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Coach Dan Quinn: opening statement:**
We knew it was going to be a fight coming in and we were ready to go the distance today. I love the way we finished at the halves, (Paul) Worrilow and (Robenson) Therezie having one as well. Those are exactly the types of finishes we want for our defense at the end of the half. We want to close out a game and that's what we want to stand for.
on being about the ball today:
It certainly was about the ball. It ended up being even today. So for us having two opportunities to get interceptions that was huge for us. We know it makes it hard for us when we are not in the plus, but we ended up being at even, but I love the way that the finish came up at the end.
on eliminating the penalties and turnovers:
We are disappointed with the turnovers (penalties) especially the one resulting in a long play coming back from Devonta (Freeman) so those are the ones we would like to have over. We will have to take a look and see how many of them were pre-snap and when there was a run and we could have released on the guy earlier for a big cut back play so you have got to start off with a number of them that seem like they were on first-and-10 where it starts and goes into a first-and-20 which makes it really tough to convert. It shows toughness that Devonta finished within the runs. He still had over 100 yards. He just represents all the style and toughness that we are about running the ball.
*on what explanation was given on the Julio Jones' catch near the end zone: *
We thought we would take a shot there. We thought maybe he reached out, maybe, across the pylon. They really didn't give us an explanation why the ruling on the field (stood).
on the following plays:
The decision at the end, really we felt like we had two downs and we were going to exercise both of them if we had the opportunity to do so. You look back and they didn't work and you're disappointed but we didn't execute them like we are capable of. I don't regret the decision to go for them and I have the belief and trust in the guys.
on the status of injured Falcons:
Not yet, I know William (Moore) had a strain in his groin and Hank (Leonard Hankerson) had a strain in his hamstring, so when we get back tomorrow we'll have a better update on those two. Other than those two, I think it's great to see (Mike) Person back and (Justin) Durant back.
on the too many men on the field call:
I think what happened, we were in a punt return so we had one guy in sub-form, so it was for sure an error on our part. You know, we just had too many men it was a transition from defense to a special teams play and didn't execute, as we should. No excuse at all for it and one we just want to finish and do right longer. That was a real example of where we did not do that. So we ended up having to go with a defensive play to come back and it was a good answer by the defense for sure.
on the recent struggles of the passing game:
You'll have to go back and take a look. Is there something that stood out, one thing over another? But at our best it's the runs, the keepers and the play actions that go with it so we'll have to go back and take a look and see if there are things that we can do better for sure. Honestly that's our aim every week to see how much we can get better this week. We had a good week of practice. We prepared well and as it came in for so many errors to take place, that was disappointing. But we'll go right back to it again tomorrow.
on Robenson Therezie's game-clinching interception and character:
I think the main thing is we want to let the players know how much we trust in them and believe in them and it's our job to take them as far as they can possibly go. And we certainly had that respect and we think he has a terrific future ahead of him so it was a great play exactly when we needed it and we were excited for him.
on the Falcons' pass rush:
Well I thought there was some improvement for sure. It's absolutely an area of emphasis for us. We'll be at our best when our coverage and our pass rush work hand-in-hand. I think we still have a long way to go in that neighborhood to be at our best and it's something that we'll continue to work at really hard.
on knowing the Titans would be a tough opponent:
Well I think just knowing the style, number one, of their defense and some of the players we know and evaluate through the course of the week. I think going into the game they had the number-one ranked defense against the pass. They got some really good future rushers they know how to use. I just got a sense for it, you know every once in awhile. They were disappointed in how they played last week in and you know that fight is going to be there. So granted, you never want your readiness dictated by another team, but we knew the fight was going to be there and we have to go along way when we're ready to do that.
on the penalty that brought the interception return out of field goal range
We would've, yeah, if we wouldn't have missed a block. You know, we never want to go back toward the ball, so that's part of our judge of doing right longer so those kinds of penalties those are ones that we can correct for sure ahead of us..
QB Matt Ryan
on the team's survival:
You know in this league, any time you come away with a win, that's the objective. Today was a hard fought game for us and we kept battling the entire time. We would have liked to do some things differently, some things better, but at the end of the day a win is a win. When you go on the road in this league and get it done, that's rewarding.
on what happened on the interception in the end zone:
Just a situation on fourth down, where you have to take a shot into the end zone. My first read on the outside wasn't there, so I went back and tried to make a different throw to Jacob Tamme. I obviously would have liked to make a better throw, but it's one of those situations on a fourth down, you've got to give it a chance.
on Devonta Freeman's play:
I think Devonta has played awesome, he really has, and he played awesome again today. His confidence is growing every week, and I think our offensive line's confidence is growing every week. I think they've done a great job blocking for him, and again, I think he had another 100 yard rushing game today. I'm really proud of him and happy with the way he's playing.
