Rookie Hall will have fans in stands at Ford Field

TDJets72027 · Aug 8, 2007

Leon Hall isn't originally from Detroit but when the Bengals open up their preseason schedule Thursday night against the Lions on the road the team's No. 1 draft pick will be having a homecoming.

The cornerback and native of Southern California played his college football at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His wife and her family are from Detroit so he will have some fans in the stands. He won't have to use too much of his signing bonus money for tickets, however.

"I didn't have to get a lot of tickets," said Hall. "A lot of my friends are still at Michigan and they're in their camp so they can't come and a lot of other friends are in other NFL camps. It will be my wife and some of her family members."

Hall has had a solid beginning to his NFL career. With Johnathan Joseph, last year's No. 1 pick, out of practice recovering from June foot surgery, Hall and Keiwan Ratliff have each gained more reps with the first-team defense.

The Bengals selected Hall with the 18th overall pick in the draft in April. Hall came to Cincinnati with the reputation of being a physical player with sound technique. He hasn't disappointed. He made a one-on-one tackle of wide receiver Reggie McNeal during last Friday's intrasquad scrimmage on a quick pass to McNeal at the line of scrimmage for no gain, a play that brought visual meaning to the scouting reports.

"He made a nice tackle out there," said head coach Marvin Lewis of Hall's stop on McNeal. "He makes a lot of good plays. He just needs to keep playing and keep learning and doing what he's doing."

Sound technique from college doesn't automatically translate into success in the NFL. Hall has benefited from a daily dose of Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

"All of that stuff in college really doesn't matter, to be honest," said Hall. "You do that stuff in college but the technique changed when I came here. It is the same for the most part but you're going up against two of the best receivers in the league so they know how to attack corners, they know how to attack coverages and that forces you to tighten your game up that much more."

HEAT ALERT - The start of Tuesday's practice was pushed back 30 minutes due to the excessive heat. Practice still ran for the nearly two hours it was scheduled in temperatures that reached above 100 degrees with the heat index. Players are given sufficient water breaks and the medical staff is constantly on the watch for any possible problems related to the weather.

"It's our job," said running back Kenny Watson. "We handle our business, get in and get out. You never know what it's going to be like on Sundays so you have to prepare for it during the week."

The Bengals will hold a brief walk-through today before leaving for Detroit. Thursday's game will be played indoors at Ford Field in downtown Detroit.

"That will be nice," said Watson.

INJURY UPDATE - Wide receivers Tab Perry and Bennie Brazell returned to practice Tuesday but neither is expected to play Thursday at Detroit. Perry had soreness in his hip and had not practiced since last Tuesday. Brazell suffered from a sore groin following last Friday's intrasquad scrimmage.

Chad Johnson missed his second practice in a row with a twisted ankle. He also is not likely to play against the Lions. The Bengals will be thin at wide receiver with Glenn Holt (hamstring) and Antonio Chatman (groin) also out for the game.

The defense goes into Thursday's game relatively healthy. Joseph is the only starter who has missed significant practice time and he continues to progress from his injury. Joseph and former University of Cincinnati player Blue Adams (neck) were seen running sprints and doing defensive back drills on Tuesday.

FIRST UP - Skyler Green will get the first opportunity to return punts against the Lions. The Bengals averaged 6.6 yards per return last season, the fourth-worst average in the NFL. The thin ranks at wide receiver will also give Green a greater look at that position. Whoever wins the return job won't be the only factor in improving that area of the team.

"The first thing I look at in the offseason is the things we have to improve upon and obviously the punt return game is one of them," said special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons. "There are a variety of reasons why and why not but the first thing is technique. We have to get better at some of the techniques."
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Source: Cincinnati Post

fumetti · Aug 9, 2007

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Rookie Hall will have fans in stands at Ford Field

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Rookie Hall will have fans in stands at Ford Field

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