D. Hall and a look ahead

Perhaps the bigger news out of the Atlanta Falcons that slightly edged out their first win of the season is cornerback DeAngelo Hall's sudden unhappiness with the organization. Hall has reportedly asked to be traded due to his suspension for his actions against Carolina Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith in the Falcons' third loss of the season.

Great. That's all the Falcons need is more distractions. This one, however, probably won't affect the team as much as the others. Yeah, D. Hall has become disgruntled because he got a little slap on the wrist. It's like that time you got caught coloring on the walls as a child and had to sit in the corner for 20 minutes, all the while threatening to pack up your Hot Wheels and Ninja Turtles and run away from home. Hall's actions and comments as of late have been childish. But it's obvious that he and head coach Bobby Petrino don't get along and if he's not satisfied with Atlanta, then the organization needs to let him go.

I think D. Hall is an average-to-good NFL player. Some put him near the top of their list of best cornerbacks playing right now. I don't. Here's why: Any time Hall faces a top-flight receiver he gets manhandled. Now, he has had a few good games here and there against some very good receiving talent. Heck, against Carolina he held Smith to one catch after he came into the game with four touchdowns through two games. But I don't think he's as good as people make him out to be, and if the Falcons decided to move him now as opposed to after the season, like they're planning, they could probably get some really good talent for him.

The reason they'll likely hold off is because the secondary is really hurting right now. Chris Crocker and Lewis Sanders have been battling injuries and Lawyer Milloy is getting up there in age. Hall provides a little bit of in-between-ness, if there is such a thing. He's not young, but he's not old. And let's face it, he can still do his job and do it well enough to make an impact. But with a good amount of younger players at the position behind him, it's silly to think that Hall isn't expendable at this point, especially now. The best solution would be to trade him away for picks or try to grab another corner that can do what Hall can do without all the off-field nonsense and teach the younger players how to play the position in the league. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Falcons to deal him, but when (not if) they do, it won't be cause to push the panic button.

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Here's what's coming up this week here on The Pro Schmo, in the Telegraph and at macon.com concerning the Falcons and the NFL:

Tuesday: Check out The Telegraph and macon.com for my power rankings of all NFL teams and my reasons for why progression outweighs disappointment this week for the Falcons. Check in here for answers to reader questions. If you haven't sent one in and you'd like me to know my take on it, feel free to get that to me and I'll do my best.

Wednesday: Go to macon.com/falcons to listen to my weekly Falcons podcast, then come back here for my early thoughts on this weekend's matchup at the Tennessee Titans.

Thursday: I head up to Flowery Branch for Falcons practice and I'll bring you the latest with what's going on up there in my practice report. I'll also be posting quotes from post-practice interviews so you know exactly what the Falcons are thinking and talking about. If there are questions you'd like me to ask any members of the Falcons, get those in to me by Wednesday and I'll post the answers right here.

Friday: Defensive tackle Grady Jackson is a mammoth threat for the Falcons, but there is another sport he excels at, which might come as a surprise. What is it? Check out The Telegraph or macon.com to find out. (Story subject to change if Jackson isn't available).

Saturday: The Final Word right here on what to expect from Sunday's game against the Titans and my prediction for who comes out on top.

Sunday: Check out The Telegraph or macon.com to find out what one of Vince Young's former teammates at Texas thinks of him and what the Falcons will need to do to stop him. Come to The Pro Schmo shortly after the game to get my thoughts on how the Falcons did.