Monday, November 4, 2002
Falcons 20, Ravens 17
Vick struggles, but has better day than Blake
The Associated Press
ATLANTA - Michael Vick is human after all. Still, the Atlanta Falcons keep on winning. The Falcons squandered a 14-point lead but bounced back to win their fourth straight game, beating the shorthanded Baltimore Ravens 20-17 Sunday.
After two straight brilliant outings, Vick struggled, completing only 12 of 24 passes for 136 yards. The second-year quarterback also was sacked three times, had negative yards rushing, fumbled twice and threw his first interception of the season.
The Falcons (5-3) still managed to keep their winning streak alive. It's their longest since 1998, when the team won nine in a row on the way to its only Super Bowl appearance.
Defensive end Patrick Kerney picked up a fumble by former Bengal quarterback Jeff Blake and took it in for a touchdown, while T.J. Duckett scored on a 1-yard run to give the Falcons a 17-3 lead in the second quarter.
The Ravens (3-5) rallied, scoring with 1:56 left in the half on Blake's 7-yard pass to Travis Taylor to cap a nine-play, 92-yard drive - Baltimore's longest of the season.
On their first possession of the second half, the Ravens evened the score at 17, as fullback Alan Ricard rumbled 19 yards up the middle for the tying touchdown.
But Jay Feely kicked a 40-yard field goal with 2:02 left in the third quarter, and the Falcons held on from there.
Baltimore played without star linebacker Ray Lewis and No. 1 quarterback Chris Redman, both sidelined with injuries. Lewis, in fact, didn't even make the trip to Atlanta, where he was charged in a double-murder case after the 2000 Super Bowl.
The Falcons opened the game with a flea-flicker. Warrick Dunn flipped the ball back to Vick after taking a handoff, while Brian Finneran broke into the clear. Unfortunately for Atlanta, Finneran dropped the ball.
Another trick play near the end of the game worked, helping Atlanta run out the clock. Vick lined up at receiver, and Warrick Dunn took a shotgun snap. Dunn feigned a handoff to Vick and took off for a 24-yard run on third-and-6.
Then, on fourth-and-4 from the Baltimore 31 with two minutes left, the Falcons skipped a field-goal try and went for the clinching first down. Vick threw a low pass that Trevor Gaylor cradled just above the turf for a 6-yard gain.
Feely and Baltimore's Matt Stover traded field goals before Kerney scored the first touchdown of his career, the result of Blake inexplicably losing the ball while attempting to pass.
After the ball fell out of the Blake's hand before his arm went forward, Ravens lineman Jonathan Ogden tried to pick it up instead of falling on it. Instead, he kicked the ball toward Kerney, who scooped it off the turf and ran 4 yards for an easy TD.
Duckett set up his short TD run with a 33-yard gain. The rookie, coming back from a foot injury that kept him out the previous week, ran for 75 yards on 13 carries.
Blake, making his second straight start in place of Redman, lofted a soaring 64-yard pass to Taylor that sparked Baltimore's comeback. But Blake also was sacked six times, threw an interception and completed just 14 of 27 attempts.
Taylor had a a big day. He caught four passes for 127 yards and led the Ravens in rushing, gaining 39 yards on a botched reverse. Jamal Lewis was held to 36 yards on 12 carries.
BENGALS
Bengals 38, Texans 3
Bengals battling the odds today
Keys to the Game: Carr capable of big plays
Rookie LT all there is between Smith and Carr
Who's Got The Edge?
Bengals sign CB Myles
Levi Jones' Rookie Journal
Mark Curnutte's NFL Picks
Mark Curnutte's NFL Power Rankings
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Ohio State defense rises to occasion
Miami beats OU, takes MAC East lead
Upsets clear up BCS picture
Irish turn green in first loss
Florida hands Georgia first loss
Punt-return TDs lift Kentucky
Small Colleges: Mount win streak snapped
OHIO FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
Playoffs return to Paul Brown Stadium
Statewide second-round pairings
All local scores & links
Elder 20, St. Xavier 14
Lebanon 13, Anderson 7
Colerain 35, Northmont 12
Huber Heights Wayne 35, Moeller 34 (OT)
Valley View 31, Wyoming 21
Statewide playoff scores
KENTUCKY FOOTBALL
Covington Catholic 37, Holmes 7
Friday Kentucky scores & links
OHIO SOCCER
Five local teams advance to state
Turpin shutout not enough to avoid 1-0 loss
Girls state pairings
Boys state pairings
OHIO VOLLEYBALL
St. Ursula, Ursuline reach state VB semis
Bacon's run at repeat denied
KENTUCKY VOLLEYBALL
Notre Dame proud of tournament showing
KENTUCKY CROSS COUNTRY
St. Henry runners 1-2-3
SUNDAY HIGH SCHOOL COLUMNS
Ohio: Taylor girls running to glory
Kentucky: Waite plays, everyone wins
UC BASKETBALL
UC Notebook: Hicks receives extra coaching
UC women win exhibition
XAVIER BASKETBALL
Xavier Notebook: Matta's Muskies love to practice
Five Questions with Kevin McGuff
BOXING
DAUGHERTY: `Sugar' saved best for late rounds
Williams wins easy decision
REDS
Reds Insider: Ailing Gruler faces surgery on shoulder
Reds Email: Boone at short is possible in pinch
Redsfest tickets go on sale
SUNDAY FEATURES
Power Rankings: Best and worst of the week in sports
Surge squeeze in soccer success
College Update
OLYMPICS
New York gets U.S. bid for 2012 Games
NBA
Kings make it 3-0
Posey leads Nuggets to first win
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