American Football: falcons lose hall for 6-10 weeks

Falcons learned Tuesday that rookie cornerback DeAngelo Hall will miss six to 10 weeks with a small fracture on the left side of his hip.

Hall, the No. 8 overall pick and the first cornerback taken in the draft, had been designated as the starter on the left side three months ago by coach Jim Mora. Kevin Mathis will replace Hall Friday night when the Falcons visit Washington.

Hall was injured Saturday night after batting down a first-quarter pass intended for Cincinnati receiver Chad Johnson. Though he remained in the game for the next four series, Hall told trainer Ron Medlin that he was in pain.

"On that first deep ball when I was pressed up on about a 14-yard fade route, I just kind of came down on it wrong," Hall said after the game. "Hopefully, I'll be all right."

The Falcons needed Hall to help improve the play of a defense that finished last against the pass in 2003. Atlanta allowed an NFL-worst 6,108 total yards, the most in franchise history, before hiring Mora, who coordinated San Francisco's defense the last five years.

Mora and first-year coordinator Ed Donatell scrapped the 3-4 scheme in favor of a 4-3.

And MRI exam on Hall Sunday was negative. But a visit Monday to a hip specialist proved otherwise.

"But by no means is it season-ending or anything like that," Mora said. "Well get him back eventually, and well adjust as we go. We're lucky to have guys like Allen Rossum and Aaron Beasley and Kevin Mathis and Tod McBride, who's been back out here the last two days."

werent they looking for him as a starter