Here’s what Falcons coach Dan Quinn had to say to the media on Monday in the aftermath of the 23-7 loss to New England, which dropped the Falcons to 3-3:
Opening Statement:
"Tough night last night. We got in late. I'm not sure many of us slept, and the first thing we wanted to do when we got in today was get everybody together and have our own State of the Union, state of the team, so to speak. We just met a little while ago, and talked about where we're at in all three phases. It's not where we expected to be, and it's not where we want to be. But that's where we are. Own that, and how do we go about improving? For us, when we went back to look to see where some areas are we can certainly improve. Red zone and third down were two that jumped out to us. For us to be at our best, those two situations can certainly improve. Last night, offensively, we were two and nine on third down, and they were seven of 13 on the other side. In the red zone, one of four where we didn't convert on a fourth down and goal to go or any of the goals to go. [We] missed a field goal and had one blocked. Defensively, we were two of five in that same situation. So how do we go about improving that? That's what we came to decide, and how would we go about fixing some of those issues that we know can be better? We'll be adding periods into our practice in those areas of third down and of red zone because, quite honestly, that's where a lot of plays can change or drives get extended offensively and defensively. Converting for the chances from field goals into touchdowns. So that's what we discussed with the team today and what we'll set out to do. It was a good time to have that meeting. Felt like it was one that we needed to have, and had guys speak and go through the process together."
On accessing the red zone opportunities specifically the fourth down:
"It wasn't the assessment of going for it that kept you up. It was the excuse of it. So you get two shots inside there, you certainly hope to nail it. I thought we had a chance on the first one on the pass to convert it to Julio [Jones] and we didn't. Then on the second play we didn't execute it well and they did."
On what he saw that didn't work will in the second situation:
"Yeah, the linebacker and defensive end where we have to have a combination block going to both of them didn't go. Yeah, if you had to have a play called back, that would be one for sure."
On the jet sweep play:
"It was [Ryan] Schraeder and the tight end first to that side. Then when he comes over, it's a combination block between the two. Basically, it's the same run play that we normally have. We call 18 or 19 where there is a combination block between a tight end, a tackle, and a linebacker. As opposed to the running back taking it outside, it was a receiver taking it outside. As you look back to it, (you would) definitely rather have a better play."
On Duke Riley:
"We're going to get more information today. I'll have a bigger feedback for you on Wednesday. He was going to get an MRI on his knee today. Came in the game as a sprain, but [I] haven't met with the medical staff to get the full indication yet."
On whether there are other injuries that might be a problem:
"At this point none that would leave anybody in doubt for the game this weekend, other than Duke [Riley], and we're not sure what his status is just yet. But no one past him was into that category of being out."
On using the running backs in short yardage situations:
"Yeah, you always think that. The front that they had would have been a difficult one to do where they had almost like a goal line defense against a three-wide look. But I recognize the question, and we have great belief in them. So, if we had a chance to take a shot on that one, I won't give away our game plan for the rest of the season on fourth and one at the three-yard line, but I have great belief in the runners."
On whether defensive formations are going to change:
"Goal line is different than short yardage sometimes, but the short yardage piece has been effective for us. It just happened that was a short yardage and inside on the goal line play. But that was definitely one that I'm bummed where it went and how it went through. If you had to call back, damn right, you'd want to have that one back."
On how he helps Steve Sarkisian with the match-ups and how to feature the guys:
"We talk quite a bit about match-ups and how to feature the guys. That's one of the parts of the game that I enjoy the most, and it's one he and I spend a lot of time talking on. For us to improve in those areas that's where it's going to come down to third down in the red zone. I thought on our first and second down plays, we did a good job executing quite a bit of the time. Maybe we were 18 or 20, something like that passing. On the third down specifically, beating man-to-man, beating the match-ups that you want, that's where we can improve upon. So we're going to spend a good bit of time on that."
