Kelvin Hayden To Be Ready For Falcons-Bears Game
by Dave Choate on Sep 7, 2011 7:30 AM EDT
in Falcons News
Email
PrintThe good news keeps rolling in for the Atlanta Falcons, who are lucky enough to head into the 2011 season with a minimum of bumps and bruises. Even the new guys are getting in on the fun.
According to Knox Bardeen at CBS Sports, Brian Van Gorder fully expects Kelvin Hayden to be ready to go against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. That means the man many believe to be the prohibitive favorite for nickel back will see his first game snaps right off the bat. It will be good to see Hayden, who is undeniably talented, getting some snaps and showing the Falcons what he can do.
What he can do is pretty well-established. In just 11 games in 2010, he had 61 tackles, eight passes defensed and two interceptions. In parts of seven seasons, he's been good for nine picks and has generally been competent in both coverage and against the run. That's more than workable for the Falcons, who wanted a solid veteran presence at cornerback.
Just how effective Hayden will be is anyone's guess. As orang3b has noted, Hayden's injury history has limited his playing time and production over the last few years, and while he's undeniably talented, learning a new playbook takes time. I wouldn't be stunned to see him only get a handful of snaps in this one, with Chris Owens and Dominique Franks sharing nickel duties. In fact, the depth chart as reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution strongly suggests that outcome, listing Hayden behind Owens.
Either way, it's a huge relief to know that the Falcons will be all but fully healthy for the first game of the season. Despite their flaws and foibles, the Bears are not a team to be taken lightly. More on that in the days to come.
What do you think Hayden's role will be against Chicago?
46 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Coverages packages are very hard to remember
So I only think we will see him for a few 3rd downs and a couple of drives.
by dirtybirds233 on Sep 7, 2011 7:43 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Mostly agree
The coverage packages can be difficult to learn, but Hayden is also a veteran and should pick it up quicker than a rook would. I expect to see him take about 20% of the nickel snaps, and depending on his production, that number will increase with each game.
Agreed...
he shouldn’t have too much of an issue when the opposing offense is running the ball when he is on the field but if he were to get a pick it would be a “right place, right time” kind of situation instead of good all around coverage.
Not saying he couldn’t pick up the schemes this quickly…just not very likely. He should be settled in by week 3 I think…
April 1974 - Tug McGraw, when asked if he preferred grass or AstroTurf: "I don't know. I never smoked AstroTurf."
heres why...
Okay so i truly believe that Hayden is our nickel. I really though that my man from the sooners would emerge this preseason after watching alot of him in camp… unfortunately it did not translate YET. ( i still think he needs another season b4 going fulltime) That said i think it is fitting to agree that we may not see too much of him this week… playbooks take a few weeks to grasp.. but then again he is a vet and played for one of the most respected franchises in the nfl for 7 seasons. We dont need him to be 100% for Chicago… the bears receiving core is weak at best.. The only play you have to worry about is Hester and he hasn’t shown anyone he can play wideout effectively…Roy Williams.. ya i would let cutler throw his way all day. If Roy Williams scares you in the secondary then its gonna be a long… long.. season.
- i personally am much more concerned with Robinson, he hasn’t had any game reps and will most likely be targeted by the bears early and often.. i think a lot of the nfl qbs are beginning to figure out Grimes is ballhawk
-I expect hayden to make a impact this week but would not be surprised to see a flurry a different corners on the field. I think this is a game we must win because our next couple games are extremely difficult. The bears can play defense but with whats expected of our offense this year.. it should be no match.. ill take ATL 31-17
by ColossalChicken on Sep 7, 2011 8:49 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I agree on two things
All your personnel predictions such as being worried about DR23 and the fact it won’t be all that close. However, most week one games are very sloppy offensively, and were playing on one of the worst fields in the NFL. So rather than 31-17, I’m gonna say 17-6. That’s right, the bears will not score on us. They have a COMPLETELY new o-line, and o-lines take quite a while to gel, especially with the QBs. They have a weak receiving corps, a QB who loves interceptions, arguably there best defensive man wants a trade, and they have no secondary or d-line outside of Peppers and Merriweather (ones on the wrong side of 30 and the other probably won’t even play). No way we lose, I don’t see it at all.
by dirtybirds233 on Sep 7, 2011 9:18 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Merriweather is not good
I wish people would stop saying he is. He was released for a reason and it wasn’t salary because he didn’t have a large one. It was skill.
I highly doubt Hayden will get any Nickle snaps this game...
