Jessie Bates III & others on the Atlanta Falcons loss to the Seattle Seahawks | Press Conference

Jessie Bates III & others on the Atlanta Falcons loss to the Seattle Seahawks | Press Conference

you know, it’s a emotional time after this loss. Um, just what are your thoughts right now? Yeah. Um, we just haven’t found a way to put four quarters together. Um, that’s pretty disappointing. Was there a time in this game where you felt like things flipped like for the negative and things started spiraling? Um, I mean, just the whole second half didn’t think we play well. So, guys throwing their helmets, the frustration level seems to be there from the outside. How do you make sure this team just sticks together, flushes it, gets ready for Yeah. Um, frustration is a good thing. People care. Um, just got to stay together. Um, now we’re still, you know, fighting for our jobs, um, for each other’s families and all that good stuff. So, yeah. I know you haven’t been here for the duration, but unfortunately this locks up an eighth straight losing season for this franchise. What’s your message to the fans about moving forward, as you said, sticking together as a team? Yeah. Um, you know, it’s frustrating. Um, they should be frustrated as well. Um, gota figure it out. That’s it. Does it help at all to have a short week, get move on quickly? Um, anytime you got another opportunity to go out there and play, it’s great. Raheem said that the kickoff touchdown to open the second half was really the momentum turning. Did you feel that in the moment? Yeah, I definitely agree with that for sure. Is there anything you can do? I mean, obviously when when that you feel that shift kind of turning and happening, what can you kind of do as a leader when you go under? Yeah, you just try to keep guys together. Um, you know, just continue to do your job at a high level and uh make sure guys stick together. Felt like the secondary had the Seattle passing game kind of bottled up in that first half. What What was the difference in your mind? Um, yeah, I thought we played really well in the first half. um you know second half um you know they got their offense going pretty good and uh had some explosive plays and uh when you’re down like that um you know it forces you know your hand on the defense to be a little bit more you know they know what you’re running around so uh you know they got smart coaches over there and uh they did a good job executing. What’s about this one? I mean, seemed like things were going well at halftime, second half. How did you how did it look from your your perspective? Uh, from jump, they scored a touchdown off the kick return. Uh, our energy was just down from there. Um, we just got to do a better job. Simple as that. How hard is it to try to defend on like, you know, after a turnover, that quick change trying to stop them after they get the ball back on turnover? Um, honestly, we just all got to get on the same page. I go out there, try to defend every lay of grass. That’s just how I play. Uh, we just got to want it as a team. That’s all I can say. You said u just trying to I guess the is the communication issue maybe that’s part of some of the problem. You said you’re trying to uh to be real everything. I feel like obviously we got our ass whooped out there. So, we just got to play better. You still this team is as close as a unit. Oh, yeah. Yeah, for sure. That that won’t change anything. Uh I feel like we a family in here. We just got to play better at the end of the day. Short week help you. The fact that you’re going to be back out quickly? Oh yeah. Get the bad taste out of mouth. I think that’ll help out a lot. Um we got to come in train even harder though, like especially mentally and uh hopefully we can put the whooping on the boys. You guys for another losing season um confirmed, but how do you what do you guys do as a uh to keep you guys continue motivate motivated the rest throughout the rest of the season? Honestly, uh I just want to win so we can carry it on to next season. That’s that’s my mindset. Were the Seahawks doing anything different offensively in the second half or were they just clicking at that point? Um I think Sam Darnold did a good job of making the passes that he needed to make. Um I think that was the biggest difference in the second half. In that first half, you guys limited him to under 100 yards. What was working well in that first half? Uh I think just putting pressure on him and uh playing tight coverage was working in the first half. We just let a couple stuff get passes. You get what I’m saying? In this league, you let your foot off the break, I mean off the gas anytime and feel like you got somebody where you want them, it cannot turn out good. Coach Morris said that that kick return was kind of like a back breaking play. When you feel the momentum uh kind of shifting like that, is there anything that you guys can do to try to like shift the momentum back to your favor? One more time. When you feel the momentum shifting to them like that on the kickoff return, is there anything you guys can do to shift it back into your favor? We just got to stay together. You know what I’m saying? um when our brothers make a mistake, don’t let them get too down on theel cuz we going to need them in the long run. So, just be able to pick each other up and just stay together and keep fighting. You guys got a short week this week Thursday. Does that make us a little easier to kind of move on to the next game and kind of Yeah, probably the best thing for us. We get to get back on the field and get right back at it, be at the facility tomorrow in the morning, shake it off and go get out to Tampa Bay. How difficult is it for you when you’re having the season that you are that these losses keep popping up? We had five straight games with a sack. Um it’s cool. It was just numbers, you feel me? All we care about is wins and taking care of each other locker to locker. You know what I’m saying? That’s all that matters. You still feel like this team is real close? I feel like we we as long as we stay together, you going to stand on our path, that’s all we could do. Yeah. Um especially after the way the first half went. thought we were in the game um doing some good things and um you know even the way the third quarter you know special teams there special teams make big makes a big play and um we’re moving the ball well and um thought we can go down there and tie it back up and unfortunately we turn it over and um from there just kind of unwind it and um you know it’s frustrating it’s not what we expect from ourselves and uh we we have to do better. Jake, it felt kind of like an avalanche at times. Did what was there any moment that you can identify that all kind of got got away from? Um I I I think that third quarter was just tough. Um it’s hard to come back after that and um yeah, they’re a really good team for a