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Backup shines as Vick sits with tightness in hamstring

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Published August 29, 2004

ATLANTA - The less the Falcons see of Michael Vick, the more they like Matt Schaub.

For the second straight week, Schaub passed for three touchdowns, leading the Falcons past Cincinnati and its young quarterback, Carson Palmer 37-10 in a preseason game Saturday night.

Vick, expected to play the first half, was held out after aggravating a hamstring injury in warmups and watched Schaub win again.

Guiding the Falcons to a 27-7 halftime lead, Schaub completed 14 of 20 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns. The rookie from Virginia completed his first six passes.

"We got off to a great start, and that always helps build confidence," Schaub said, giving credit to his teammates, including his receivers for "catching everything I was throwing them."

Playing behind Vick in last week's 27-24 preseason win over Minnesota, Schaub passed for 205 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, but he didn't expect to see as much playing time Saturday.

Falcons rookie cornerback DeAngelo Hall left the game late in the first half with a left hip injury. Falcons running back Warrick Dunn walked off slowly with a right leg strain in the second period after rushing for 53 yards on nine carries. The Bengals lost receiver Patrick Johnson to a hand injury in the second period.

PANTHERS 20, PATRIOTS 17: Carolina got a measure of revenge for its Super Bowl loss to visiting New England - even if it again struggled to stop Tom Brady and the Patriots' offense.

Panthers backup QB Rodney Peete found Walter Young for an 18-yard touchdown pass with 1:48 to play. Jake Delhomme threw for 201 yards and a touchdown for Carolina, which has won eight straight preseason games.

Linebacker Brandon Short added a key interception to set up the winning drive, which erased a 17-10 lead built by New England's starters. Brady again stung the Panthers' defense, throwing for 217 yards and two touchdowns.

COLTS 30, BILLS 17: Mike Doss recovered a fumbled punt return and blocked another punt that went for a touchdown, Dominic Rhodes returned a kickoff 84 yards to set up another score and Mike Vanderjagt kicked three field goals. The victory was hardly by design. Again the Colts' high-octane offense frequently backfired, generating just one scoring drive. Again Peyton Manning looked out of synch. And again host Indianapolis committed far too many mistakes with two interceptions, two fumbles and seven penalties, three on the game's first series.

BROWNS 21, CHIEFS 19: Cleveland rookie quarterback Luke McCown hit rookie Richard Alston with a 34-yard TD pass with no time left to edge host Kansas City. McCown, a fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech, engineered an eight-play, 80-yard drive in the final 1 minute, 39 seconds. He also hit C.J. Jones for 37 yards in the drive. The Browns also got a 7-yard TD pass from McCown to backup tight end Darnell Sanders with 3:40 to go.

RAVENS 17, LIONS 6: Chester Taylor ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns, and the host Ravens got a solid performance from their depleted defense. With middle linebacker Ray Lewis leading the way, Baltimore did not yield a touchdown for the second time in three games.

Elsewhere

BEARS: Veteran Todd McMillon took over at right cornerback in the second quarter of Friday's 17-13 loss to New Orleans after R.W. McQuarters left with a pulled right hamstring. The Chicago Tribune reported an initial prognosis called for McQuarters to miss three weeks.

BRONCOS: Running back Mike Anderson sustained what appeared to be a serious left groin injury with less than two minutes left in Friday's 31-17 victory against Houston. Also, defensive tackle Luther Elliss injured his right shoulder in the first quarter and didn't return. Anderson was helped off the field and was on crutches. His injury could mean an increased role for Garrison Hearst, who would provide a veteran backup ahead of rookie Tatum Bell.

COWBOYS: Coach Bill Parcells said wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson will get playing time on defense, probably in late game, desperation situations so he can use his 6-4, 212-pound body in attempting to bat down the ball in the secondary.

JAGUARS: Jacksonville released 11 players, including veteran wide receiver Matthew Hatchette. Three other veterans were released: cornerback Blue Adams, guard Konrad Dean and offensive tackle Marques Ogden. The other players waived were running backs Joe Smith and former Gators running back Robert Gillespie, center Marwan Hage, long-snapper Mike Gomez and a trio of wide receivers - Matt Cherry, Fred Stamps and former Bethune-Cookman quarterback Allen Suber.

RAMS: Starting right tackle Kyle Turley will miss the season after he was placed on injured reserve. Linebacker Jeremy Loyd, who tore his left pectoral muscle against Washington on Friday, also was placed on injured reserve. Turley reinjured his surgically repaired back in late July and left training camp Aug. 1.

VIKINGS: Michael Bennett will miss one to three weeks after spraining his right knee in Friday's win over San Francisco. He is questionable for Minnesota's season opener Sept. 12 against Dallas. Onterrio Smith, Bennett's top backup, likely will miss the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy. He is appealing the suspension.

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