I just don’t think he’s had enough time to prepare. However, I could see him taking over that role in a few weeks, depending on how Owens/Franks hold up in real games.
"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta
by TomQ on Sep 7, 2011 9:51 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
With you on this Tom Q
If the game somehow is a blow-out, perhaps. Or, obviously if Owens or Franks are struggling from the start, yeah, maybe we’ll see him. But I don’t think he see’s the field unless the circumstances are right.
I want to see him
This week only because like you guys said before the bears have a mediocre pass attack at best. With that being said I want him to get out there and get alot of reps. You know kind of treat it like a preseason game for him see how good he is at tackling forte can he lock down Knox or Hester or bennet in the slot. None of those receivers are great so it should be kind of like a practice for him
by falcons101 on Sep 7, 2011 10:40 AM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Whoa...
No disrespect, but I would not view this game as a gimme. While I’m pretty confident that we can handle the Bears, we don’t need to go into this game cocky (even as fans). We need to bring everything we’ve got and put the best players on the field. While I’m excited about Hayden, I don’t think he’s had enough time to prepare, even if he is capable of beating out Owens and Franks in the long run. Sure, if as KMarch suggested, it is a blowout, we might want to put him in there to get him some reps. Bottom line, though, this is absolutely not a practice – we really need to win this game, especially considering our early season schedule.
"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta
I agree
there hasn’t been one regular season snap yet and some people are already writing this game off as a win. Regardless of how CHI’s offense might look on paper Cutler is a slinger, the Bears D will be tough and our OL didn’t look good consistently in a singel preseason game.
ATL should win but this won’t be a walk in the park. Treating this like a preseason game would be the WORST thing MS could possibly do.
I'm not sayin
MS should treat it like a preseason game all around I’m sayin he should treat it like one for Hayden but nevermind I think he will definitly start Hayden with that sloppy field we could use his tackling ability against the run..I don’t know i just want him to get some playing team because I think we will need him against the eagles we need to finally beat them (it’s been YEARS since we have) that’s one hump we need to finally get over and this is the year to do it AT HOME!!!!!!
by falcons101 on Sep 7, 2011 4:55 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Honestly though
Our biggest challenge in this game is the field. Soldier Feild is simply terrible, and most teams have a hard time on it. Like I said above, they have a completely new o-lime that needs time to gel, Merriweather won’t be playing and after him they don’t exactly have a great secondary, there d-line is weak minis Peppers, Briggs wants a trade, and Urlacher is up there. In my opinion, the bears are now the third best team in their division and about #8 in the conference. They’re not a gimmie, but we should not lose this game.
by dirtybirds233 on Sep 7, 2011 12:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Yeah, I agree w/Tom too
Actually, assuming Dunta is ready to go, I think Hayden still might be inactive Week 1. Hayden may not be quite ready for Nickle duty, and Owens (especially) & Franks (somewhat) are valuable contributors on Special Teams. I’m 95% sure we generally went with just 4 CB’s active on gamedays last season (with Franks being inactive most weeks). It’ll be interesting to see how this shakes out.
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
by orang3b on Sep 7, 2011 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
rec'd
I agree with your assessment.
Some folks here mentioned that Chicago pass game is mediocre. But I’m worried about screen passes they can throw to Forte.
Does anyone know how good Hayden is against the run and screen passes?
Atlanta Falcons fan in Moscow, Russia
Does anybody remember B-Will?
He STARTED one week after we signed him (Dolphins game 2009 – I was there – thanks, Adam – He and I both looked at the field and said, “Who is that guy?”).
Our coaching staff knows what they are doing and we are going to see the best talent on the field. I would not be the least bit surprised to see Hayden as our NB in the first package
know what you believe in and why you believe in it
Williams was given the benefit of the doubt
Because he was one of Coach Smith’s “guys”, right? Plus, the Pass Defense was causing a huge panic (in us fans, at least) in the ‘09 preseason. Doesn’t feel the same to me this time…
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
Yes, they had worked together before
but it was still Brian VanGorder’s system, not Smitty’s
I’m just saying I wouldn’t be surprised. This coaching staff has a history of rushing vets to the field over inexperienced liabilities – even if the veteran’s lack of experience in the system makes them a little bit of a liability.
know what you believe in and why you believe in it
Okay...
You’ve convinced me that there is at least a small possibility that Hayden will get to play in this game. Well done!
