SB Nation - Chevis Jackson

Falcons And Redskins Recap: Winning Is Always Easy

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 13:00:49 -0000

by Erik S. Lesser - AP

Michael Turner high-kicked his way to victory Sunday. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

This game was the polar opposite of last week's.

Against the Saints, we executed well all the way through and nearly won against a very tough team. In this one, we played poorly for long stretches and still found a way to win against the Redskins. The Falcons are maddeningly capable of switching back and forth between sheer brilliance and utter ineptitude, something that will hopefully disappear with time.

Still, the win is what's most important here, and the Falcons managed that 31-17. There were also quite a few encouraging bright spots this week, so it's not like there's any reason to be truly concerned here. I hope.

Follow me after the jump and we'll get to the real meat n' potatoes of this post.

HIGHLIGHTS

Michael Turner is awesome. My greatest fear right now is that he's going to be running, the camera's going to switch to the back of the end zone and he's going to keep running and come right through the television screen and punch me in the stomach. I'm sorry I doubted you! That 58 yard touchdown was beautiful!

I maintain that there was something not quite right with Turner earlier in the season, but whatever it was has vaporized like an ant under a death ray. Right now, I think the Panthers, who have the top-rated pass defense in the league, are going to have to worry about our good friend Touchdown Vampire.
Big ups to Tye Hill, who went from not playing at all to locking down the starting job in Atlanta in the span of two weeks. Hill's interception and 62-yard return for a touchdown clearly caught the attention of the coaching staff, as the AJC speculates he'll start again. He's got the physical skills to win the job and may just have developed in the system well enough to make this work. This comes at the expense of Brent Grimes, obviously, but I still think he'll do good things at the nickle.
Jason Elam's back! Yes!
Tony Gonzalez had a very underrated game. The Redskins blanket the tight end, but Gonzo still managed to pick up 40 yards and a touchdown against that suffocating coverage. He's simply the most reliable option in the passing game, though he's not blowing up like Roddy White is.
Speaking of blowing up, Jonathan Babineaux went off like ten tons of dynamite. Ten total tackles, two-and-a-half sacks and some generally rage-filled play went a long ways on Sunday. Teams with weak interior offensive linemen ought to be peeing their pants about now.
Props to Kroy Biermann and Chevis Jackson (?), who both managed to sack Jason Campbell in a hit parade which unfortunately knocked the young quarterback out of the game. Half props to John Abraham, who managed a half of a sack.
Eric Weems is the man. Still doing well in the return game, so he gets another gold star.

LOWLIGHTS

Matty Ice, appropriately enough, is not doing so hot right now. It's not so much the one interception as it is the handful of bad throws, the inability to find anyone open downfield and the happy feet. It's not anything I'm worried about long term—I mean, hell, I'm barely worried about it short term—but it's yet another reminder that he's human and needs time to grow as a quarterback. Let's all give him that time.
This was a tough secondary, which partly explains both Ryan's struggles and Roddy White's. I don't think the injury was affecting him so much as he wasn't open all that often. Wasn't much of a game for either of 'em, really.
Everyone has different feelings about Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling, but can we all agree that it would be nice to have them back? I have no problem with Aaron Stecker and Verron Haynes, but they're not getting the job done behind Turner.
As orang3b astutely noted, Mike Peterson was getting killed in coverage today. He wasn't alone, though, as the entire defense forgot how to tackle and cover anyone for long stretches. The Redskins' offense isn't exactly dynamic, especially with that O-line, so our inability to make things happen during the second half of the game was disappointing. Again, it comes down to simple consistency.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: I dare not incur the wrath of Michael Turner. Here's your MVP, sir!

Game Theme Song: It's been too long.

One Thing To Take Away: We're still very much in the thick of the wild card race. I'm pretty happy with that.

Next Week: Our damnable foes in Carolina, the Panthers, who as you know are represented by Cat Scratch Reader (bwao naw now). Be sure to visit 'em during the week.

Final Word: Win.

Falcons Place CB Brian Williams On Injured Reserve, Sign S Jamaal Fudge

Dave the Falconer — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:21:46 -0000

Well, it's official.

