Quinn Proud of the Finish
The Falcons got back in the win column Sunday because of their ability to score a late touchdown and force Green Bay to turn the ball over on downs in the waning moments of regulation. Finishing games the right way has been a point of emphasis ever since head coach Dan Quinn took over, and he believes the team's ability to do so separates it from last year's club.
"The biggest difference: this team believes in one another in that finish at the end of the game," Quinn said. "Yesterday, I was so thrilled we earned that right to finish — offensively, defensively — because that mindset, that's honestly the foundation of what really good teams have."
Explosive Plays Being Addressed
While the defense clamped down when it mattered most, it did surrender 32 points and a lot of big gains to the Packers offense. Quinn acknowledged the defense "had a tough time all the way through" against Green Bay and that the big plays "are still a factor."
"We're learning, we're growing, but we're not there yet. We have a lot of growing to do," he added. "For us, we have ways to adjust and not allow as many of the explosives as we have. We're disappointed we had so many in the game this past week."
Focus Turns to Winston, Bucs
With a short week of preparation ahead, the Falcons have shifted their attention to their next opponent: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who trail Atlanta in the NFC South standings by 1.5 games. Jameis Winston led the Bucs to a win over Atlanta in Week 1, and Quinn knows containing the young quarterback will be important come Thursday night.
"When he takes off, he can run like a running back," Quinn said about Winston. "We know that first hand. For him, we've got great regard in terms of him in the pocket, out of the pocket. He creates plays with his feet, as well, in terms of scrambling — not just on third downs, but on other downs as well. So when he's out in the open field, you must treat him like a running back, because he runs that strongly."
