Raheem Morris, Michael Penix Jr. & Bijan Robinson post-game press conferences | Atlanta Falcons

Raheem Morris, Michael Penix Jr. & Bijan Robinson post-game press conferences | Atlanta Falcons

uh well forward by the guys. You know, you knew it’d be a tough game, playoff type atmosphere. Um the fans engagement and everything that they brought to the party tonight was absolutely outstanding and um see guys out there playing that way versus that team and that that caliber and that quality of a team is absolutely outstanding. Let you know what you got a chance to do. Uh yes, coach, could you speak to the play of the defense throughout the game? I really can’t. Um, they went out and executed their game plan. They did a great job. Um, I can’t wait to watch the film to see all the execution, the things that we talked about come to life. I can’t wait to watch those guys go out there and play for each other like they did today. Um, it was a it was a very excellent job by those guys going out there rushing a very good quarterback, keeping them in the pocket, uh, up until that last drive or whatever the case was, he was able to get out. But those guys, those guys did a great job of executing the game plan, doing exactly what we wanted to do versus a very good football team. Um, just to follow up, uh, offensively, um, you know, looked like Bejian and London were working for you, had 335 yards at halftime. Uh, just speak to what the offense was able to do to get you that 21 to7 halftime lead. Yeah, you know, what those guys came out, executed the game plan, drove right down the field, and was able to score touchdowns. We talked about the importance of scoring in the red zone. We talked about the importance of scoring against this type of team, this type of quality of a team. We talked about being able to go down there and really um execute our game plan, whether it was moving the chain on third downs or being able to own time of possession. Not really sure what the numbers were, stats are for losers, but that was our goal and the guys went out and really got it done today. I I know you have high expectations for Bjon, but did you have you know, how special was this in comparison to his what he does every other day? Yeah, he’s the best player in football. I’ve said it multiple times. Um I can’t say it enough. Um, you know, you can always have your pick. You can always go out there and and figure out who you want to vote for, but like in my opinion, he’s the best player in football. Did you get any indication that Monday Night Football up against Josh Allen were any sort of extra motivating factors for him? I just think these guys love to play for each other. I think it was the selfless attitudes from all the team and all those guys going out there playing. You know, obviously Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills, this team brings a play of life atmosphere. They bring guys that have been to where we want to go and they they they’ve done what we want to do. Um they’ve been in those games and they brought that to our stadium tonight and it was a lot of fun to go out there and compete. Was there any point once the game started that you saw something from Bejian that you thought maybe this is going to be different? Maybe this is going to be not really. You know, you see it on Monday, you see it on Tuesday, you see it on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday throughout the week. So, um when he comes to work, he comes to work. And that’s just what he does every single day, man. Like he comes out there ready to play. Um and just like the rest of those guys, you know, all of those guys come to play in practice. Um they love each other and they play for each other and that and that was a great sign of it today. What’s different about this team than the one that lost to Carolina a couple weeks back? Uh we didn’t play very well. You know, the biggest difference is I thought that was the anomaly as opposed to what we’ve been doing the other games. I think the other games is more what we are. That’s a more of a true story of what our team are. We didn’t play that well that day. I came out here and I admitted to our guys that we play bad. I came out here and admitted to you guys that we play bad. Told you to throw the stones as they as they were necessarily occur. And um our guys been doing what we supposed to do the rest of the time. in a in a a lot of weeks. Uh Drake London might have been the first guy that you were asked about tonight, but um we were wondering before the game about the the surprise that Ray Ray was not active and as the game went on, it looked like Dre could do it by himself. But u can you address both of those guys? Coach decision on Ray Ray tonight. You know, just like everybody else, anybody that you put down that’s not active, uh decide to put him down tonight. Uh he’ll be back out competing next week. See where we go. But um you know, we had everybody we needed. We had everybody we wanted tonight and we got out there and got a big one, big win. Coach, talk about the offers interception and the play of the secondary today. You know, we we challenged those guys throughout the course of the week to play throughout the first play and to play throughout the second play. When you