FLOWERY BRANCH -- Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan spoke to the Atlanta media on Wednesday. Here’s what he had to say:
On improving in the run game and preparing to face the 49ers:
“You talk about the run game, I think it’s been productive for us the last couple of weeks. It’s something that we’ve continued to hammer away at all season and chip away at it in practice and certainly done a nice job upfront and in the backfield getting that run game going for us. It’s certainly going to be another point of emphasis again, this week. We’re going against a defense that’s strong and physical. Good linebackers, good front four and they’re aggressive. It’s going to be a great challenge for us.”
On 49ers MLB Fred Warner and DE Nick Bosa
“He’s a very good player. Fred’s a really good player. Athletic. Has really good speed. He’s physical. He’s instinctive. I think that’s one of the things when you watch him play, he has good instincts, both in the run game and in the pass game. Then you mentioned [Nick] Bosa upfront, I mean, really good edge setter for them. Really good pass rusher. I think he has like 12 sacks or something like that. He’s done a nice job. He’s a really good player. He’s improved a lot since we played against him in the past and I think he’s developed into a really physical player, really good pass rusher. Very talented. So again, two guys we’ve got to be aware of where they’re at and we certainly have to do a good job making sure we’re communicating getting guys on them.”
On the 49ers secondary
“Yeah, it’s a group that has had different guys play at different times. They’re talented across the board. They’ve got good players there and they sync up well with what they do in the front end. I think you see guys who do a great job of recognizing patterns, are aggressive in breaking on the ball. They’ve done a nice job as a team of creating turnovers both interceptions and punching the ball out. I think their secondary is good.”
On whether there is a difference in the COVID protocols this week
“I mean, other than some COVID protocols, it’s business as usual. I think the one thing that, having done it for the last two years, you learn to be flexible. We have certain setups to handle when this kind of stuff happens. You have to make the best of it. I think Art’s [Arthur Smith] done a good job of spacing things out doing some stuff virtually and I think the guys have done a good job of locking in when you need to lock in.”
On what things have been virtual due to the COVID protocols
“For me, it’s all been in person. We’ve got the barn out here which is nice for us to be able to use as a meeting space where you can space out and social distance or whatever. I think Art’s done a good job with that.”
On his cousin, 49ers T Mike McGlinchey, missing this week’s game due to injury
“I’m bummed for him. Obviously, I always pull for him to play well, to be healthy. I know he was bummed to have the season over with the injury, but he’s got a lot of years ahead of him. A lot of good football in front of him. I’m convinced of that. Bummed he’s not able to play.
On whether they had to cancel any family get-togethers due to McGlinchey’s injury
“I mean, the injury was kind of a long time ago. I think with just COVID and everything, I don’t think it’s probably as big as the last time we were out there.”
On whether not having a highly productive wide receiver has impacted how he looks at the offense
“I don’t think it changes; I think you go into it with the mindset that whatever we have to do, we’ve got to do to win. Whether that’s throwing it 50 times, running it 50 times whatever that is, you have to find a way to get it done. But as far as approaching week to week any different, for me, it’s the same. It’s trying to find the right spot to go with the football with the plays we have called and with the coverages that they’re going with. Whether it’s emphasizing wide receivers, running backs, tight ends, whatever that is, it’s always a little bit different every week with what you’re trying to attack, but from a mindset standpoint, I try and keep it pretty simple for me. Be out there, make sure I’m getting us in the right plays and trying to go with the right spot with the ball.”
On the team playing smarter and more together
“Well, I think, obviously we’d like to have the one turnover back that we had the other afternoon but we’re protecting the football pretty well. Making a point of emphasis of that but also, I talked a lot a couple weeks ago about backside combination blocks and its guys, it’s not anything magic. It’s guys understanding that those things are important and the effort that they’re giving in there has been really good. I also think understanding situations, you look at the end of the game, with Kyle [Pitts] as a rookie player, getting the first down. Kind of winding back in protecting the football, keeping the clock running. End of half last week. I know some people you could want to be aggressive or whatever but the game the way the game was shaking out with the lead that we had. It’s end of the half with the football sometimes is okay. Not giving them anything. I think the last couple of weeks we’ve done a decent job of that.”
On whether he notices differences in feel and play calling in tight games last year versus this year
“I think for me, it’s probably not all that different. I think that it comes down to, I’ve always said it, the margin for error in this league is razor-thin. The difference is a handful of plays here. I think across the board we’ve done a good job situationally for the most part, and those what is it? 6-2? in those eight games [on the road] of ending halves with the ball, finishing in two-minute drives at the end of games. We’ve had a few of those. Doing a good job in some four-minute drives that we’ve had. Not giving the ball back or bleeding time to kick field goals at the end to win. Those things matter. In this league where there’s such competitive balance, if you can do those little things right, situationally, it leads to those wins. I think for the most part, in those one-score games, we’ve done a nice job.”
On how a successful running game helps him as a quarterback
“It keeps the defensive line out of rhythm. When they don’t have the chance to just pin their ears back and know it’s going to be drop-back pass, it makes it more difficult for them when they’ve got to defend both. They can’t just pin their ears back and go because they’ve got run fits and gaps they have to protect and that makes a big difference. This league is about slowing down those guys on the other side of the ball and finding ways to do that and running the football has certainly helped with that.”
