ATLANTA (AP) Falcons coach Dan Quinn has seen his team coast to just one victory this season – two months ago against Dallas.
Now that the playoffs are here
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this weekend.
”Easy has never really been our way,” Quinn said Monday. ”We’re more of a back-against-the-wall kind of group. We like those moments to prove
it.”
Article continues below ... At least the Falcons earned their way into the postseason with a 22-10 victory over Carolina. A loss would’ve sufficed, too, after Seattle lost to
Arizona, but going in with a win gives Quinn some positive teaching points this
week.
The best sign he saw against the Panthers was a plus-three turnover margin. Atlanta has four interceptions over the last two games – as many as it had in
the first 15 to rank second-worst in the NFL – so maybe it’s the start of a good
trend.
”Having a mindset for it is one thing,” Quinn said
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There are other areas to clean up. The rushing attack overcame its least-efficient game of the season, averaging just 2.3 yards on 26 rushing
attempts. Three of the seven penalties came on punt returns that cost Atlanta
about 60 yards in field position.
Atlanta converted just one of five trips to the red zone with Matt Bryant bailing out the offense each time and kicking five field goals in the second
half. The offense has yet to shake its penchant for dropping passes – it tied
for the league lead – and false start flags.
But there also was plenty for Quinn to like.
Running back Devonta Freeman, after losing fumbles in the last two games, had no issues in 20 touches.
”You really saw the ball high and tight for him, especially on the touchdown
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Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett was an inside force with a sack, two quarterback hits and two tackles for lost yardage. Rookie end Takk McKinley, a
late first-round draft pick from UCLA, is emerging as a force from the left and
right sides.
And middle linebacker Deion Jones, with team highs in tackles (138) and interceptions (three)
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Jones loved how the Falcons forced Panthers quarterback Cam Newton into the worst passer rating of his 109-game career. Even though Newton was without a
strong receiving corps and running back Jonathan Stewart was sidelined by a back
injury, Jones was pleased with how the defense held Carolina to one touchdown
while Atlanta’s offense was grinding through a long afternoon.
”We have our offense’s back, and that’s what we always talk about,” Jones said. ”I feel like if they have the ball, they can do amazing things with it
once they get in rhythm. It’s just a matter of giving it to them.”
The offense has yet to match last season’s output when it led the league in scoring. Quarterback Matt Ryan, the 2016 MVP
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It’s been a tough campaign. Other than the Dallas win, every other victory was decided late.
But the Falcons, 10 months after blowing the biggest lead in Super Bowl history, are back in the playoffs for a second straight year. They’re a No. 6
seed, but the only NFC team to repeat.
”It wasn’t perfect throughout the regular season by any stretch of imagination, but we battled and found a way to play ourselves into this
situation
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this time of the year. We gave ourselves that opportunity. I’m really proud of
that.”
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