional game and two teams that are fighting, clawing and scratching to try to get up there and catch Carolina in the division. Here we go, right from Week One.

Q: How dangerous is running back Doug Martin?

A: Both of these teams are run-first football teams. There is not a lot of run-first football teams left in this league, but I think we are and Doug Martin is our featured back. I think Atlanta is with (Devonta) Freeman as their featured back. I don't think there is much secret that both teams want to try to run the ball and then play-action off of their run game. Of course, in Doug we have a guy who had a tremendous season last year. He's powerful. He's a good inside runner. He's explosive. He can take a play that's not blocked exactly right and turn it into a good if not spectacular gain. He can make people miss. He can run through tackles. He can carry it 25 times and we also have a really good change-of-pace back in Charles Sims. Fans of good runners are in for a treat on Sunday because both teams have them.

Q: Although Bill Musgrave and Mike Mularkey developed Matt Ryan, he had nice things to say about your time here. What’s your relationship with him?

A: "I appreciate Matt saying nice things, but I couldn't have more respect for a player than I do for Matt. But he was a good player when I got there. A really good player when I got there. Matt probably helped me as much as I helped him. I appreciate him saying good things. I know we respect each other and we'll both be friends when it's all said and done. On Sunday, I'm a Jameis Winston fan. He knows that. That's the way it has to be. I appreciate the kind words, but I've got nothing but respect for all of the guys I coached in Atlanta."

Q: Did Devonta Freeman’s emergence last season surprise you?

A: "It didn't really surprise me. I think Kyle Shanahan does a great job of using him. The system on offense that they are running there in Atlanta is a little bit different than the system that we used when I was in Atlanta. I've got to say that the system fits him great. The outside-zone base system. He's a slasher and tremendous receiver. I really think they do a great job of using him. No, it really doesn't surprise me. Plus, Jameis tells me every day how great he was in college. I have to hear that, too."

Q: What’s the benefit of working with Mike Smith again?

A: "It's awesome because Smitty and I have worked together in two different places. We were both coordinators in Jacksonville and then I worked for Mike in Atlanta. The place where it really helps is both of us know how to work together. When you are trying to practice when you get down to your 53 guys, it's so hard to get the right looks, and sometimes you have a coordinator who's a little bit inflexible or stubborn on his side of the ball and you can't really get the looks you want…. Because Mike and I have been together enough, we both are on the same page as far as 'hey we have to help the other guy prepare.' Offensively, if we need to show them some plays they we might not really have in this game plan, but it's going to help our defense get ready, then we have to do that and vice versa….You don't have to have a knock-down drag-out argument about stuff that should just be simple details to help your football team get ready."