on Roddy White saying the team has been in a funk offensively:
Obviously when you don't score, and you're 33% or something like that on third downs, or maybe a bit higher, and then one of three when we're in the red zone, to me, to get out of those things and score more points you have to convert more third downs. When we have opportunities in the red zone, we have to score touchdowns. We had a chance on fourth down, I think, maybe in the first half when we went for it around mid-field and we didn't get it done. We've got to convert there to get more points. Obviously when we got the ball on the one yard line we've got to get it in.
on his screen pass to Devonta Freeman:
I made a poor play. Give credit to them, they did a good job on the screen, I've just got to find a lane to get it to Devonta.
on if he was surprised that no one was open on the fourth and one play action fake:
Obviously, you'd like to have somebody wide open in that fourth down situation. Credit to them, they defended it well, it was a good call. They defended it well, and we didn't get the job done.
on if the offensive funk can be attributed to penalties:
There's a lot of reasons why you get off schedule, some of them are penalties, some of it is lack of execution, and we've got to clean it up across the board. Too many penalties, turnovers, those kinds of things, not executing on third down. Those are things I feel we can be better at and hopefully we will be moving forward.
on how Devonta Freeman's weekly preparation leads to his success:
I think he's consistent day to day since he's gotten here. He practices hard, he really does, and he has practiced hard since the first day I met him. That's kind of the guy that he's been since day one, and I think he's improved because of that. I think he's going to be a great player for us for a really long time.
on how Nick Williams stepped up and got first downs:
Yeah, it's huge. In those kinds of situations, when you have guys go down, you have to have that next man up mentality and Nick Williams came in and made a couple huge plays for us in this game. He's been a guy that's been reliable for us the entire year and has done a great job.
on taking a chance on third and long to Julio Jones:
He's a guy that when they send everybody, obviously, he's going to be singled up. I don't care who it is in this league, when he's singled up, I feel like that's an advantage for us because he is such a great player. When you can just put the ball in his vicinity he seems to make a play every time. He's a stud, and he's playing great.
S Robenson Therezie
on what he saw on his fourth quarter interception:
I was just sticking to the quarterback. We had a zone pressure going on and I know he had to get it out real quick. I just read the quarterback and I was just right there.
on what he will do with the ball from the interception:
I'll keep it. This is my second Tennessee ball. I guess I am just going to keep it.
on how his interception against the Titans in the preseason helped him make the team:
It was big. It just shows the character of the player that I want to be and being a pro. It just shows that to the coaches. They do trust me now to be loose in situations. I feel good.
on intercepting Zach Mettenberger in the preseason and now in the regular season:
We just stuck to our fundamentals. We had a zone pressure on and I was reading the quarterback. I was just in my zone and he threw it right there. We had a little pressure on him and he had to get it out quick. I was just disciplined.
TE Jacob Tamme
on the interception in the end zone late in the fourth quarter:
I couldn't get to where I wanted to get to on the route. When Matt [Ryan] turned back and threw it I was trying to make a play for him. I thought I had it. The way the ball was tipped I was staying with it and I thought I was going to catch it. I felt like I was getting ready to get it and the guy dove over the top of me. I was trying to get back to it and he got it.
on if the offense felt out of synch today:
Yes, but not because we weren't moving the ball. We had some penalties and then a couple of drives stalled out again. The last two weeks we have had a bunch of yards. Today we did some good things, but it doesn't really matter if you don't take it down and score. We just have to get better and not hurt ourselves with the penalties and at the same time do a better job of converting on third downs and keeping drives going.
WR Julio Jones
on running back Devonta Freeman and blocking downfield as a receiver:
I do whatever it takes. Everybody else in our room is going to do the same thing. Devonta [Freeman] is doing a great job for us running the ball, and Tevin Coleman as well when he gets his snaps. They run the ball very well for us.
on the slow offensive day:
We are just in a funk. We have to get out of it. We have to keep battling and keep going and keep trying to get better and fix these things. We had a great week of practice and we got to the game and we couldn't sustain drives. We just have to continue to keep practicing and fix us. That is the main thing. We just have to fix us and everything else will take care of itself.
RB Devonta Freeman
on his rushing performance:
I feel good, but I want to get better. I want to always get better and grow. Starting tomorrow I am just going to figure out how I can get better and how I can grow.
on if he was surprised the Titans hung around and ultimately had a chance at the end:
A loss is a loss, and a win is a win. In the NFL you aren't going to blow everybody out. It is going to come down to the end every game. They did a great job.
