Falcons DE Kroy Biermann talked about the reality of NFL road games:"It's tough in this league, going on the road; statistics prove it. It's just kind of the way that it is. If you prepare well and you stay on top of your things and you do what you're supposed to do, you can obviously sway that. We've just got to be ready to go, when the ball is kicked off."
Falcons DE Ra'Shede Hageman credits his veteran teammates in preparing him for the Week 2 road game: "Your opponent is trying to embarrass you; you have to have the right mindset. Being around the veterans here, I see a different mentality about how to prepare for a game and how to have the right mindset and just seeing them being able to turn the switch on, especially during the game, I think I'm very prepared."
Falcons CB Robert McClain offered the team's mentality, entering the road test in Week 2: "You can't let anything distract you. We're up there to win the game and that should be the only thing on every player's mind. Despite their record last year or what they did last year, it's a new season, new team and new players; you have to go up there with the mentality that we have to win the football game. We have to go up there and execute our game plan and win."
Falcons QB Matt Ryan on facing the Bengals defense: "They do play zone coverage, a lot of zone coverage, first and second downs and coverage on third down; I expect them to stay consistent with what they've done. They are very, very fundamentally sound in how they play. They have guys in the right spots. You do not see very many mistakes from their defense; that means, we're going to have to be on top of our playing."
Ryan on his fellow NFC award-winning teammate Matt Bryant, who earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week: "Matt Bryant has been one of the reasons we've been successful here in the past. We've relied on him to make critical kicks a lot and he's delivered. He's been so consistent; sometimes you think it's just old hat that he's just going to go out there and perform, but that speaks to how talented of a player he is, because he just continues to do it week in and week out."
Falcons LB Prince Shembo on Bengals RB Giovani Bernard: "He's quick, man, very quick and elusive; we have to get on him quick, because he's a matchup problem, especially in the open field. We have to get on him quick; as soon as he moves, we have to go get him."
Falcons OL Gabe Carimi on the team's next-man-up mentality: "You always have to be prepared to go, wherever they need you, whatever it is. You have to be prepared for everything; that's our role."
