While the Atlanta Falcons fell short Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens, one of their lightest players turned in perhaps the biggest performance.
As Leary threw the ball to tight end Qadir Ismail in the flat, Brooks broke. On paper, the Falcons' 5-foot-11, 169-pound cornerback had a disadvantage against the 6-foot-6, 215-pound Ismail.With no hesitation, Brooks lowered his pads and launched himself into Ismail. The ball popped out, Ismail went backwards and the Falcons' sideline erupted.
Now given another chance to make the 53-man roster, Brooks is running with it -- along with hitting, talking and enjoying each moment the journey provides. Brooks, a native of Starkville, Miss., is surrounded by new coaches in Atlanta's secondary room. Apart from assistant head coach/defense Jerry Gray, one of the few defensive holdovers from the previous staff, Morris started fresh on the back end.
"This year, we have the ability to play off a lot and read the quarterback. I feel like that's my skillset, being smaller," Brooks said. "I’m a twitchy guy, so I can get the vision break, view the quarterback, and I feel like that's the biggest thing in the scheme. But he wasn't a step slow Saturday. If anything, he was a step ahead -- which he feels arose after finding an early rhythm.
Brooks is fighting an uphill climb to make the roster. Atlanta held 37 players out of Saturday's exhibition, including 35 healthy scratches who appear safe on the final roster. Five of those players -- A.J. Terrell, Mike Hughes, Dee Alford, Clark Phillips III and Antonio Hamilton Sr. -- are cornerbacks.
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