On Sunday night the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Chicago Bears 21-14, but in the process lost a key defensive player.

Brian Williams, starting cornerback, has a torn ACL and is lost for the rest of the season.

Mike Smith, Falcons head coach, said that the team was placing Williams on injured reserve. He added that it would be hard for the Falcons to find cornerback help via a trade before the deadline on Tuesday.

During the fourth quarter Williams was injured when he fell awkwardly onto his right knee as he was defending against an end zone pass to Greg Olsen, Bears tight end. The pass was incomplete.

Williams did not return to the game and will probably be replaced by Chevis Jackson, second year cornerback.

On the next play, the Bears went after Jackson, Williams’ replacement. Olsen beat Jackson on a two yard pass for a touchdown.

Before the Falcons added added Hill and Williams before the start of the season, cornerback had been one of the team’s major concerns.

Smith said, we will have to be very quick. We have some guys that we think are ready for stepping into the role. It will give Chris Owens, Chevis Jackson and Tye Hill a chance for more playing time. This week when we get into Dallas our 45 man roster will look different.

After he signed with Atlanta on September 6, Williams earned his starting job.

Smith said it would a big loss for them but also an opportunity for a different player on their roster.

Williams played in Jacksonville for three years, including two years while Smith was the defensive coordinator.

Williams has played for eight years in the NFL and signed with the Falcons during the off season. He spent the last three seasons with Jacksonville. Williams has been a starter in 98 out of his 112 career games.

During the first five games for the Falcons the thirty year old Williams had 18 tackles, one interception and three passes defensed.

Williams’ prior experience with Smith did help him earn his starting job with Atlanta quickly. The veteran of eight years started all five games this year and recorded 15 tackles, one interception, one blocked punt, and one fumble recovery which he returned for a total of 53 yards.

Last season he started in all 16 of Jacksonville’s games.

Atlanta’s starting cornerbacks versus the Bears were Williams along with Brent Grimes. During the Falcon’s first four games the other starter with Williams was Chris Houston.

Grimes and Houston are the most probable cornerback duo versus the Cowboys, although the injury to Williams does provide opportunities for Hill and Jackson.

Erik Coleman, safety, said that he didn’t know how it would work out, but that they had lots of talent in their secondary.

On September 1, Hill was obtained from St. Louis. Each week he’s been inactive.

Hill, who in 2006 was the 15th overall pick in the draft, has missed a majority of the last two years due to injury. In his rookie season he started in 10 of the 16 Rams games and had three interceptions, one fumble recovery and four passes defended.

Smith made a comparison of Hill with former Falcon Domonique Foxworth, who Atlanta obtained before the 2008 started and needed a period to adjust before making 10 starts. This off season Foxworth signed with the Baltimore Ravens.

Smith said, Tye didn’t go through our training camp and OTAs. He was added late, similar to the situation we had with Domonique Foxworth last year. There is always a learning curve. Tye’s been working really hard to learn our defensive system. He will get a chance to play this week and compete for the cornerback position.

Smith said there wouldn’t be any updates until Wednesday on William Moore (hamstring) and Jerious Norwood (hip). Neither player returned after leaving the game on Sunday with injuries.

Ovie Mughelli (calf) didn’t play versus the Bears after being listed as questionable. The injury to Norwood leaves the team short handed at the running back position behind the starter Michael Turner.