reason and um they played well today and uh yeah, you know, it just felt like that first half it was a game we were in and had a shot and um wanted to keep that m momentum going in the second half, but uh couldn’t find a way. And then third down issues, they kind of flare up again today. You know, the one the third down conversion. How how did how can you guys address that for the final four weeks of the season? Yeah, I think just we got to find a way to make a play. Um, step up and make it happen, you know, whatever it takes. Um, be interested to watch the film and see what those third downs look like and then come up with a plan. But, um, yeah, definitely definitely frustrating. Um, expect a lot more from ourselves. Was there anything different that that Seattle did to you guys defensively in the second half as opposed to the first half? Um, you know, it felt like we had a good, you know, like I said, that that first drive in the second half felt like we were moving the ball well. Uh, running the ball, had a good play action pass. Uh, that went for a few. And then, um, yeah, just the unfortunate turnover and, um, you know, next thing you know, you’re down two touchdowns and, um, yeah, it just kind of fell apart and, you know, we can’t let that happen. So, just got to keep chopping, you know, find a way to find a way to stay in those games when we have opportunities, especially against a team like that who’s been playing really well all year. How different do you think the game would have been if you were able to score on that drive on that that third quarter drive? Yeah, who’s to say? I mean, we tie it back up and probably halfway to the third around then and um yeah, we’re definitely in it. So, you know, we thought you we’re down two scores, had a chance to get back into it, but um you know, unfortunately, they kept finding ways to uh put in the end zone. So, you could hear some frustration building from fans. What’s your message to Falcons fans? Yeah, I completely understand the frustration. They they come here to see us win and play well and um had a good game going in the first half and I I I get it. We’re frustrated, too. We want to win and um you know, it’s not happening, unfortunately. So, the only thing I mean, we got a couple options and I think I know what we’re going to pick. We’re going to put our heads down and keep working hard and find a way to win. Hope that was a short week. Yeah, I think most definitely. Um, you know, quick and get back on the field and and get a win, the better that second half, how do you explain that and how do you flush it out of your system? Yeah, obviously coming out, uh, it’s not the way you want to start. Um, but I thought we did a good job responding, moving down the field. Um and then you know uh unfortunately you know turned the ball over um and you know when you’re playing a great team they capitalized on that. Um and then weren’t able to move it again and then you get behind two scores and that’s you you’re just behind the clock. Um so I think the the mindset was there. It’s just uh made a mistake. Did you guys feel like you left some opportunities on the board in the first half? I mean I think so. I think we were efficient with it. Um, I think some penalties, uh, one third down on the first drive. Um, you know, I think there was, I mean, obviously it’s a very talented defense, but I think we were having success, um, moving the ball and, you know, had a couple mistakes getting away. And Chris, uh, Kirk was asked in this press conference, it was it time for someone to, you know, light a fire and you all, throw something across the the room, something to, you know, light that fire. And he said, Kirk answered, “Maybe so, you know, could be.” What is your take on that? you think that or maybe it’s even too late for them. Um I think Kirk perspective um um is his and I think he’s seen a lot of football um in his time. Um and I all I can say is I know that we have guys who obviously the season hasn’t gone our way. I think we’re not going to the playoffs and we have a responsibility for four games to try and go out there and win um and to finish the season the way we want and um there’s a lot of pride in our team and the organization and our approach to that. And so the mindset is just doing our job to be the best we can and every single day with that and that’s the approach I’m going to take for the next month is try and be the best guard in the NFL um to give us the best opportunities to win. Um and I think everybody has that mindset individually and I know it didn’t go well and I know it’s not what you guys want to hear. It’s not what the fans want to hear, but um the mindset fighting for the next month um will not change. Do is there anything that can be done like maybe not throwing a tree across the room, but is there anything you think that can be done to help kind of change the mindset or the momentum of this team right now? Yeah, I just think it’s taking ownership and everything um you know, mistakes, things we can improve on, um and have to roll with it. And I think, you know, um core beliefs of who we are. Um I think you stay true to those in times of adversity. Um but obviously, you know, um it’s it hasn’t been good enough on Sunday because your record is what you are. You still think this team’s as close as it was last week and the week before that? For sure. And um and I’m thankful for that because if you didn’t have that, you’d have a fractured locker room and that would be miserable, but that’s not the case. And um guys are out here fighting every single day. And like I said, that’s one of the best teams um in the league and a couple of mistakes away from having a lead in the half um and battling back. Jake said a few minutes ago he can hear fan frustration and he understands fan frustration. What’s your message to fans? Uh I agree with Jake. I mean um I I know we haven’t been in the playoffs in 8 years. Um it’s frustrating and you know I’m thankful that people support us, you know, with their time, their passion, their energy um financially. Um and I know there’s a responsibility for us to give them everything to make the playoffs, to have pride in it, um to feel that success. Um and we have fallen short of that. Um, and so their frustrations are valid and uh, we understand it. But the only thing I can say to them is what I said to Mark earlier is just that um, the the approach for the next month is we’re pouring everything into it and that part’s not changing.

Jessie Bates III, Divine Deablo, James Pearce Jr., Jake Matthews and Chris Lindstrom speak to the media after the Atlanta Falcons matchup against the Seattle Seahawks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

0:00 – Jessie Bates III – S
2:11 – Divine Deablo – ILB
3:56 – James Pearce Jr. – ED
5:07 – Jake Matthews – T
8:23 – Chris Lindstrom – G

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