"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta
Yeah, he's starting to convince me too
Let’s just say I won’t be surprised with either extreme: 1) Hayden is Nickle CB from the get-go. 2) Hayden isn’t even active on Sunday.
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
This is Mike Smith's defense
Why would a defensive head coach not implement his own system. Peterson and Williams both said it was the same as Smith’s system in Jacksonville.
This defense doesn't look like any of BVGs defenses before
This is Smitty’s defense.
by TheAreopagite on Sep 7, 2011 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Fair enough...
but I agree with orang3b’s assessment as well. Williams and Smitty had worked together before.
"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta
Somebody just gave me a ticket to the Falcons vs Eagles row 11 on the 50yrd line behind home team.
Don’t hate! Y’all better rec this!
Rule #1: Double tap.
by Ball Hawk on Sep 7, 2011 1:00 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 3 recs
Wat
Follow me on Twitter! twitter.com/FalcoholicZippo
If you're a fan of the Falcons, or if you want to chat it up with some Falcons fans, sign up here, share your opinion, and get to know some great fans of the Falcons!
by Caleb Rutherford on Sep 7, 2011 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Score!
That’s fantastic. Rec’d.
I’m happy with my seat though – cheap beer, food, a cushioned seat, an HD view from multiple angles, the ability to pause and rewind, lol.
"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta
I really do like watching the game on TV.
Except on special occasions. You just see so much more. At the game you get distracted by boobs, beer guys and douche bags, plus being so close to the field it’s nearly impossible to see how the play breaks down. This is the one game I wanted to go to. Couldn’t ask for better seats.
Rule #1: Double tap.
by Ball Hawk on Sep 7, 2011 3:05 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Same here
I go to one game a year and that’s it. I just love the feeling of getting up at 9, getting a cup of coffee af watch the pre game shows for about 2 hours, take a shower, put on the same thing everytime (red longsleeves falcon shirt with gray sweatpants) and the jersey depending on if it’s home or away…that’s been my tradition for a while now and I love it.
by dirtybirds233 on Sep 7, 2011 3:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Well...
For starters, I’m very thankful for those that do buy tickets. Otherwise, we’d be blacked out! Second, it sounds like you’ve got great seats. The best I’ve ever had were on the 2nd level at around the 5 yard line. I got to sit in a corner box once, but unfortunately, it was a bit lame. I’ve been in the end zone twice, and that is pretty much awful. There is certainly an unmatched feeling you get from being at the games, but I can’t stand the limited view of the action. In the end zone, you don’t have any depth perception. It’s like, “wow, he just broke off a big run for 20 yards…oh, nevermind, he only got 3.”
Stadiums are going to have to do a lot to keep people showing up as TVs get bigger and better. Same with movie theaters.
"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta
right with ya TQ
Living up here in Indiana, they almost always show the Bears games on Fox. I already checked ahead on the channel guide, and YES their showing Falcons @ Bears Sunday. Now I can sit at home and watch the game in HD on my 65 in TV, plus the beer and food are much cheaper. Now granted I don’t get to see all the boobs, but not having all the douches around makes it a push. lol
Now Gentlemen, get your butts up, and get back on that horse! You have no choice. The expectations are running much higher this year.
LoL.
I went to a game vs. the Cowboys and had lots of douches around me. Some old lady behind me kept saying “Rid’em Cowboys.” Vick then proceeded to throw like 3 touchdown passes in a row (the first two were called back by penalties). I turned around and went “Caw, caw, caw” which I’m pretty sure doesn’t sound like a Falcon, but it was funny. At least it was until we lost!
Best live moment was when I was at the Redskins game where Smitty got in DeAngelo Hall’s face. The crowd reaction was great.
"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta
We win this going away
- Falcons receivers > Chicago Secondary
- Falcons OLine > or = Chicago DLine
- Falcons DLine > Chicago OLine
- Chicago special teams > Atlanta special teams (Mainly due to our poor coverage during preseason and Hester)
- Falcons FG unit > Chicago FG unit
- Falcons LBs = Chicago LBs
- Falcons Secondary > Bears receivers
The only thing that scares me is our SP covering kickoffs and Hester breaking some big pass plays off. Other than that I think we’re the better team. It might be close, but I dunno…I have a sneaky suspicion Falcons win big.
I agree with all except
I do think, while in 2 or 3 years, thanks to age and experience, this will change, as of right now, Falcons LBs < Chicago LBs…but NOT by much. Especially if Briggs gets traded…that will change immediately.
