FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- We already know what Julio Jones and Roddy White think about Carolina Pro Bowl cornerback Josh Norman. At least one Atlanta Falcons defensive player has an issue with Norman, too.
Outside linebacker O'Brien Schofield is not a fan. He was asked if Norman goes over the line.
"Absolutely," Schofield said. "Absolutely he does."
Schofield recalled an incident that occurred when the Falcons and Panthers met in Charlotte two weeks ago.
"We had some stuff with him with how he was acting in the pregame where he was over in our area where the linebackers do their thing," Schofield explained. "Brich [linebackers coach Jeff Ulbrich] asked him to move. Norman slow-walked him. He looked at coach and started walking slower.
"Those type of things, man, it's OK to have confidence and try to be a certain player. If you continue to do that stuff and set that standard for yourself, then you're going to get situations like Odell Beckham Jr., where people aren't going to put up with it."
Carolina's pregame antics also came under scrutiny as a result of bringing bats on the field, a ritual Panthers coach Ron Rivera said won't continue.
Rivera was asked Wednesday what his philosophy is on opposing teams interacting with each other during pregame warmups.
"For the most part, that what we try to do is we try to understand that, first of all, we're not supposed to cross the 50," Rivera said. "If you've got to greet someone, greet them right at midfield. That's what a lot of players do. They come right at midfield. They shake hands. They hug. They exchange pleasantries. Why? Because a lot of these guys were teammates in college. A lot of these guys are friends and buddies.
"What happened the other day [with the bat] was something that I didn't see, and I wish I had. But, unfortunately, it's become a story, which I don't think it needed to be. I think it's become more than it really has."
Norman will continue to be story as long as he gets into the opponent's head. There was some pushing and shoving between him and White the last time around along with plenty of trash talk with Jones. And the Panthers have at least two well-known instigators in starting strong safety Roman Harper and reserve cornerback Cortland Finnegan.
That's why Falcons coach Dan Quinn has continued to preach poise with his entire team, although Quinn said he is not overly concerned with the mild-mannered Jones retaliating against Norman in any fashion.
Quarterback Matt Ryan thinks the message this week is clear as the 7-7 Falcons try to pull an upset over the 14-0 Panthers.
"For us, we've got to focus on playing the game," Ryan said. "And I think our guys, the majority of the time, do a great job with that. And we've got to focus on being our best from whistle to whistle -- from when we start to play to when we finish it. And I think that's where everybody's focus is at right now."