http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2006/12/17/1217falsider.htmlHall says Owens 'spit in my face'
By D. ORLANDO LEDBETTER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The NFC and AFC Pro Bowl teams will be announced on Tuesday.
For Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who made the all-star team last season, it was a good thing that the league's players turned in their votes last week.
Dallas' Terrell Owens beats Falcons DeAngelo Hall (21) and Chris Crocker for a touchdown.
In Saturday's 38-28 Dallas win, Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens had his way with Hall, who was playing on a bad left knee. Owens beat Hall short. He beat him long. He beat him on intermediate routes. Even all of the pushing and shoving got the attention of the officials, who called Hall for an illegal use of hands at a crucial point in the game.
The feud got off to a bad start early in the game.
"Right before the first punt, we kind of got in each other's face talking back and forth," Hall said. "But I lost all of my respect for him when he spit in my face. He's not too much in this league to go around spitting in guys face. I lost all respect for him."
Hall is calling for the league to look at the film and fine Owens for his actions.
"Hopefully the NFL can see, go back and watch the film and see it right before the first punt on third down," Hall said. "He just hauled off and spit in my face."
Owens finished with five receptions for 69 yards and two touchdowns.
"He had a couple nice catches," Hall said. "You expect that. He's a great player."
Dallas opened the game by throwing to Owens, who was covered by Hall, but a poor pass by Tony Romo fell incomplete.
Owens appeared to have beat Hall on the play.
The Falcons did flash some zone defense, but when they were in man-to-man Hall moved around with Owens. Owens' precision on his routes led to seven-yard touchdown to put Dallas ahead 7-0. He then used his speed on a 51-yard streak pattern that gave the Cowboys a 21-14 second-quarter lead. Hall was step-for step with Owens for the first 30 yards. At about the 20-yard line, Owens started to separate and had a two-yard cushion when Romo's pass arrived, hitting him in stride, with Hall diving at his legs.
"If you ask DeAngelo, I think he guessed a little bit on that one," Mora said. "Maybe a breaking route and T.O. got up over the top of him. The great corners sometimes they take those chances and sometimes it pays off and sometimes it doesn't. That time it didn't, unfortunately."
Hall admitted to guessing on the route, when he's supposed to stay on the top shoulder of Owens and not let him get behind him.
"I mean, yeah I sat down," Hall said. "Bottom line they caught the pass. They scored so, great throw, great catch."
Hall wouldn't use his left knee injury as an excuse for his performance.
"I don't feel it hindered me at all," Hall said. "I was able to run pretty good. The knee wasn't a factor at all."
Owens heard the smack Hall was talking all offseason.
He was incredulous that Hall was taking pride in "holding" him to seven catches for 112 yards last season when he was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. Hall let everyone know that he'd kept Owens out of the end zone.
While Hall kept Owens under 100-yard receiving, the two touchdowns were arguably the difference in a 10-point loss.
