Congratulations on the Oakland Raiders playing into the "shutdown corner" sweepstakes.
Cornerbacks have been getting paid way too much to be the next great shutdown corner.
Next, we will have Tyra Banks along with Rod Woodson and Deion Sanders have a reality show to air on ESPN called, "America's Next Top Shutdown Corner."
Chris Mortensen along with some former cornerback coaches will give them new missions every week.
Hey, Tom Brady did call ESPN "another MTV with highlights" in response to Spygate this week. Wouldn't this help his point?
Seriously, DeAngelo Hall is not and never will be a shutdown corner. Neither is Nate Clements or Jason David, two other corners who cashed in on the NFL's new-found fascination with so-called shutdown corners.
The only shutdown corner I see in the NFL right now is Champ Bailey, and even Dre Bly hurt the Denver defense last year more than the year before.
If you need proof, go to YouTube that Monday night game against Favre and the Packers when Bly was burned by Greg Jennings.
Here are some interesting stats for the Denver Broncos, San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders in the past two seasons defensively:
Denver Broncos
2006 Record- 9-7
Pass Yards- 3410 (21st)
Opposing Team PPG- 19.1 (24th)
2007 Record- 7-9
Pass Yards- 3094 (26th)
Opposing Team PPG- 25.6 (28th)
So overall, 2007 was worse defensively for the Denver Broncos, the year Dre Bly was acquired.
San Francisco 49ers
2006 Record- 7-9
Pass Yards- 3571 (26th)
Opposing Team PPG- 25.8 (32nd)
2007 Record- 5-11
Pass Yards- 3643 (22nd)
Opposing Team PPG- 22.8 (20th)
The San Francisco 49ers was better defensively in 2007, but they drafted Patrick Willis, a Pro-Bowl linebacker who was the Defensive Player of the Year. Even with him, they could not finish in the top 10 of either category in 2007.
Therefore, the wrong problem was addressed by the niners in last years' offseason.
More pressure on the quarterback makes it easier for your secondary, and the 49ers needed more defensive linemen who could pressure the quarterback.
Oakland Raiders
2006 Record- 2-14
Pass Yards- 2413 (1st)
Opposing Team PPG- 20.8 (18th)
2007 Record- 4-12
Pass Yards- 3132 (8th)
Opposing Team PPG- 24.9 (26th)
Oakland did very well holding opposing teams to low passing outputs in both seasons but give up way too many points, in which their offense isn't efficient enough to score an equal amount.
The point proven here is that having a shutdown corner and paying superstar money to them doesn't ensure defensive success.
DeAngelo Hall, Jason David and Dre Bly are solid corners, but aren't important enough to a defense to offer substantial changes in their bottom lines. Defensive linemen and linebackers are the key components of a great defense.
Not saying that corners aren't important because they are, but shouldn't be the highest paid players on your defense unless of course, they're Champ Bailey.
A guy like DeAngelo Hall, who has a severely inflated ego, has many defensive lapses within a game. He can cause you to almost single-handedly lose a game like he did against Carolina last season with his narcissism against Steve Smith.
Let's hope that DeAngelo tones it down a bit and plays within that Raider system. He doesn't have to be great with the talent around him.
He just needs to be quiet and play the position, or he may go down as one of the most overrated corners of all time.
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about 1 month ago
not to mention the guy thinks that he is the next deion sanders. does the dance and everything. im glad atlanta let him go.
about 1 month ago
Seriously, DeAngelo Hall is not and never will be a shutdown corner. Neither is Nate Clements or Jason David, two other corners who cashed in on the NFL's new-found fascination with so-called shutdown corners.
