Birds Squawk: What The Falcons Are Saying Post-Panthers

A few quotes and thoughts about what the Falcons are thinking and saying after their 31-17 win over the Carolina Panthers.

• Corey Peters talks interception. This whole article is kind of a blast to read, but I'm particularly fond of this passage:
  
  "It’s a lot different than you imagine in the sense that when you catch the ball you kind of freeze for a second ‘Oh, I got the ball,’ Peters said. "Then you have to figure out what to do with it."
  
  This really was the play of the game, and it's kind of fun to hear teammates giving Peters a little crap for not exactly running it back for a touchdown. He also gets well-deserved props from Mike Smith.
• Smith won't say Falcons played complete game. Interesting tidbit from Smitty's presser today, which D. Orlando Ledbetter noted on his Twitter feed. Despite the team playing arguably its most complete game of the season against Carolina, he still wouldn't say they played a complete game.
  
  This indicates to me that despite his effusive praise—effusive by Smitty standards, anyway—Smith won't be trapped into being blind about the team's existing problems. The passing game would have been fine if not for a pair of costly penalties, the Falcons had shaky stretches on defense and they're still running Michael Turner up the middle constantly in spite of the mound of evidence that they shouldn't. There's still work to be done, is what I'm saying.
  
  Even if the Falcons have been reluctant to change at times, that's what I want to hear from my favorite team's coach.
• Ovie Mughelli, receiver. I forgot to mention this in my highlights—the shame!—but Mughelli had a beautiful touchdown grab against the Panthers. Here's his take on catching that short Matt Ryan pass:
  
  "This is the second time I’ve had two touchdowns in a season, so I’m trying to get that third. It’s just like we practice it. I run my route, Matt sees me, I’m open and he throws it. It was kind of high, but fullbacks don’t get the ball that much, so when it’s thrown anywhere in your vicinity you better catch it."
  
  I don't say it nearly enough...but Bobby Petrino did something right during his time in Atlanta, and it was going hard after Mughelli. I'll gladly say he's the best fullback in the NFL today.
  

So that's what the Falcons are saying after beating the Panthers, and it's mostly feel-good. What say you about what they're saying?