All we can really do at this point is wish Brian Williams well with his recovery and move on. With the Dallas Cowboys and their potentially potent passing packages on the way, the Falcons are going to need to put their best players on the field Sunday and are making moves toward that end.

First off, re-signing Jamaal Fudge is a good move. Fudge is familiar with the system and is not a total liability against either the pass or the run, so he can fill in at safety in a pinch. If the team wants to do something really creative with Thomas DeCoud, like play him at corner in nickel packages, Fudge can take a few snaps at free safety without killing us. Even if they don't decide to do that, we're not exactly loaded up with safety depth and William "C4" Moore's condition is unknown until at least tomorrow. I'm good with this.

What will be most crucial of all is how Brent Grimes plays and how Chevis Jackson, Tye Hill and Chris Owens step up now that Williams is gone. Grimes was picked on by announcers and pundits over the course of the last couple of weeks, but I've thought he's had a successful season so far and should be able to keep that up going forward. It's what happens after Chris Houston (he's another story entirely) and Grimes that will be closely watched this week.

My best guess is that Chevis Jackson ends up getting the bulk of the snaps to replace Williams, at least initially. If he plays well there, he can stave off Tye Hill and establish himself as the cornerback we have all been hoping he would be. If he doesn't, the team will turn to Hill, and they might get him involved a bit anyways just to see what he can do. It's not an ideal situation on paper, but thankfully life rarely works out in the way of black of white words. Coach Mike Smith has also said Hill will get his fair chance to compete, so I'm really working on a gut feeling here.

Weigh in, if you would.

Report: CB Brian Williams Out For The Season With Injury

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:51:12 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

The secondary will be missing Brian Williams and his big play talent. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

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In what qualifies as the worst news of the young season for Falcons fans, Brian Williams has reportedly torn his ACL and will miss the rest of the season.

This is a huge blow to the secondary, because Williams was playing quite well since joining the team before the 2009 season. He was even preventing a touchdown pass when he landed awkwardly and suffered the injury. We'll miss his playmaking ability and veteran savvy in the weeks ahead.

This raises the obvious question of what we're going to do without him. Brent Grimes and Chris Houston have already been getting plenty of snaps, with Grimes playing very well and Houston alternating between doing well and making me want to punch myself in the face. Beyond that, it's Chevis Jackson, who I still like but was out of position on a Bears touchdown pass shortly after Williams left the game, and rookie Chris Owens. Tye Hill has been inactive every week since we traded for him, but I would think that this is going to force the coaching staff to give him a shot at some playing time. Given that the Falcons are a creative bunch, you could also see Thomas DeCoud taking a few snaps at cornerback and having either William "C4" Moore or Antoine Harris fill in a little at free safety. All of these options are on the table, but my guess would be that either Hill or Jackson will get the bulk of his playing time.

The other alternative, of course, is to go out and get somebody. I'm not sure the team wants to part with a high draft pick, but rolling the dice with a guy that can be had for a low round pick is right in Comrade Dimitroff's wheelhouse. There's also free agency, but somehow I don't think there's a lot of impact players languishing in that world. Cornerback Glenn Sharpe could also get a promotion to the active roster, and if this news is confirmed by the team, I'd expect a move no later than mid-week.

Your thoughts on this?

Poll

Will the performance of the secondary suffer without Brian Williams?

Yes, it can't be helped

248 votes

No, everyone else will step up

98 votes

346 votes | Poll has closed

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

Dave the Falconer — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:15:12 -0000

More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

More timely plays like this Chris Houston interception would go a long way this season. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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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?

The Atlanta Falcons Enter The Season: Of Cuts And Hope

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:00:53 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

Does this remind anyone else of those old electronic football games? You know, the one where the guys all shook their way violently down the field? It was the All-Hypothermia Team. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

View full size photo »

The cuts have been chronicled, and the travels and travails of those who fell from grace here in Atlanta have been capably discussed by my armored co-blogger. In simpler language, we're done there.

What I want to focus on today is the guys who survived the bloody weekend, the "final" 53 who probably aren't actually all that final. By the time you see this post, I'll be dreaming of playoff berths and the Falcons might take someone else behind the woodshed in favor of Brian Williams. This, instead, will be a look at those who stand to gain from the cuts and those who are in difficult spots, either because of the team's recent transactions or their particular skillset.

