Atlanta, GA – Many critics were left wondering if the Falcons would be able to maintain their dominate level of play after they destroyed their rival New Orleans Saints 49-14 in Week 1.
The Falcons left no questions unanswered. Going up against a St. Louis Rams team that was ranked 11th in the league in defense, Matt Ryan posted an incredible 474 yards on 17/24 passing with 5 touchdowns and no interceptions. But the true star of the show was Julio Jones, who had an evening that receivers could only dream of, exploding for 301 yards on 7 receptions and 4 scores.
The defense simply had no answer for Jones as the Falcons emerged victorious in the 48-42 shootout. “That’s the great thing about our offense,” Julio said sitting at his locker with reporters around him. “Roddy had a great game last week and I had a great game this week. Who knows, maybe it’ll be Brandon’s turn next week. Or Harry’s. Maybe even Tony’s. Defenses won’t know who to key on which allows us to go out and do what we do with ease.”
“Coach really tries to instill in us a sense of confidence and belief,” Matt Ryan said. “Go out compete, trust in your teammates and yourself and have fun. We work hard in practice day in and day out and strive for results like the ones we produced today. A lot of credit goes to the coaching staff for putting us in the right positions to succeed.”
Steven Jackson, who was a former member of the St. Louis Rams, rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries. He was at his locker and seemed relaxed. When asked how he felt going up against his former team, he grinned. “It was great. Got to see a lot of my old teammates and friends who I’ve been with for years. But when it came down to it, I did my best to contribute. I had fun today, no doubt about it.”
The Atlanta Falcons travel to Miami to take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 3.
