What the Falcons had to say after the loss to the Saints

On if there are positives: “There are positives. It’s never as bad as it feels. Just like it’s never as good as it feels. Get in and get to work. It was the first game of the year. It’s not going to make or break the season. It’s something that we can build from. There are definitely things we can build from when we get in there and watch tape. We’ll get in there and try to get it done.”

On how tough was the loss: “It’s tough. You never want to take a loss at home in the first game of the year against an in-division opponent. But I think it’s something that we can definitely (snap) back from. We’ll get in there, watch film and make adjustments. Make corrections.”

YOUNGHOE KOO, kicker

On the operation: “We have a brand-new group. We have a new snapper. Liam (McCullough)’s first game in the league. He had a great game. Bradley (Pinion) did a great job holding. The full operation did a great job all day, which made it easy to do my job ... We just came up short just a little bit.”

On the 63-yard attempt: “No, I’ve hit 64, 65 before. I try not to change too much. I try to hit the same ball. I like to think my PAT goes that far, so I just try to hit the same ball.”

DRAKE LONDON, wide receiver

On the loss: “There are a lot of things to learn for me personally. For us as a unit. For us as a team. So, just going back and watch the film. Try to perfect my craft and make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

On missing three weeks with a knee injury: “Trying to be able to run. That was pretty it. Rehab. PT (physical therapy). Staying mentally focused and locked into the playbook and play plans.”

On his first NFL game: “Do what got you here. So, I’m going to keep on doing what I’ve been doing and just build off of that.”

CORDARRELLE PATTERSON, running back

On if he wanted the ball on fourth-and-1: “I want the ball every play. That’s not possible. I (don’t) have enough stamina for the ball every play. We had a good play called. It was a bad snap or whatever happened on the snap exchange. That’s something we’ve been working on. Bad things happen, and you just have to move on. Move forward. Whatever Coach calls, we’re going to go with it. You think we tried to go out and mess up the snap and all that stuff. We didn’t. (Stuff) happens, man.”

MYKAL WALKER, inside linebacker

On the defense’s effort: “We felt good. Guys were flying around. The defense was locking up the back end and gave us some coverage sacks. The front line was winning. Making Jameis (Winston) run down there. Making him uncomfortable and getting him off his spots. I think we played well. Obviously, we have to finish better, but I think we played well.”

GRADY JARRETT, defensive end

On helping the team move on from this loss as a leader in the locker room: “You know what, I think the message is simple. We just have to go back to work and chalk this one up. We’ll get to see these guys later in the year. Definitely unfortunate how the game ended today, but we still got a lot of work ahead of us.”

On what happened in the fourth quarter: “It’s going to take some going back and looking at tape, but clearly we got some things to fix. So we have to fix it.”

On pressuring Saints quarterbacks Sunday: “You know, it’s good to get to the quarterback today from the whole front. And also some blitzes as well. And we had a couple coverage attacks as well. So, it was a whole defensive effort. But we have to finish the game. It’s encouraging to get to the quarterback, but you want to win.”

On whether the Saints changed their protection in the fourth quarter: “Yeah, the passes were a little quicker, and protection slid a little bit to me more. And then, also, just moving the pocket a little bit as you can see a couple of the plays (weren’t) just stagnant, so they started being a little more mobile as far as moving the pocket and not just sitting there. So, I mean, they made some adjustments, and we just have to make some as well.”

On whether the tempo of the Saints’ offense in the second half made it difficult on the defense: “I’m not sure if it was a tempo thing. Like I said, just being in the present moment, you have to go back and look and see what was really going on, you know. And so I don’t know if it was a tempo thing. They did push the ball down the field toward the end, tried to get back, obviously, they had to go tempo because the time was running out. So, I don’t know if the tempo was – I mean, I don’t – it is what it is.”

On, from his experience, what it takes to get over a loss like this and not let it linger: “You know what, we just have to go back to work, man. I could sit up here and I said that before. But it’s simple. You know, we have to finish. We have to finish the game as a whole team, and that takes everybody doing their job. And there’s more than one play in the game that determines the outcome of a game. So, everybody takes a part in it. So, I think that’s the thing we have to know going forward, but I can tell you I’m encouraged with this team because we came out there and we played, we had great energy. We had the stadium rocking. It’s probably one of the most, if not the most exciting I’ve seen the team, just making some big plays on offense and defense and the fans just giving us everything they got. It was a beautiful scene today. And you know what, we want to make these fans proud and come out and respond from this win. I mean from this loss and then just continue to stack up some wins so we can keep it, you know, turnt up like that. I mean, it was just an amazing scene. I just don’t want it to go to waste, you know. Because that’s what we can be, man. We just have to finish the game. Unfortunately, we came up short, and there’s no excuse for this, and we have to go back to work.”

On his excitement on the field following his sacks: “I mean, I missed playing football, man. It’s the first game of the season against the Saints. You ain’t got no blood for that, shoot. I’m excited making some big plays. I just love playing the game. That’s why I do what I do, you know, at this point in my career it’s all about being the best I can be, and that’s what I was putting on display. I mean, shoot, it’s fun. It’s a fun game to play. I love it.”

On being a holdover from the Super Bowl team:

“I’m not a holdover. I earned my way here to this contract to be with this team. It’s a blessing to play for the Atlanta Falcons, my hometown team, and I take it year by year, and I earn every stripe that I get going forward. And that’s what I’m going to continue to do, and I’m going to continue to put good football on the field, and I’m focused on 2022. And, you know, that’s what it is.”

On what has to happen to keep this loss from lingering: “You know, I think like I said earlier, the message is clear. We have go back to work. You know, young, vet, whatever it is. If you’re on the field, you have to be able to be ready to do your job because next team we play – the Rams – don’t care about us soaking on this. We have to go back to work. You know what I’m saying? So, the message is simple for anybody, just step on the field and go on to prepare for this next game.”

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Atlanta Falcons 2022 NFL schedule

Sept. 11: Saints 27, Falcons 26

Sept. 18 at Los Angeles Rams, 4:05 p.m.

Sept. 25 at Seattle, 4:25 p.m.

Oct. 2 vs. Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Oct. 9 at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.

Oct. 16 vs. San Francisco, 1 p.m.

Oct. 23 at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Oct. 30 vs. Carolina, 1 p.m.

Nov. 6 vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 1 p.m.

Nov. 10 at Carolina, 8:15 p.m.

Nov. 20 vs. Chicago, 1 p.m.

Nov. 27 at Washington, 1 p.m.

Dec. 4 vs. Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

BYE WEEK

Dec. 18 at New Orleans, TBD

Dec. 24 at Baltimore, 1 p.m.

Jan. 1 vs. Arizona, 1 p.m.

Jan. 8 vs. Tampa Bay, TBD