Here’s what the Falcons said after the win over the Panthers Sunday:
OLAMIDE ZACCHEAUS, wide receiver
On his big play: "It was a chance to make a play. I was trying to track the ball really. I couldn't see the ball until the last second. I'm just grateful that I found it and made a play for the team."
On if he kept the ball: "I dropped it. Somebody got it for me."
On his plans for the ball: "I'll probably give it to my mom. She's been a big part of my life. I'll give it to here."
On his football journey: "It's just been a grind really. Undrafted. Overlooked. A lot of things not going my way. I just know that I'm confident in what I can do. I'll try to help the team in anyway that I can. I was just going to practice and practicing hard. If they give me a chance, I have to make the most of it."
On if he knew he could score: "When you hear the crowd, I know I could score. It was cover zero. So, it was one on one. I knew after I got past him (Donte Jackson) that it was a touchdown."
DAMONTAE KAZEE
On his play against the Panthers: "I knew I needed to step it up these past few weeks. I was just doing my job. I just wanted to go out there and play my heart out."
On what defense did well: "Bring the energy. Everybody bring the energy. Everybody wants to play. Let's go out there and have some fun."
On Younghoo Koo getting the recovery: "He's got to. When we are playing he's a safety, just like me on kickoffs. You have to get in there and get dirty."
On motivation: "Anybody can do it one week. We have just have to just keep on being consistent and go out there and do it again next week."
On moving back to free safety: "I have to be versatile and learn how to play every position. I like that I went to nickel. I can help at nickel. I know this job from last year. I know everybody's job."
On when he got the news: "Whatever they tell me to go out there and play. I'm going to play.
CHRIS LINDSTRORM, right guard
On his stamina: "I felt great. It was really great to be eligible today to go out there and compete with these guys and be out there with my brothers. The past three months, I have just been trying to support them as much as I can and I have really been working hard with the strength staff on trying to get my conditioning right. I felt really good out there today."
On adjusting to game speed: "It felt great because we really attacked it this week in practice and I really worked it. The defensive guys, it was like iron sharpening iron, they gave us a great look and it felt great being out there at the game and working that communication to be on top of the game plan with those details. That slows everything down."
On repetitions he needed to be back: "It felt good being back. I was able to bank all of the reps that I had through the spring, fall camp and then week one. Being able to bank those reps ended up helping me today."
On whether game felt like a season opener for him: "Not really. I have been so involved with these guys and being on every step along the road this season so it was really fun to be back. With the fall season here now too, it feels great and it feels like football season and I really just love it."
On balance of offense: "I was just trying to go out and execute for the job that we were given and be on top of the details for every single play. Every single play that was called I wanted to be on it and know my responsibility."
DEION JONES, linebacker
On defense's success today: "That's what we work to do week in and week out and it's finally starting to come around. Guys have been ball hawks going after the ball, the ball has been coming alive and it's been great."
On Damontae Kazee's big day: "Kazee has always been a ball hawk. If y'all watched last year he got seven, and him back there [means] he's going to be around the ball and he's going to be disruptive."
On whether a win like this provides momentum toward finishing the season strong: "Everybody's bought in, everybody wants to finish on a high note. And we're all trying to make that happen, just putting in every second we can to finalize the game plan then going after it."
RICARDO ALLEN, strong safety
On Sunday's game: "We practice hard. We talk to each other and we understand that we might not be going to the playoffs but that means nothing to us. We are going to get out there and play no matter what. Every game is important to us and we try to play as hard as we can and just keep going no matter what the circumstances are."
On Damontae Kazee's performance: "That is who Kazee is. He is a ball-hawk – he's going to go get the ball and make plays like always and forever. If you throw the ball up there too long and he gets his hands around it, it's typically going to be his and that is what he does."
On defense playing better after getting pressure on the quarterback: "Once you get back there and throw some pressure on that quarterback, you make him go through his progressions fast. If he doesn't like what he sees and we are doing good enough in the back then we can allow them [front seven] to get their turn to win and make the quarterback run out of the pocket and make bad throws. If they start getting to him, we [secondary] start getting our chances."
VIC BEASLEY, defensive end
On his two strip-sacks: "It feels good."
On any adjustments made after the bye week: "It was just consistently working and believing in your craft and good things will come to fruition."
On seeing Takk McKinley record two sacks as well: "It feels great. Me and Takk always talk about getting sacks and we feel like we have been working so hard but we just haven't been able to see the production. So, this feels really good because it's two guys who have been working hard all season getting that accomplished."
On secondary making plays because of the defensive line pressure: "It is a tandem. We are married together. When the rush is going well, it causes the quarterback to get the ball out fast and throw it over the receiver's heads and we can get interceptions out of it. It all marries together and we all work in unison. It is just good to see it in person."
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