Sunday's storied NFC South rivalry between the visiting New Orleans Saints and hometown Atlanta Falcons has everybody talking, including Saints head coach Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees, each expecting to see the talented Falcons at their best in the Week 1 matchup.
Sean Payton describing Falcons franchise QB Matt Ryan: "Number one, he locates the ball exceptionally well. I think he has very good arm strength; I think he throws a very good deep ball. He's accurate and he has great command of the huddle."
Payton on what challenges Falcons WR Julio Jones presents on Sunday: "He has tremendous athleticism and very, very good hands and the size that you're looking for at that position. So, when you put the speed and the size and obviously his athleticism together and then the ball skills he has, we have to be real mindful of where he is on each play."
Saints QB Drew Brees commenting on the Falcons secondary: "I think (Falcons CB Desmond) Trufant and (Falcons CB Robert) Alford are very talented players. (Falcons S) William Moore is kind of the experienced veteran guy in that secondary; he's a very, very consistent player. He plays at a high level, good in both the pass game and against the run."
Brees on his opinion of Matt Ryan: "I think Matt Ryan is an exceptional player. I think he belongs in the elite category in this league. I think he's been extremely consistent and has played a very, very high level, ever since he's been there."
