Vick-less Falcons still trying to fly

FLOWERY BRANCH - Michael Vick is home with a broken leg. The preseason went by with nary a win. Now, the Atlanta Falcons are opening the regular season as underdogs to a team that has gone 5-11 three years running.

What happened to all that Falcons hype?

``It does tick me off a little bit,'' Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Brooking said Wednesday. ``We lose one player and everybody's perception changes so much. You can bet we're going to use that as motivation in the locker room.''

Indeed, the season that held such promise a few weeks ago begins Sunday at Dallas with a definite feeling of unease.

The Falcons didn't lose just any player they lost Vick, the cornerstone of the franchise and one of the most valuable players in the NFL.

The quarterback broke a bone in his right leg, knocking him out for at least the first four games of the season. When Vick does return, no one knows how effective he'll be as a runner the forte that sets him apart from all other QBs.

With Vick sidelined for most of the preseason, the Falcons failed to win an exhibition game for only the second time in team history. They also went 0-4 in 1979.

The preseason isn't an accurate barometer by any means. Atlanta went 4-1 in 2000, only to go 4-12 when the games started counting. Still, the lack of even one victory was a little unsettling.

``It doesn't matter if you're playing your mother in checkers, you want to win,'' defensive end Patrick Kerney said. ``Winning is a habit. You at least like to get a little taste of it. We'll just have to start from scratch.''

Cornerback Ray Buchanan said the preseason exposed a troubling lack of depth for the Falcons, who view themselves as an emerging power after making the playoffs in 2002 and becoming the first visiting team ever to win a postseason game at Green Bay's Lambeau Field.

``We just didn't have the depth we thought we had,'' Buchanan said. ``The first- and second-teamers did all right, then the third- and fourth-stringers would blow it. If people start going down, there's going to be a problem.''

The oddsmakers made the Falcons a 1.5-point underdog against the Cowboys, who have endured three miserable seasons but figure to be fired up for Bill Parcells' return to coaching. The gamblers certainly favor Dallas, pushing the line to 2 points on Wednesday.

The Cowboys' speedy, attacking defense could cause all sorts of problems for the Atlanta offense, which will have Doug Johnson at quarterback instead of Vick.

``They fly to the football,'' Johnson said. ``They're really aggressive.''

The Falcons struggled during the preseason, scoring just three offensive touchdowns in their final 14 quarters. Overall, Atlanta reached the opponents' 20-yard line only five times in four games, hindered by a dismal 30 percent success rate on third down.

But the news isn't all bad. Vick's hard cast was removed on Wednesday, replaced by a softer, removable cast. While he's still walking with the aid of crutches, he may be able to travel with the team to its opening game. That would certainly provide an emotional boost.

``We want him around,'' said safety Keion Carpenter, one of Vick's closest friends on the team. ``Just having his presence would help us a lot.''

If nothing else, the switch to a new cast showed that Vick's recovery is on schedule. Team doctor Andrew Bishop said it's ``highly unlikely'' the quarterback will need surgery to repair his broken fibula.

But Vick won't be back on the field anytime soon, and a poor start could send the team's confidence into a tailspin.

``It would take the pressure off if we can get some victories,'' Buchanan said. ``If we don't get a victory, we could go into the dumps. There's a sense of urgency to get started early.''

The Falcons have shown they can win without Vick. When he couldn't play at New York last season because of an injured shoulder, Johnson led Atlanta to a 17-10 victory over the Giants to start an eight-game unbeaten streak.

Then again, that was last season.

``We showed a lot of character the way we faced adversity,'' Buchanan said. ``But every year is different. These are different players. You can't rely on last year.''

For now, the Falcons can't rely on Vick, either.

``Mike's a big proponent that it's not just him on this team,'' Kerney said. ``A lot of guys in this locker room would say the same thing. This is our chance to prove it. Mike is an incredible player. He makes us better. But this is a heck of a team without him.''