ATLANTA -- Player and coach reaction from the 44-41 victory over the Seattle Seahawks to end the 2007 campaign...
INTERIM HEAD COACH EMMITT THOMAS
On the Gatorade shower:
"I knew it was coming, but I was trying to get away. They managed to hold me up and get the job done, but after a win like that I will take it. I was so happy that it didn’t even matter.”
On the play of the team after going through so much adversity this season:
“Everyone on this team is a professional. When Mr. Blank asked me to take over this team, I wanted to make sure we prepared this team the best we could, install some character to the team and show the players some love. I am so happy that we got a win this week because we were so close last week. They will head into the off-season with a win and will be able to come back next season and show people that they still have life in them."
On the performance of his veteran players like Warrick Dunn, Joe Horn and Alge Crumpler:
“Alge has been nicked up all year and people have been trying to write him off, but he is still a great player. Warrick has a lot of character and can still contribute to this team. Joe Horn has been hurt all year long and it was good to see him come out and have some success today. We got behind early, but we continued to fight back time after time until the end of the game.”
On the play of Chris Redman:
“He was outstanding. When he gets the protection from his offensive line he can throw the football. We were able to keep the pressure to a minimum for the most part today and he threw the ball extremely well.”
On continuing to coach:
“I don’t know if I want to be in this spot, but I enjoy coaching. I have given it (retirement) some thought. I will be 65 years old in June, I coached two years at the college level, 28 years in the NFL, played in two Super Bowls, coached in two Super Bowls, have been to five Pro Bowls, nominated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this season and I have had a chance to play head coach in the NFL. I feel really good about what I have been a part of. I will do whatever Mr. Blank asks me to do.”
On the team going into the offseason:
“I am not putting any pressure on Mr. Blank, but I think it is important that he gets someone hired as soon as possible. We need to let the players know who there leader will be and begin the offseason conditioning program. We are not a 4-12 football team. We can play much better, but we just need someone here who can give us some direction and help us stay healthy.”
On where this win ranks in your career:
“I have been fortunate to play in some big football games, but to be the head coach of a group of guys is a hard thing to top. There is nothing like winning a Super Bowl, but being able to lead this team for three games has been great. The support staff is great here. Any coach or GM would be honored to have this group. It is a great organization.”
RUNNING BACK JERIOUS NORWOOD
On the Falcons ending their season with a win:
"It feels real good. I’m glad to get a victory today. We came out fired up and have a little time off now. We can kind of get ready for next year. It’s going to be a different team next year. We’ll be ready to roll.”
On the play of the Falcons offense:
“The offense played really good today. I feel like everybody stepped up and did their job. We moved the ball well and I feel like we ran the ball pretty well. The offensive line protected well and it seemed like everybody was playing as one today.”
DEFENSIVE TACKLE JONATHAN BABINEAUX
On the Falcons ending their season with a win:
“It was big. We had a stormy year. It felt like a hurricane came through here. But, it was a great way to end the season.”
On playing against his brother Jordan, a Seattle defensive back:
“It was pretty good. I just told him to do what he always does and he told me to do what I always do. So, we just went out there and gave it our all today.”
On the play of the Falcons defense at the end of the game:
“We knew we had to step up and make some plays. Obviously, special teams was giving us good field position all day. Coach told us we needed stops and guys went out there and made plays.”
SAFETY LAWYER MILLOY
On the Falcons ending their season with a win:
“It’s closure. It’s closure on a crazy year. Obviously, it’s always good to win, but mainly it’s closure. The offseason starts right now. Nobody knows what’s going to happen with our organization. It has a lot of work to do in the offseason, but it’s up to us as individuals to go home and get better so something like this doesn’t happen again.”
TIGHT END ALGE CRUMPLER
On the game:
”We felt like we lost a little character and class and then our coach pulled us together in Tampa and informed us that we were going to play with class and character. Obviously we displayed that on the road in Arizona and we displayed that today.”
On seeing the fans turnout today and their support:
“This town is starving for good football and the fans hold us to a high standard. That’s we get boos and a lot of times there are cheers. Ultimately, they just want to see good football. It was great seeing the crowd cheer and doing “the wave”, which is something that I have not seen the entire season.”
On the win:
“It was great for our team and our coach because Emmitt Thomas is a first class guy. He knows what it takes to win and how to stick it out. The first words that he said to us were that he was excited but he was also nervous and then he assured us that he was here for us until the end. He was very honest from the inception so we just went out and tried to play good football. Regardless of what we went through, I told that guys that for three hours we needed to put everything on the line, for the fans, for us and for the entire city of Atlanta. We just wanted to come out and play good football.”
RUNNING BACK WARRICK DUNN
On the game:
“We just came out today and played for each other. We wanted to finish up strong together. The important thing is that we went out and played well and we were able to pull out a win.”
On Chris Redman:
“Well Chris is a guy that had not played football in years and he steps in the second half of the year and plays well. He understands what is going on and he is a guy that is going to take his shots and use his talent around him. I believe that he has a future in the NFL.
On the future of your career:
“I would be lying if I said that I did not want to come back and play here. It just really depends on what they want. Hopefully, they will want me back but they may not want me back and I will end up playing somewhere else. But being a Falcon has elevated me to another level on the football field. I have been highly appreciative of the fans and the people in Atlanta. I humbly embrace this time and I have and will continue to be appreciative of this time. We sacrifice our time and bodies for each other on this team and that is just a reflection of the franchise’s effort to create a great environment for great football.”
QUARTERBACK CHRIS REDMAN
On the Falcons ending their season with a win:
”This was a great win to end the season and especially knowing that everybody put up their best effort. This has been a tough season, but everybody showed great resolve through it all. Coach Jackson (Hugh) spoke in front of the team and gave us a great speech about not quitting and showing pride as professionals. I am glad for Arthur Blank and the organization to all go out on a winning note despite all that has happen.”
On the play of the Falcons offense:
“I thought the defense played good tonight and they gave us opportunities to put points on the board. At the beginning we had some field goals but that’s not enough to beat a team like Seattle. But luckily, our offense settled down and we were able to get in the end zone a few times. We capitalize on the momentum swing in the second half and I was pleased that we made most of the field position.”
On the offense scoring 21 points in a minute and a half:
“It was great that we were able to get the tempo going. We made some big plays from the offensive line to the wide receivers.”
On the offensive game plan versus Seattle:
“I thought Coach Jackson did an excellent job with the game plan for today. Our receivers stepped up and made some spectacular catches along with the running backs hitting the holes at the right time. It was a collective effort and I am glad that I was a part of this win.”
On returning for another season with the Falcons:
“I love it here in Atlanta and would love another chance to play for this organization. It would’ve been nice to play a few more games at quarterback but I think I made most of the opportunity. I can’t wait until next season.”
DEFENSIVE END JOHN ABRAHAM
Thoughts on the game:
“The biggest thing I can take from this game is that no one quit. Correction, no one that is still here quit. We had a though year, but in the end, it builds character.”
LINEBACKER KEITH BROOKING
Thoughts on the game and the season:
“This game exemplifies what this team is about and the character that is in this locker room. I’m just really proud of the way we fought. Last week, everyone said that we fought hard, but I’m not into moral victories. In the end, you either win or lose, and I’m glad we won. We fought and we made the plays we needed to win the game. Our offense came alive, and really helped us today. Redman played great. He moved the ball down the field all day long against their first team defense. I was really proud of those guys. Regardless of what everyone was saying, we just kept fighting and we never gave up. I’m proud of everyone in this locker room. We’ve faced a lot of adversity during this season. Things that teams should never have to face, but the whole time, we’ve been telling ourselves that we need to face it and keep moving forward. Eventually, we’re going to come out of this situation victorious and this organization will get it turned around. We take it day-by-day, and control what we can control. We’ve maintained that mentality throughout the season. We’re not losers. I’m not a loser, I’m a winner. At the end of the day, my teammates and I can hold our heads up high and know that we put everything we had into this season.”
Thoughts on Emmitt Thomas and this game:
“Emmitt is such a great man and a great football coach. He’s a great example to each and every one of us. He’s a true professional. As an interim head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, he’s so deserving of going out like that. When we presented him with the game ball, I made sure that I told everyone, especially the young guys, that Emmitt is the key to success in this league. This is what the NFL is about. If you want to be successful in this league, you listen to him. He has tremendous knowledge and he knows what it takes to be successful.”
