Coach Dan Quinn
Opening Statement:
"That's as rough as it gets for us today. We knew it was going to be two-hard nose tough teams. We expected that and it was. Both of these teams expected a battle, and that's absolutely the case. We emphasized the ball and we didn't get that part of our game done. We ended up being minus two today, and that's not good enough for us. The number came off the penalties, but at the end of the game when you're out minus two that's hard to overcome. I told the team inside, when you're in a tough spot you do it together, and that's exactly what we'll do. When we don't take care of the ball and make those kinds of decisions, don't get enough turnovers, that's when it's as hard as it gets for us and that's where it is for us."
On how frustrated he is with Matt Ryan continuing to turn the ball over:
"As our whole team goes, we want to make sure we're emphasizing the ball .We didn't get that done today with the football and that's hard. I understand the competitor that Matt is for sure. I'd like to go back and look at the tape and see if it was forced or not. He's a terrific competitor and one I know gives us all he's got. We'll go back and look at the tape and see if there's ones that we can correct from those."
On what kind of spot he was in after Tevin Coleman fumbled the ball:
"I wasn't hesitant to go back at all. We weren't for sure. We just wanted to make sure we were going to keep attacking. It's a big part of what we do. That particular play ended up being for a big long one, and he didn't take care of it at the end of the play. It didn't mean back off, in terms of our philosophy of attacking. The run game, the keepers, the play action, and drop back are all a big part of what we do."
On what they can do to fix the offense:
"In the turnovers today, a number of those happened on our side of the 50. You can imagine if some of those drives get to be extended, hopefully, there's some numbers on the other end of that. We'll start there looking first, and then pass that look for opportunities, or other things that came up in the game with each week the new challenges that come."
On sticking behind Matt Ryan:
"I totally will. He's absolutely the competitor I want. He's what we look for and our team looks for the whole way. We'll go back and find out was there a decision that could be made that could be different. If there is in those scenarios, then we'll find those and say, where else could you have gone with it? The one where we needed to protect the points at the end, those will be decisions we'll look at, but for him, the competitor, the style of player that he is, we're not backing off."
On whether he was surprised Matt Ryan made that decision on the interception in the end zone:
"Yeah, I'd like to go back and look at it to see was it a misread? It's easy for me to say now, but I'd have to go back and look at it tomorrow and then I can follow up with you."
On whether benching players is an option if they can't hold onto the football:
"Every time we're looking at it, is it unique, or is it the situation? I'm not thinking in that way right now. For us as a staff, and me as a head coach, we've got to get that part across to our club."
On how the defense played against Adrian Peterson:
"We knew when he's at his best, the cutbacks happen. I think that's part of what happened on the touchdown one where it bounced outside. It was going to be hard fought exactly like we thought. Good running team and we do a good job against the run, so for them we knew that was the battle upfront for us today. There were some good plays on both sides. They had some and we had some, and it was the fight exactly like we anticipated from them."
On any updates on Justin Durant:
"I don't have an update on Durant right now. He wasn't able to return to the game. He had an ankle injury, and I'll follow up with you guys on that injury tomorrow."
On how big it is to have Philip Wheeler:
"We have lots of faith in Phillip. With him, the different scenarios he's played MIKE and WILL linebacker. He's a really experienced player and one that we totally count on."
On what Devonta Freeman's status is going into next week:
"We're hopeful that he'll be cleared for a full participation beginning early in the week. We're anticipating him being back at full strength."
On Matt Bryant:
"Matt Bryant has a quad injury, so we'll take him as well as we go through this week."
QB Matt Ryan:
On the offense continuing to struggle with turnovers in their own territory:
"Obviously it's disappointing because again, we had opportunities to score in the red zone and turned it over. It starts with me, I've got to be better, in terms of decision making and knowing when to just throw the ball away, cut our losses and kick a field goal. We've got to really look in the mirror hard on Monday and Tuesday before we get out on the practice field Wednesday and see what we can do differently to stop that from happening. I know for me it starts with making great decisions, and I didn't do a good job at that."