HAha word son
from about 1 month ago
Word. If I hear one more person calling him a "shutdown corner," I'm going to hurt myself. I don't even think there is a such thing, and if there is, he's not it. He gets burned badly (very badly) at least once or twice every game.
about 1 month ago
but you fail to mention the consistancy of productivity of these players heading into the next season with their respective new teams and the layover slump that individual may be still trying to figure out, why they were traded or cut in the first place. Champ Bailey was traded with peak value in himself and Clinton Portis. Hall's only problem is keeping his cool in an intense game(which I'm sure is one of the agressive qualities that Mr Davis covets in a DB) Yeah, Ive seen him get burnt before...but Ive also seen Champ Bailey get burned by the likes of Jerry Porter! Jason David never had a statitsically pro-bowl year, so go figure on that payday. Even Clements didnt go into his transistion with the niners following a stellar season. But... you pay for the intensity and playmaking abilty. there are times when Clements looked like the best player on that squad. Ive seen him knock fools into next week...but ive still seen him get burnt. but u know wut ur getn. And I think we get the best of all worlds with this combo of the cunning and rangy Asomugha with the agressive play-making speedster in Hall. Hate now...but all of these players with this year's team have alot to prove to certain people....and you my friend are one of them.
about 1 month ago
Corners only get bad press. You shut down a receiver for 9 plays and nobody bats an eye. On the 10th the receiver gets away from you and the world gives you hell. That said, the first 9 might have been the difference in getting the ball back to your offense.
Hall is a top 10-15 corner in this league. Ash looks like a top 10. That combination makes for a pretty solid CB tandem and limits quite a few packages. But the only true 'Shutdown' corners are products of solid QB pressure as well as good CB play. Ed Reed, for example, was brilliant, but no QB playing baltimore in his days had much time.
In short: Oakland has a great secondary at the moment. The pass yards will depend on how well they play as well as what kind of pressure comes off of the ends and from the LB's.
Finally, your analysis of the Bronco's reminds me of people trying to explain why this and that happened with the weather. Yes, Bly showed up that year. But they also had instability at coordinator, new faces on the ends, and an entirely different scheme. Bly is one of thousands of variables in the D defense that year -- suggesting that he's the factor is quite a reach.
from about 1 month ago
Ede Reed is a safety
about 1 month ago
Well put John.
about 1 month ago
hmm what about that other guy? maybe the best pure shutdown player playing man to man in the game today...Nnamdi Asomugha!
Remember here that D-Hall wont be covering the top flight wr's from the other team, he'll be covering the 2nd best wr on the opposing squad.
Asomugha was thrown at less times than CHUMP Bailey last year, and thats a true stat.
No one is saying D-Hall is gonna be the best shutdown ever, BUT there's not a 2nd wr on a team that D-Hall cant smother.
And with Routt in the slot, we'll have at least 10-14 "coverage sacks"
I look at it like this, would you rather have fabian washington, or DeAngelo Hall? Enough said.
about 1 month ago
Chump Baily???? Chump Baily was schooled back a couple of years ago by no other than Jerry Porter... Back when he actually played.
So Baily can be had and we are the ones who will have him for lunch come that Monday night opener...
Talk about being a media sweetheart. I still remember Deardork talking about Champ like he was the second coming in that game...
Look I know the guys good but please!!!!!
about 1 month ago
Exactly where's talk about AWESOME-wa ?
about 1 month ago
cramp daily...please he also got burned that game BY KOREN ROBINSON lol he def. shouldnt have amde pro bowl,all fan votes,nnamdi is the true only shutdown corner
from about 1 month ago
Great comments everyone! Great points. I must clarify three things about this article for you guys:
1. Nnamdi Asomugha is a stud- I know that Aso is a super corner, and we all know that. I didn't mention any particular players from the Raiders defense because the point I made was praising them. I was just saying that D-Hall is overrated, and although he is better than Fabian Washington, his attitude can become a cancer if he doesn't change it. Two words: TEAM MORALE.
2. The Denver Broncos underachieved- I simply meant that Dre Bly just didn't live up to expectations. I'm sure that there are many reasons for that, but articles can't be long enough for me to explain all of that. He was expected to make an immediate impact, and he did not. Who knows, maybe he will this season but everyone who watched that Denver D knows that all of them underachieved.
