Will The Cornerback Depth Chart Change Before The 49ers Game?

by Dave Choate on Oct 9, 2009 8:15 AM EDT in Falcons News

The secondary has been a roller coaster thus far this season. Thankfully for the sake of our collective sanity, there've been more ups than we might have expected from pre-season action, when our cornerbacking corps looked like one of the NFL's weakest, but there's still many chances to improve.

The biggest change the Falcons could make right now would be to insert Tye Hill into the lineup. Chevis Jackson and Chris Owens have gotten middling playing time, but it's apparent that neither of them are beating out Brian Williams, Chris Houston or Brent Grimes in the near future. Unless the guys we have in the lineup make major strides forward—and to be fair, Grimes and Houston have made some nice plays while Williams has been pretty solid all the way around—we only have one immediate option to try to upgrade. That option is named Tye Hill.

I'm speculating here, but I also want to advocate for Hill getting some PT versus the 49ers this weekend. He's had weeks to catch up now, we traded for him with the obvious intent of getting something out of him, and the 49ers are not a dynamic passing offense to begin with. If we're going to throw him into the fire at some point, this would seem to be the best time for it.

It's impossible at this point to determine what Mike Smith and Brian VanGorder think of Hill, since he's only hit the practice field so far and Smith has repeatedly said he wants to assess his value to the Falcons.In my mind, that's best done by not burying him on the depth chart four weeks into the season. He's arguably the most physically gifted corner on the roster besides Grimes, and we could use a few more big play with the pass rush looking about as stagnant as last season. I may not be happy with the end result, but I would be happy to see him take the field on Sunday.

What are your thoughts on Tye Hill and the cornerbacking corps?

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Totally agree Dave....

It’s time to play Hill. I think he has had plenty of time to learn the defense( a month!, thats how long the preseason is) I think he is very hungry to hit the field and make some plays for us, and with his athleticism he can make the big plays our defense needs, like it had the first game against Miami. Hopefully there not something going on with him we dont know about thats keeping him off the field- injury, discipline? But I don’t think thats the case, i think that the coaching staff just wanted to make sure he’s ready to contribute and will be an UPGRADE over what we have out there on the field now. Which hill most definitely is!!
FALCONS WIN 24-10.

LETS GO FALCONS
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by ATLsince1972 on Oct 9, 2009 9:20 AM EDT reply actions

I agree

We’ve gotta get him in the lineup. If not starting, at least for a few plays in the rotation.

by LetsGoFalcons on Oct 9, 2009 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

What you said

by qthaballa on Oct 10, 2009 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

definitely

I hope this guy can be the #2 CB before too long. You don’t get drafted 5th unless you’re good. He’s just had injuries.

by nathan rothschild on Oct 9, 2009 9:44 AM EDT reply actions

Draft status means nothing.

See Jamaal Anderson.

Maybe there is no Heaven. Or maybe this is all pure gibberish — a product of the demented imagination of a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow — to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whisky, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested...Res ipsa loquitur. Let the good times roll.

by iRonin on Oct 10, 2009 12:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

This

"This is America, if we can’t self-righteously look down on others and blame them for our faults, the commies win."-----Cormican on Bleeding Green Nation w/r/t fans overreacting to the Eagles signing of Michael Vick

by Jesse28 on Oct 12, 2009 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Surprisingly,

I’m not worried about the secondary. It more us being able to run on offense and stopping the run on defense. Of course, SF will stack the box just like everyone else but we still need to be able to run the ball.I’m not sure what’s going on with our running game but it needs to pick up. Our D line, which I thought was a strong group on our team has not played like it the past couple of games. We’re too soft in the middle. I’m expecting Lewis to step it up.

by Fear Me on Oct 9, 2009 10:39 AM EDT reply actions

at least we don't have to worry about Gore and Crabtree

Gore is out for at least 2 more weeks and Crabtree won’t play ’till next week against the Texans

by southman on Oct 9, 2009 2:52 PM EDT reply actions

agreed. this is the perfect opportunity

for Hill to get some playing time. i would like to see him up to full speed by NO if he proves to be a viable starter.

Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is much more serious than that. - Bill Shankly

by armchair quarterback on Oct 9, 2009 6:51 PM EDT reply actions

Doesn't hurt he used to play in that division

by qthaballa on Oct 10, 2009 6:26 PM EDT up reply actions

my opinion

is to get rid of chris houston, make tye hill and brian williams the starters, with chevis jackson, chris owens and brent grimes behind them in that order.

all i know is we need to get rid of chris houston. he absolutely sucks

by DaRealJohnLegend on Oct 10, 2009 1:25 AM EDT reply actions

I actually think he's improved this season

But for our supposed #1 corner, no, he’s not where he should be at this point.

by Dave Choate on Oct 10, 2009 2:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Without a pass rush, Champ Bailey and Nnamdi Asomugha would look bad...

Fix the real problem.

I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I only lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.

Elayne Boosler

by NaGaNole on Oct 10, 2009 11:22 AM EDT reply actions

I think they're both real issues

The pass rush needs a fix and that will certainly improve the look of our secondary, but I don’t know if Chris Houston would look great even if we were piling up five sacks a game. Maybe there are no better options, but I want to be sure.

by Dave Choate on Oct 10, 2009 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe someone can watch tape, but ...

How many seconds does it take WRs to get separation on Houston on average….anything over 6 is a win, 5-6 is a wash, anything under 5 is a loss…

I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I only lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.

Elayne Boosler

by NaGaNole on Oct 10, 2009 5:39 PM EDT up reply actions