Kyle Pitts Sr., Kaden Elliss & other Falcons on the loss to the Miami Dolphins | Atlanta Falcons

Kyle Pitts Sr., Kaden Elliss & other Falcons on the loss to the Miami Dolphins | Atlanta Falcons

What was your take away from the offensive performance today? It seemed like there was some miscommunications on some throws with Kirk down the field at times today. Just how would you analyze how you guys played as a unit today? Yeah, just some small details we didn’t execute on and you know, we’ll get back to the drum board and fix them. Was there anything about this week that felt like you guys may have been on a miscommunication tip or was there anything that felt like you guys kind of didn’t come to play today? No, we definitely communicated well. Just like I said, small details that’ll hurt you. And you know, we had some penalties and things and such. So that kind of hurts. Is there anything about the way the Dolphins are playing, especially in that front seven shutting down Bejan that kind of affected what you guys were able to do as receivers and tight ends? No, definitely as offense, you know, never give credit to the defense. Um, we just messed up. So that’s what I’ll leave it at. Kyle, it’s the NFL. It’s hard to win every single week, but how do you describe the inconsistencies on offense for you guys throughout the season so far? Uh it’s just something we need to fix and you know I know we will um going into this next next week coming up. We’ll watch it, flush it and do our best to um you know get a win on Sunday. K didn’t use the word frustrating to describe this one obviously just because it’s a loss is frustrating but what’s the most frustrating aspect for you? Losing. I mean that’s for me it’s the worst thing in the world. I hate losing. Um just going to watch it. It’ll suck and then you know we’ll get over it and get ready back to work on Wednesday. What gives you the belief that this team can make another bounce back? because like I said, it’s any given Sunday and we will, you know, bounce back and we’ll come together as one and execute on execute way better on Sunday. Michael was kind of a late scratch this week. He was ruled out later in the week as you know, switch up the game plan. What did you think of it going into this game with Kirk and how you guys approached it? Uh, approach it the same. Still want to win and, you know, win our matchups. Unfortunately, we didn’t in some instances as offense and we’ll do better as weeks coming up. I don’t say about a game like this today, but uh how do you explain a loss like this after, you know, rattling off two straight wins a few weeks ago and now two straight losses? Yeah. Um it’s just collective. I mean, you know, that’s that’s one that’s tough to swallow. Um we got to swallow it as a group. Um it is what it is. It happened. Let’s go watch the film and we’re going to see a lot of things we don’t like. Uh is what it is. We just got to got to find a way to bounce back. How do you assess where this team is at at this point right now? You know, now below 500 at this point. How do you rebound from this? Um, you know, it it doesn’t change. Although that is frustrating um to hear it, it’s still focusing on your your individual process, your individual work, what you have to do. Um, collectively letting that come together to be something special. Um, now even though that’s the same answer, you can change your process and that’s probably what needs to happen uh individually. um collectively um not saying has to be drastic. Um so we still have some good wins on this year. We’ve still done some good things, but last week was in the 49ers, close one. And then this week with what just happened um you got to, you know, look in the mirror hard um self self assess assess as a linebacker group, as a defense, each group individually, as an offense, special teams, um then together as a team, and um you know, I’m thankful we got Rock because it’ll help us do that. Do you notice any similarities with what they did offensively to what San Francisco did last week? Very. Um obviously I believe uh um McDaniel was uh was with Shanahan. Um and you know they came out with a very similar game plan. Um you know run the ball with a lot of different variety in the run game. Um bunch of different runs they hit us with gap scheme inside zone all the different you know all the different runs. Um and then marrying some good play action shots off of it. Um you know typically second and long third and long is a lot of passes. Uh they came and ran the ball on it just like San Francisco did. Um and they were able to get first downs and that. So there’s some things that again we got to self assess. We got to look at um we have to change. Um and then also don’t don’t overreact. Never too high, never too low. And uh still be who we are. So we’ll we’ll do that. Ra will guide us in this. I know we will. After the Carolina loss, you said that wasn’t a lesson you guys should have to learn a second time. Did it feel like you were kind of reliving some of those moments again this week? Yeah. Um, you know what was tough about this one was it felt like there were so many um good plays and moments in it. Um, there was so many TFLs, so many good rushes, so many um, good moments. Um, but then it would drag