Every week before the Falcons game, I'll be selecting one player to keep an especially close eye on. This week, it's cornerback Dunta Robinson.
If you were expecting someone else, after Dunta Robinson received a huge contract and missed the entire pre-season, then you're just reading The Falcoholic for the first time. In which case, welcome.
You could legitimately pick Robinson every week of the season, though I don't plan to be that lazy. He's the team's top cornerback by default. He has to succeed if the Falcons are to stand a chance at stopping the pass. Given his lackluster seasons in recent years, he'll be watched even more closely.
Chances are good that Dunta will match up with either Mike Wallace or Hines Ward. Everyone knows Ward, and even at the age of 53—relax, Steelers fans, I know he's only 47—he's a reliable threat. Mike Wallace would be even scarier, because he's so damn fast. Either way, Robinson and Grimes will have to be good, and Dunta locking down his man would make a huge difference for the Falcons.
I expect good things from him. By all accounts, he's rejuvenated and healthy. He's got a hell of a lot to prove. Look for him to be successful against whoever he covers, and maybe even turn a wobbly Dennis Dixon pass into an interception. That would be a great beginning for Dunta in Atlanta.
So keep an eye on Dunta, folks.