talk about a guy like Josh Allen keeping plays alive and those guys went out there competed at a very high level, uh we had a couple penalties down the field, but you know, things going to happen when you fighting throughout the down throughout the course of the play, but I really like how those guys went out there and fought and competed. Alfred, you know, Mike Hughes, uh, AJ Terrell, I think they all made big plays at different times throughout the game and, you know, you played against one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League, if not the best. Hey, coach, congratulations. Thank you. Got a couple things for you. Um, when when a guy is in a zone like Bejian, and like you said, you see it over and over again. What does that do for the confidence of of the offense to know that it’s working? I mean, it’s hard to talk about the confidence of this offense. Man, they come every single day with a lot of confidence. You’re talking about Cal Pitch, you’re talking about Drake, you’re talking about Bejian, you’re talking about Tyler, you’re talking about all the guys, Mooney when he’s up and running, all those guys, our old O line, you know, all those guys bring a certain amount of confidence that they can move the ball on anybody like they have done throughout the most of the course of the year. You know, we had the one game we had the hiccup, but these guys, man, like they don’t they don’t go out there and think they can’t move the ball on anybody. And when Bean’s playing that way like he has played throughout the course of the year, we we got a lot of good things for us. How special was that 81 yard touchdown run? I mean, I just thought it was uh, you know, always feels like he’s going to break one of those every single time he touches the ball. So, it was nice for him to finally get one. I think it’s his longest play in his career. I don’t know, whatever the case may be, but we’ve been waiting for that moment. You know, we talked about those Saquon like moments last year, and that was one of those that Saquon pulled off last year when he was on his special season. Um, Jake Matthews, any update on on this? I don’t have anything right now. I know he went out in the game and we had a bunch of guys come out there and step up, you know, Gerald, come out there, step out, and do what he had to do for us. Um, and play really well down the end of the stretch. So, I was really fired about that. Obviously, I have more for that in Jake Matthews tomorrow. Um, last thing for me, um, was that like the easiest challenge flag you had today early in the game where I don’t know if any of them was right there in front of the bench. I don’t know if any of them ever easy, you know, but when you see it live, you go through you still go through your process and you go through your course of checking upstairs and checking everything and making sure you got the time. They’re hurrying to the line of scrimmage, so you’re sitting there waiting, trying to give yourself enough time to be manageable and get it. I wouldn’t I wouldn’t call any of those things easy, though. Those all hard decisions, all tough decisions. uh in all the situations that happen in football. Very very modest. It is what it is. Harry right down here. Uh Drake, you referred him as kind of like an emotional leader. The things that he did in the first half, you know, and the wide for the wide receiver position, does that kind of like set a tone for, you know, reaching over, you know, making those those plays, extra plays? He is an absolute dog. You know, like when he gets the ball in his hand, he’s ferocious, he’s vicious, he’s tough. Um he brings a certain amount of toughness to our team. Like our old O line, he brings a certain amount of toughness to our team. Like our defense, you know, he sets the tone. Um he is he is um he’s everything that you want in a wide out and everything that you want in a player. Um I love him, man. Yes, coach. What the blocking scheme? It looked like you doubled the nose guard. Was that something you saw on film and it opened up? Seemed like it, man, you guys just ran big gaping holes there in the first half. Yeah, we got a lot of different schemes, a lot of different setups, you know, things we want to go out there and get accomplished. And let’s just say what we did today went out there and worked. You know, obviously, you know, we had some good looks. Our guys went out there and took advantage of those looks, uh, really made the plays, you know, really executed up front, really executed in the back end. You know, I think our downfield blocker today, particularly on the 81 yard run, uh, by Casey was absolutely outstanding. You don’t make plays like that without um, blocking on all three levels. So, I really thought that was that really fired me up. And last question, uh, AJ Terrell, can you tell us a little bit about his play and what he means to this team? You know, AJ coming back this week was absolutely um awesome. It was awesome lift for us. You know, you know, obviously losing Billy during the course of the week, you know, all those things happen, but getting AJ back, our leader on the back end or one of our leaders on the back end, um is always going to be great for us and great for our team. Thank you. Thank you, Josh. You’re