HEAD COACH JON GRUDEN

(On Thursday’s practice)
“Derrick Brooks did not practice today. His status is not going to change in terms of the game Sunday. We’ll have to let you know when we get to the stadium. Jeff Garcia was limited and Maurice Stovall was also limited. I’ll answer any questions that I can. We had a good practice today.”

(On his relationship with Garcia)
“We’ve got a fine relationship. Jeff will have an opportunity to answer all your questions. He knows exactly where I’m coming from and again, I’ll be happy to talk about the Falcons and what we’ve got to do to win this game. Jeff will not start in the football game. I expect him to be active, and hopefully he can get back here soon and play with the style that we all know and need around here.”

(On Falcons QB Matt Ryan)
“He’s got great talent. He was the third pick in the draft. He’s got a great pedigree. He played in an NFL system in college for two different styles of NFL offense, really. He’s got all the intangibles and all the skill, tremendous skill. He’s got tremendous experience playing in an NFL-style offense. That has a lot to do with it.”

(On finding way to get S Sabby Piscitelli on the field)
“Yeah, we are. We certainly are. But we also have some really good safeties here. Jermaine Phillips is outstanding. Tanard Jackson, we think, is a tremendous safety also. We’re going to try to get him on the field, you bet, but at the same time he’s in a competitive situation and only two safeties play in normal situations.”

(On if Phillips will play a more critical role this week against Atlanta)
“He and Tanard are both excellent tacklers and run defenders. We’ve got to defend the Falcon offense. Roddy White is a great emerging receiver, I think, and they’ve got some skilled receivers that are coming into their own. But we’re going to count on our safeties in the run entry and certainly as tacklers. I think they’re very good at it. We’re going to need them this week, that’s for sure.”

(On Atlanta’s defense)
“Well they have a marquee pass rusher in [John] Abraham. They’ve got a top-10 pick on the other side, [Jamaal] Anderson. So they have two really good outside players. I’ve known Grady Jackson for years. He’s as big as he’s ever been and as strong as he’s ever been. He’s a problem running the ball inside. Their front four is excellent. Keith Brooking has been a pain in my rear end for several years and Michael Boley is a fine young linebacker. As I said, Coach Smith has installed a very disciplined, disguised scheme that’s multiple. It looks the same a lot of the time, but it’s not. They’ve got a lot of creativity that I’m sure they’re waiting to throw upon us, so we’ve got to be ready. It’s going to be a challenge.”

(On the anniversary of 9/11)
“This is the anniversary of a horrific day here, 9/11. We’re really excited about playing here at home and it’s a good day for our players to reflect on what happened and put everything, really, into perspective.”

(On what he was doing the morning of 9/11)
“I was coaching at another place and getting ready to go out on the practice field on West Coast time. I was actually flipping through and I heard somebody tell me that there was a bombing. I never will forget that, just the fear and the shock and tremendous concern. But it’s good to reflect on that because it wasn’t that long ago and I think it’s important that we keep that in mind. There’s a lot of people still suffering from that.”

(On if he was at the practice complex that day)
“Yeah I was at the complex sitting inside. There’s not much you can say and not much you can do, other than ask for information and see what exactly happened and what’s going to happen. It was a monumental time, certainly. I don’t know if that’s a good word.”

(On what went through his mind when the towers fell)
“I couldn’t believe it. My brother lived in New York City at the time. I had a lot of fear, concern, obviously, shock and disgust. It still is hard to deal with that.”