Here's what Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan had to say after the 34-33 loss Sunday to the Cardinals:
On the state of the team after a tough loss:
"Disappointed with the outcome today. Not obviously where we want to be, but our mindset has to be on where we want to go. We'll get some rest after this trip back and get back to it Wednesday and try to clean up the handful of things we can clean up. We're definitely disappointed and frustrated with not getting the job done."
On if he said anything to K Matt Bryant or QB Matt Schaub after the missed PAT attempt:
"Both of them, it happens. That physical stuff, it happens. These kind of games never come down to one play. I think everybody in our locker room can look at four or five different things that they did throughout the game that we could have done better. Where we would have been in a different situation at the end of the game. He's been so consistent for us, just a pat on the back and tell him we got him."
On what was working offensively for the team in the second half:
"I think a lot of things were. I thought our offensive line stepped up against a good front seven, a physical front seven, specifically the two outside pass rushers, Zach Allen and Rodney Gunter who are great players. Our guys battled. Credit to them up-front. On the outside our guys made plays, and that's what we count on them to do. I thought Dirk (Koetter) did a great job of putting us in position, getting guys open. We had a few chances maybe in the first half and at different times in the second half where we had to make those plays, and we didn't make them."
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On if receiving the opening kick-off was an attempt at a new approach to the game:
"Yeah, Dan (Quinn) tells me before every game, 'Hey, here's what we're going to do if we win the toss,' and today it was if we win the toss we're going to take the ball. We won the toss and took the ball and anytime you get that with the offense you want to come away with points. I thought we did a nice job in overcoming a lot of things in that first drive and to walk away with seven that's how you want to start a football game. I thought we could have been a little more consistent throughout the first half, but it was a good start for us."
On how important it is to get RB Devonta Freeman the ball:
"I think it's huge. I tell our guys all the time, we've got a number of talented players and that the ball is going to find different guys different weeks. You have to stay ready for when your opportunity comes. Our guys are incredibly unselfish and do a great job with that. Free is a guy that for the entire time he's been here when his number has been called he's done a great job for us. I thought he did a great job today."
On what wasn't working offensively following the first drive:
"We just got off-schedule. Penalties knocked us back. I think the second drive we were first-and-25, it's tough to overcome that when you've got 25 yards to go with three downs. That's going to be tough. Those kind of things throughout the game, those have been things that we need to clean up as a unit so that we can operate consistently for four quarters the way that we're capable of."
On if he remains positive when addressing the team about the outlook for the rest of the season:
"Absolutely, there's still a lot of football in front of us. Clearly this is not where we want to be at this point. I've been on teams that have gone on long win streaks. It just takes a play here in the game or a win here to get a bit of momentum going, and when it's going good you got to ride it. I'm certainly optimistic that that can happen, but we've got to make it happen. That's got to be the mindset, that you've got to make it happen. Our message more so than anything is being a real professional and being able to handle adversity, get back to work and focus on how you can be the best player that you can be. Collectively if we do that that's going to give us the best chance to get on a run and get back in the mix."
On how tough it will be to play the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks in the coming weeks:
"Can't worry about anybody other than Los Angeles next week. We've got to find a way to get the job done. It doesn't matter who we're going against in this league, it's going to be a tough game. They're a good football team. But we're capable of playing good football too. We've just got to find a way to do that more consistently."
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