gonna see me tomorrow. What do you want? I I don’t know. I’m I’m day to day at this point all the time. Um, you’ve mentioned a couple of times tonight you feel like this shows what your team truly is, shows what you can do. Did you communicate a similar message to the team after the game about, you know, there’s no doubt, you know, like um is no secret, you know, they want to we want to we want a playoff organization. We want to be able to go compete in those type of games and we played one tonight and, you know, there’s going to be no secret nobody’s going to, you know, shy away from those moments. We got to go do it, but like those are the moments you want. Those are the moments you thrive for. Those are the things you dream about from a coaching standpoint, a playing standpoint, an ownership standpoint. All of those things we want to be a part of. And I think that was just something that we want to go out there and show tonight. Um, can you kind of just take us through the night and, you know, as things ultimately accumulated to what ended up being a recordbreaking, record setting evening for you? Yeah. Well, first off, I just want to just give honor to God. Um, you know, without him, that wouldn’t have happened. Um, you know, it’s just such a blessing, you know, to to be able to get to do something like that for him on this field. Like, I play for him and I do everything for the Lord. So, you know, that was just an amazing performance for him. But then to your question, like, you know, it was it was it was a team effort. like the O line without them none of that would have happened too. Uh, you know, all five of those guys are just amazing at at what they do. Um, Charlie, Tegan, you know, Kyle, like all the receivers, how they all strain. Um, you know, it’s just something that is just being taught to us. So, you know, that’s just the that’s just the culture, man. And, you know, having Chris Lindstöm and, you know, as your leader on the offensive line, you know, you have Matthew Burgers on over here just like screaming, going crazy. Um, NLE just still, but you know, he’s he’s such he’s he’s such a dog. you know, he’s such a beast. Um, and then obviously you have Elijah just being amazing. And then, you know, Jake, uh, I just pray that he gets back, you know, right? Um, so we’re we’re all, you know, chugging along and, you know, it’s been it’s been a blessing this past week just to see the effort that we that we put in in practice and this is how the result came for the game. Can you take us through the 81 yard run play where it seems like you were tiptoeing on the sideline? Like can you uh walk us through that uh play? Yeah, I mean it was one of the plays where, you know, it was perfectly blocked up front. You know, they they gave me a crease and I took, you know, took advantage of that crease, but then, you know, shout out to Casey, you know, for for having that big block on that corner because it just let me set him up to to go, you know, the yardage. But, uh, you know, it was it, like I said, like it was a complete offense of effort and, you know, it was a couple blocks up front and then it was Casey’s block and, you know, it was over from there. Had to break a tackle and and there it was. But, you know, that’s just a guy given ability right there to to finish the play for for my team. And, you know, it was it was a really cool result to see it. When you have a night like tonight, when you have a night like tonight where everything’s going well and run after run is is going exactly the way you want it. What does that do to to your vision, to your ability to see the field? Does the game slow down? Do the holes seem bigger? Yeah, man. I mean, it’s like it’s like a three-point shooter, you know, when you know, I heard the analogy like with Steph Curry, like when he starts getting in the groove, you know, the the basket looks this big to him and it seems like he can’t miss. So, with me, like with the O line, you know, I feel like with them, they’re they’re all three-point shooters. Like, they’re all spot up shooters and they’re just creating space for me, for Tai, you know, to do what we do. So, you know, when those guys are on, when those guys are clicking, when those guys are, you know, knowing everything that they got and, you know, Coach Le always harps on, you know, just being, you know, great and straining with with those guys and that’s what they do. Then with me, like, you know, I just use the God-given talent with with a vision and stuff like that. And, you know, it just opens up and when I find those creases, like, you know, I you got to take advantage of it and, you know, you got to make those guys miss tackles and, you know, make them not want to be there anymore. So, that’s what we did tonight. I know you look at historical videos before games. What What did you watch today? That That’s question number one. Yeah. And question number two, once you get going, do you think that you cannot be stopped out there? Um I watched Adrian Peterson college highlights. Uh Oklahoma freshman year highlights. I don’t know why it’s Oklahoma, but uh shout out Texas. You know, we got the Dove against them. But uh yeah, I watch I watch his his college highlights and I just pick I just pick a guy whether whether