3. Champ Bailey had an off year- Yes he did, but he still is the most feared corner in the game. Until someone takes that from him, QB's are always looking to other receivers when Champ is on their star wideouts. Yes, he didn't look invincible last year, and the same argument made for Dre Bly's ineptness can be made for Champ, but either way the Broncos underachieved as an unit.
Again, great comments guys! Thanks!
about 1 month ago
Football is a team sport and it takes all 11 guys on defense to do there part you can't have a shutdown corner if your D line can't get to the Quaterback and you can't get to the Quaterback if the coverage allow the reciever to run open underneath... adding Hall is just a piece of the puzzle.. the bigger picture is we have improved our team with the new additions
about 1 month ago
Deardork, what an appropriate name! Great football player but sensationalizes players way to much, I just turn the sound off. I'm glad Coach Madden has never teamed with him, when Coach talks football fans should listen.
about 1 month ago
"Champ Bailey had an off year- Yes he did, but he still is the most feared corner in the game. "
The numbers would indicate that Asomugha is more feared than Bailey, and several mediots have even stated that Aso is a better CB than Bailey. Needless to say, if Bailey is a shut-down corner, then so is Asomugha. See, the funny think aboout CBs is that they usually don't grow old gracefully; they tend to hit a wall in their careers and fade quickly. I'm thinking we are starting to see the beginning of the decline of Champ's skills.
from about 1 month ago
You're absolutely right Cerberus, but I never said that Aso wasn't a great corner. I just won't call him shutdown yet, maybe this upcoming season because he had some injuries last year. Champ has been the definition of shutdown corner for a while now, and I'm not just going to right him off yet. We'll see how Aso and D-Hall play this year, but don't put Champ in the dirt yet...
from about 1 month ago
Samuel-
Explain why you should not be considered "shutdown" when you only have something like 30 balls thrown at you in 16 games?
about 1 month ago
Why do they call Roland Bailey "Champ" when he has never won anything?
from about 1 month ago
"ROLAND BAILY" (?????) So that's the guys real name huh?!?!?!
I always wondered if his moms hated him or somthing. I started to call him CHUMP Baily after that game where Porter treated him like his BE-*tch!
In fact, my whole family refers to the clown as "CHUMP" But I like knowing his real name...
We'll just have to call him, (Rolly the "CHUMP" Baily) from now on coz... He ain't EVER gonna lose that Chump moniker from me dude!!!
about 1 month ago
Tory James was one of the best 2nd corners in the league when he played opposite of Woodson. Hall is a playmaker who will see a lot of balls coming his way. If he can make plays the way that James did while in Oakland, the Raider's turnover margin should improve by 6-8 points even if they don't protect the ball any better than they did last season.
The Raider's have built themselves so that it will be difficult to play catch-up. Not a bad strategy for a team that lost 9 games with a lead in the 4th quarter.
from about 1 month ago
You know dude that's very true. tory got big money after that from other teams and if momory doesn't fail me Tory was still good after that but never like he was with us.
Hall will get a lot of action but somehow I get a feeling Gabril just may get a lil sum sum himself!!! LOL!!!
I'm impatient to see these guys go at it but... I'm glad we have time to get them working as a unit. Should that happen as I hope. The Raiders will be a lot of fun to watch this year!!!
RAIDER NATION, Can You Feeeeel IT!!!!
about 1 month ago
How do you write an article about oakland's D and not mention the D? Does the name Nmandi Asomougha ring a bell? What you failed to mention is D. Hall is The Raiders # 2 corner. Not a very good article man, I'm sorry but you missed all the important facts.
about 1 month ago
Actually there is only ONE shut down corner in the league, Asomougha . They call him the Ghost cause he's nowhere to be seen on the field, no QB looks his way or challenges him. If you want to write an article, write it about how Asomougha is the most underrated CB in the League. His WR's averaged 1 catch every two games last season! Understand that? Secondly on these stats you pulled of the Pass D, you failed to mention how terrible Oaklands Offense has been. You can have the Best D in the world, but if your team has less TD's then you have fingers, you arent winning ball games. Bottom line. D-Hall ISNT overrated, and for you to say there is only one Shut down corner in the league is ridiculous, not to mention Hall wont be covering the Best WR on the field anymore, He'll be covering the #2 WR with Asomougha Covering the #1.
