FLOWERY BRANCH -- Falcons cornerback Kelvin Hayden, who is recovering from a dislocated toe, plans to be on the field at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Monday night.
“I’m very close,” Hayden said on Tuesday. “I’ll run again and see how that goes and hopefully I’ll be ready. Thursday, for me personally, will be a big day because I haven’t been out there in awhile. The more practice reps I get, the better.”
Hayden, who signed with the Falcons at the end of training camp, had stabilized the secondary’s nickel back position before suffering his injury against Tennessee on Nov. 20. He’s missed the past four games.
He’s aiming for the Saints game for his return.
“Oh yeah, no doubt,” Hayden said when asked if he’s ready to play. “This is a big division game. We can only help ourselves with a win. With our entire arsenal out there, that will give us a better chance.”
Second-year man Dominique Franks played the nickel back role in Hayden's absence.
In the Saints’ 26-23 win in overtime on Nov. 13, Hayden finished with four tackles plus one more tackle on special teams.
He knows it is a difficult task to return against the Saints and quarterback Drew Brees, who's on pace to break Dan Marino's single-season passing mark. While out rehabbing, Hayden prepared like he was still playing.
“When you are sitting around, you lose a little bit of conditioning, but mentally I’ve been into it,” Hayden said. “That won’t be a problem. The most important thing is just moving around.”
Brees needs 305 yards passing to break Marino’s record that has stood for 27 years.
“We want to go out there and play a complete game against him,” Hayden said. “We don’t want to be the team that he played against when he actually gets the record. Mainly, you want to come out with the win, but secondarily, we don’t want the record broken on us.”
Bosher booming his punts
Falcons coach Mike Smith has been pleased with the progress of rookie punter Matt Bosher.
“He’s really helped us in the field position battle,” Smith said. “When you win the field position battle, it usually leads to good things. It also can lead to winning the time of possession battle.”
Bosher, a sixth-round pick from Miami, got off to a bumpy start but has come on over the past six games. During those games, he’s averaged 45.9, 45.4., 33, 50.4, 50.5 and 40.8 yards. His season averages are a respectable 42.1 yards gross and 38.5 yards net.
“The special teams players have been getting down field and helping out on my punts by forcing a lot of fair catches and making tackles so my net average is good,” Bosher said.
Falcons special teams coordinator Keith Armstrong likes to utilize specialty punts in order to enhance the coverage. Bosher had to learn a lot about directional punting.
“If you can get a guy pinned down in the corner with most of your team over there covering him, he doesn’t have anywhere to run,” Bosher said. “We are just trying to give our coverage guys the best chance to make the best play.”
Bosher battled through his early season problems, averaging less than 40 yards per punt over his first five games. He credited Armstrong, long snapper Joe Zelenka and kicker Matt Bryant with helping him through that rough stretch.
“They kept me mentally strong and allowed me to find a groove and I started to play to my potential,” Bosher said.
Etc.
Tight end Reggie Kelly treated the football team from his alma mater (Aberdeen, Miss., High School) to the Falcons' game against Jacksonville. Sixty-four players and coaches attended the game. ... Wide receiver Kerry Meier had his appeal hearing over a $20,000 fine by the NFL postponed for a second time. The league fined Meier for his hit on Vikings long snapper Cullen Loeffler. Meier was fined for an illegal blindside block to the head area during a Falcons' punt return. Loeffler broke a bone in his lower back on the play and is out for the season. No penalty was called on the play.
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