it’s college or NFL and you know I I see see what kind of moves he got and how he attacks downhill and that’s the kind of game that I had to do today. So, um, and man, it’s it’s it’s all just, you know, God, man. Like, you know, h having him give that ability, like that’s that’s what it is. Like, it I try to help those guys on on offense, you know, be a, you know, just be a blessing out there from from receiver to running back, you know, wherever I got to wherever I got to be, like, that’s what I’m going to do. Um, and and, you know, having Z-ro have trust in me and, you know, continue to let me, you know, be be the player that I can be for for this team, um, is is amazing to to play for him, man. So, so do do you feel like you can’t be stopped at times? Man, I I wouldn’t even say that like it’s just, you know, when when you’re playing good uh in the moment, like that’s that’s that’s how it is. So, you know, I I don’t want to be the guy that’s saying, you know, I can’t be stopped or I’m going to stop. Like, that’s that’s not who I am. Like, I I got to continue to get better every single day. I have to continue to get better every single game. Um because when when when you start thinking like you can’t be stopped or or you know it you’re you’re the best player like then then that’s when you start playing bad that’s when you start not giving full effort for your team and you don’t even know it. So that’s that’s that’s like in the back of my head and I’m going keep on you know striving for it so I can be the best I can you know every single day for for the guys. Before the season you told us that you want your focus was finishing long runs for touchdowns. What do you think you’ve done differently or what has it been that’s changed for you to do that? You have two so far. So, yeah, man. I mean, you know, it’s just, you know, doing the execution, doing it right. Um, you know, for for me, like I know I know in the in the summer the media was like, can he finish a long run or uh his longest run was 30 some yards or something like that um with running the football. But for me, like I don’t I don’t listen to that stuff. Obviously, you guys talked to me throughout the summer, so you know, I know that was a big goal. Um, but it’s it’s just a a thing of my game where I want to get better at and continue to get better at every single day. And you know, for me, like if I can get better at that and breaking those long runs, then it’s it’s only helping the team. So, you know, it it’s when it helps the team, when it helps the offense, it makes us all look good. And and you know, that’s that’s what we did tonight. Jean over here. Was there a moment um tonight, whether it was a halftime or maybe more in the fourth quarter where you realized that the team kind of came together and said like the run game is going to have to be the thing that that carries the day for us and and if so, what were those conversations like? Yeah, I mean it was it was before halftime. Um that’s just who we are, man. Like we we are run first offense and it opens up everything else. It opens with the pass. When the pass is opened up, then we go right back to the run. When the run game’s open, like it’s it’s complimentary football. So, you know, for us, like we came in the game like we need to run the football. Um, we need to get, you know, exploit their zones and man and, you know, get the ball downfield and obviously Drake and, you know, Kyle, like Drake had like what, 160 yards. Like, that dude is I mean, three weeks ago, people were saying, you know, he’s not good enough. Um, at the end of the season last year, people were saying he’s one of the best receivers. Like, it’s like, you know, people continue to doubt Drake, man. And and I I I don’t understand it. But, you know, he’s he’s a big threat in this league at receiver. And for him to have that size and, you know, run after the catch and, you know, do do the amazing things that he does. Like, you know, it’s going to be a day where people stop doubting him. And, you know, we we don’t understand when that day is, I hope it’s today. Um, but, you know, as as he continues to see that and continues to chug along, like I’m going to be by his side and trying to be great for him and and you know, when when we run the football well, like he does what he does. So, it’s it’s great. any part of Monday Night Football facing Josh Allen was a motivating factor for you tonight? Yeah, man. I mean, I think he’s the best football player in the NFL and man, shout out to the defense, man. Cuz like, man, they they made him uncomfortable all day and, you know, for it’s just it’s just good for me to see like in the whole offense like to see the defense just becoming who are who they are. Like those guys are relentless. Um, at least I know I wasn’t tripping in the summer because I wasn’t getting nothing off against them. Um, seems like I couldn’t run the ball against them. Seems like I couldn’t catch the football against them because they were always around the football. And, you know, now to see it like in the game and to see it’s real, like those guys are lethal. And I mean, I I see it in practice every day. And that’s why we’re, you know, trying to be the best that we can on offense because we see them every day. So, when