Final
for this game
Falcons QB Vick likely to play with groin injury
Dec 24, 2006 - 5:47 PM Carolina (6-8) at Atlanta (7-7) Sunday 1:00 pm ESTATLANTA (Ticker) -- Michael Vick is trying to recover from a groin injury. Jake Delhomme remains sidelined with a sprained ligament in his thumb.
Vick will play on Sunday when the Atlanta Falcons host the Carolina Panthers in a battle of NFC South rivals.
The Falcons are in better shape to snag a playoff berth than the Panthers, who can only hope that an 8-8 record will be good enough.
That's not the way this season was supposed to be for Carolina, which made the NFC championship game last season and was expected to make another run at the Super Bowl.
But the Panthers enter Sunday's contest with a four-game losing streak - the last two coming with backup quarterback Chris Weinke filling in for the injured Delhomme.
Last week, Weinke was sacked five times and threw for just 170 yards in a 37-3 loss to Pittsburgh.
Atlanta is tied with the New York Giants and one game behind Philadelphia in the race for the two wild-card spots. The Falcons close the season at Philadelphia.
Vick suffered a groin injury while evading a pass rush on Atlanta's last series in last week's 38-28 loss to Dallas. Matt Schaub replaced Vick and was intercepted in the end zone by rookie Pat Watkins.
Vick scorched the Cowboys for four touchdown passes and also ran for 56 yards.
Vick has set a single-season rushing record for quarterbacks with 990 yards, surpassing the mark previously held by Bobby Douglass, who gained 968 yards for Chicago in 1972.
The Falcons posted a 20-6 win at Carolina in the season opener. Defensive end John Abraham had two sacks and two forced fumbles and Atlanta rushed for 252 yards. Vick threw for two touchdowns and Dunn gained 132 yards on 29 carries.
After covering Terrell Owens last week, Falcons cornerback DeAngelo Hall will likely get the assignment of shadowing Steve Smith, who has 76 catches for 1,081 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games this season. Smith missed the opener against the Falcons due to a groin injury. Last season, Smith had 16 catches for 196 yards and two touchdowns in two games versus Atlanta.
The Falcons have won 10 of the last 13 meetings.
- NFL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CAROLINA 0 10 0 0 10
ATLANTA 3 0 0 0 3 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: ATL - FG, MORTEN ANDERSEN 40 YD, 4:28. Drive:
10 plays, 61 yards in 4:28. Key
plays: Vick 8-yard pass to Lelie on
3rd-and-2 to Atlanta 33; Vick
19-yard pass to Crumpler to Atlanta
42; Vick 18-
Dec 24 3:53 PM - NFL
END, 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CAROLINA 0 10 0 10
ATLANTA 3 0 0 3 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: ATL - FG, MORTEN ANDERSEN 40 YD, 4:28. Drive:
10 plays, 61 yards in 4:28. Key
plays: Vick 8-yard pass to Lelie on
3rd-and-2 to Atlanta 33; Vick
19-yard pass to Crumpler to Atlanta
42; V
Dec 24 3:10 PM - NFL
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CAROLINA 0 10 10
ATLANTA 3 0 3 HALFTIME
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: ATL - FG, MORTEN ANDERSEN 40 YD, 4:28. Drive:
10 plays, 61 yards in 4:28. Key
plays: Vick 8-yard pass to Lelie on
3rd-and-2 to Atlanta 33; Vick
19-yard pass to Crumpler to Atlanta
42; Vick
Dec 24 2:24 PM
TD CAR JEFF KING 1 YD PASS FROM CHRIS WEINKE (JOHN KASAY KICK)
M Williams 10-yard run to Carolina 48; M Williams 6-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to Atlanta 13; M Williams 3-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to Atlanta 1.
Panthers vs. FalconsDec 24 2:15 PM
TD CAR JEFF KING 1 YD PASS FROM CHRIS WEINKE (JOHN KASAY KICK)
M Williams 10-yard run to Carolina 48; M Williams 6-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to Atlanta 13; M Williams 3-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to Atlanta 1.
Panthers vs. FalconsDec 24 2:15 PM
TD CAR JEFF KING 1 YD PASS FROM CHRIS WEINKE (JOHN KASAY KICK)
M Williams 10-yard run to Carolina 48; M Williams 6-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to Atlanta 13; M Williams 3-yard run on 3rd-and-1 to Atlanta 1.
Panthers vs. FalconsDec 24 2:15 PM- NFL
TD CAR
JEFF KING 1 YD PASS FROM CHRIS WEINKE
(JOHN KASAY KICK)
CAROLINA 7
ATLANTA 3 14:56 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Panthers vs. FalconsDec 24 1:33 PM - NFL
END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
CAROLINA 0 0
ATLANTA 3 3 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: ATL - FG, MORTEN ANDERSEN 40 YD, 4:28. Drive:
10 plays, 61 yards in 4:28. Key
plays: Vick 8-yard pass to Lelie on
3rd-and-2 to Atlanta 33; Vick
19-yard pass to Crumpler to Atlanta
42; V
Dec 24 1:30 PM
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