On the first interception today:
"I was a little late on the throw, and the wrong place to go with the ball. I've got to go to a different spot than where I went. He [Nick Williams] created some separation, but I saw it too late."
On whether him being greedy led to the interception in the endzone:
"Yes. I think the second one, frankly, was me trying to make a play that wasn't there, and trying to get us in the end zone when there wasn't really an opportunity to get in. As a competitor you want to make those plays to get everybody going, and to get the ball into the end zone, but that wasn't the situation to do it. I'm a better player than that to know when it's time to ditch it and throw it away."
On if he's pressing to turn the season around:
"I think in that situation I was trying to do too much, trying to make a play that wasn't there. I've said this before, I think sometimes playing quarterback isn't about what you do, but what you don't do. In that situation I've got to make a better decision. And that's frustrating because you want to make plays, and you want to be aggressive, but that was neither the time, nor place."
On his play the last four games:
"Inconsistent. I think there have been some really good things and just some bad decisions that have cost us. It's disappointing, but I really believe we can get it corrected, I know I can play better, I've done it before and I will do it again, but it's got to start this week. We have to get back to work tomorrow, evaluate what we did today, learn from it and get back to practice. I'll tell you this, Wednesday can't come fast enough for us to get to the practice field and start preparing for Tampa next week."
On whether the Falcons have been beating themselves:
"I absolutely think that, on the offensive side of the ball we've moved it pretty well, but we haven't been able to capitalize in terms of touchdowns, and we've given the ball away too much. Teams are too good in this League to give them opportunities to stay in games and to beat you. I really think there have been a lot of times this year were we've had some self-inflicted wounds."
On how frustrating turnovers and penalties are:
"Well, I think losing, number one, no matter how it shakes out. When you're not able to get the job done and get a win that's the number one thing that digs at you. It's more difficult when you feel like you do it to yourself a little bit, and I feel like we've done that and I've done that these past few weeks."
On whether 5-0 seems like a distant memory:
"They all count for one. I remember Bill Musgrave telling me that. It doesn't matter how you knock them off, you can start 0-5 and finish 11-5, it doesn't matter how you get them. We've got to find a way to get moving forward. I know that there's an offense that has played at a high level this year, and we can get back to that."
WR Roddy White:
On the team's struggles:
"We are going to be alright. As long as our defense keeps playing like they are playing, we will eventually come around and start scoring points, and begin to get better on the offensive side of the ball to where we can help those guys out."
On confidence level in the red zone and end zone:
"We have a lot of talent, and around the League, if you got enough talent and your guys are better than the other guys, then eventually they'll start winning and that's what we have. We have a whole heap of talent on offense and once we get our mojo back, we'll get some points and we'll start playing better and stop turning the ball over."
On the changes of the team from the beginning of the season to now:
"Nothing. The guys are practicing hard, playing hard, we have energy; so none of that is a problem, it's just our sense of urgency on the offensive side of the ball. I just don't feel it. From being 5-0, I feel like we got a little complacent and we haven't pushed our limits to where I think we need to push them. But that starts with the leaders of this team, and that's me. So this week is going to be different; it's going to be different in practice, we are going to have a sense of urgency so that next Sunday, we'll have a different result."
CB Desmond Trufant:
Reasons for why the season is going array:
"It is what it is. We obviously are not playing our brand of football collectively. But we have to keep fighting. We all believe in each other. We put the work in, we practice hard, we work hard, but for whatever reason, it's not showing up on Sunday. Like I said, we just have to keep pushing, stick together and the only way is up."
On ball security and penalties:
"Penalties sometimes do happen, that's just a part of the game. And they get paid too. They get paid to go after the ball. We play aggressive, so sometimes penalties are going to happen, but you definitely try to limit them. We just have to pull together and we can't lose faith in each other. We have to continue to believe."
On staying on beat:
"It's tough, but this is what we are built for. We're built for the good and bad times. We can't let outside distractions or what people say get to us, we just have to continue to work, and the only way we can go is up, so we just have to be able to do that."
