The Atlanta Falcons have struggled this season, but Matt Ryan thinks Thursday night's victory over the Carolina Panthers could spark a second-half surge.

"I hope it's the start of something," Ryan said. "I really feel like, although we're 2-6, I feel like we've been in some tight ones. We've played some good football. I think we can play some really tough football here in the second half of the season."

Last season the Falcons started 1-7 but went 6-2 over their final eight games.

"We've been in every game we've played this year," Ryan said. "We've had some crazy losses, just to be frank, and I really believe that we've got the caliber of team to go be in the games we're going to play the rest of the season.

"Why can't we win them all? That's the mindset that I have."

The Atlanta Falcons have engaged in trade talks regarding former first-round pick Takkarist McKinley.

McKinley has been ruled out for Thursday's game with a groin injury.

The Falcons declined to pick up his fifth-year option before the 2020 season.

The Atlanta Falcons latest late-game collapse has them at 1-6 as the trade deadline nears.

Rumors have begun to swirl around the franchise, but Julio Jones has no desire to be moved.

"No," Jones said when asked if he wanted to be dealt. "I play football. I know who I am, I know what I got going on. I know what I mean to this team."

Both Jones and Matt Ryan have signed massive contracts in recent years that came with huge guarantees.

The Atlanta Falcons will not trade Matt Ryan or Julio Jones before the Nov. 3 trade deadline.

The Falcons have previously fired Dan Quinn as head coach and Thomas Dimitroff as general manager.

Teams have expressed interest in Jones, but they have been told that the Falcons have no plans in dealing him.

Ryan has three years and $74.75 million remaining on his deal.

ESPN's Vaughn McClure has passed away the age of 48.

McClure was a longtime reporter covering the Atlanta Falcons.

McClure passed away at his apartment in Atlanta.

Following the firing of Dan Quinn and Thomas Dimitroff on Sunday, Arthur Blank failed to issue long-term support for Matt Ryan as the face of the Atlanta Falcons.

"I love Matt, much like I love Dan, I love Thomas," Arthur Blank said. "Matt's been a franchise leader for us, great quarterback; one of the leading quarterbacks in the last 13 years in the NFL. I hope he's going to be part of our plans going forward. But that will be a decision that I won't make.

"Matt has the ability to play at a very high level, even at this age. Whether that's going to continue or not, I'm not sure. I appreciate his willingness to consider doing that and the level at what he's played for us for 13 years, which has been incredible. So we'll have to see. But then again, that's going to be a decision, at the end of the day, that part of it will be up to the player; part of it will be up to the coaching staff. And whether or not Matt can keep himself together. God willing, he'll be able to do that and play at the level that he's capable of playing at."

Ryan, who signed a five-year, $150 million extension in May 2018 that included $100 million guaranteed, has three years and $74.75 million left on his deal.

The Atlanta Falcons have fired Dan Quinn as head coach and Thomas Dimitroff as general manager after their 0-5 start. 

Team president Rich McKay will assume day-to-day oversight of football operations in the interim.

Coordinators Raheem Morris and Dirk Koetter each have previous head coaching experience.

"Decisions like these are very difficult, but the previous two seasons and start to this one have been especially hard for me because of the deep love, admiration and respect I and my family have for Dan, Thomas and their families," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said in a statement. "For many years, they have represented me, our team, organization and Atlanta with class, commitment and all the passion you would want in the leaders of the team."

The Atlanta Falcons expected to be a playoff contender this year, but they've opened the season winless in four games.

They dropped to 0-4 with a loss to the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.

"Knowing where we are at, it's certainly not the start that any of us envisioned or wanted," Dan Quinn said. "It's confusing. It's frustrating for everybody, but I also told them that it's the people inside the locker room that get to fix that, that get to change it."

Quinn spoke with owner Arthur Blank after the game but they did not discuss his job security.