Vick's turnovers rub out Falcons' chances vs. Browns

November 12, 2006

ATLANTA (AP) -- Michael Vick sat on the Georgia Dome turf,

looking around in disbelief while the boos came at him from all

directions.

He lost the ball, his helmet -- and the game.

Scouts Inc.'s take ...

Browns defensive coordinator Todd Grantham did an excellent job of mixing in his multiple defensive schemes and disguising coverages, which disrupted the flow of the Falcons' passing attack. Grantham also utilized ROLB Kamerion Wimbley as a spy on Michael Vick (above) in third-down situations, which forced Vick to stay in the pocket in critical third-down situations. Even though the Falcons had over 149 yards rushing the Browns didn't allow any explosive running plays.

The Browns continue to struggle on the offensive side of the ball. The Falcons' defense did a good job of restricting Cleveland's running lanes and forcing the Browns into a one-dimensional attack through the air. However, QB Charlie Frye did a good job of managing the game, taking what the defense gave him and didn't make any critical game-changing mistakes.

Vick threw two interceptions and had a careless fumble with 2:18

remaining, allowing the Cleveland Browns to escape with a 17-13

victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

For the second week in a row, the Falcons (5-4) lost to one of

the NFL's worst teams. Again, Vick took the brunt of the blame,

turning a once-promising season into an increasingly desperate

situation -- especially with a rash of injuries on defense.

"I take sole responsibility on the offensive side," he said,

shaking his head. "It hurts."

Atlanta was coming off a 30-14 loss at Detroit, only the second

win of the year for the Lions. The Browns (3-6) had dropped three

of four before they knocked off the Falcons in front of 70,000

stunned fans at the Georgia Dome.

Vick completed only 16 of 40 passes for 197 yards, but had the

Falcons in position to pull off a comeback with a 55-yard pass to

Roddy White, who made a tumbling catch at the Cleveland 17.

The Falcons quarterback took off running on the next play,

appearing to get another first down, but a holding penalty on Eric

Beverly negated the play.

"That right there determined the outcome of the game," Vick

said. "We could have been on the 5-yard line."

Instead, he faced second-and-20. Vick tried to run again on a

draw up the middle, but the Browns sensed what was coming and

forced him outside.

Vick began stumbling after cutting to his left and the ball,

dangling loosely in his left hand, struck his knee and came loose.

Jereme Perry, who was burned on White's long catch, swooped in to

make the recovery while another Browns player knocked off Vick's

helmet in the pile up.

"What can you say? I was trying to make a play," Vick said.

"If you want to say it was my fault, go ahead and say it, but I

know what I feel inside and I know what I know. It never should

have come to that point."

After playing brilliantly in wins over Pittsburgh and

Cincinnati, the mercurial Vick has cost the Falcons dearly with

sloppy plays the last two weeks. He also had two interceptions and

a fumble against Detroit, setting up a couple of touchdowns.

This time, Vick's first interception was followed by a Cleveland

touchdown, and his second was picked off just short of the end zone

when he underthrew Alge Crumpler on a fourth-down pass. Then came

the fumble on a play that appeared doomed from the start.

Vick actually lined up behind an offensive guard, scrambling

into the right spot only after center Todd McClure noticed that the

quarterback wasn't behind him. It only got worse from there.

"It would be ridiculous for me to stand here and criticize Mike

for dropping the ball when it hit off his leg when he's made so

many tremendous plays with the ball in his hand like that," coach

Jim Mora said.

Vick wasn't helped by his receivers, who dropped at least four

passes -- including a probable touchdown that grazed the fingertips

of Ashley Lelie.

Cleveland jumped ahead 14-0 against the Falcons, who were

missing three starters on defense and lost end Patrick Kerney to a

chest injury in the first half.

The Browns played without injured cornerback Leigh Bodden, but

the Falcons couldn't take advantage in the passing game. They

didn't show much commitment to the league's best rushing attack,

either, finishing with 149 yards on 29 carries.

Meanwhile, embattled Cleveland quarterback Charlie Frye had a

solid performance, completing 16 of 22 passes for 165 yards. For

the first time all season, he didn't throw an interception.

"I hope it's the first of many," Frye said. "I was trying not

to force the ball and cut down on the interceptions.

Cleveland jumped ahead late in the first quarter when Reuben

Droughns powered over from the 1 on fourth down. Frye set up the

touchdown with a 40-yard pass to Kellen Winslow, who badly burned

Allen Rossum, the fill-in for injured cornerback Jason Webster.

After Sean Jones made a diving interception on Vick, the Browns

quickly drove for another TD. Frye completed three straight passes,

the last of them a 19-yard score to Braylon Edwards, who found

himself wide open in the middle of a zone defense that broke down.

"Charlie did a wonderful job today," Droughns said. "If he

keeps making plays like he did today, he's going to be a good

quarterback."

Atlanta scored its only TD after being denied what appeared to

be a safety against Frye. The officials ruled him down inside the 1

and upheld the call after reviewing the replay. But Rossum returned

the ensuing punt 37 yards, setting up Vick's 12-yard touchdown pass

to Michael Jenkins.

Game notes
Steve Heiden partially blocked a punt by Atlanta late in

the first half, but Droughns fumbled two plays later. ... The half

ended with a wild play. Frye fumbled, the Falcons recovered near

midfield and pulled off two laterals before DeAngelo Hall was

finally shoved out of bounds at the Cleveland 17 with no time left.