As you might imagine, you can find the bulk of this post after the jump. Just don't sprain your ankle on the way over, alright?

OFFENSE

A Winner Is You: John Parker Wilson, who watched D.J. Shockley give the ball to the defense in a thoughtful and heartful gesture, took copious notes, mixed chemicals in a lab and learned not to throw interceptions or fumble, damnit! I stand by my earlier comments that JPW does not have the physical toolset necessary to really climb up a depth chart, but he plays very careful football and will make an excellent backup as long as he does that. If Redman moves on in a year or two and JPW gets better, he might actually take that spot.

Oh Noes! You Lose: Verron Haynes, who survived the initial roster cuts but isn't going to see very many carries buried behind Michael Turner, Jerious Norwood and Jason Snelling. Early indications are that he won the job because he's better at pass blocking than Thomas Brown, which would seem to be less relevant for a fourth running back than specials teams value, but Brown is only a call away. The veteran will have to leverage his strong skills and provide value when he does get the rock to fend off the young guy, a tough proposition in such limited playing time.

Winner Winner: Eric Weems, who won the support of the coaching staff by making a few nice grabs and proving he's pretty decent in returns. To be a fifth or even fourth receiver in this league, you must add special teams value, and Weems has fought his way onto this team fiercely. He won't get many chances to catch passes, but if he does well when the ball leaves the tee he's a mortal lock to finish the year with the Falcons. If there are any injuries, I'm reasonably confident the guy can make things happen in the slot.

To Lose, To Suffer: Marty Booker. Even though he's most assuredly ahead of Weems on the depth chart, his chances of surviving the season unscatched aren't nearly as good as his younger counterpart. Booker still has something left as a pass catcher and would be valuable if anybody goes down, but a healthy roster can't carry a guy with negligible special teams value forever in a fourth receiver role. Maybe I'm underestimating the guy and he'll prove to be versatile, but somehow I don't think so.

Winning Ain't Easy: Big ups to Keith Zinger, a man's man if there ever was one. When he didn't make the team after being drafted late in 2008, he went into the Canadian wilderness, slew many bears with his bare hands and made his own shelter out of rocks and discarded Labatt Blue bottles. He emerged a much more complete tight end than the pass-blocking specialist who the Falcons got last year and held on against prototype third tight end Jason Rader. With two very capable pass-catchers in front of him, he won't get much action this year, but he's a promising player who could have an expanded role in the future.

No Rest For The Weary: The offensive line, which absolutely must avoid injuries this year. I like the promise of guys like Will Svitek and Garrett Reynolds, but I wouldn't necessarily bank on them being able to carry the team for a sustained period this year. With a very stout offense that thrives with a little time, the Falcons really can't afford to give up valuable milliseconds that could result in Matt Ryan speculating about the patterns on the Georgia Dome roof. If this line is in great shape, beautiful. If not, it could get ugly.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

The Land Of Pass Rushing: Peria Jerry, come on down! You've been selected to single-handedly lead our flagging pass rush in the year ahead! You'll be tutored by John Abraham, one of the finest to ever wear a Falcon uniform, and Jonathan Babineaux, who is p. Your companions on this once-in-a-lifetime trip will be Chauncey Davis and Jamaal Anderson, both fighting for a job with young whippersnappers like Kroy Biermann and Lawrency Sidbury. Does that sound crowded? No worries--none of the defensive tackles behind are being counted on to pass rush, so this enormous task falls squarely on your giant shoulders. Ready to be a hero? I think so!

The Two-Headed Defensive End: Davis and Anderson, who are in the unenviable position of battling with one another and fending off two young players who made a real push this off-season. Anderson is probably stronger against the run and Davis against the pass, but neither has been a standout during their careers thus far, and Anderson in particular is playing for his job this season. Early struggles could lead to extended stays on the bench for one or both, and chances are very good one of them is going to freefall down the depth chart before Week 17.

Hold The Line(backer): To all three starting linebackers, who saw their most substantial competition for minutes disappear with the cuts. With Jamie Winborn gone, in particular, both Stephen Nicholas and Mike Peterson seem ready to get monster minutes. Coy Wire can do some damage in a pinch but likely won't sniff starter minutes without an injury, and Spencer Adkins isn't even a lock to get on the field on defense this season. Curtis Lofton, as we all know, is a dimension-skipping devourer of time and space who has no competition, even from himself.

