Quotes: What the Falcons were saying . . . .

Atlanta Falcons kicker Matt Bryant makes a field goal in the final seconds of the game for a 30-28 victory over the Carolina Panthers at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta on Sunday , Sept. 30, 2012. CURTIS COMPTON / CCOMPTON@AJC.COM

On the winning finish

“Was that exciting enough for you. …Winning in this league is tough, but winning in this division is even tougher. …I’d like to say there was never a doubt.”

– Falcons coach Mike Smith with a touch of laughter to start his post-game news conference

On the Falcons’ goal

“Our goal was to finish the first quarter of the season at 4-0 and we got that done. Obviously we have a lot of things as a football team to fix.”

–Smith

“We’re a quarter of the way through the season, right where we need to be in terms of our record. We’ve got a lot of improving to do.”

–Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan

On the final 2 minutes

“I was hoping they’d punt it to us [on fourth-and-one with just more than a minute left in the game].”

–Smith on decision by Panthers coach Ron Rivera to punt rather than go for a first down just past midfield.

“Nothing surprises you late in games. When they punted it, it was a good play. They pinned us on the 1.”

–Ryan

“We did it as a team in terms of how we stuck together all 48 minutes.”

–Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon

On the first play in the winning drive

“Just a two-man route, and we have an option to throw it to either one [Roddy White or Julio Jones]. I threw it high and far and to the spot we practice and Roddy went up and made a great catch, he just made a great play. You have to make a play that changes the outcome. And he did that.”

-Ryan on the first-down play from the Falcons’ 1 that went for 59 yards.

“You just have to keep giving yourself opportunities. You need something to jump-start that drive. [It was] just what we needed at the time.”

“He told me to go get it. So I knew he was gonna throw it to me.”

– Falcons receiver Roddy White

What it means

“It’s very good to know that you’ll be able to handle the ebbs and flows of an NFL football game. It was just a matter of time before we were going to have to play from behind. It showed the mettle of the guys. … They had a lot of resiliency on both sides of the ball and in the kicking game.”

-Smith

“It took all 60 minutes this week. It always does when we play Carolina.”

– Ryan

“I think it was very important to win a game in this manner. … I think we will be a better team after this experience. These types of wins give you a lot of confidence.”

–Weatherspoon

On winning throws

“They both won games; in my book that’s good. “

–Ryan when asked to compare the 59-yarder to White to a 26-yard pass to Michael Jenkins that set up a winning field goal against the Chicago Bears at home Oct. 12, 2008.

“They don’t call him Matty Ice for nothing. We have faith in our quarterback no matter what the situation.”

– Falcons running back Michael Turner

On the commanding NFC South lead

“I don’t worry too much about what everybody else is doing.”

–Ryan

“We’re in a good place right now. However, we’re not satisfied until we reach our final goal.”

- Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson

From the Panthers

“It all comes down to making plays. … If anything you can point the finger at me.”

-Carolina quarterback Cam Newton