Falcons-Lions Key Play, Quotes
KEY: The Falcons were coming off a 34-0 thumping of the New York Giants and carried that momentum into Ford Field on Saturday. Quarterback Matt Ryan, nicknamed Matty Ice, was on fire from the opening kickoff, completing his first 12 passes. His main target was Roddy White, who shook off a knee injury to catch two first-half touchdown passes. It helped that the Lions' secondary has been decimated by injuries, but Ryan was also aided by his offensive line. That unit kept him off the ground most of the way, giving up just one sack.
FALCONS SAID: "It's a very different team from last year, two years ago, three years ago. Our players are much more mature. I think we're ready to go. We feel like we have a lot to prove in the playoffs because we haven't won a game and we want to win one so badly." -- White on the Falcons' playoff chances. They have gone 0-3 in the postseason over the last four years.
LIONS SAID: "If anybody could do it, it's this guy. If somebody told me at the beginning of the year that the record was (1,800) something, I'd have put my money on him to break it. He's a pleasure to throw the ball to and a pleasure to be teammates with, just by the way he carries himself and the way he works." -- Quarterback Matt Stafford on Calvin Johnson breaking Jerry Rice's single-season record for receiving yards.