Cornered: Chris Houston and Brent Grimes, who are going to be looking over their shoulders off the field to an inordinate degree. While Chris Owens and Chevis Jackson fight for roster spots, both these young corners will be clinging to their starting spots while the coaching staff determines what they have in Tye Hill and Brian Williams. Williams could also rob some time from Thomas DeCoud if he isn't careful, so there's a lot of recently drafted or signed guys who have good reason to be skittish. If nobody steps up in the early going, you could be looking at a Hill and Williams tandem by much earlier than mid-season.

Kicker, Punter, Soldier, Spy: Hard to call either Jason Elam or Michael Koenen winners or losers, honestly, because they're both in the same positions they've always been in. What does benefit both is the likely strength of the special teams unit, which with Koenen's laser-guided punts and Elam's boot should have no problem doing some real damage against enemy returns. Of course, it goes without saying that both are as solid as they come...but will they ever find true happiness in such a lonely profession?

So that's a rough rundown, I guess, of how some of the battles shook out and what is still to come. If you've got suggestions on more positions that need to be covered. If not, I'll soak in your praise and adulation any time you're ready.

Falcons Ink CB Brian Williams

Dave the Falconer — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:45:52 -0000

via image.cdnl3.xosnetwork.com

I knew it!

Mike Smith is fond of guys he knows, as he proves yet again with the signing of cornerback Brian Williams. Williams, who was cut by the Jaguars earlier this week, played for Smith for a stint and, unlike most of the corners who are out on the market, still has a pulse and working limbs. According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, who is reliable in the same way that I am living in Atlanta currently, he's expected to step in and be a nickel back right away.

Obviously, this is a depth charge to the depth chart. Williams and Tye Hill will be competing for starting spots, whether anybody from the team wants to admit it or not, which means Brent Grimes and Chris Houston will only have a few weeks to nail down the jobs with excellent play on the field. This moves Chris Owens and Chevis Jackson further down the depth chart unless they can work out, and it may put one or both of their roster spots in jeopardy. Because I like both of them, that would stink, but the Falcons are obviously seriously concerned about the cornerbacking corps. Time will tell if this is the right way to address those concerns.

The upshot of this and the practice squad moves is that William Middleton is headed to the vile Tampa Bay Bucs, never to be seen again. As someone who thought Middleton could be a good cornerback in this league, I wish him well.

Your thoughts?

Falcons And Chargers Recap: Getting Defensive About The Defense

Dave the Falconer — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 12:00:22 -0000

More photos » by Dave Martin - AP

"Um, shouldn't we wait to celebrate until after I get across the goal line?" (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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That was honestly one of the better pre-season games I've ever seen, for what that's worth.

To say that those of you who turned up at the open thread last night were concerned about the defense would be understating it, in the same sense that calling Chris Redman's performance "masterful" would be.

As usual, the offense looked pretty good against the Chargers. With each passing pre-season game, my respect for the strength of the 11 on that side of the ball grows, and even though it's just pre-season action, I can't really imagine a good reason to criticize Mike Mularkey's charges. The O alone is going to be enough to win us a few games this season. What the D does in conjunction with that will, in the end, determine whether we win the rest of them.

One way or the other, though, this was a very fun game to watch, though I only caught half of it. Rarely do you see a pitched battle like this in a pre-season game, and it speaks well to both teams. Because I'm a homer and because they won, I'm going to say the Falcons looked even better than the Chargers, but your mileage may vary.

Follow me into the jump, where we'll break this week's action down.