SAFETY CHRIS CROCKER
Thoughts on the game:
“This was really special for us. We knew that this was going to be the last time a lot of us were going to be playing with each other. Before the game, we reflected on the positives of the season, said that we were going to play for each other and came out with the victory. As a team, we were very resilient. As you can see, we kept fighting throughout the season. Overall, that’s what I’m most proud of.”
Thoughts on Emmitt Thomas as a coach:
“To me, the great thing about Emmitt, is that I have a relationship with him. He’s my defensive back coach. He’s been such a great example of how to be a professional. He’s a very special person. You don’t come around many coaches like that. I was very fortunate to have him as a defensive back coach. We’ll see where the chips fall. If he gets the head coaching position, that would be great. He’s definitely a hall of fame ballot, and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t get inducted."
WIDE RECEIVER RHODDY WHITE
Thoughts on the game and the season:
“This game did a lot for us. We needed this win really badly. We lost eight straight games. This game helped us to get the terrible taste of losing out of our mouths. It’s great to see everyone come into the locker room celebrating with a smile on their face. It feels good, it feels really good.”
Thoughts on his performance and the game’s impact on Coach Emmitt Thomas:
“This game was really big for Emmitt. This was a great opportunity for us to go out there and get Emmitt his first win as an NFL coach. As far as my performance, I think I did real well. I made a couple of plays and set up a couple of opportunities for us score. That was my intent, and that’s what I did.”
SEAHAWKS HEAD COACH MIKE HOLMGREN
On leaving his starters in the game:
“We wanted to win the football game, but we got health out of it and that was a big plus. Now we are going to get ready for the next game. We don’t know who we are going to play or when, but we are going to play.”
On other players:
“We have a lot of receivers and that is why (Nate Burleson) was in there. He needs some work. We only have three running backs so (Leonard Weaver) needed to play.”
On the loss:
“I was disappointed that we did not win the football game. It is a hard game to play, but we had our chances. We got a stop and then gave it back in 15 points by turnovers.”
SEAHAWKS LINEBACKER JULIAN PETERSON
On losing to a three-win team:
“I take my hat off to the Falcons, but it’s not going to change our momentum. We don’t enter the postseason on a positive note, but we will do what we’ve got to do. Listen, we were ready to play today. They were ready to play too. You know they get paid just like we get paid. They’ve got pride just like we do. They came out to play in their last game before a homecrowd. They executed, and made more plays than we did. I’ll tell you, I thought Chris Redman did a good job for them. He scrambled away from pressure a few times. He was faster than I thought he was.”
LINEBACKER LOFA TATUPU
On playing defense against Redman, and the team’s defensive effort:
“He (Redman) had good escapability today. We got some pressure on him, but he did a good job spreading the ball around and when he couldn’t find anyone, he threw it away. We need to make plays on the ball. When you let a quarterback make plays with his arm and legs, well, we can’t let that happen. But you know, this is the NFL and it’s hard to get a win every week. When you do get double-digit wins like we have this year, you better appreciate it because all of the teams in this League are pretty evenly matched.”
SAFETY DEON GRANT
On today’s rather lackluster performance:
“We didn’t play our game today, in any phase: special teams, offense or defense. I really don’t know why. I need to watch film before I say anything because that’s the type guy I am. But you know, the plus part in all of this is that we get to wipe the slate clean. This was a bad loss, but we go on to postseason play now. We can fix the mistakes we made here and we go into next weekend against whoever we are playing and dominate. One game at a time, baby.”
CORNERBACK JORDAN BABINEAUX
On not underestimating the opponent:
“It’s not like we didn’t measure our opponent today. We knew we had a game on our hands before we got here. But they just made more plays than we did today. That’s the long and short of it.”
On playing against his brother, though they both play defense:
“Wow, it would be an interesting thing to see me square off against him some day. Especially if he was a receiver or something. But it’s been a long time since we did that. We both like to play defense and we like to hit instead of getting hit.”
DEFENSIVE END PATRICK KERNEY
On his return to Atlanta after his years as a Falcon:
“It’s a pretty emotional day for me. I had eight years here that I really cherished. I’ve got close friends on their team. Not just players, but coaches, administrators and such. It was great to see them. There are so many great people in the Falcons organization. For whatever reason, they got struck with awful luck this year. It started during the summer and didn’t end until 10 days ago with the Parcells stuff. It’s too much for any team to overcome. So my hat is off to them today. They ended a tough season and they played their hearts out. They hung 44 points on our defense. It’s nothing we can be proud of. I think they went back to last year’s playbook and did some things well. Hey, they executed. And I’ll tell you what, any time you put on that uniform, you need to put your best foot forward. We didn’t do that today. But we’ll turn it around. We’ll be ready for the playoffs. By this Friday we will be very ready.”
