NFC Notes: Falcons, Panthers, Saints

Falcons

• The Falcons worked out RB Jaret Patterson and RB Hassan Hall. (Aaron Wilson)

Panthers

Panthers OC Thomas Brown said WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette has earned his opportunity to play and is more than just a gadget player for the team.

“I think him being able to kinda earn his right — from what he’s done from a special teams standpoint, but obviously every day when it comes to him competing as you’ve mentioned from a speed standpoint—but I think more importantly, he’s one of the guys we have on our offense that can make guys miss,” he said, via Panthers Wire. “And so when it comes to creating plays for yourself, things aren’t 100 percent perfect—he can maneuver himself, make guys miss, set up plays and obviously bring the energy and spark to our entire offense. Yeah, I don’t see him as a gadget player. I think it’s more about trying to find a role within the guys we already have on the field — to spell some guys, but also give a chance to kinda get the ball in his hands. He had a couple opportunities from a pass game standpoint to run some routes. In the end, they kinda didn’t work out in that game. But I see him as an overall player—not just a gadget, special teams guy for us.”

Saints

Saints DE Cameron Jordan said it’s been a tough season but they’re not throwing in the towel yet.

“We are who we are,” Jordan said, via ESPN’s Katherine Terrell. “There’s two games left. There’s no sugarcoating this s—. It’s frustrating to be in this position. I’m not sure the probabilities of whatever it is now, we just have to win out. At the end of the day there’s no excuses, we just have to win out.”

Jordan said the team knew of the importance of the game versus the Rams heading into the week and liked the gameplan HC Dennis Allen had drawn up.

“We wanted to start off strong, we wanted to be aggressive. I liked what [Saints] coach [Dennis Allen] had on his mind. He wanted to score touchdowns. We were in striking range early on and didn’t get it. The game plan was to be aggressive,” Jordan said. “We were going to treat like we wanted to be in the playoffs.”

Allen said the team’s plan was to be aggressive but ultimately they simply fell short on the execution.

“We went for it twice on fourth down in the first half. We came into this game wanting to be aggressive and knowing the type of team we were playing, the offense we were playing, we knew field goals weren’t the way to try to win this game,” Allen said. “We didn’t want to be reckless but we felt like, in both those situations, we felt like we had plays that we liked. And unfortunately it didn’t work out. There was a mindset going into it to be aggressive.”

Jordan added that he still believes the team is capable of beating anybody when they play up to their potential.

“There’s two games left. I think that’s how that goes. We win out, and then I’m not sure, I don’t know the playoff ramifications. We have two opportunities left,” Jordan said. “I said last week, each one of these games are ever more important. We have to win out, and I said that going into this game, so the message hasn’t changed. Put your best foot forward, nobody has time for excuses, like this guy is banged up. We’re all banged up. … At the end of the day, it’s a 17-week NFL season. Nobody is going to be healthy.”