on. The series would drag on. The next play would be theirs instead of, you know, stacking one or two. Carolina felt a little different. Carolina felt more like it was um, there weren’t as many good plays for us out there. This one, it felt like there were a lot, but then the next one they found a way to make a play and almost offset everything that we were good. you know what I mean? So, um I feel a little more positive after this one. Um at the same time, I feel frustrated because that’s two times a score like that has been put on the board against us. So, um it’s it’s very interesting. It it’ll be one that we have to go look at the you know, go look at the film. But again, I’m going to keep saying it. I’m thankful we got Ra. He’ll guide us and we’ll be good. Um we just started out slow, started out flat. Um just had to get our energy going and we never picked it up. um tried to have a spark at halftime and you know we came out uh and still was kind of flat but you know it’s just just about our energy and how we approached the game take you a long way. There’s now been two kind of really big lopsided losses for you guys now. One against Carolina, now this game. How easy is it to flush that down and really forget about it? Or do you want to forget about something like that? You have to to to move on and um play the next week. Can’t let things hang over and go into the next week. And that’s just the mindset you got to have and everybody got to, you know, from players to a staff. We just got to fix our our mindset and what we what we come to do throughout the week and uh when we come to games, bring our own energy and just uh play to our standard. We know the Dolphins were having some some struggles so far this year um not having the best season themselves. Did this feel like an instance of kind of any given Sunday any team can come in and beat you? Yeah, I mean it’s the NFL like you got to respect all your opponents. Uh, as we all know, the league is it’s a lot of one one uh possess possession games and that’s where they come down to. So, uh, we didn’t look at Miami that way about the record, none of that type of stuff. It’s it’s not college football. But, you know, you just got to come in, like I said, and just just play our style of ball and um, get things done early. How do y’all fix that energy issue you were talking about? Yeah, just everybody collectively. It take it take everybody from players, staff. It just take like our approachment um and just just knowing our identity and what we what we preached all the way in OTAAS and just coming in and really living by it and coming into the game and applying it. You feel like you’ve done that at least a couple times. I would imagine Minnesota Buffalo come like it’s there. You know, we know it’s flashes. We we done seen our best ball or a few few of our best ball. like it’s it’s so much left in the in the tank for everybody and we know what we capable of cuz we put it on tape. So, um collectively as a team, it don’t take it can’t just be the defense, can’t just be special teams, can’t be offense like this league takes everybody to put all hands and you know go out there and get the job done. Is it any more frustrating that you have shown it a couple times and then a couple times you just haven’t? you know, that’s definitely, you know, just being able to go out there and uh have a good week, you know, play at a play at a high standard. And then the challenge is always uh not getting too high or too low. Even like right now being so low, just being able to sustain uh success and knowing that it’s the NFL and it’s uh one to know each week. You got to just flip your mindset to that and understand what we put on tape. If it’s good or bad, it’ll show up the next week. and teams uh challenge you that way and we just got to you know own own our situations and you know uh be better. AJ, you mentioned those flashes that you know what you guys can be. Aside from that, what gives you belief that this team can have another bounce back? Um just the guys in the building. I know, like I said, I done I done been here now for six years. I just know what we have in the building. um and where I come from and I just know like we got the we got the pieces to the puzzle um offense and defensively and then I feel like we got a great special teams as well like um I wouldn’t I wouldn’t be up here to not name everybody. I got to name offense special teams along with the defense cuz take this is a team game and I just know that we we have all the pieces to to the puzzle. Kayen was talking about it felt like there were a couple positives on defense. You guys were able to stack a few and then just not able to get off the field. It felt different than Carolina in that way. Do you agree with that? And you feel like it did feel different than Carolina? Um Kaden played Carolina. I didn’t play. Yeah. So, um I did I do know the Carolina game, you know, it was what it was. We was in the right positions. I felt we just didn’t make those got to have it plays getting off the field on third down. Um but me playing in this game, I felt, you know, the fight and things like that. like we came over to the sideline, nobody g, you know, gave in and just settled. We all wanted to continue to put our best foot forward. But