about 1 month ago
Excellent point Chris. They will play into our strengths. Hopefully with moving Huff over that will only add to oppositions difficulties when trying to play catch up. Does not really make a hill of beans if you want to refer to Asomougha as a shut down or that Champ is better or not. At the end of the day, did we win and if not why? With that said, our secondary with Asomougha, Hall, Huff, Wilson and Routt is looking pretty formidable, not to mention our still learning LB's and young Dline. Loads of potential, just hope if translates on the field. Nothing better than watching a Defense flat shut down an offense and do so with authority.
about 1 month ago
what a load of CRAP this article is...just because Sam sounds like a Donko fan,and giving Bly,and Baily
props as a shutdown corners...they couldn't shut down my grandmother...the way I see it is those two are way overrated...just because they are on the Donkos,poeple praise them as GREAT corners...put them on the RAIDERS and poeple would talk trash about them...nobody gives us props on anything we do(I know we have had our bad 5 years),but ALL teams go thru it...and I think those times are behind us now...the RAIDERS will prove to everyone this year that they are not pushovers anymore...the only team that stands in our way in our div. is the deadbolts...we are not worried about the queefs,or the donkos,they are on the way down...
KISS MY ASS-I'M A OAKLAND RAIDER FAN !!!
IN NOMINE RAIDERNASS !!!
from about 1 month ago
Dymond Jim your comment is great! Mad funny! I'm not a Broncos fan at all, and if you read the article, you'll notice that I didn't say anything nice about Dre Bly. As for Champ Bailey, everyone is getting me for saying that he is a shutdown corner, but ask all the starting QB's who are the NFL's shutdown corners and most will say his name first. I love you Raiders fans because of your passion, but let's not be so biased people. All of you are beating me for not mentioning Nnamdi Asomugha in this article, but that was not my point of the article. My point was corners are being revered and paid too much in today's NFL and DeAngelo Hall is an overrated mental case waiting to happen. With all respect to Asomugha, Champ Bailey is still considered a shutdown corner, and we can't say he isn't until he proves so. Aso happens to be my favorite corner, I use him all of the time on Madden, so I believe in him and I know he's a star. This article wasn't about praising the Raiders defense, but exposing corners like D. Hall who have too much ego and are being treated as such. That's all. Love the comments though, and love Raider fans!!!
from about 1 month ago
Well Samuel, I'm not much of a negative type (doesn't mean I never spew it, heck, I'm not perfect) But for the most part I like to stay positive ok. So as you are expecting here comes the negative.
I like your article dude but it seems you're having to explain it too much so don't you think maybe you dropped the ball there.
Also, I'm glad you like us Raider types but not stating your allegiance to a club is a little disengeuose and to me personaly is being a little chicken. Now I know you're not a puss, And you're a man.
But dude not telling us who you follow makes you look like one.
Max for example is a NE fan. Everyone knows it and the dude gets grill for it including a lil snipe here and there from yours truly but dude... Max might have the misfortune to have been born in Boston or near there
(I'm completely guessing coz, I don't know that)
And like 99.9 percent of NFL fans therefore roots for the team from the town where they were raised.
I mean really who would chose to be a Browns fan...
from about 1 month ago
Posted before ending (I was on the phone and writing, not something I'm used to)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes Raider fans are from Oakland but i live in Orange County. The real one in California
(LOL sorry Florida & Texas I couldn't help myself) And I was raised in Chicago, saw Gayle Sayers Do his thing live. But the BEARS were a team I liked coz every one rooted for da Bears. Not because I chose them, they were chosen for me.
I chose the Raiders as tons and tones of people world wide chose them. I got nephews born and still living in Mexico that chose the Raiders way back in the day when the only teams shown on TV were Miami and Dallas yet... These guys love LOS RAIDERS!!!! (or Los Malosos)
That's when you say "Raider fans don't die they just multiply" is a very accurate REALITY of LIFE baby!