HIGHLIGHTS

Wow, Chris Redman. I don't think I need to say anything else, but as I'm unusually verbose, I will anyways. Redman proved again why he's one of the best backups in the league, running and gunning the Falcons to victory with the backup offense helping him out. I would hope he never sees the field because of what that would mean for Matt Ryan, but I have the utmost confidence in our backup. Game ball, right there. Matt Ryan was also good, but that's not something I needed to tell you.
The receivers. Roddy White was his generally efficient self, but it was some guys lower on the depth chart that really proved their mettle today. Marty Booker was targeted frequently and wound up with six catches, Brian Finneran proved his reliability very reliably, and Eric Weems sewed up a roster spot by out-running the defensive back covering him and coming up with the game winning touchdown. There's a lot more to this group than originally suspected, and we could have a pretty complete set of quality receivers this season.
While Michael Turner was awfully solid as usual, the back who caught my eye Saturday night was Jason Snelling. His final numbers don't tell the whole story here, as he proved his brick hands on an incomplete pass but otherwise looked fast, explosive and powerful. I'm rooting hard for Thomas Brown to make the roster somehow, but Snelling's done absolutely nothing to relinquish his death grip on the #3 spot.
Michael Koenen continues to impress, booming four punts and landing one inside the 20. The kid's always had the leg and had the results last year, and field position is so critical to this team that he can't help but be a weapon.
For the Falcons, defense is spelled C-U-R-T-I-S-L-O-F-T-O-N. The potent middle linebacker was everywhere, nearly picked a pass late in the game and hit like a train made of concrete. It's fair to say he's already delivering on potential, and I can't wait to see what he does in 2009.
Brent Grimes had a sack, which sort of makes up for the secondary's performance. Sort of.
Credit the coaching staff yet again. The playcalling on offense was spectacular in the second half, and you get the sense that Mike Mularkey will rely less on gimmicky plays this season. That can only be a good thing.

LOWLIGHTS

Just one very long lowlight today, I think. While I like to believe you can only learn so much from the pre-season, the defense was consistently not very good on Saturday. The secondary in particular got picked to pieces by the Chargers, who are an excellent offensive team with tall receivers that still should not make our guys look like they belong on a Pop Warner team. I want very much to believe in Chris Houston and Brent Grimes, both of whom are athletic corners who clearly have a ton of physical talent. The results are clearly there in practice. They're just not there on the field, against living, breathing teams, and I think I'm starting to want a closer look at Chevis Jackson and Chris Owens. Are they the answer? Who knows, I say. I just think everyone should be getting a chance to get burnt to toast. The safeties also need to step up their game a bit and help out, and here I am thinking particularly of Thomas DeCoud.

A lot of people are inclined to defend the secondary for this team, and I am certainly one of them. The front seven also looked overmatched at times tonight, and they have to get their share of the blame. I would just hate for us to get into the season and find out our corners are going to be overmatched on a regular basis. Hopefully this will iron itself out in time for the final pre-season game.
Okay, one more. Very unhappy to see Jerious Norwood leave and not return. I hope everything's okay, as we're really going to need him this year.

THE WRAPUP

Game MVP: Gotta be Chris Redman. The dude was quite simply awesome against San Diego.

Game Theme Song: Anything by Redman, just for the heck of it.

One Thing To Take Away: Despite a host of defensive miscues, the Falcons still have what it takes to come back and win a close one. I think that's something we can all feel warm and fuzzy about.

Next Week: We get the improving Baltimore Ravens, who are ably covered by Baltimore Beatdown. Be sure to check them out.

Final Word: Hooray!

Falcons injuries benefit the Rams passing game

VanRam — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:37:03 -0000

More photos » by Peter Morgan - AP

St. Louis Rams quarterback Kyle Boller will start against a Falcons defense missing its top CB.

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The Atlanta Falcons will be without several players when they take on the St. Louis Rams this week.

Starting CB Chris Houston is out with a hamstring injury. That's the only starter out this week. Second round draft pick and former MIzzou standout SS William Moore will not play. Moore is not listed as the starter, though it's believed he will be once the season begins. The Falcons will also be without DT Jason Jefferson and LB Edmond Miles.

With CB Domonique Foxworth, the Falcons had an 11.9% DVOA for the pass defense last season, 7th best in the league. Houston became their top corner when Foxworth left, and, much like the Rams, it's a fairly open competition for the spots behind him. Most likely to earn the second and third CB jobs are Brent Grimes and Chevis Jackson, both of whom will start this week.

It's a good matchup for the Rams offense. Grimes was successful defending just 41% of the balls thrown his way last season, working as the third CB. Jackson had a 44% success rate. It's a nice re-introduction to starting again for Kyle Boller and the young Rams receivers.

