By Paul Newberry
The Associated Press

GREEN BAY, Wis. - Michael Vick has spent all season doing things that pro quarterbacks aren't supposed to do. He wasn't about to be bothered by the Lambeau Field mystique.

Vick added to his growing legend Saturday night by becoming the first visiting quarterback to lead his playoff team to a victory in Green Bay.

The Falcons and their 22-year-old quarterback scoffed at one of football's greatest myths: The Packers are unbeatable when playing on their home field in the postseason.

Atlanta rolled to a 27-7 victory in Vick's playoff debut, cruising through the final two quarters on a snow-covered field after building a 24-0 halftime lead.

Vick and the Falcons were well aware of Green Bay's history. The Packers were 13-0 in home playoff games, and Favre had never been beaten as a starter when the temperature was 34 degrees or lower.

"That was the thing we talked about all week," Vick said. "We knew one day it had to come to an end. Why not be the team to do it?"

The Falcons liked their chances even more when they trotted on the field to find surprisingly balmy conditions, by Green Bay standards. The temperature was 31 at kickoff, but the wind was hardly blowing and the snow didn't come till late in the first half.

"We were kind of expecting bad weather," Vick said. "It wasn't that bad."

The Falcons, who went 16-32 over the last three seasons, weren't exactly on a roll coming into their first playoff appearance since the 1999 Super Bowl.

Atlanta lost three of its last four, backing into the playoffs with a loss to Cleveland on the final weekend. The Falcons got in only because New Orleans closed with three straight losses to last-place teams.

All that was forgotten on a wintry Saturday night in Green Bay.

"No matter where our lives take us after this season, we'll always be drawn to this moment," receiver Shawn Jefferson said.

And the quarterback who took them there. Vick didn't put up overly impressive passing numbers, completing 13 of 25 for 117 yards. But he didn't make any big mistakes and he came through on every play that counted, continually baffling Green Bay's pass rush.

"I managed the game," he said. "And I came up with the big plays when we needed them."

The most striking moment was late in the first half. Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila had Vick cornered along the sideline. The quarterback simply pushed away the 255-defensive end, spun around and broke free for a 10-yard run.

"He had me," Vick said. "I was just trying to use my abilities. It was just another great play."

The tone of his voice wasn't boastful. He was just stating the facts.

"That guy is immune to any pressure," teammate Patrick Kerney said. "He didn't surprise me at all. He never gets rattled."

Gbaja-Biamila wasn't sure what happened against Vick.

"I'm speechless," he said. "He's elusive. He uses leverage. He uses a lot of things. He uses your momentum against you."

Vick finished with 64 yards on 10 carries. He wasn't sacked once, though the Packers got their hands on the quarterback all night.

Vick threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jefferson on Atlanta's first drive. He drove the Falcons into position for a field goal on the final play of the first half, providing a 24-point cushion as the team trotted to the locker room.

Not even Brett Favre, the master of the comeback, could come up with a Lambeau Field miracle of that magnitude.

The Falcons advanced to play the NFC's top-seeded team, the Eagles, in Philadelphia. Once again, Atlanta will be the underdog and Vick looks forward to another defining moment.

"We wanted to come out and make a statement," he said, "then get ready for the next team we have to play."

Appropriately, Vick shined on the field where he gave the first indication that this would be a special season.

In the opener, on a sweltering Lambeau day, Vick was brilliant both running and throwing, taking the Falcons to the brink of victory before Favre and Green Bay rallied for a 37-34 overtime victory.

This time, Atlanta jumped ahead and never let up. Vick got a lot of help from the defense and special teams, which forced five turnovers and blocked a punt for a touchdown.

The Falcons also took advantage of Green Bay's Achilles' heel: run defense, which ranked next-to-last during the regular season.

Warrick Dunn rushed for 64 yards on 15 carries. T.J. Duckett piled up 45 yards on 17 carries, including a 6-yard touchdown in which he carried a couple of guys into the end zone. Overall, Atlanta rushed for 192 yards.

"Michael Vick is a great player. He made some great plays. We couldn't tackle him," Green Bay coach Mike Sherman said. "But their whole team played well. It wasn't just Michael Vick."

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