that’s that that just goes to show I feel like the the identity of the team like it’s it’s there. We just got to put it together. AJ, you’ve been here, like you said, six years record-wise through, you know, seven games. This has been a familiar spot for you guys. When does it need to click for you guys? Because it’s been some inconsistent performances. When do you want to see you guys hit your stride and really find yourselves in full identity? Yeah, you just got to um that that that don’t start now. It been started like we like I said, it’s the NFL. You just got to come in want to know each week. It’s it’s it’s any Sunday like and and we all know that you just got to um prepare the right way and come out with the right mindset and just go out there and do what we did during the week and apply it. Excellent. Excellent. Uh coach preparation was fantastic as always. Um, you know, we didn’t really know. It was a really fluid situation all week. Um, and, uh, Kirk’s great and his communication with us, his preparation and stuff. Uh, so there was not skipping a beat there with him. Coach said, um, keeping this team together was the easy part of the adjustments after this loss. Like, is that true? Yeah. Um, 100%. Uh, the connection is the bedrock of our team. Uh, I I just said it like player to player, player to staff that never never uh fails. Um, and it’s constant belief in one another. Um, and that’s what makes the high so high. And then, uh, the loss is frustrating because we have that belief and, uh, connection with one another. Um, but knowing we can get it right. What was it about what Miami was doing today that kind of made it difficult for you guys? Uh, I think it was ourselves. Um, I don’t think, you know, start with myself and our unit just, uh, not good enough. Um, and we weren’t able to get efficient runs. Um, obviously they’re a great front, great team, played with a lot of juice, and so you do have to give credit to them. Um, but I think it’s introspective. Um, and just we need to be right and ready to go from from the start. How is it something that you could address just kind of like on a week toe kind of basis? I think just preparation and mindset. Um, that’s all you can do and um, you know, obviously going on the road to New England next week. I mean, you have to, I know coach is going to talk about it, rip rip off the band-aids and um, the hard things and tell the truth about what happened today. Um but then the same sense now uh when Tuesday comes prepare for New England and we have a game that we have to win and um we know that and they’re a very very good team. So uh it’s going to be a great challenge. Easy thing to do would be to question the leadership of the team starting with the team. What would you say whether it’s the problem or not a problem? It’s not a staff problem. Um it’s you know they’re amazing. Um the preparation standpoint we’re fully prepared every single week. uh confidence in the plan, belief in the plan, we just need to go out and execute and um the preparation throughout the week um starting with myself and I think we just go through this uh collectively, individually um is focus inward and get what’s right. But the like I said, the connection between us as players and then player to staff is couldn’t be better. I love playing for Raw and we’re fully prepared and ready to go every week. We need to do a better job ourselves coming out and from the jump getting going. Seems like the Miami defense really just sold out on stopping the run. Obviously got some guys out on the receiving court. Just how did that inability to get kind of Bejon and Tyler going kind of in that first half stifle you guys’ offense today? Um yeah, I I I’ve been saying it, but it’s on us. It’s not um it’s not it’s not the receivers, it’s not the skill guys, it’s on us. We need to be better. Um and we talk about the run game and being efficient in the run game, and we weren’t good enough. And so when we’re not good enough, we don’t give people opportunities. Um, and those guys are fantastic and try hard and we can overcome things, but obviously it was too slow of a start that we couldn’t overcome. Um, but it starts with us and getting our preparation right. Chris, not to make any excuses, but how big was it to not have Mike and and Drake in there today? Did that disrupt anything at all? Uh, you know, you love those guys, you want them to be out there, but it’s the NFL and um, you know, you look back in December and nobody’s going to know. You know, it’s a loss is a loss. So, um, we need to be better. Um, those guys obviously are huge parts of our team. Uh, you love them. you want to be out there. I know they want to be out there. Um but you know, we just got to get the job done. Yeah, man. I mean, you know, it was it was tough. It was tough today. Um you know, we that is our lifeline. We’ll never stop. Uh obviously today, it was it was very hard. Um, but for us, like it’s opportunity for us just to get back get back to the to the drawing board, man. And and just just make sure that we’re doing what we’re supposed to do for next week because we’re playing a good team next week and they don’t care about what happened this week. They’re going to come out and be fired up and it’s at their home and, you know, we