Hayden's snaps
I don’t see him playing much this game unless we’re up pretty good. IT’s just too early for him to learn the coverages unless they have been burning it UP with some cram sessions. Too chancey to push him in too soon imho. Prolly won’t see him until Week 2 or 3 getting any reasonable play time.
Great way too look at it
A simple but accurate way to do things.
by dirtybirds233 on Sep 7, 2011 2:41 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Just an addition to this
Hayden could very well be able to step right into our defense and play. The colts run a similiar 4-3 defense that we do. When running a 4-3, most secondary players will either play man to man or zone coverages. With him having years of experience playing in the same type of defense, it may not take but a few days to get him familiar with the keys to our schemes. Just saying, it may be more likely than you think. Oh and one more note – Hayden is from Chicago, and the bears passed on him, thats why we got him. So he may have a bit of a chip on his shoulder and would like to go out and make some big plays against the bears. Maybe.
Now Gentlemen, get your butts up, and get back on that horse! You have no choice. The expectations are running much higher this year.
You guys are starting to make me think...
Hayden might actually see the field.
"It's called Thanksgiving for a reason. If I can give and people thank me for it, that's kind of the thing that makes me feel great inside." - Dunta
5th corner
it’s possible, but he probably won’t be there too much
"Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming." -John Wooden
I almost expect him to be the first NB we see take the field
he was signed because he was a scheme fit to begin with
just be sure to congratulate me on my right-ness come Sunday afternoon :)
know what you believe in and why you believe in it
^^^^
Now that idea I like besides the nickel corner is not as hard as it seems unless they are going deep you have protection on all sides on the inside you have linebackers outside you have another corner and uptop you have a safety I’m not saying it’s easy but if we give him some burn he should at the very least get some tackles…by the way I started Hayden on madden as my franchise’s Nickel…he made the probowl iknow that doesn’t matter but WHAT IF?
by falcons101 on Sep 7, 2011 4:39 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
No, that's not right
Van Gorder’s defense is nothing like the Colts’ defense.
The Falcons zone-blitzed more than any other team last season. Coverage behind the zone blitz seemed to be mostly 3 deep (similar to this).
The Colts were #31 in the NFL in zone blitzes, and #2 in rushing exactly 4 defenders. Those numbers were skewed even more toward the extremes back when Tony Dungy was running almost exclusively Tampa-2 on defense.
By the way, have I mentioned that FOA11 is now available (that’s where the rankings on zone-blitzes, etc came from)…
"Statistics are like bikinis. What they reveal is suggestive, but what they conceal is vital." - Aaron Levenstein
by orang3b on Sep 8, 2011 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I dont know
Why you guys keep predicting us going 11-5 I look at the schedule and I see us going 12-4 or 13-3 our schedule actually is relatively easy once we get past the first 5 games and that’s with me saying we lose to the eagles and packers but in reality I think we can beat atleast one of them. I mean look at our schedule. This is what I think our record will look like> Bears-W. Eagles-L. Bucs-L Seahawks-W. Pack-L. Panthers-W. Lions-W. Colts-W Saints-W. Titans-W. Vikings-W. Texans-W. Panthers-W jaguars-W. Saints-L. Bucs-W i mean analyze each game most of the teams we play are going through some kind of trouble and we CAN beat everybody on the schedule from a matchup point of view….but yea y’all go head and tell me how I’m wrong…
by falcons101 on Sep 7, 2011 7:14 PM EDT via iPhone app reply actions
Even though
I don’t see us losing our 1st 2 home games (that means we should beat the eagles or the packers) if we beat one of them I honestly not jokingly say we CAN go 13-3 or 14-2 notice I’m not saying we will I’m saying we certainly CAN
by falcons101 on Sep 7, 2011 7:21 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Yea
There my post i just wrote it earlier but nobody was on that article anymore and I wanted to hear you guys opinions
by falcons101 on Sep 8, 2011 2:22 PM EDT via iPhone app up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on The Falcoholic
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Shutdown Corner - NFL - Yahoo! Sports
- Former high-school star Brian Banks does serious time on trumped-up charge, now hopes for an NFL shot
- Former ‘idiot kicker’ Mike Vanderjagt in trouble after accosting junior-high heckler
- Adrian Peterson blows teammates away in footraces; appears to be on the mend
- UPDATE: Charlie Sheen didn’t buy Lawrence Taylor’s Super Bowl ring
- Alex Smith gets blown up by Jon Beason over Cam Newton comments
