Here’s what Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had to stay after the 18-12 loss to the Eagles on Thursday:
On the team's problems offensively. "It was disappointing for us from an offensive standpoint. We came out and moved the ball really effectively. We had opportunities the first two drives of the game to come away with points, and we didn't do that. When you're facing a defense like that, you have to capitalize on your opportunities. We're disappointed. I thought we battled and fought like crazy. We knew it was going to be a tough game coming in here, but it's disappointing to not leave here with a win."
On the failure to correct the teams red zone problems. "Just keep working at it. It's a long season, and tonight wasn't what we wanted. We'll continue to go at it in practice and make it a point of emphasis. I really believe we're going to make those plays as we move forward. It just comes down to making a play here or there. When we get those chances again, we'll come-up with those plays. We're going to continue to work at it and practice it. We're disappointed that we didn't make those plays tonight, but I'm confident that we're going to moving forward."
On Julio Jones. "…we don't have a chance to have an opportunity if he doesn't make some of those spectacular plays down the stretch. He's going to score plenty of touchdowns for us throughout the year. I'm a believer in that. I think we're definitely close to coming out with those."
On the red zone problems. "It's one game. That's the sample size that we have right now. It's disappointing that we didn't make them tonight, but it's not a season of not scoring touchdowns. I'm disappointed that we didn't make them, but I really believe that we are going to make them moving forward. We are going to continue to work on them, too."
On if he's confident they can score in the red zone. "I still am confident. Tonight it didn't play out that way. But we have put in a lot of really good work. And, again, we are going to make those plays as we move forward for sure. We had some chances tonight, we just didn't connect on them. And, that's one of things where we'll have an opportunity to look at what we did. Analyze what we did, get back to the practice field and put some of that work back in."
On the last drive. "That's one of those situations, where I can't remember exactly how much time was on the (clock) on the first down. But it was an opportunity where we were going to have four chances into the end zone. We couldn't throw anything in the field because we were too short on clock. We either had to throw the ball out of bounds or get some yardage and get out of bounds or we have to take shots into the end zone. We were all in agreement that it was take four chances into the end zone with our guys. They doubled and picketed at the goal line, which is good defense. It's not easy to do in that situation. But at the same time, that's the situation we were in. We didn't make the plays. We had some good calls. Some good opportunities but we didn't make them."
On the interception. "For me, that's the toughest one. They go to a cover zero pressure and I tried to put it outside and threw it with too much touch. That's it."
On the variety of packages in the red zone early and late. "We used some of it tonight for sure. Our packages, we still have a lot of other things we can do down there for sure. Most of it is dictated against schemes that you're going to go against. Philly does a nice job. They do a really good job in the low red area of playing coverage, not giving you much space and they've got a good pass rush. It's difficult to extend plays and kind of create something off schedule."
On the interception and if he and Julio Jones were on the same page (Jones didn't play a snap in the four exhbition games). "I think I just threw the ball with too much touch. It was too soft. I gave them an opportunity. If I can throw that one more on a line a little bit higher it gives him a chance to make a play on the ball. I put that one on me."
On if he missed guys, on if he was off. "I didn't play well enough. At the end of the night, it comes down to when you get chances and you have guys you have to hit it and I didn't do a good of that tonight."
On the early red zone, when Julio was out. "I think we had second-and-goal at the 1. It was about having our bigger personnel on the field and trying to punch it in from the one. To me, that's why he wasn't on the field in that situation. No, I would have not expected him because we had the ball so close to the goal line."
On if this was a litmus test against the defending Super Bowl champs. "Yeah, sure, every week is that kind of test in this league. You are who you put out there. Tonight tells us that we've got to improve. We've got to get better. We've got to get back to work this week in. We've got a couple of extra days to either rest, recover or work. So, we'll see what Dan Quinn says about the schedule. There's going to be a good chance for us to get some extra work and get back to it so that we are better next week when we play Carolina."
On if it was timing issues or play selection. "It's all of the above. We have the play calls, I think (offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian) did a nice job with that today. They are dropping seven guys in a tight space and they (have a) good pass rush. It's difficult when we are throwing the ball and they've got that much space covered in a tight window and not much ability to extend plays because of their pass rush. So, I think it was that and getting back to work to improve some of the timing as players."
On the last play. "They had kind of three-over-two coverage on our two guys. We kind of ran a little switch/release deal to get Julio an opportunity. I haven't seen it. I didn't see it. I was on the ground. I'll be able to give you a better answer when I get to see it."
On that same end of the field. "We'll probably, I'm hoping, I'm confident in my career that we'll play here again and we'll get down to that end of the field and we'll do a little better next time."
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