The Rams will be without QB Marc Bulger; WRs Donnie Avery, Tim Carter and Brooks Foster; LG Jacob Bell; and DT Adam Carriker.

Starting LT Alex Barron and DT Darell Scott will be "Friday decisions" for the Rams.

Saturday Pre-Game Notes: Tackling The Detroit Lions

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:00:18 -0000

More photos » by Curtis Compton - AP

Players like Roddy White will have a chance to shake off the rust against the Detroit Lions today. (AP Photo/Atlanta Journal Constitution, Curtis Compton) MARIETTA DAILY OUT, GWINNETT DAILY POST OUT

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How much of human life is lost in waiting. —Ralph Waldo Emerson

After two seconds of reflection, I can answer that great sage's question. In the case of we Falcons fans, it's been almost eight full months of waiting that has been lost, but with football returning today we can once again rejoice. I don't know about you, but I've found it increasingly difficult to wait. Even still, it seems hard to believe the games are here, even if they don't yet mean much beyond the confines of the Falcons' roster.

Without further ado, let's take a look at some notes in anticipation of today's game:

Matt Ryan will be starting. Each quarterback on the roster is expected to get a quarter, which will give D.J. Shockley and John Parker Wilson a chance to prove they belong before the axe falls.
The Lions will be trotting out Daunte Culpepper, who will attempt to fend off rookie Matthew Stafford out of Georgia. Stafford has a ton of talent and is this year's best bet to provide value, but the team wisely isn't giving him anything.
Robert Ferguson is being given a real chance to contend for the slot job, and he appears to have all but sunk Marty Booker's chances of sticking there already. While Mike Smith has nice things to say, I can't help but wonder if a guy who has never shown consistent success in the NFL can or should jump into a role as important as the slot based on a month or so of practice. Here's another opportunity for the coaching staff to instill faith in the fans, I guess.
There's still plenty of discussion about who will be getting that spot opposite Chris Houston in the secondary, as is the case at the AJC's Bird Cage blog. Based on everything I've seen and heard, it's going to be Brent Grimes, who has been playing like there's a fire burning in his helmet. That would likely leave Chevis Jackson in a nickel role, where he can hopefully flash those ballhawking skills once more.
Here's what I'll be looking for today, personally. Outside of Jon Babineaux, Peria Jerry and Trey Lewis, the Falcons have a mix of largely unproven or untested guys competing for spots in the middle of the defensive line. I want to see if a guy like Tommy Jackson, who judging by his last name and size is somehow related to Grady, can step up and ease some concerns about the depth there. I'll also be looking to see who steps up in the race for wide receiver roster spots and punt return time.

Enjoy the game!

Poll

Who is going to win on Saturday?

Atlanta Falcons

87 votes

Detroit Lions

69 votes

Chiba Lotte Marines

12 votes

168 votes | Poll has closed

The Falcoholic's Atlanta Falcon Sleeper: CB Chevis Jackson

Dave the Falconer — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 12:00:24 -0000

via www1.pictures.gi.zimbio.com

This particular post springs off of an excellent list of Falcons to watch, which includes one Chevis Jackson. Those of you who may be new to the site probably aren't aware of the depth of my faith in young Chevis. Some people are Jewish, some are Muslim, some are Christian, and Dave the Falconer just so happens to be a Chevisian. To say I think he'll do good things in this league is to severely understate the case I would make.

Simply put, Jackson's going to be a good corner in this league. Whenever he gets a chance to start, I see him locking down the job. I'm not ready to put the dude in the Hall of Fame or anything, but his interception return for a touchdown last year and his pick against the Cardinals in the playoffs is evidence of his big play ability. He's a canny corner with good instincts and the size to cover bigger receivers, though he's never going to be fast enough to keep up with true burners. Basically, what I said when we drafted him--that I expect him to become our #2 corner sooner than later--is still accurate.

Because he's not a big name and he's still got a training camp battle in front of him, I'm anointing Chevis Jackson the official sleeper o' this here blog. By the end of the season and likely before, I expect he'll be doing some pretty impressive things opposite Chris Houston. I'd bank my reputation on it, but first I'd have to have one.

How about you, dear readers? Got a sleeper of your own?