Head coach Bruce Arians
On Atlanta's offensive success:
"They're running the ball extremely well. It sets up a lot of really good play-action where (Matt Ryan) has good protection and had Julio (Jones) running down the field and making big plays. I think they've done a great job on long plays and taken some short ones to the house. It all starts with running the football really well."
On Dan Quinn's defense:
"It's extremely solid. They have a really good front. Obviously they've got some pass rushers off the edge. They've got some young guys who have a lot of speed."
On Dwight Freeney, who played in Arizona last year, being a mentor to young players:
"That's Dwight's forte. He (helps out) young guys and does a great job with Markus Golden and a couple of our young guys here last year. And he's just an ultimate pro."
Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald
On Atlanta's revamped defense:
"You see a lot of talent. They get (Desmond) Trufant back this week. They have some elite pass rushers and some great interior players, really fast, flowing linebackers. You see a defense that is really opportunistic. So we have our hands full playing in a hostile environment, playing against a top-ranked offense too, so you know you have to score points."
On Desmond Trufant's ability at cornerback:
"Watching him on tape, I see so many similarities – I had a chance to play against his brother for many years when he was in Seattle, Marcus Trufant. And Des is probably a little quicker and faster than his big brother. He's great at recognizing and reading a route. He understands leverages and has tremendous ball skills. And he really can accelerate to the ball on deep balls. I remember playing against him a few years back. I had him on a post route and he closed the gap so quickly. So he's got elite speed. Him and Alford – they are tremendously talented."
On what makes Julio Jones so good:
"Coach (Shanahan's) system is not an easy system. When I watch him on tape – I watch every single route Julio runs; our film crew puts (tape) together, so I watch everything that he runs – you're never going to find him in the same spot. There are so many personnel groupings. They're going to move him around; they're going to put him in motion. So, it's very difficult for you to game plan to stop him because he's never in the same place. They move him around. They do a great job of getting him matched up on 'backers when teams are in base defense and things of that nature. Aside from his freakishly unbelievable, God-given ability, in terms of running and quickness, he's very intelligent to be able to digest everything that coach has him doing in terms of the formations and where he's aligned. And then, obviously, his physical gifts are able to take over at that point."
