NFC Notes: Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

Falcons DT Grady Jarrett isn’t letting one loss define the team’s season, as he believes their best football is still ahead of them.

“It’s definitely tough anytime you take a loss,” Jarrett said, via AJC.com. “It’s not the way we wanted to start the season, but at the end of the day, it’s a long season. I’m sure there are going to be a lot of things we can learn from this and continue to grow, and our best football is definitely still ahead of us.”

Falcons HC Arthur Smith said that the loss was on him, and that the team would be better prepared in the future. While Jarrett appreciates his coach falling on the sword for the team, he knows there are things that not only he could’ve done better, but the team as a whole as well.

“I mean, I think there’s room for everybody to get better. Everybody made some mistakes out there today, and I feel like there was a play out there I could have made if I just ran through to the quarterback and sacked him right before. It would have been fourth down, right before that two-minute drive before the half. So, I mean we all have stuff we can get better at and as a coach, we appreciate him putting ownership back on himself, but we as players got to do better as well, too. We’re out there on the field and we got to execute,” Jarrett said. 

Jarrett is still optimistic about the Falcons’ season ahead and what they can do to get back on track.

“There’s still a lot of optimism,” Jarrett said. “We feel good about this team and we believe in the guys we have and believe in the leadership we have. And there’s a lot of football out there and you know, this year we get an extra game, so we chop this one up and have 16 more to go and we’ve got a lot of good football to play and a lot ahead of us.”

Panthers

• Panthers HC Matt Rhule said CB Myles Hartsfield will miss at least eight weeks with a wrist injury. (David Newton)
• Rhule added he’s “hopeful” OL John Miller will return from the COVID-19 list this week. (Newton)
• Rhule mentioned K Ryan Santoso and K Dominik Eberle will compete for this week’s kicker spot. (Joe Person) 
• Panthers signed WR Alex Erickson to their active roster. (NFLTR)
• Panthers placed CB Myles Hartsfield on injured reserve.
• Panthers signed S Jalen Julius to their practice squad.
• Panthers released WR Omar Bayless from their practice squad. 

Saints

Saints QB Jameis Winston was a revelation in his Week 1 debut as New Orleans’ starter, tossing five touchdowns in a massive upset blowout against the Packers. His favorite play, though, wasn’t any of those touchdowns, or any of his 14 completions. It was a pass he threw away late in the first quarter in Packer territory, a play that signified the growth Winston has made since the last time he was a starter. 

“We had this same play called the other day in practice,” Winston said via NBC Sports’ Peter King. “And I was trying to make a play, and I threw it, and [Saints LB] Kaden Elliss intercepted it. So I just said to myself, ‘If we call that play in the game this week, and it’s not there, I’m gonna throw it so high out of bounds that Shaq can’t pick it off.’ And that’s what I did.”

“One of the great things I learned from playing with Drew [Brees] last year was decisions over results,” Winston added. “Sometimes the right decision is a play that gains nothing. Just keep making good decision after good decision, and the game’s going to go okay.”

• King mentions the Saints hoped to potentially re-sign RB Latavius Murray after Week 1 before he landed with the Ravens. 
• The Texans took on much of CB Bradley Roby’s salary in the trade to the Saints, and he now has a cap number of $1.862 million for 2021 and $10 million in 2022. (Nick Underhill)
• Saints CB Desmond Trufant’s one-year deal is worth $1.075 million and his contract qualifies for the veteran salary benefit. In 2021, the deal will count for $850,000 against the salary cap. (Underhill)