Black and Blue Review
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“I’m very proud of this football team first and foremost in spite of all the things we have dealt with this year. The adversity we have faced as a football team, the resilience of this football team with the men in that locker room was on display today. They did things that we needed to do to give ourselves the opportunity to win and to put ourselves in this position by winning in December was a part of going forward as we step into the playoffs now.”
On back-to-back division wins:
“It means a lot to this franchise. It really does and the beautiful thing is the record doesn’t matter. That’s the best part it’s about that we have won the South two years in a row. We were the first team to do it from the South that’s something for us to build on as we go forward as a football team.”
On defensive effort today:
“It was a great defensive effort, a lot of positive things some guys stepped up. I think DE Charles Johnson epitomizes what we want out of our guys. And you watch the play of LB Luke Kuechly and LB Thomas Davis and S Roman Harper and our young defensive backs played an outstanding football game as did the rest of the defensive unit. It really was a great defensive effort and I also liked the way our offense controlled the tempo of the game and put points on the board when we needed it.”
On absence of RB Steven Jackson dictating the game plan to focus on QB Matt Ryan:
“I think the bottom line was being able to score points early on really put us in a good position to attack the quarterback. I thought our guys did a nice job doing that. I think again you have to give credit to how our guys played up front, the front seven did a nice job.”
Defensive play calls in second quarter:
“I thought Sean (McDermott) did a nice job of mixing up the calls. We did a couple of things a little bit differently. We did a couple times with the different coverages and different pressures that we brought. With all the pressures, we were able to get to the quarterback and put the pressure on him and that the timing of the defensive calls he did very well.”
On no-huddle on first series setting the tempo:
“The biggest disappointment with that is that we didn’t score a touchdown. Again, we were trying to set the tempo trying to play fast and get our quarterback in a rhythm. I always look for it with us initially to have our defense feed off that energy. And then next it was obviously a big disappointment to have the missed tackle and then have Devin (WR Devin Hester) pop off 55 yards. Disappointing, but for the most part we did a pretty good job setting the tempo.”
On play of QB Cam Newton:
“When we don’t have to throw the ball that often, what it was less than 60% or whatever; I’ll take that any day of the week.”
“I didn’t get a chance to talk with him as there was so much going on in the locker room after the game. For a man that is a great person, a great human being and that runs a top notch organization what better way than to give him this type of win today.”
On the way the defense dominated:
“We are just trying to do our part. With the defense playing lights out like they did today and creating turnovers, makes our job easier. We have to create great habits this time of the season where each down counts and every point counts as well.”
“Yeah, why not?”
“We’ve had success down here the last couple times. Guys came out focused, and you could just tell by the way the secondary played. The secondary played amazing, and it showed on the field. The guys played out of their mind today.”
“We start this season off and hear all the talk about, it can’t be done; it won’t be done, and we’re here. We’ve done it. It’s not the end of it, but we had to make it to the playoffs, first and foremost. Now we’re going to get a chance to host a game next week.”
On momentum heading into playoffs:
“I feel like we’re a team that is playing as well as any team in the league now. Anything can happen.”
“Did we ever doubt ourselves? Did we ever kick it in? Did we ever throw it in the tank? Did we? I didn’t think we did. That’s why we’re kings of the South two years in a row.”
“Front seven just got to Matt (Ryan) and he released it early. I kind of saw his eyes, and I just jumped it. Josh Norman and Bene Benwikere led the way for me. I gave Julio (Jones) a little one-two and took it to the crib with the help of my guys.”
“I’ve been in this division my whole career and the fact that I can say, I’m on a back-to-back championship team is really amazing and truly a blessing.”
“Today’s game, like most games in the NFL, is about winning the line of scrimmage. We did not do that on either side of the football. Offensively, our quarterback was under duress all day. We weren’t able to establish the running game, and I thought after the first couple of drives at least we played a little bit better. We lost the turnover battle. You can’t give the ball to our opponent have them return it for touchdowns multiple times. That was the difference in the game.”
On how concerned he is with his future:
“I’ve answered this many times. I’m here as the head football coach until Arthur Blank tells me anything different.”
On the last two seasons and how difficult they’ve been:
“When you don’t win, it’s not fun. We know what the expectations are. We set the bar very high here from the very first day. We won a lot of football games, and in the last two years we haven’t been able to do that. This is a business about what have you done for me lately. Obviously, the season this year was not up to the expectations of me or anybody in the organization, nor any of our fans.”
“When you go against a defense that has as good as a front seven as Carolina, it’s important to do two things. Play ahead in the chains and play ahead in the game, so that you can keep them off balance. One of the reasons we can’t run the ball as much as we like is because we got behind.”
On the two interceptions:
“The first one, it happens. That’s not a good decision on my part. Trying to squeeze that into coverage, it is what it is. You try to make plays, sometimes in traffic; you got to live with that. The second one, I had the opportunity to throw it, I just got to put it in a better position. I need to be wider and a little bit more firm on the throw.”
“I do not think that we came out flat. I think they had some things going early on when they mixed up a bunch of coverages and then played a lot of man coverage. You know, they just dropped back, dropped eight, dropped seven, and they rallied to the ball. They did a good job of that. It kind of confused us early on in the game. They played some coverages that we were not prepared for.”
“It was one of those things where it felt like the Panthers could do no wrong. They just kept scoring and the next thing you know it they’re up 21-3. It was tough to get back in the game because it seemed like they would never let off the gas pedal and allow us back in the game.”