we see other defenses, like, you know, we’re so used to like just relentless effort every single play. Um, so you know, those guys are the guys that that held the game. Um, you know, they they played the best quarterback in the NFL and I don’t know how he did, but you know, they they they made him real uncomfortable out there. So, it was a big factor in this win and you know, shout out to those guys. Have you seen LeBron’s tweet yet? What did LeBron say? You’re you’re cold or so cold or something? I don’t I don’t know. No, it was complimentary. Shout out Shout out to LeBron, man. Like that’s that’s my dude. like he he gives me so much advice and you know just just me you know being in the clutch agency and you know seeing him and talking getting to talk to him and just you know enjoy the moments with him like man it’s always it’s always a blessing. What’s the last piece of advice he gave me? continue to to to try to be the best in the league. And I was like, man, I’m gonna keep trying, man. Like, every single time. And, you know, he was just saying like, you know, when you when you run the football like that, you know, you you make it h you make it enjoyable for me to do um or as a fan, as a you know, spectator to watch. And, you know, he I remember I met him in uh after my college season, and he was like, man, like I I’ve been watching you since Texas. And so, for you to continue to to do what you do, like it’s a blessing. So, you know, that that was just motivating in itself because he’s my favorite he’s my favorite athlete. So, it’s cool. I know it’s a team effort, but individual wise, including high school Texas here, where does this one rank for you? Is this, you know, an alltimer? Ju, you know, just another great game. Um, because it’s the next one. And, you know, I wish I could tell you like, um, you know, I rank games and stuff. Uh, I mean, but this this is just a game for me to, you know, make my team win and help my team win. And, you know, that’s that’s just how it is for me. When you look at the overall offense and obviously you put it in the context of haven’t always played like you have tonight and talking about the offense as a whole. What is it that has to happen for the consistency to come where we can see this type of dominance from the offense from you know week in and week out. Yeah. Yeah. But we we got to take it one day at a time like because look here um for for this performance people are going to come at us now and be like wow like look at the Falcons like the Falcons are are this team now and yeah yeah no like we we got to we got to scratch that out of this building um you know I’m big into my faith so like it says in the Bible like the worship and the praise like we got to shut that down um immediately cuz that’s what you know hurt your team. That’s what that’s when you go to a next game and and get blown out or lose. Uh so for us, like we got to, you know, this was great. We’ll celebrate it tonight, but we got to put it to the side super fast cuz, you know, the the 49ers just came off of came off of a loss, and that’s that’s a great team. And, you know, they’re going to come in ready to go uh this this week coming up. So, that that should be our focus at hand. But as soon as soon as we start getting into the social medias and you know start looking at social media and start trying to see some praise that people are telling us like then then our focus is off. So you know I’m going continue to harp as as a leader of this team. I’m going continue to harp and say like you know let’s let’s stop that. Um because we got to focus. We got another game. We got you know take advantage of of of another team that’s coming in hot at home. Um, so that’s our that’s our main goal and you know that’s how we continue to be consistent and get better um every single week is by doing that. Hey John, how’s it going? Good. Congrats on the game. Uh, how much is your comfort level catching out of the back field improved over the last few years, would you say? Yeah, I mean I’m always trying to get better better at that. Um, but it’s cool because like Zro continues to instill confidence in me. Coach Petri like man I ain’t gonna lie like coach Petri I know he’s a running back coach. I know he’s our running back coach, but he’s a receiver coach. Like I I gotta give him credit, man. Like the things that he’s doing with the with this running back, you know, room and, you know, just me and him watching film, me and him watching receiver film and running back film, like, you know, he’s he’s becoming more than a a running back coach to me. And it’s he’s he’s become an all-around coach. So, you know, obviously, shout out Coach Zrock for for having trust in us to continue to do what we do at receiver. Um, but you know, when me, Coach Petri are in there, you know, just me and him or me, him and Tai, like trying to hash it out, trying to read zones, you know, we’re going outside and Coach Petri is like the the defender and he’s telling me like man or zone and it’s a quick instinct. So, you know, just having him continue to be in on our corner and and continue to evolve as a coach and helping us as players, like, man, it’s it’s good to see. Remember the last time you saw you spoke to LeBron? Oh, yeah. It was the the