On the importance of this week’s game
“It’s very significant. For us as a team, they’re all going to be this way moving forward if we handle our business. We understand the position we’re in, but we also know, you can’t control the next three games. It’s really just about taking care of business this week. Extending our opportunity to be relevant. I’m excited about that. It’s fun to be this time of the year, to be in games that matter and games that have consequences, and I’m excited for that opportunity.”
On teaching a playoff mentality to younger players
“You don’t have to do anything crazy. You just have to do what you’re being asked to do really well and do it over and over and over. Understand that, play one of the game is just as significant as snap 65. They all are important. For young players, the more you can develop that mindset every week, the better off we’re going to be.”
On Arthur Smith preaching to stay the course
“I think he’s very good at that. Stay the course and continuing to work on the things we started working on when we got together in April. Starting to see, it takes time but starting to see some of those things improve and get better. Things don’t happen overnight as much as you would like them to. I think it takes time to continue to build and get better. I give credit to Arthur for kind of, keeping that mindset of growth and improvement and being better this time of the year than we were at the beginning. I also give credit to the players. It’s not always easy when things aren’t going well to stay the course, to believe in the process that we have and I’m proud of the guys for doing that.”
On whether he feels like the NFL cycles between being a running league and a passing league
“Each year is different. Each offense I’ve been a part of is different. A lot of how you play is the guys that you have and featuring the players that are in the building. With the way that you’re built, you try and feature and get the ball in those players’ hands. At different times in my career, it’s been really heavy run emphasis. I think early in my career with Mike Turner. It was very much based on the run and then there were years kind of in the middle where we had Roddy [White] where we had Julio [Jones] where we had Tony Gonzalez, Harry Douglas and it might have been a little bit more pass-oriented. I think it comes down to the guys that you have, and coaches finding the ways to give you the best opportunity to win week in and week out. The one thing that has stayed the same my entire time in the league is that the game is really the wins and losses are dictated up front on both sides of the ball. That part has been the same since before I’ve been around. It’s been that way forever. The guys up front are so important.”
On whether the offense is a reaction to the defense or built on a team’s personnel
“I think it’s the balance of both. Who you’re going against, but I think more often than not, you’ve got to play with the guys that you have. You have to think players and over plays sometimes in situations. You want your guys touching the ball and having the ball in space with the ability to make plays. I think every teams different. I really do. I think that for me personally, I think that’s more how I view it.”
On managing a balanced offense versus a pass-heavy offense
“I think one of the beauties of experience is that I’ve done it. I’ve done it where you’ve had to throw it 55 times and at the end of the day, you’ve got to find a way to win. If it’s not working and that’s the direction we have to go in order to win, I’m comfortable doing that no question about it. If it is about running the ball and being physical and making it that kind of game, I’m comfortable in that role too.”
On whether he’s had any conversations with Kyle Shanahan leading up to the game
“Nothing really. I mean, he text me last night. He was watching film of our defense and I guess there was a clip Trevor Lawrence threw and I tried to catch one on the sideline, it was coming in a little hotter than I thought. I dropped it, he was like ‘that was terrible.’ That’s really the only correspondence I’ve had with him. I texted back this morning. I was like ‘you’re right.”
On whether there is any pregame trash talk between him and Kyle Shanahan
“Not really. It’s not. At least my relationship with him is not that way. We keep in touch but, I think we both know what we have to do this week. There’s at least on my end, and I know from his end too, I mean, there’s a lot of respect that goes both ways.”
On the benefit of the defense scoring touchdowns
“It’s awesome. It’s great when your defense is creating turnovers. Scoring, like they have the last couple of weeks. I mean, it’s unaccounted for points from the offensive side of the ball where it’s seven more points that we didn’t have to do anything to put up and they’ve done a great job. I think it’s a group that’s gotten better as the year has gone on too. We talk all the time about playing together and everybody doing their job because it helps somebody else’s responsibilities and playing as a unit. I think you’re seeing that come to life with some of the turnovers. They’re really doing a good job of staying in the scheme and playing well.”
On Dean Pees coming in and implementing his defense
“I played against him and so I know how tough they were to go against. His reputation as a coach of creating really good defensive units and guys that play hard. I always had a lot of respect from afar, not knowing Dean well. I think when you’re around him day to day and you see how he works with the guys, interacts with the guys, I’m not surprised. I think he’s worked really hard, and he’s coached these guys really well to get them playing at a high level.”
On whether he had a hype video when he committed to Boston College
“It was a different time back then. There weren’t hype videos. I think it was in February. At least when I did it. We were in the gym, in the gym at my high school. The way we did it, was all the kids that were signing letters of intent kind of signed together at Penn Charter. It was a fun day, but yeah, there were no hats. No, it was different. It was just a different time.”
On his second college choice after Boston College
“Doesn’t matter (laughing). I was between Iowa and Boston College. Kirk Ferentz was still there. He was kind of a younger coach at the time when they were recruiting me, but he was maybe second or third year there as a coach and I went out and visited with my dad and loved it, but you know, fell second to BC. I’m happy with how things worked out.”
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Detroit Lions at Falcons, 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 26
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