Atlanta - 24, Carolina - 10.
Q. How are you today? What was the sense of the offense and how things went? Kept plugging till you get some things going there. Got some first down plays.
DESMOND RIDDER: Obviously we've got to start faster. A lot of things that ultimately we just went back and look at film on a lot of things we can clean up and be better at next week.
Props on the defense for coming up with huge stops, huge turnovers, being up against short fields. For us as the offense, when that does happen, we have to be able to go out there and create points and get points on the board.
We didn't start as fast as we'd like to, but that's something we'll continue to work on.
Q. First play you were trying to get down the field, but Coach said you all had to pivot away from that and get back to it late. How was that as the quarterback mindset as the game's progressing?
DESMOND RIDDER: I told you guys from the very beginning, for me as a quarterback, I could care less if we go out there and pass the ball 300 times or 2 times. As long as we get a W at the end of the day, it doesn't matter.
For us today, our run game was obviously working. Those guys did a heck of a job creating and moving the line of scrimmage. Bijan and Tyler did a great job running behind them and running the heart.
For us, the run game is also going to open up our passing game. We're just going to keep hitting everything and going back to work.
Q. What was your sense of Brian Burns out there today, and how were you guys able to not neutralize him, but be a little more impactful with him out there on the field in the second half?
DESMOND RIDDER: There was talk was he going to play, was he not going to play. For us it didn't really matter. We wanted to go out there and have the O-line make them feel their presence.
Obviously they're a great front four, front five on the defensive line. So we knew that it was a challenge for us as an offense to be able to go out there, control the line of scrimmage. They did a great job.
Q. Going back to pivoting a little bit, Arthur made the comment that there was some spacing issues in the first half and some protection issues. How did the game evolve for you guys and kind of what you all are being asked to do offensively?
DESMOND RIDDER: We just had to slow down and just play our game. I'll take a lot of that, especially right there towards halftime. Coming in, I'll take a lot of that on me. A lot of it was me out there trying to do too much, not staying within our reads. That's where I feel I got not only myself but our offensive line in trouble.
For me I know going into next week obviously just stay within everything and go about your reads. As an offense going out there in the second half, it was just about starting fast like we didn't do in the first and keeping the ball moving forward. Getting the first first down and getting some momentum going.
Q. I know you'll know more once you look at the film, but it just seemed like something felt off with the offense a little bit. Did it feel like maybe you weren't reacting quick enough or struggling to get your rhythm?
DESMOND RIDDER: Like I said, it was tough just to get in a rhythm. We could never get that first down and get going. Any offense obviously, like I said earlier, the thing that kept us in was our defense, and that's how a team should play.
Jessie came up and had huge turnovers. For us it's about not being able to always rely on our defense. Being able to get in a rhythm when a rhythm doesn't have to be there. That's something we've got to work on and keep going and keep getting better at.
Q. Kind of following that up, was it tough the first game of the year to hear some boos when you guys couldn't move the ball at all?
DESMOND RIDDER: I didn't really hear no boos. We were out there playing. I get locked in on the play call and everything else. That outside noise isn't really in my head.
Q. In terms of dealing with frustration when things aren't going well, it seemed like you didn't really -- your coach mentioned and mentioned it before about not losing your head and staying in it. I was wondering how you process what's going on.
DESMOND RIDDER: That's kind of who I am, not trying to be too high or too low. Just knowing we're playing way beneath where we should be and just knowing where we can be. That's always what keeps you level headed is knowing where you can go, knowing where you can be.
For myself, it's really about just staying calm and just making sure that the guys know where we're going to go, where we're going to be, and not necessarily talking about down the line, but in that game.
Q. Can you elaborate a little bit more on the confidence it gives you as a quarterback to have a defense that's capable of forcing three turnovers, keeping you guys in the game while you kind of find your footing?
DESMOND RIDDER: That's true for any offense is to have a great defense. What it's done for us is about going out there and as an offense being able not to have to rely on your defense, being able to go out there and score points on every single drive and not relying on your defense.
So when the time comes -- it's a long season. There's going to be one game where the defense doesn't play great and offense has to step up and do their part. So there's a fine line of just it's all about being a team.
Q. Can you discuss the play of the running backs and in particular Bijan's run and Tyler's run where he bounces it outside?
DESMOND RIDDER: Bijan and Tyler both played their butts off. Like I said, it all starts with the five men up front. They did a heck of a job of dominating the line of scrimmage, moving the line of scrimmage, and creating gaps for Bijan and Tyler to run through.
Those guys have great vision, great awareness, great balance. And once you're given the ball, it's fun to watch them go.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports