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Transcript: Matt Ryan Locker Room Interview

On having success out West:

"Coach Smith does a great job of getting us into a routine when we go to the West Coast and keeping everybody focused. For me personally, I try and prepare the same way as if we we're on the East Coast. I get my work done Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, travel, and do the same things you would Saturday, but just do them in a hotel."

On any adjustments with the short week:

"It's not that short. We got the normal Tuesday off and we're into the normal Wednesday routine now. We had a really good turnout yesterday. We had a bunch of guys in to get work done, that needed to get work done before we start our practices. We'll have ourselves prepared."

On it being more of a mental or physical challenge having a short week:

"A little bit of both. We've had shorter weeks than this. We've played on the Sunday-Thursday routine plenty of times, so guys know what it takes to get their bodies ready and minds ready. I'm sure everybody will do that."

On the offensive line:

"Our offensive line is doing a great job. This past weekend, against a really good pass rushing team, to give up one sack that's a credit to our guys and our tackles played really well. It's a combined effort with the five guys up front and our running backs in pass protection. We've been solid in it, and we need to continue to be solid in it."

On moving around better in the pocket:

"I feel good. I worked hard in the offseason and tried to improve a little bit in that area. It's early in the season and guys are fresh. I'm healthy, and I think that helps."

On being reluctant in the past to take off and run the football:

"It's not a conscious change. It's just the way plays present themselves. It just so happens, that it's been a lot early on. I think I'm capable of getting it done when I need to, but I'm certainly a passer first."

On what concerns him about San Diego's defense most:

"The front seven is very good. They have two defensive ends in their 3-4 scheme in OLB Jarrett Johnson and OLB Shaun Phillips that are really good players. They have talented guys in the back end. [FS Eric] Weddle, I think led the League last year in interceptions, and two corners in [Antoine] Cason and [Quintin] Jammer. They have a talented group across the board. They do a good job against the run and do a good job against the pass. We're going to have our work cut out for us."

On LB Takeo Spikes:

"He's a veteran guy. Physical and very good at coming down and stuffing the run. He's really smart, and it looks like he gets all those guys on the same page on film. He's one of those salty veteran guys that is very good at what he does."

On getting the running game going against their defense:

"I think first, and foremost, being able to identify what they're doing up front correctly. They give you a lot of different looks. They bring a lot of different guys in their fire zone packages. Identifying what they're doing and getting in the right plays will be important. Then, we just have to execute. We have to block well up front and hit the holes with our backs."

On if their defense is underrated because fans don't think about them having a great defense:

"When you turn on the tape and you watch their defense they've given up 12 points this season. We certainly know this is a good defense we're playing against."

On being concerned about not being able to run the ball for a first down at the end of the game:

"No. During the game, you just play it out. I certainly had confidence we were going to get it done on that last drive and we did. I think that's a good confidence booster for everybody."

On the running game struggling so far this season:

"We look at every game and want to improve in certain areas. I think that's something we want to do better and will work hard to do that. It's early. I'm sure we'll make the adjustments we need to make and we've got talented guys. We've got really good offensive linemen and really good backs. We just need to keep working on it."

On being surprised at RB Michael Turner's numbers so far this year:

"No. He's proven in the past he's consistent and we've been consistent in the run game. I think our mind set is whatever we need to do to win. Just find ways to win. Whatever that takes I think we'll do."

On Turner not breaking tackles that he used to:

"Just for whatever reason we haven't gotten it going yet. I'm confident that we will. We have the right guys, the right offensive linemen and right running backs to be able to do it."

On having more success when running against a team's nickel package:

"That's one of the things that putting that personnel grouping in the game does. It spreads out the secondary and limits the number of guys they can put in the box. It's something we can adjust to and we certainly plan for that going in. We want to run against certain looks. Again, we just need to keep chipping away. We're close. We just need to keep chipping away and keep getting better at it. As we continue to practice and continue to gel together we're going to improve."

On what he said to WR Julio Jones after a drop:

"Physical mistakes are going to happen. That's just part of playing sports. That's every sport. I've got a ton of confidence in our guys and I just tell him, hey you're going to make one later in the game, and he did. Him and [TE] Tony Gonzalez came back and made some clutch plays later in the game to finish off what was a good game. I don't worry about it too much. We've got talented guys. We're all going to make mistakes, but we're all going to make big plays too."

On defenses defending him differently:

"We've played against two AFC West teams up to this point which we don't play against often. It's tough to say."

On Turner's incident causing a distraction:

"I'm not really going to get into it. As far as distractions, I don't think anybody is going to be distracted by it."

On the offense being different this year:

"As players, we don't worry about whether we're a pass first or run first or whatever it is. We just go out there and execute whatever is called as best as we can. Week to week it's going to be different, but we all feel capable of doing whatever we need to do to win."

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