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TE TONY GONZALEZ
(on if it's nice to be at home again to try to bounce back after a tough loss)
It's always nice, shoot, we knew that going into it with that three-game stretch. Being back at home is obviously going to give us an advantage, but we have to make it happen though. We had the home-field advantage last week and we still came up short so hopefully we will get it to work in our favor this week.
(on how tired he is of hearing the debate about the decision to go for it on fourth down)
I don't care what the outside people think, including people in my family, people that are close to me that say, 'hey, you should have punted it.' Whatever, people are going to have their opinion and that's great. That's the beauty of it I think, that's what makes it fun, it makes it interesting. Obviously, I have no problem with that call; I think it was the right call. We all wanted it on the sideline and it's just great to know that Smitty (Head Coach Mike Smith) has that confidence in us. It's up to us to go out there and execute it. Looking from hindsight, we probably could have handled it a little bit different and I'm talking about the blocking, the way we blocked as individual players and just us being accountable. If we had to do it again, we call that same play, we might have been able to get it done if we would have been able to maybe change our blocks up and block it a little bit better, but I still agree with the call.
(on what the Titans' defense did well against Carolina and if they can sustain that level of performance)
Yeah, they are pretty dangerous. I think what they did against Cam (Newton) is they blitzed him a whole lot, way more than what their usual protocol is. I would anticipate them saying, 'that worked for us, let's keep it up.' We played against a heavy blitzing team against New Orleans last week so I think we will be up to the challenge if they do want to continue that trend of blitzing. They blitzed a whole lot, way more than usual. They are dangerous, but any team in the NFL is dangerous. They have some great players over there. I know Cortland Finnegan, he is a great player so it's going to be a challenge for us to go out there and move the ball up and down the field, but hopefully we are up to it.
(on how much he has seen of the Titans' secondary)
I haven't seen that much yet, I just saw a lot of the blitz tape and that was pretty much it. You saw a lot of hot reads and then Cam (Newton) trying to run the ball or whatever. Like I said, everybody is capable in this league. I don't ever take anybody and say, 'I'm going to exploit them this week.' I love our chances against any team in the NFL just because of the fire power that we have and then the guy pulling the trigger back there in Matt Ryan. It's a pretty good option for us every week we go into a game we feel pretty confident that we can throw the ball if we have to.
(on adding Julio Jones to the offense)
It just adds another explosive element to that offense and it makes defenses have to account for him. If you go man-to-man with him, after a while you are going to be burned. That's the way we want it and I think any team in the NFL that's the type of offense that you want to have, especially with our running game. You have to respect Michael Turner in the backfield because we will give him the ball. If we are going to be able to run the ball, we like to be able to run the ball; there is no doubt about it. Then we go to the pass and we like our chances because of the matchups that Roddy (White) brings, that I bring, that Julio (Jones) can bring especially with his speed and quickness and his ability to get over the top and beat you deep, it softens everything up underneath. If you throw Harry Douglass in there who had 130 yards last week, we can be a really, really dangerous offensive team once we are out there executing and doing it the right way. That's what we really have to focus on as an offense is making sure that we execute. We have the horses to do it, just have to execute.
(on what impresses him about Julio Jones)
He has got everything that you could think of. He is about six-foot-three, 225-230 pounds of all muscle. He is built like a horse, and he runs. He chews up grass when he runs. It is really neat to watch him run his routes because it seems like he is going so hard but then so effortless at the same time. He really is a smooth guy. The sky is the limit for him. I think before it's all said and done within the next two or three years, he could establish himself as being, I think, the top receiver in the league, or at least right up there with Larry (Fitzgerald), Andre Johnson and Roddy White. I just think the sky is the limit with this offense going down the line looking to the future. Those two guys are going to be the best receiving tandem in the league if they put it together and can stay healthy.
(on how he keeps up with the young receivers)
Well they keep me young and I like to think that I bring a little to the table too. I don't mind going out there and putting in the extra work and I am learning from them and I would like to think that they are learning from me. We have a good relationship. I don't think that there are any egos as far as hey, give me the ball. It's about who is hot that day and who it not and Matt (Ryan) is going to find whoever is open and make plays.
(on the importance of this game for both teams to keep up with their division leaders)
It's huge, it's huge for us. We can't drop too many more. We have a pretty good stretch here; we weren't able to take advantage of it last week. I'm talking about having three home games in a row. It's an important game four us to go out there and play well, and obviously I'm talking about getting a win. The more games that you lose, we are getting to that point in the season now towards the end of the season, you have to win in November and December and that's one thing I have learned about being in this league. It's when you try to separate yourself or at least catch up and try to make that playoff run. I still think, I know, actually I don't think, I know that we can play better than we have. Nobody has seen a complete game out of the Atlanta Falcons yet and I think if we keep improving and learning from our mistakes, we are going to be a very tough team to beat and hopefully it starts this week. It's always the next game that's the most important game, I don't care what anybody says, and hopefully we can come out on top this week.
(on if there is any increase in preparation against an opponent that is unfamiliar over the years)
No, I don't think so, at least not for me. They asked me last week that playing the Saints in a rivalry game and all of this stuff, 'are you going to give a little extra juice?' I was like, 'no, hell no.' I play each game like it's supposed to be played and that's 100 miles an hour, be prepared the best way you can. I don't care if they are out of league, I don't care if we never play this team again, more than likely this is the last time I will play against the Tennessee Titans but that has nothing to do with my mentality. This is just something that this is the next game on our schedule and you have to bring it every week, week in and week out and that's what the good teams do otherwise you are going to lose and you're going to be inconsistent. That's what I try to tell the young guys on this team and that's what I tell myself every week and I'm sure Coach Smith feels the same way. That's the way we approach each game, you have to approach it like it's the most important game because otherwise you can slip up and lose and every team is good in the NFL. It's a big game for us; it's just as big as last week as far as I'm concerned. It's the next game on the schedule.
(on if he knows Mike Munchak and if anything stands out about his team in year one)
Well, not really, like I said I haven't watched too much of the tape. I have met him before obviously being around the block for a while so I really respect him as a coach and he is doing a good job over there.
(on how many more years he thinks he will play)
I'm going to play another 15 years I think. I have thought about that. I would be lying to you if I told you I didn't start thinking about that, especially as the season winds down and I'm feeling pretty good. But at the same time, I can't even worry about that. I am actually a free agent this year so if I do want to come back, this is where I want to be, in Atlanta. Obviously, that is something to decide during the offseason. I feel pretty good right now, I'm talking physically, mental, emotionally, spirituality. I'm loving the town and I'm going to talk it over with my family at the end of the season and figure out if we want to come back and make another run at it but right now I feel pretty good.
(on if he has paid attention to other tight ends in the league such as Jared Cook and Craig Stevens)
Yeah, I got a chance to check out (Jared) Cook a little bit just flipping through games but not too extensively. He looks like he is on his way to becoming a really good tight end and he is one of their game breakers on the offensive side of the ball. Like I tell all young tight ends, you get out of it what you put into it. I had a chance to go against (Jimmy) Graham last week, another great up-and-coming tight end. I love how the new generation of tight ends are unbelievable at catching the ball. One thing I always stress to all of these tight ends is that you know it's a duel position. You have to have dual responsibilities, you have to make sure you block as well as catch. That's one that becoming a complete tight end, if that's something that matters to you; it's important that you go out there and put in the work and the effort.
