<p>The Atlanta Falcons had every right to be giddy after a thrilling overtime win that answered their most pressing issue, for one week at least.</p><p>Yes, Michael Vick and Co. can throw the football.</p><p>Then again, the back-and-forth, 41-38 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers left some critical issues unresolved as the Falcons began analyzing their performance Monday.</p><p>Will John Abraham ever be 100 percent healthy this season? Can the offensive line withstand the loss of another starter? How were the Steelers able to throw five touchdown passes on Atlanta, two of them by the backup quarterback?</p><p>Pittsburgh piled up 473 yards Sunday, the most allowed by the Falcons (4-2) since New England went for 483 in Week 5 last season. The Steelers did most of their damage through the air, passing for 418 yards against an Atlanta defense that was intent on stopping the run.</p><p>The Falcons knocked Ben Roethlisberger out of the game early in the third quarter, but not before he completed 16-of-22 for 238 yards and three touchdowns. Charlie Batch came off the bench to go 8-of-13 for 195 yards and two more TDs.</p><p>"We loaded up on the run," Atlanta coach Jim Mora said. "I'm not saying I'm satisfied with the way we played the pass, because I'm not. But through the first six games in general, I have been."</p><p>Mora plans no changes in the secondary, even though cornerback Jason Webster was burned repeatedly and the Falcons have Jimmy Williams, their top draft pick this year, waiting in the wings.</p><p>The coach pointed out that the Falcons were missing two key players up front. Abraham and tackle Rod Coleman did not play because of injuries, which severely limited the pass rush. Also, safeties Lawyer Milloy and Chris Crocker failed to help out in coverage on several plays that Webster and fellow cornerback DeAngelo Hall were beaten on.</p><p>"Sometimes things look like they're on the corner, but they're not," Mora said. "That's just the way it is. When the other team runs it well, you look at the front seven. When they pass it well, it's the back four. But neither are really true."</p><p>Abraham's injury is the most troubling concern.</p><p>The three-time Pro Bowl end hurt his groin in the season opener and missed the next three games. Believing he was over the problem, he returned to play against the New York Giants, only to have the groin tighten up again after some 20 plays.</p><p>Abraham watched the end of a 27-14 loss to the Giants from the sideline, didn't practice at all last week and was scratched from the lineup Sunday morning. While Mora spoke confidently of Abraham returning for the next game at Cincinnati, the coach has said similar things before. It all depends on how Abraham looks in practice later this week.</p><p>"We thought all week (before the Pittsburgh game) that it was just sore," Mora said. "As the week went on, he wasn't getting worse; he just wasn't getting better. At this point in the season, it's still very early. We're going to need him for the stretch. I just want to be sure. I don't know if anyone in this game is going to be 100 percent, but I'm not going to put him out there if he's not comfortable."</p><p>On the offensive side, right guard Kynan Forney popped his shoulder out of joint for the second time in three games. While the medical staff was able to repair the problem, it's not known if Forney will be in too much pain to play against the Bengals.</p><p>Atlanta faced the Steelers without left guard Matt Lehr, who began serving a four-game suspension for violating the league's steroids policy. In his first NFL game, Tyson Clabo did a solid job filling in for Lehr. If Forney can't play, Clabo will shift to the right side and rookie Quinn Ojinnaka, a fifth-round draft pick, will move in at left guard.</p><p>"We'll just have to see where (Forney) is as the week goes on," Mora said. "The big issue with him is pain. It's extremely painful when that happens. Fortunately, I've never had it happen to me. But I saw the look on his face when he was out on the field."</p><p>Fortunately for the Falcons, Vick threw a career-best four touchdown passes, three of them to Alge Crumpler. The left-hander was 18-of-30 for 232 yards, by far his best performance of the season.</p><p>It couldn't have come at a more convenient time. Atlanta was ranked last in the league in passing yards, with a frustrated Vick expressing his desire to throw the ball more.</p><p>After passing so effectively against the defending Super Bowl champions, Mora was asked why the Falcons haven't been able to do it before. Was this just an anomaly, or a sign of things to come?</p><p>"That's a good question," said Mora, pausing for several seconds while he rubbed his cheek. "When you have the No. 1-ranked run offense in the league, you have to go with your strength while you develop other areas of your team."</p><p>"The thing now is to become consistent with it. When you run the ball as well as we've run it, teams have got to come up. Then you've got to make plays down the field."</p>
