Skins corner, Panthers wideout will face each other this Sunday
ASHBURN – Once upon a time they were friends; one even invited the other into his home the night before a game. It’s hard to remember that now. Since then, DeAngelo Hall told the media he was tired of hearing how great Steve Smith was. Smith returned serve, referring to Hall as a court jester.
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Then came an exchange of words during a game two years ago.
“We went from being good friends to bad friends to don’t talk,” Hall said.
They remain competitors. And they’ll have to acknowledge one another Sunday, when Hall, who played vs. Smith five times as a corner in Atlanta, is expected to cover the Carolina receiver at least part of the time.
Hall stressed that Sunday’s game wasn’t about them. He also knows it’s an interesting subplot.
non-local sources» I like Jake Delhomme. Everybody likes him. … He’s won a whole lot of football games as Carolina Panthers quarterback. But it’s time to bench him.
He’s just not the same guy right now as he was in 2003 when he got Carolina to the Super Bowl. Or in 2005. Or in 2008 before the Arizona game. He is making so many mistakes that I’m starting not to mind John Fox’s patented draw play on third-and-15, because the alternative too often seems to be Delhomme turning the ball over.— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer» The biggest problem the Panthers have with [end Julius] Peppers is that there’s no one in Charlotte he’s accountable to. The owner tried a few years ago and it backfired. The coach makes about a third of Peppers’ salary this year, insulating the player to an extent.
And all the old guys he used to listen to are gone, leaving no one to call him out for his lack of production. Peppers has always said he keeps his own standard, sets his own goals. By no expectations, however, is he playing to his level.— Darin Gantt, Rock Hill Herald» Paging Mike Shanahan, Jon Gruden, Bill Cowher, etc. The Redskins are the league’s least-impressive 2-2 franchise. Both victories have come by slim margins against winless squads (St. Louis and Tampa Bay). One of the losses was to Detroit, a team that had dropped 19 straight contests. Washington’s hiring of long-time assistant coach Sherman Lewis as an “offensive consultant” on Tuesday furthers the belief that [Jim] Zorn will be on his way out sooner than later.— Alex Marvez, FOX.com» This is a franchise always in search of a shortcut — and that’s what Lewis represents. [Dan] Snyder basically brought in an insurance policy in case Zorn and his players completely implode.
“I’ve always admired Lewis from afar. But it’s ludicrous to think he can show up after so much time away from the game and make an immediate impact. This is like putting a tiny Band-Aid on a gaping wound.— Matt Mosley, ESPN.com
“You want to make sure you don’t let that get out of hand,” Redskins secondary coach Jerry Gray said. “Sometimes you can go overboard, but DeAngelo understands that.”
There doesn’t figure to be much talking going on anyway.
“If I see him, I’ll shoot him a ‘What’s up’ ” Hall said. “But I ain’t going to go out of my way to speak to him. I’m sure he’s liable to do the same thing.”
When asked on a conference call about his memories facing Hall, Smith said, “You already know that answer … DeAngelo presents a very good challenge.”
Two years ago, Smith offered a little more after a game in which Hall held him to one catch for 10 yards. But Hall was penalized three times during one series — once for pass interference and twice for unsportsmanlike conduct.
“The things he was talking about are minute, about `I’ve been in as many Pro Bowls as you. I make more money.’ Just real immature stuff,” Smith told reporters after that game.
But they’d already had their problems before that game.
Still, Hall respects Smith, raving about his ability to run after the catch. Smith is off to a slow start, stymied by double teams and a quarterback, Jake Delhomme, who is struggling.
“They might try to get him the ball a little too much,” Hall said. “That’s probably why they’ve got so many turnovers. They’re trying to force him the ball. That’s Steve, though. He’ll come to the sideline, get mad, next series Jake will come at him three times in a row.”
Hall and Smith competed against one another five times when they played in the same division. In those five games vs. Atlanta, when Hall played with the Falcons, Smith had one 100-yard game and two touchdowns.
“I’m sure he wants to go out there and try to dominate me, catch every ball on me. I’m going to try to do the same thing, not let him smell the ball,” Hall said. “Other teams have already been able to stop him.”
But Hall couldn’t resist one last tweak. Gray said Hall would be a lot like Smith had he played receiver. And if he were one?
“I’d be better than him,” Hall said.
