Here’s what Indianapolis coach Frank Reich had to say about the Falcons on a conference call with the Atlanta media Wednesday:
Q: What’s your overall impression of the Falcons?
A: "Defensively, they looked fast and aggressive. They are very well-coached. Coach (Dan) Quinn does a very good job with those guys. Obviously, with him calling it, you felt the juice in their defense. It's a really good unit. Then offensively, you look at the skill. They've got great skill players all over the board. They will really be a challenge for our defense."
Q: Which Falcons team are you expecting to see?
A: "This is the NFL. I think week to week, you are seeking for consistency, but sometimes a team gets hot. The (Vikings) were playing at home. The crowd was rolling. They made some plays. They were getting good pressure on the quarterback. In the second game, I thought they did a good job of stopping the Eagles rushing attack and made them one dimensional where their pass rushers could tee off and get pressure on Carson (Wentz). We expect a top level defense."
Q: What’s the key to Marlon Mack’s success early this season?
A: "Marlon has good patience, acceleration and good speed. He's got strength. He can run through arm tackles. But really I think it's his patience and vision. Then he sees things and understands what we are doing and then to accelerate into the hole is really what I think makes him special."
Q: How is former Georgia Bulldog Justin Houston fitting into the defense right now?
A: "Justin fits right in. He's not only a great player, but he's also a great leader on our team. That has been one of the pleasant surprises. Not only did we get a great player, we got a leader. His presence is felt on and off the field. He's played great in the first two games."
Q: How’s Rock Ya-Sin playing for the Colts?
A: "Rock has done very well. He's physical and aggressive. He's a really smart player. We're really excited about the progress that he's made."
Q: How’s Jacoby Brissett’s development coming along after the sudden retirement of Andrew Luck?
A: "He's doing really well. He's playing good situational football. Good football in general. He's had two really solid games. The good news is that even though it was a sudden announcement on the retirement, Jacoby had gotten all of the work in the offseason because Andrew didn't practice in the offseason. Even though that was a sudden announcement he had spent plenty of time preparing and was ready for this opportunity."
Q: How’s the trio of Mack, Nyheim Hines and Jordan Wilkins working for the Colts at running back?
A: "Very well. We're pleased. Jordan had a nice game last week filling in for Marlon. We played in, it was like 120 degrees during the game last week (in Nashville). Jordan came in to spell Marlon a few times and did a really nice job, including having a 50-plus yard run. Jordan has a bit of a knack for that. Nyheim is a really multi-purpose back. We have a lot of confidence in him and we have to continue to find ways to get him the ball."
Q: What do you see on film with Matt Ryan throwing five interceptions early in this season?
A: "That is uncharacteristic. Matt is a good decision maker. He's been a top-level quarterback over the years. He's very consistent. I really respect what he's done over his career."
Q: What’s the mindset of your tight ends – Jack Doyle, Eric Ebron and Mo Allie-Cox -- heading into Week 3?
A: "It's great these guys are playing good football. You're right in the sense of not a lot of catches, but they have got it going in the run game. The tight ends have been very involved in the success that we've had in our run game. So, that's been good. Of course, Eric had a touchdown catch last week and then a big third down conversion play that he made in the game. That will vary week to week. The Ball just sometimes gets spread around in different ways. Before it's all said and done all of those guys will make their share of catches."
Q: How is guard Quenton Nelson doing? Looking forward to the Nelson vs. Grady Jarrett matchup?
A: "Oh yeah, that will be a great matchup. Two really great players. Quenton is a leader on this team. He plays really physical. He has the right mindset and even in just his second year he's just become a dominate leader on our team."
Q: What makes linebacker Darius Leonard an exciting football player to watch?
A: "He's length. His instincts and his athletic ability. He's a really smart football player. He knows where the ball is going to go. He prepares very hard. He's just got incredible athletic ability. He's got great production. He doesn't miss many tackles. He's great in coverage. He's a good blitzer. The guy, he can do it all."
Q: When studying Calvin Ridley want does he do best as a receiver what kind of challenges does he present when defending him?
A: "He's a really big-time receiver. One of his best traits is his stop and start. He's an excellent route runner. That's a big trait to have as a receiver. To be able to create separation in the break with the way he can stop and start. He's certainly does that really well."
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