national championship game. Um, last year I I was in his suite so it was cool. Nice flex. And and like and like and what like does he start the conversation to you? Like how does that work? Do you come to him for advice? Has he reached out to you? How does that work? It’s more so it’s more so me. It’s more so when I see him. Um because you know my my agent Nicole uh and Rich Paul like and Farah like they’re and then Rich Paul is LeBron’s agent. So when we come together like it’s it’s always good to like for us to um to communicate and talk and you know you know when when I saw my national championship we immediately gave each other love and you know we were bickering back and forth on who was going to win. So cuz he’s a Ohio State fan and I was going for the other team because he was an Ohio State fan. So um you know when when it when I do get to see him and and get to communicate with him like you know I’m obviously like dang that’s LeBron James. U but it’s it’s all love at the end of the day. Big John quick question. Um the first the fumble early in the game. Yeah. First play. Right. But yet still most running backs you see when they fumble they have a tendency to all right let me cover the ball and not focus on running but make sure protecting the ball. But of course as we saw you know you had your big game tonight. Uh yeah. What makes you so confident as far as let me just I fumble but do you push it out the way or is it one of those things that stays in your mind for a couple plays? Like how does that work? Yeah, it’s it’s it’s my faith, man. Like, you know, just my trust in God and what he has for me on that field. Like, that’s what got me over that, you know. I I immediately got over it. Uh because I I just talked to God for I was like, “Lord, you know, get me through this. Um get me through this play.” And that that was my main goal, man. And as soon as that happened, like I flushed it out. Um Tai scored. I was And then it immediately flushed out when Tai scored because I was just like ecstatic. Like I was so happy when he scored. So, you know, that I forgot about it all. Um, and then I went on the sideline. Coach Petri gave me his his one two. Um, like just just understand like if they want to stop you, they’re going to attack the football. Like that’s that’s what they’re going to do. Uh, so, you know, I just went back to my my fundamentals or fundamentals and, you know, when I did that, then everything else, you know, I had all the confidence to to run the ball and and have fun doing it. Was that like a sign of greater things to come? You know, they wipe out the I mean, it was I mean, it was the first play, man. And I was like, “Ain’t no way I fumbled on this first play.” Uh, but then after that, like that’s when everything started to get going. Yes, sir. All right. Thank you. Yes, sir. How’s it going? Good. I hope you’re not asleep yet. Yeah, it’s all right. Mike, I feel like I could ask you about Drake. I could ask you about Jean, the offensive line, a whole whole host of things, but to come out and have this performance as a collective unit, especially that first half, what did that mean for this team coming off of a buy and and playing on Monday Night Football? Man, it means a lot. You know, I feel like like when you talk about coming off the buy, I feel like it it shows maturity. You know, I feel like the guys, you know, even though we had a bye-week, I know a lot of guys are still putting in work, make sure that whenever we did come back, they’ll be ready to go. and uh it showed today, you know, but obviously, you know, you talk about the offensive side of the ball, but I definitely got to give a huge praise to the defense. Uh the way they played, obviously playing against Ara MVP and u that a good offense over there, the way our defense played and um every drive it was amazing to see and it gave us offense confidence and just we just knew we had to go put points on the board and, you know, protect the ball and we did that uh really good tonight. Bjan obviously has kind of this record setting night. I I mean you’ve talked at Nauseium about Bjon before and who he is and and what he does for this team, but for him to have this performance tonight in front of a prime time crowd. I mean, how much does that mean for who Bjon is and what he does for the organization, man? Knowing him, he’s just going to say he give all the glory to God, you know? Um that’s so whenever we talk about who he is, that’s who he is, you know. He he’s a um he’s a man of God, and you know, he’s a great teammate, a great leader, and a hard worker, you know. And so it only it’s only right that he gets all these accolades and doing the things that he does because of the person that he is. So that’s who he is. He’s a man of God and um he shines his light every every day. Michael, you said you want to give credit to the defense. I asked coach earlier about the secondary, how well they played. Talk about how well the secondary played today. Yeah, for sure. Um really good. Really good. Um I know earlier uh midway through the week I heard um Ross say that defense was going to play a lot of man man today and they did that and those guys were up for the up for the challenge and they played great football and allow allowed our defensive line