On how you keep disappointment from morphing into frustration:
"It's one of the topics we talked about because when your process is right in terms of your preparation and putting the work in, the studying, getting ready to play, and you don't execute, that can be a frustrating feeling. Okay, I've put the work in. I've earned the right to go play at this pace and speed, and to have that swagger that people like to have when you've really prepared well. But you've got to stay true to that process of getting ready. Good things about our team. They really have a standard that they hold each other accountable to in the good times and the difficult times. That's where we lean on from one another from that leadership standpoint. As any competitor would tell you, definitely frustration comes in. You want to make the play. You want to have the opportunity to do that. You miss a three or miss a throw, miss a catch, miss a tackle, whatever the situation is, I think that's part of it. But I also say, you've got to own your performance of where we're at, and how do you go about fixing it to get to be the team that we can be. That's what we discussed a good bit today. If you allow your frustration to creep in too long, that's where it will affect your preparation. Our team, I do know what they stand for as a group of guys together. I don't sense that to be the issue, but we're going to put extra work in in these situations for us to improve upon those. Right there, we're in the middle of the road on some of these categories that we expect to be better at, and our record is right at the middle of the road. I told them that's usually what you get when the red zone and third down is right there in the middle. Now we need to improve upon that."
On whether this team is practicing better than it's playing:
"I am surprised by the results. I really thought maybe over the last two weeks I've felt an uptick in the preparation and going, so clearly there is another space for us to go to to get that part right. When I see the overall practice standpoint, health-wise we're in good shape. We had guys back who had been out. So, I saw that take place. For us not to execute on that, it starts on the practice field first. Play well, you better practice really well. So, I would say I was surprised that we didn't execute at the level I thought that we would."
On the opportunities in the game:
"I showed those clips today. I wanted to make sure we knew when we had these opportunities, we'd have to go nail them. I think it's important for everybody to see when our opportunities are there and we don't nail them, not just in a closed room of one player here, one player there, a penalty that caused the missed turnover, a foul that extended a drive, and how that could have been different. Those are the things that on our 'Tell the Truth Monday' that we want to put out in the open and say this part has to change. It does happen out at practice to make that come alive. So, some of the issues we had were on third down in the red zone, and that's why we're going to add some more periods into our practice to specifically work on those things."
On whether there is anything that can be done from a coaching standpoint to reduce the roughing the passer penalties:
"There is. Like in baseball, we use the strike zone. They didn't hit him in the head on either case. But what we can do is make sure that's a shoulder hit, so there is not a lowering of a helmet that an official could be seen as a quarterback in a compromising position. The hustle and chase were on point, but I think if that's a shoulder hit, I don't think that foul is called. They're trying to be aggressive and get the hits that are clearly a part of what we want to do in terms of affecting the quarterback. But in back-to-back weeks to have turnovers come back, it's clearly disappointing. Obviously, as a defensive lineman, you don't know the turnover is about to happen. You're going to finish the play. But it's the way and where you hit the quarterback that has to be really spoken of even in a bigger sense."
On the opportunities in the game:
"I showed those clips today. I wanted to make sure we knew when we had these opportunities, we'd have to go nail them. I think it's important for everybody to see when our opportunities are there and we don't nail them, not just in a closed room of one player here, one player there, a penalty that caused the missed turnover, a foul that extended a drive, and how that could have been different. Those are the things that on our 'Tell the Truth Monday' that we want to put out in the open and say this part has to change. It does happen out at practice to make that come alive. So, some of the issues we had were on third down in the red zone, and that's why we're going to add some more periods into our practice to specifically work on those things."