RUNNING BACK MAURICE MORRIS
On reestablishing the running game for the playoffs:
“The last two weeks, we have been getting things going. It’s kind of given us a lot of confidence going into the playoffs, but the running game is starting to get rolling again.”
On his big rushing day to end the regular season:
“I don’t keep up with stats. I just go out there and try to do whatever I can to help the team win. It’s always good to go out there and score.”
On the health of Shaun Alexander entering the playoffs:
“It’s good for every guy on the team. We need everybody. I mean, the more guys you have that are helping you, the better you have a chance of going all the way and getting what you need to get to as far as the Super Bowl.”
WIDE RECEIVER NATE BURLESON
On how the Seahawks played overall:
“We did some things well, but at the same time, we made some mistakes. Individually, I had a couple of errors that cost us a chance to get the ball, so it’s a bitter-sweet feeling.”
On the tough loss to the Falcons and looking ahead:
“Obviously, we are going to review the film tomorrow. We’ll take this flight home and soak in it a little bit. We have a bigger and better game ahead of us.”
On the intensity of his teammates:
“I think for the most part, guys came out ready to play today. We started our first drive well. We’re going to need that same type of intensity coming up here next weekend.”
QUARTERBACK SENECA WALLACE
On the game:
“My main thing coming into the game was just protecting the ball and not giving them points. Unfortunately, I didn’t do that today. We came back and got some points but we fell short. It happens but we have to bounce back for the playoffs."
On not playing all year until today:
“It’s difficult. For 16 weeks I have been rooting my teammates on then you finally get to play so you are really excited. I think sometimes you go into the game and your adrenaline is going and you have to calm down and realize that you are back playing football again. Sometimes you can make mistakes doing that, but we came out and played pretty decent and battled hard. It took a minute for me to calm down. The turnovers always hurt you. It’s always crucial that you don’t turn the ball over when you are backed up. Unfortunately, I made those mistakes but you have to move on and get ready for the playoffs.”
QUARTERBACK MATT HASSELBACK
On the game:
“This is the time to get excited. This is what we’ve been playing for all along. It was real disappointing not getting the win today, but guys tried real hard and there were definitely positives. We came out of that game strong on an East Coast game which was something that we were able to do in Philly, but not real well in Carolina. Losing the game hurts, but it’s time to go. It’s playoff time.”
On the running game:
“The running game is definitely coming along the last two weeks. We had a couple of big runs by Mo Morris today. It was a credit to our guys upfront, but also to the wide receivers blocking downfield.”
On playing a game that doesn’t affect your playoff status:
“To me that’s not why I play. I don’t care about that. To say that the game doesn’t mean anything is foolish. Especially since we’ve trained all season long for these games. There are only 16 of them and you try to do your best every time. As an offensive player if you don’t come ready to play you will hurt yourself or get someone else hurt. You are playing for the guy next to you, playing for the team, playing because you love the game.”
MORE FROM THE FALCONS-SEAHAWKS GAME:
- NEWS: Draft position narrowed, 2008 opponents set
- BOARDS: Talk about the Draft on FalconsLIFE
- GAMEDAY: All the coverage from the Falcons-Seahawks game
- STATS AND PLAY-BY-PLAY: NFL.com Game Center
- GAME NOTES: Updates and injury news from the Georgia Dome press box
- INACTIVES AND STARTERS: Inactives and starters from Week 17
- QUOTABLE: Thoughts on the game -- and the season -- from Falcons players and coaches
- VIDEO: Interim Head Coach Emmitt Thomas
- VIDEO: Quarterback Chris Redman
- VIDEO: Defensive end John Abraham
- VIDEO: Tight end Alge Crumpler
- VIDEO: Safety Lawyer Milloy
- VIDEO: Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux
- AUDIO: Linebac ker Keith Brooking
- VIDEO: Falcons-Seahawks Highlights
- VIDEO: Can't Miss Play: Crumpler