All this to just say give us your allegiance or expect to be dissed more often and certainly not as nicely as I have just done with you.
about 1 month ago
Great point about the glorification of the cornerback position, Clements, Hall, and even Asante Samuel are grossly overpayed, Hall and Clements are making more than Tom Brady or Ladainian Tomlinson as faras overall payout of the contract, yearly wage is about the same... that's embaressing.
about 1 month ago
You know dude I also thing they are but really, If let's say Hall turns out to be the Stud we in the Nation hope for and we by some amazing re-birth of the team either win this year, next or there & we get that 4th SB trophy... Then actually, Hall will turn out to be a bargin.
Besides contracts just seem to go higher and higher no matter the position. Who knows, next it could be the big money year for punters!??!?!
(Well maybe not, LOL)
from about 1 month ago
Snoopy I appreciate your honesty. No I don't feel like I dropped the ball on this article AT ALL! Nearly 4000 reads, and a great debate with you guys. That's definitely not dropping the ball, it's creating insightful debate.
I my friend am a Dallas Cowboys fan, although I'm from New York. (My dad will kill me if he knew that!)
I'll take the heat for it, but I am a very knowledgeable sports fan and I know that Raider fans are among the best and most passionate as witnessed by the comments of this article. I like passion for sports, it's great.
I appreciate your points and reading the comments. That's what it's all about my friend!
about 1 month ago
Hall came straight out of college and dominated on an average team. He made the pro bowl in his first two seasons. He is a play maker plain and simple and he is easily a top 5 cb in the league, once again PRO BOWL first two years, wjo else has done that? Aso is top three and would be in the pro bowl if he had an offense.
You guys need to erase last year from Halls record that entire team was flipped upside down by Vick and Petrino. Even if he's a top 10 cb he'll have no problem covering #2WR's especially in the AFC West. FYI he has Gibril Wilson and Michael Huff to help him out if he needs it. Hall has NEVER played in a defensive backfield as talented as this and it will only allow him to make more plays.
Samuel good try but I don't think you're as knowledgeable as you think and the title of your article was a little misleading, which explains the 4000 reads, I'd bet 3999 are raider fans. Hahaha
from about 1 month ago
Dude one word for you "The"- HATER! I love you haters! You sound and smell just like an Oakland Raider fan arguing for D. Hall the way you are. My title isn't misleading dumb-dumb, I talked about why D.Hall is overrated, and since you don't read well I'll restate why for you:
1. His attitude sucks and his ego is too big.
2. His attitude SUCKS and his ego is TOO BIG!
3. Well, you know..
So "The" before you try and talk crap about my 4000 reads, and how you feel they are Raider fans and the Hahaha kid crap, write an article that gets a forum going like this and show me why you're going to be the next Bill Simmons or Woody Paige. Hell, maybe Michael Wilbon. Give me a break dude, I am as knowledgeable as you and everyone else, what makes you so great.
Get outta here dude. Please.
Oh, and good comment Jay, that's the kind of comment I like to see!
from about 1 month ago
Why don't you go write an article about the differences between Pac-Man Jones and Dante Hall attitude wise and who is better on Madden NFL. Don't forget to put "Raiders" in the title of the article so that you get a bizzilion reads. That way, you'll stand out as an expert on what it means to be a shut-down corner.
about 1 month ago
Bottom line....If you have a weak pass rush, even a great corner can look average...Have a great pass rush, and you make the NY Giants CB's in the Super Bowl look like the best in the league. Hell, even the best corners HOF caliber like Deion Sanders in his prime use to get beat like he stole something in the ATL...People forget when he played in the Big D and SF, they both had great front 7's. I'm a huge Raiders fan, and even Nhambi really has never been tested....why would you throw at that guy, when a QB could sit back for 6 seconds + all day and make several reads and go after the other cover guys? Trust me....I called BS on the Raiders inflated D #'s, as teams went on cruise control for 2+ quarters and just ran the ball down their throats the last couple of years! Last year the Raiders were in a lot more games, and teams were a little more agressive passing late in the 3rd qtr and even in the 4th...guess what? A reality check for one of the so called top pass D's going into last year.