to get sacks and stuff like that cuz Josh had to hold the ball ball whenever people weren’t open down the field. So it was definitely big time and I do feel like like I said man we we couldn’t have won this game without what they did on that side of the ball. Hey Mike, congrats on the game. Uh, Bjon. I mean, we’ve asked you a lot about him o over the last couple years, but do you have like a favorite Bjan moment so far? Something that he did? That screen play. I threw the screen over here on our sideline. I don’t know what he did, but that probably was it. You remember what play I’m talking about? Anybody? The one where it got like it got tipped and he kind of No, no, no, no. What play was it? No, this game tonight. He was on our sideline and yeah, he red zone like he broke like five tackles, shook two, three people. Man, I don’t know. I see I see new stuff every day. Uh Drake, you know, had great stats today, but the effort and and the tone setting in the first half. How much does that mean to you guys just from an emotional standpoint? Uh it means a lot. You know, that that’s the football we want to play and that that’s how we got to come out all the time, even after half, you know. So, whenever I say that, coming out of half, I don’t feel like we played our football, you know? I feel like we had more in the tank. And, um, and for us to go out there and win that football game, uh, with the half, the second half that I feel like we had that that was a big law, I feel like it’s it’s going to be a scary sight whenever we figure it out and, you know, all play together and play play a full full game and not just one good half, you know. You guys feel like you’ve done that yet or is that still to come? It’s still to come. Maybe next week. Can you go over this uh this chain? This is a new chain you got? I haven’t seen this yet. Yeah, it ain’t new. I just us I’m not really a flashy guy. I don’t really wear it. Um your Monday night football look good. Yeah. So, I put it on. Thanks, Mike. Mike, uh two or three weeks ago, we heard Zack saying that, you know, with this offense, we’re still building it. We’re still building it. And it feels like that has really kind of been evidence these last couple games. Can you just kind of talk about from your perspective how you see this offense evolving as the season goes on? Yeah. Um, like I said, I I feel like, you know, obviously we it it’s tough whenever, you know, um, it’s tough in the NFL. Let’s say that like in NFL is tough. So, I feel like each and every day we we trying to figure out, you know, who we are, what our identity is, and um, you know, because at cuz one game you look at the first game, it’s like we had to throw a lot and second game we want to run the ball. I I feel like whenever I feel like tonight it was collective. We had over 200 whatever 210 rushing two almost 50 passing like it it was good but I feel like whenever we look at that second half like so frustrating because I’m like man we we definitely could have pulled away with that game. You know it could have been a larger margin but um whenever we figure that out I feel like that’s that’s when we going to know you know who we are and what we’re able to do. 210 rushing yards and 233 passing yards for you. Perfect. I got you. Um I want to go back to what you’re talking about with the defense. When Bjon was up here, he said, you know, I thought I was tripping during the summer and during, you know, training camp and the preeason that I wasn’t able to get some of these things off and, you know, I wasn’t really jelling, but he was like, it’s because this defense was so legit and they’ve shown that over five games. Did you have any moments like that over the course of uh kind of the training camp and preseason process? For sure. First day I was like these boys flying around and I just feel like um obviously it it’s it’s the scheme the coaches but outside of the scheme I feel like it’s the energy that those coaches bring and Rudy all those guys on the defensive defensive side the energy that they bring each and every day. I’m talking about the defense is going like 110 every day and it shows up in in the game. So, um I feel like the energy has been electric and obviously with the scheme on top of that and the guys flying around is it of course they’re going to do special things. Mike, can you tell us a little bit more about coach Rudy because we hear a lot about but he’s kind of more, you know, we don’t get him in the media so much. What’s what’s he like? He’s a dog. So, so uh I say that because I just saw him. He he came up to me after the game just now. He was like, “Man, you’re a dog, bro. I appreciate you.” I said, “No, you a dog.” He said, “I effing know.” So, I’m like, “Yeah, that’s him.” Like, that that’s that’s the guy that’s what he is, man. He he’s a guy that that cares, you know, and you can see the passion that he has for this game and the love that he has for this team, you know, each and every day. And whenever he step on that field, you know, you could tell that this is what he loved to do and he displays it each and every day. You you don’t get up and down emotional roller coaster. you get the same guy every day. He’s going to be loud. Even when he’s walking down the hallway, he’s talking on the