QB Matt Ryan
Opening remarks:
A: “I thought we did a good job tonight on offense. You know we’re happy to come away with the win and hopefully this gives us some momentum heading into the season.”
Q: At the start of the game in that first series when the offense was moving the ball well but penalties set you back, what did you think about that drive?
A: “I thought we did a good job on the first series. We moved the ball well. But again we made some mistakes in the form of penalties, and that kind of set us back. That’s something we need to improve on heading into next week and heading into the regular season. We’ll address that and try to get better.”
Q: You were 15 of 21 with that touchdown pass. Overall what was your assessment of how you played?
A: “I thought I did some good things and I thought I made some mistakes. I needed to make two better throws in the red zone in the first half. I thought there were some plays that we made that were big, and kept the ball moving. We’ll look at the tape and try to get better heading into next week and heading into the season.”
Q: Would you be surprised if you got the starting job at the beginning of the season?
A: “That’s not for me to decide. That’s a decision for the coaches. I think we’ve got four good quarterbacks that have worked hard during training camp. In the end, you just have to let the coach’s make their decisions.”
Linebacker Curtis Lofton
Q: How did you feel about your overall performance?
A: “It went pretty well I thought. I had a few mental errors. Overall I felt like I played pretty good. I’m certainly coming into my own and starting to feel a lot more comfortable out there.”
Q: What has been the most difficult thing for you during training camp up until this point?
A: “The most difficult is feeling comfortable in the system and starting to learn what everyone is doing so when I’m out there. I know what everyone is doing so I can just go play my game.”
Cornerback Chevis Jackson
Q: How did it feel out there?
A: ”It felt good that we got the win today. I got my first pick and everybody played well today. It went really well for us.”
Q: How did it feel to get your first interception?
A: It felt great. It’s what everybody dreams about.
Wide Receiver Adam Jennings
Q: On his punt returns and how he felt about the win tonight.
A: “Well actually, the guys blocking did a good job. We wanted to bounce back from what
happened to us last week. We have a solid return game. I’m just excited to get out there knowing those guys are working hard in front of me.”
Q: His feelings on the overall chemistry of the team so far.
A: “Great. We have a lot of positive energy. The guys are playing hard, we are playing together and we are having fun out there.”
Q: On his overall thoughts on tonight’s game.
A: “I’m excited to get a win. It feels good to win. We are excited to be back out thereagain and have a chance to redeem ourselves.”
Linebacker Keith Brooking
Q: What did you think of having no touchdowns in 10 quarters of football?
A: “At first I didn’t know. I think that’s a pretty good statistic. It’s part of the process right now. We’re getting better, we’re progressing and that’s very positive. I just love the energy. The guys are playing on the field defensively and it seems like everybody is right where they’re supposed to be on every play. And when there is a certain play that doesn’t go well, we know immediately before we get to the sideline. The system is working out great for us. I think guys are really buying into it and playing extremely hard. Overall, we just have to keep it going.”
Q: What did you think of Tennessee’s physicality?
A:”The Titans are a physical team. Fisher (Jeff), he’s a defensive minded coach, and every year he’s been there, they’ve been known for that. We wanted to match that. We didn’t want to do that just tonight, that’s something we want to be known for week in and week out. When we line up to play, they’re going to know we’re going to play football. They’re going to know we’re a physical football team that plays with a lot of energy and passion; the way football is supposed to be played. That’s a great feeling. We’re out there having fun and it’s a great feeling to have.”
Q: What did you think of Curtis Lofton playing middle linebacker tonight and how would you rate his play?
A: ” I felt like he was playing well. It seemed like he was everywhere he was supposed to be on every play and I love his passion. He’s a football player. He plays extremely hard. At first, you’re a little hesitant to put a rookie in there, because Tony (Taylor) has a little bit of experience. I played with him for two years now and I know where he’s going to be on every play, but I felt great with Curtis out there. If either one of those guys lined up, I feel very comfortable out there. Curtis is going to continue to get better. His potential is very high and he’s going to continue to get better every week. We just have to continue to keep him going.”
Wide Receiver Brian Finneran
Q: What were your thoughts on the game?
A: ” It was good. It was a good team effort. There were too many penalties obviously, but we were able to do a lot of things during that first half with Matt (Ryan) in there. A lot of guys stepped up and made plays for us. It was good win for us.”
Q: What were your thoughts on the offense?
A: “It is looking good. We finally got in the end zone twice, which was huge. The biggest thing for us right now is trying to score touchdowns. We’ve been in the red zone, we’ve turned the ball over and we’ve missed field goals. To score touchdowns this week was key for us.”
Q: What were your thoughts on the physicality of Tennessee?
A: “We knew coming into this thing that Tennessee wasn’t going to give up. They’ve got players that can set the tone of the game, and we had to match it. I felt like our guys did that up front. At times we got a little bit out of hand, but we played hard. If we eliminate all of those penalties we’ll be alright.”
MORE FROM THE TITANS-FALCONS GAME:
- GAMEDAY LIVE: Complete coverage from the Falcons win over the Titans
- GAME RECAP: Falcons get win in Ryan's first start
- GAME BLOG: Live notes from the Falcons-Titans game
- NOTEBOOK: Official game notes from the Georgia Dome press box
- J. MIKE'S BLOG: Additional thoughts from AF.com's managing editor
- FALCONS LIFE: Discuss the game on the message boards
- QUOTABLE: Head Coach Mike Smith | Falcons Players | Opponents
- VIDEO: Head Coach Mike Smith
- VIDEO: Matt Ryan | Harry Douglas | Thomas Brown | Chevis Jackson
- NFL NETWORK HIGHLIGHTS: Short | Ryan Highlight
- TAILGATE TOUR: Shots from the tailgating outside the Dome