from about 1 month ago
Jay-
I think the guys sitting in the booth for opposing teams felt satisfied that Namdi was tested in '06 since he only got tested approx 30 times in 16 games in '07. Maybe you were to busy clipping dog ears to notice that the guy played posted great stats with limited opportunities the previous year when teams ran it down our throat.
from about 1 month ago
Chris you are one of the people who shouldn't comment on this site because you're ignorant. If you're going to post ignorant comments like your little Madden bit and try to insult me, go get a life. I will not be responding to anything else you say so please don't comment on my articles anymore until you have something to say that isn't offensive. I'm sick of guys like you.
from about 1 month ago
Ignorant is a strong word since "the only shotdown corner" YOU see in the NFL is Champ Bailey and that you defend his play by the fact that you select him in Madden.
And just for the record, the best shut down corner in football until proven otherwise is Antonio Cromartie as he had the most interceptions AND passes defended. The guy picked off Peyton Manning 3 times in one game last year...but you won't find him on Madden NFL...what was the word you used? Ignorant?
about 1 month ago
Ok im a huge raider fan but lets get one thing straight. Champ Bailey IS THE BEST CORNER IN THE LEAGUE! Its true Namdi had less balls thrown to him but that isnt because teams feared him (which i think they should) so much as they didnt need to throw the ball in his direction. Our Run D is horrible so why would a team throw against us when they can just run it up and down our throats. Namdi in my opinion is a top 5 CB Hall top 15 (potentially) good tandem and with Gabril and Huff our secondary is looking good but if we cant fix our run d then it wont matter much.
about 1 month ago
Well, the fact is Nnamdi, has terrorized the league to years in a row. This year will be better, D.Hall, is not over-rated, because nobody expects great things from him. The reason we got him, was to make more balls go over the middle (G.WILSON) and get more over towards Nnamdi's side of the field. We didn't pick up Hall to be our best DB. HALL would be overpaid if Nnamdi wasn't on the team. Nnamdi will make more money next year.
One other thing, we are not counting on our Defense to win the games for us this year.. Best on both sides.
RAIDERS... 08
about 1 month ago
6th worst INT'S 20 (sf 17 denver 15)
while being 29th in attempts 451
1 out of every 22 passes was an INT
3rd in fumbles 13 (sf 17 denver 14)
while being 4th in attempts at 508
add to that 1st in fumbles on punt returns 7 on 38 returns (sf 3 denver 2)
Count them 40 turnovers (sf 37 denver 31)
which means we played deffense 3 more series then necessary vs SF and 9 more then Denver
That scews the numbers even more!
about 1 month ago
article "Is there a tackle in the house?" You can find it at:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/24286-Is-there-a-tackle-in-the-house-
about 1 month ago
I tend to ignore football articles, because I've fallen out of favor with the sport. That said, I attended his high school's rival, and watched him 6 times as a member of our marching band. He's always been a great player, but even in high school he disappeared in the big game when it was on the line. We beat his school all 6 times.
Whether he's the shutdown corner of the year or not, he makes way too much money and I'm jealous as can be about it.
about 1 month ago
lol....wow, i take it you all must be Raider fans considering you have the nerve to put Nnamdi in the same level as D.Hall and Champ. First of, both D.hall and champ have better stats then him. Both have better history and both have had better succes with STAR recivers. Ok, so they have gotten burned by players who they should be shuting down...fine....but what coner in the N.F.L has'nt. Every corner gets burnt. It is not possibel that a corner can "SHUT" down a reciver all game. So here is the point, any Q.B in the N.F.L would test Nnamdi before throwing anywhere near D.Hall and Champ.
from about 1 month ago
Since the Raiders mainly play man to man coverage, would you say that it was just by chance that Asomugha only had +/-30 passes thrown at him in 16 games? Maybe it was the offensive coordinator's decision and not the QB's call not to throw his way...maybe his guy was not open...OR MAYBE when opposing QBs attempt less than 2 passes a game in your direction...