On whether there is anything that can be done from a coaching standpoint to reduce the roughing the passer penalties:
"There is. Like in baseball, we use the strike zone. They didn't hit him in the head on either case. But what we can do is make sure that's a shoulder hit, so there is not a lowering of a helmet that an official could be seen as a quarterback in a compromising position. The hustle and chase were on point, but I think if that's a shoulder hit, I don't think that foul is called. They're trying to be aggressive and get the hits that are clearly a part of what we want to do in terms of affecting the quarterback. But in back-to-back weeks to have turnovers come back, it's clearly disappointing. Obviously, as a defensive lineman, you don't know the turnover is about to happen. You're going to finish the play. But it's the way and where you hit the quarterback that has to be really spoken of even in a bigger sense."
On the team's identity:
"Sure, I recognize the question. I think we're pretty clear on our identity. For us, we'd like to run the ball more efficiently. That part of our game also coincides with the way we do play action. The first and second down stuff to make sure the run game and the play action are in concert together. Our game last night third down was a real factor in us not beating some man-to-man. So, that's generally what you expect on third down where people are playing tighter coverage. That's why we're certainly going to spend more time on that. From a football standpoint and turnover margin, I was certainly pleased offensively with them taking care of the ball. Defensively, not to have the number of takeaways. So far, we're a run and hit defense that creates turnovers. For us not to do that and give more possessions to the offense has been frustrating. But I'm pretty clear on our identity of who we are. We like to run the ball, we like the play action that goes with it, and how we feature our guys on the third down. When that doesn't happen, we spend more time on that area, and that's what we'll continue to do. Defensively, I was more pleased with our tackling. I felt like that came to life in terms of the misses from last night as compared to some previous games. So, I was glad to see that uptick take place."
On what didn't go right with the runs:
"Like a lot of runs that happen, somebody is in the wrong spot, in the wrong gap. That's usually what takes place when a run gets manufactured, especially an explosive one. We're more of an eight-man front team. When you get out of the gap, there are going to be consequences to that. When we get to playing, it's better to be on third down, but also stop some drives too. Then they get another shot at it, another shot at it, and another shot at it."
On whether it's a physical thing up front:
"No. I know you certainly could see it that way when you look at just a stat number as it goes. But I thought Ish [Kemal Ishmael] really tackled well, and I thought Keke [Keanu Neal] really tackled well. Inside, I thought Grady [Jarrett] and [Dontari] Poe were square and strong inside. So those things are what I was looking for in the game. At the end, no, I'm not happy with the result of the numbers of rushes and the yards, but the tackling was improved."
On whether he meets with Steve Sarkisian leading into a game on what his game plan is:
"Yes, we meet every day. Clearly, I go through all the meetings offensively and defensively, so I'm right there with him. There is a lot on first and second down that went our way and did what we wanted. But as we got down into the red zone and had opportunities to score and we didn't nail on those, I thought the play selection was right. It doesn't mean we executed it correctly. I think that's fair to say. So just because the call went in and we didn't execute it doesn't mean it's a poor call. It was poorly executed for whatever reason. So, yes, I hear every call that goes in."
On improving the push up the middle:
"I'm glad you brought the point up. It's one of the topics that we talked about today. In pass rush, most good pass rushing teams are best when all four are in concert. When this one happens, he's high, he's low, he's in the spot. I felt like in that game there were, maybe I was going to take a shot and I jumped outside and the middle stayed open as you would say. So we're going to work like hell to get those four, when it's not a blitz, really in concert together to make the rush come alive because you can't just rely on beating a guy outside and winning on a speed every time. The stunt has to be coordinated correctly. The inside guys coordinated correctly. It's one of the areas we talked about on our third down emphasis that we'll be spending a good bit of time on."
On whether the running backs come to him during the time of the red zone struggles:
"No, they don't. If you asked Free [Devonta Freeman], he pretty much wanted like 57 out of the 57 plays because that's the competitor that he is. I really love the style he's running with. He's downhill, aggressive, and Tevin [Coleman] in his own right has good style to go. But had we nailed some of the opportunities, I don't think we'd have this statement that we're making about it. We intend fully on using all our weapons in the red zone to make sure that part comes together like it needs to."
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