NFC Notes: Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

Falcons HC Arthur Smith isn’t worried about outsiders writing the team off this early in the season.

“You guys wrote our obituary back in May,” Smith said, via PFT. “You’ll continue to write our obituary. Who cares? We have 16 games and if we don’t learn from this and get better — We gotta go play L.A. They got a three-day jump on us. We’ll watch the tape, we’ll look for corrections and then we have to get going on the Rams…Write whatever y’all want. Same guys that ranked us 45th. You buried us in May, bury us again. We don’t care. We’ll get back to work.”

• Smith said the team left fifth-round RB Tyler Allgeier inactive this week, as they wanted to go heavier on the interior and with tight ends. (Mike Rothstein)
• Falcons RB Damien Williams on his rib injury, adding he is sore and fell on the ball a bit: “All 300 pounds on that little baby rib, man. That’s all that was, man.” (Rothstein)

Panthers

• Panthers QB Baker Mayfield after losing to the Browns: “Everyone made this out to be the Super Bowl. There are 16 more games.” (Ellis Williams)
• Panthers LB Shaq Thompson on the loss: “The refs missed two calls… It’s not the first time the refs have beat us but we beat ourselves by starting slow.” (Williams)

Panthers

• Saints RB Alvin Kamara picked up a rib issue during Week 1’s win against the Falcons, but HC Dennis Allen downplayed it: “I think he’s going to be fine.” (Katherine Terrell)