....maybe somebody ought to check their stats before they "lol" because the guys getting paid to coach seem to disagree with you.
about 1 month ago
Chris dude you are taking this way too seriously...first of all I play Madden a lot and it's a game that is very realistic, so I just mentioned that I use Nnamdi Asomugha everytime I start a dynasty because he's good..take it how you want it..and for the record, I use Antonio Cromartie on the opposite side, he IS on Madden and he's a good young corner to use so you're wrong on that one...and by the way, I called you ignorant because you are basically attacking my opinion with sarcasm instead of just debating it, and that's annoying..I love a good debate, but your last comment was attacking my article with utter sarcastic remarks and that doesn't fly with me...but whatever man, have fun on the site and I appreciate your comments either way bro..peace
from about 1 month ago
The last time I played Madden NFL was 5 years ago. I was just making a point about the difference between the real game and Madden NFL. It is all good.
about 1 month ago
Another thing I would like to add: You're right, he is quite overrated in that I have seen him touted repeatedly as a shutdown corner who can hang with any receiver, which is just flat out wrong.
However, I think he will blossom in Oakland because (like you said) there is a lot of talent around him, if he is only required to cover a #2 receiver, his stats will be fantastic next year. The Raiders have a lot of talent in the secondary and Howard and Morrisson are adept at playing the pass, so the burden won't lie with Hall like it did in Atlanta.
He is not a franchise player but Hall just may be the kind of guy who can put the raider defense over the top with his playmaking ability. For the last few years, I've watched a CB similar to Hall (Asante Samuel) on a weekly basis, both are fantastic playmakers who try to guess routes and will get burned from time to time, the Pats remedied Samuel's problem by often times rolling a safety to wherever he was (on most plays) to prevent the big play in the event of a Samuel misread.
Both CBs make up for their lapses in judgement with their skill as football players, and although Samuel is better than Hall, they are still similar enough for me to draw the comparison. The real problem though is one you mentioned, Hall is a jerk, to put it bluntly, if he can just shut up and play, he will be great, but I'm just not sure that it's going to happen like that.
from about 1 month ago
Max, very well put! Thank you!
about 1 month ago
Max-
You are right about Hall not being a franchise guy yet, however, since is 24 and does not turn 25 until November...he has all of the tools if he is properly coached and continues to develop. He also has not even matured yet, he may yet to learn to keep his mouth shut. I red-shirted in collage and did not graduate till I was 24...I can imagine how difficult it must be for a young man to be in that situation.
from about 1 month ago
I suppose, he just looks too much like Chad Johnson/TO for me to think that he can mature any time soon. Hall is a project at this point, he's physically able to be a great corner but his enormous ego will hold him back.
Also, Oakland is a pretty young team so there is a dearth of veteran leadership in that locker room to deal with divas like Hall and Javon Walker, and if both guys start mouthing off (if the team loses 2-3 in a row) the sweeping team dysfunction will send the Raiders into a funk, I've seen it happen with my teams all too often (pre 2002 red sox did it every year with idiots like Carl Everett), and the Raiders have a similar locker room to those sox teams, lots of talent and no leadership, and a couple of loose cannons. and to the other comment:
Teams went after him plenty in Atlanta, sure he'd get the interception every so often but his reputation for getting burnt easily enticed teams into attacking him, and unlike Asante Samuel, who had a similar reputation at one point, Hall didn't rise to the occasion with a career year.
about 1 month ago
One more thought on D. Hall: teams are going to go after him, they have no choice. He will be tested and his true attitude will come out, good or bad.
about 1 month ago
thnx 4 the encouragement... i needed tht... nice read i jst finished an article about m vick... u shud check it out
about 1 month ago
Nnamdi Asomugha is by far the best corner in the league.
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