phone. He’s screaming like he’s like he he’s he’s just um the the big energy ball. And obviously him and him and Brick them scheming it up over there. So, it’s he’s a he’s a special guy. Michael, what does this game bring for you now as a full starter? Just a big time game, big time moment, but also knowing in six days you have to do go out and do it again. As far as momentum, um it’s just another game that we executed. Uh I I don’t I don’t really like the rank how how how I feel like I played, you know, I feel like this team played very good and uh in the big time moment like you said uh playing on Monday Night Football. So we we going to leave it we we going to leave it with this team is I feel like we we ranked up there tonight was up there. Uh B John says he look he watches videos of of great running backs before every game. Do you do anything similar to that when it comes to quarterbacks? I don’t I don’t I don’t I don’t feel like it’s it’s not really the same for a quarterback because like when you think about it for a running back it’s like I’m not even going to talk about a running back for for a quarterback it’s like I can’t sit here and be like I’m going to throw the ball like him. We might got the same different motions. Obviously I’m a lefty. It’s not too many of them. So it’s like I don’t I never really said I played like anybody or wanted to be like anybody. Uh I just wanted to be myself and you know do whatever I can to help others win football games. So I I never really watched other people to be honest. The other question I had with Zack Robinson last week you guys mentioned about how great it was to have him on the sidelines. Has that gotten even better with this game? Is about the same. And just just talk about the progression of of how that’s going with him on the sidelines now. Man, it’s great. Um I guess we need him on that all the time. We got two wins from it. So uh I feel like it’s it’s been great. um the the way that he he coaches us after the drives is definitely something that that helps us out a lot so that we can, you know, hear hear what he’s thinking so that whenever we do go back out on the field, we have an idea of what’s going to be called and why it’s going to be called. So, it definitely has been helping us. Michael, what do you feel like this win showed the league and and showed about this team and Atlanta? Because when I was talking with Drake, he said it showed we’re actually good and we’re going to change the narrative around Falcon football. For sure. That’s it. Um it should it show that that we we one of them ones like you like this team is really good. This team is really legit and I feel like uh the talent that we have on this team um it it definitely helps us a lot and obviously with great coaches, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator, special teams coach, can’t forget Keith. Um man is this team is is well coached all the way around. So it’s it’s awesome to see. And obviously we did have that one game that we didn’t like uh that Carolina game, you know, not putting up any points on the board, but I knew that wasn’t us. So I didn’t I didn’t let that I didn’t soak into that and, you know, get in my feelings about that game because I knew that’s that wasn’t us that day. I knew that wasn’t me that day. But um as long as we continue to trust in each other and go out there and play for one another, we’ll be fine. Mike, I know every game counts and um you come prepared no matter what and ready to play, but it seems like on prime time you show out. Is there something about prime time that really gets you going and get you motivated to play? I don’t know, man. I don’t know how to answer that. I I just feel like it’s no moment too big, you know? I feel like it’s no moment too big. I’ve been playing this game all my life. Um, I’ve had good games, I had bad games, I’ve had great games, I have had terrible games. Like, I just go out there and try to be me the best I can. And, um, I don’t let the moment ever get too big for me. I just say that uh, I feel like every game is important, though, prime time or not, every game is important. I got to do whatever I can to help our help us win football games. But, um, when them lights on, I don’t know. I just I just be ready. Coming out of the bye-week, this is the best way possible to to come out of a by-week. What specifically did you work on to make yourself ready for tonight? Being consistent, you know, each and every day with everything that I do, you know, not just throwing the ball, you know, if it got to do with my run fakes or, you know, the way I communicate with the offense in practice, you know, my my routes on their throws in practice, you know, just trying to make sure I’m completing everything and, you know, not taking any any rep for granted. You know, that’s that’s the biggest thing, you know, I definitely wanted to make sure I I took advantage of and and paid attention to coming off that uh by week. And I feel like it it’s showing it’s showing. Thank you guys.

Head Coach Raheem Morris, QB Michael Penix Jr. and RB Bijan Robinson speak to the media following the Atlanta Falcons’ 24-14 win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football.

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