Falcons postgame

There's nothing like an hour-and-45-minute drive coming back from the Georgia Dome after midnight to get the blood pumping. Monday night's game, however, provided the opposite. The Atlanta Falcons didn't exactly put out the performance they did against Tennessee last week (which could be described as embarrassing), but they did lose again because of, sigh, missed chances. I almost feel I could type those two words in my sleep at this point, but that has been one of the bigger stories this season. The Falcons need not look further than blown chances for any explanation as to why the team now sits at an abysmal 1-5. But more on that later in the week.

Here are some postgame quotes I gathered up:

Alge Crumpler

"We fought so hard all week to try to make sure we turn this thing around, and you know, those guys really out-played us. That's the bottom line. When we're sitting in a situation we are record-wise, we have to find a way to win ballgames and we just didn't play well enough as a unit, as a team to win the game."

"It's frustrating, but we've just got to stay the course. That's the only thing we can do at this point. We've had it every which way. We've had close losses and we've been blown out, but the bottom line is, we've got to find ways to score and we've got to find ways to win games. After the way this game started, I thought it was going to be a good, fun game, but they just played a little bit better than we did."
(Note: Crumpler did not repeat the blowup after last week's loss. Criticism was difficult to come by)

Michael Boley
On taking solace in having a good year so far individually:
"No. At this point, with us being 1-5, to me, all the personal stuff is overshadowed by that."

"It's always frustrating. I've never been to the point where we've been 1-5 on any level, and it's frustrating. But, like I said, it's a long season."

Jerious Norwood
On his chances to make a big play when he gets the ball:
"It's whatever the coaches want. I'm a team player. We've just got to keep a positive attitude about it and whenever I get the chance to play, then I've just got to go in and make the most out of it."

On staying positive:
"Well, you've got to think about it. I could be back in Mississippi working at Burger King or somewhere. I'm fortunate to be a part of this program. That's how I think about it, you know? I could be doing anything, but the good Lord put me here and I'm gonna play and I always try to keep a positive attitude."

Joe Horn
"We've got to find a way to put it together, man. Gotta find a way to put it together. You can't look at your record, you can look at the (team's record) you're playing against; you've got to keep fighting and stay together as a unit, because you're going to have times, trials and tribulations but you've just got to stick together. The guys are going to do that. We've got some high-character guys in this locker room. We've got to stick together."

"Right now, looking at Carolina, Tampa, whoever, New Orleans, it doesn't matter. You have to correct what's going on in your locker room and with your team. And that's what we'll do. Like I said, we've got guys in this locker room with a lot of character. We don't bicker, we don't argue with each other; we care about each other, and that's the No. 1 thing that a team has to do to even start winning football games. Once you get guys in the locker room who are bickering and arguing with each other, that's when you lose a football team. Coach Petrino, he hasn't lost this football team. The guys, we're still fighting, we're still practicing hard, busting our ass on the football field. It's just not coming together on Sundays."