ATLANTA -- Pro Bowl cornerback DeAngelo Hall did not start the Atlanta Falcons' game against the Houston Texans on Sunday after a run-in with the coaching staff the previous week.

Clayton: Appeal a good sign

The fact that DeAngelo Hall is appealing his fine probably means that the penalty was appropriate, writes John Clayton.
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The Falcons fined Hall $100,000, which he plans to appeal, and planned to sit him out either the first quarter or the first half, according to the cornerback. Coach Bobby Petrino has declined to discuss the punishment.

Rookie Chris Houston got his first career start at cornerback. Hall, meanwhile, watched from the Atlanta bench, wearing a Falcons baseball cap. He had started 43 of the past 44 games, including 19 in a row, and earned Pro Bowl honors the past two seasons.

Hall's future with the Falcons also may be in a doubt after recent comments in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Hall was asked twice if he thought he could play for Petrino long term. He paused before responding: "Some things would have to change, obviously. Like you said, some guys are made for college. Some guys are made for the NFL. If he wants respect given to him, he must give respect back."

Hall got into a heated argument with Petrino and an assistant coach on the sideline after being penalized three times for 67 yards on Carolina's game-tying drive in the third quarter last Sunday. He was flagged for an interference penalty on Panthers star Steve Smith, which wasn't in dispute, then picked up a personal foul and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty when he continued to go at it with the receiver.

DeAngelo Hall

Cornerback
Atlanta Falcons

Profile

2007 Season Stats

Tot	Solo	Ast	FF	Sack	Int
7	7	0	0	0	1

Once Hall got to the sideline, he began to jaw with Petrino and assistant coach Joe Whitt Jr. The player had to restrained by three of his teammates, but he finished the game.

Carolina won 27-20 to keep the Falcons winless.

"I think it's a little bit unfair," Hall said during the week. "But he made his decision, and we need to move on from here. I'll try to rectify it and move on."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.