got to be we got to be ready to go um to play a good team and we got to bring that lifeline out um out there against against the Patriots. Do you feel like Miami had a beat on what y’all were doing today? you know, I don’t know. Um, you know, we we knew we knew what what they were going to come out with. We knew what was was expected. Um, but, you know, they just came out with with, you know, they came out to play. Uh, and we we have to do better. Um, shoot, I got to do better. And I mean, I I put all the I put everything on me, man. Cuz, you know, I’m the leader of this offense. And if if you know, if I’m not playing to my to to the level what this team needs, then, you know, we’re not going to we’re not going to do what we’re supposed to do on offense. So, um, you know, it’s it’s there’s no excuse for us. There’s no excuse at all. Like, you know, at the end of the day, we’re we’re grown men and and they are too. Um, but we we have to just be better um when it comes to next week. Feels like and a couple of people have said today that the energy feels like it’s been up and down week to week. Is there any explanation for that? Yeah, I mean I mean we we we got to continue to to play at a high energy. You know, I’m I’m this is the third year and and I don’t want to keep saying like, you know, we play low on on one Sunday or high on the next Sunday. Like, you know, consistency is has been the biggest thing for for us as a team and that needs to be what’s being preached and just being persistent every single day. Um, being positive. Uh, just just continue to stay faithful and and understand that like God God got us for everything. But for us, man, like, you know, we we we have to go back, you know, speak as an offense, like the defense, you know, they’re they’re doing an amazing job. Um, but just us as a collective offense, like we we we just got to be better in situations, uh, for us as a team and and for us just individually outside of the organization, there’s going to be some some, I guess, commentary or or questions about whether it’s the play calling, the the coaching staff in general. What do you have to say to those people? Yeah, I mean, we don’t listen none of that. you know, we can’t like as soon as as soon as you start listening to, you know, external noise or outside stuff like whether it’s good, great, or bad. Um, you start to feed into it. You start that’s that’s what kind of divides a team. Um, and you know, I always say like, you know, if you’re playing amazing and that noise is just as dangerous as when you’re when when we have an outing like this and, you know, it’s not going to be great for us. U, we understand it, but we don’t we can’t feed into it. I’m g try my hardest as a as a leader of the team, as a as a brother, as a teammate, like to make sure that we’re not feeding into none of that noise because, you know, as soon as that creeps in your mind, then then everything doesn’t everything spirals. What What is your confidence level, I guess, to and the play calling just in general? I’m very confident, man. Um, you know, Zach does a very good job. He takes a lot of time out of his day to to make sure that we’re that we have the best outing that we can on on Sundays. And you know, you know, sometimes we there there’s lols and stuff, but you know, I I’m very confident in him and you know, we talk every single day. We talk about situations on the field and just how we can just be our best coming when that Sunday comes. So, you know, man, we’re we’re we’re all got to go back and and learn what happened in this game and and see what happened. Um from us as running backs to O line, receivers, quarterback, tight, everybody. um because that’s what we have to do to, you know, move on and do right. Teams do have losses like this during a season, but is it more concerning that this is kind of the second one in the last, you know, five weeks or so? I mean, I’m not concerned um for anything that we that we got going on and this NFL season, I understand it. And you know, even for me, man, like you know, I I hate lols, but I can’t put the ball on the ground. Like that’s the biggest thing. You know, I can’t fumble. Um this team expects too much out of me. So for me to do that and for me to you know just when we’re when we’re driving too like the momentum like and we could score to kind of make the game closer like and I do that that’s that’s you know hurting this team. So you know I’m going to go back and fix my eternal self and you know go back to God and what I got to do um so I can be present for the team and then obviously all of us as as players like you know we we can’t be stuck in these ls anymore. uh because when we when we get stuck in those then then we have a bad season. So um for us like to be responsible and and to see what we can do better um good or bad like that’s that’s what we got to do.

Kyle Pitts Sr., Kaden Elliss, A.J. Terrell Jr., Chris Lindstorm and Bijan Robinson speak to the media following the Atlanta Falcons matchup against the Miami Dolphins at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

0:00 – Kyle Pitts Sr. – TE
1:44 – Kaden Elliss – ILB
4:50 – A.J. Terrell Jr. – CB
9:48 – Chris Lindstrom – G
13:17 – Bijan Robinson – RB

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