Falcons head coach spoke with media before Wednesday’s practice, the second since the team’s bye week, and first where players and coaches focused on the Dolphins, who will visit Mercedes-Benz Stadium Sunday. Here’s what he had to say:
“We’re pumped to get back in terms of the preparation when we spoke Monday . . . so much emphasis was on the things that we really wanted to improve upon. That’s important today, and now we kind of get full swing into Miami. The first day [Monday] was just about all about us and the things we want to improve on, so we’re pumped to get rolling and get back in front of our crowd.
“We want [fans] there early. They provide the juice early, and as players we’re going to give it back to them.”
What’s working for you up front with the defensive line and the pass rush, and how will that matchup be against Miami’s front?
“Both teams have good defensive lines, and . . . we like to rotate guys through and we added Tu [defensive lineman Taniela Tupou from the practice squad] into our group today and he’ll certainly get into the mix. It will be good having [defensive end] Vic (Beasley) back as well so now we feel like we’ll get more guys back into the group to get our rush going.
“It’s going to be a big nickel game in terms of how we play; they play a lot of three-receiver sets so that’s going to lend to this being a bigger nickel game than some. Sometimes, that’s how the games work out. Other games, Buffalo wasn’t as much nickel. It was more base [defense].”
What do you like about Tupou to bring him up to the 53-man roster?
“All the way through training camp I thought he got better and better. I thought he was definitely worth the time to develop to bring back into the mix. He has versatility. He plays defensive tackle, nose tackle. He could play base defensive end in a pinch. So I think it was the versatility that he has. He’s got good quickness to move and stunt inside; that’s one of the things that we like about him.”
Can you talk about Vic getting back in the mix, coming off an injury like that [hamstring tear]? What expectations do you have for him?
“First, we want to take it through the week and see how he does, get good progress Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and make sure he can really do his thing. For him, that’s exploding and ripping and really hauling. We’re excited to get him back on the field, but the main thing is to see where he’s at day-to-day and keep going.
“I was very impressed this offseason with the work he put in as a rusher, and I think we saw some of those examples in the first game and a half for him where he was able to hit the quarterback and have some production doing that. ... I’m anxious to see him out on the practice field full speed.”
We talked a lot in the preseason about Wes Schweitzer and his competition [at right guard] with Ben Garland, and part of that competition was against [Miami defensive tackle Ndamukong] Suh. Where do you feel like he is now as he gets ready to face Suh again?
“The on-the-job training, there’s nothing that you can do to help on that. So, having a chance in the preseason and now four regular-season games he’s been in the fire, so to speak, and we’ve got lots of regard not just for Suh but really for the defensive line in general.
“It’s a deep group, one that I like their rushers on the outside. I like the way they’re using (Jordan) Phillips inside, (defensive end William) Hayes has been a good addition, (rookie defensive end Charles) Harris has been a good addition. They’ve got a deep group and they’re playing a style like us where they play guys.
“It’s not like the old Dolphins where [Hall of Fame defensive end] Jason Taylor played for about 10 years, and you knew right where he was going to line up and he’d be flying off the ball. They’re more like us where they’re playing a more rotational group.”
Is it hard to get a bead on [Dolphins quarterback Jay] Cutler and what he’s done so far?
“A lot of the guys on their offense are returning. I’ve really been impressed by their runners. I’ve been impressed by their receivers. They added tight ends this year, so that was new when they added (Julius) Thomas and (Anthony) Fasano to that group.
“For years I’ve been impressed competing against [Dolphins head coach] Adam (Gase) in places along the way, and the style and speed they’ll execute at. I see the playmakers, and what they can do. If you look just at the stats, maybe you wouldn’t be impressed by that, but I think it’s early in my opinion . . . we know we’ll get a great shot from them.”
What if anything changes in your pressure packages or your coverage schemes when you play a quarterback who gets rid of the ball so fast?
“It depends sometimes on the down-and-distance, but you’re right; I think you look maybe on first down there might have been one sack and I think on second down only two for the year.
“What we really focus on is affecting the quarterback, and can you move him off his spot in those 2.5 seconds? Can you get a shot on him? Get a hit on him. Get him to move because that’s really what we’re trying to do; to get that guy to feel uncomfortable.
“Some of those plays, they’ve been for years an excellent screen team. So, you can imagine how fast a screen comes out if you throw 15, 18 screens in four games . . .
“It’ll be a mixture of our coverage and the pressure, and taking our shots and when we’ve got it we’re really got to go because he’s got a quick release, he’s seen plenty of defense through the years so he has a pretty general sense of this coverage goes here, this coverage goes there.
“It’s our players bringing the scheme that we play to light, and the speed and energy that we play with. That’s the biggest factor.”
You were forced to test your depth at wide receiver in the last game, and you’ll get somebody back this week [Julio Jones], but what did you see in the depth at the position?
“It’s how do you feature the guys, how do you get your opportunities? We’re fortunate that we have depth at the position but we also are so fortunate with our running backs and these guys can really make plays with the ball in their hands, too, not just taking a handoff but in the pass game, too.
“I think the combination of the receivers, and [tight end Austin] Hooper’s development, [tight end] Levine (Toilolo) and the runners, all that maybe picks up some of the targets that went to other guys.
“Past that, we like to feature the guys in certain ways. Nick Williams certainly has a role when he’s up to do things, and so does Taylor. When guys are up, it’s our job to put them in the best spot to do the things that they do best.”
The season’s not really built to control snaps, and you’re going to play 12 straight weeks of football ... are you a little bit worried about keeping guys fresh?
“For us, this year the bye just happened to work out at the right time. We really looked fast in our first day back [Monday]. What happens sometimes is as the games go on alternate days toward the end of the year there can be some Thursday games where you build in some time or a Monday game where there’s an extended day.
“I think you have to be creative to do those times to pick your spots where maybe in the life of a player an extra day is a big thing. Fortunately, at a number of spots . . . age is not something that we’ve got to consider at some of our speed positions, and outside rusher and running back.
“It is in our thoughts, but not for a while.”
Do you see the pre-game protests becoming a bigger and bigger distraction because in talking to players, they’re saying they just want to talk about football?
“That makes sense for them. I understand. ... I wish you guys could see us as a team. Where from the outside it may look distracting ... but I really admire what our team stands for as a group of guys.
“Yeah, we’ll stand as a group together and I know it’s a big topic on the outside and we definitely gave it [some conversation] during the bye week about what we can do as a group making change moving forward.
“We also recognize it’s going to take a long time and there’s a lot of work to be done. It’s not going to be done in one event or one moment.
“But as a group we made it a point to say how do we move from protest into progress and make some change? That part’s a really good feeling. I really admire the guys who are kind of at the front of that. It will be player-led in every way. For us, we’ll stand and lock up like we do. It’s just another way for us to demonstrate our love and respect for one another.”
