Atlanta Falcons at Buffalo Bills Preview

By Darrell Laurant | Saturday, September 24, 2005 | ( 0 )

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Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick is always trying to convince sportswriters and fans that he's capable of being a "real" quarterback, one who can stand squarely in the pocket and make the difficult throws far downfield. This week, with his left hamstring still tender, would seem a good time to prove it.

Both of these teams stumbled last week after impressive opening victories. Vick was largely ineffective in a 21-18 loss to Seattle, although it could be argued that the Falcons' 21-0 halftime hole negated the value of running back duo Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett. Like most quarterbacks, Vick is severely handicapped when everyone knows he has to throw - a far different situation than the Week One triumph over the Eagles, when the Atlanta Falcons were able to display good offensive balance.

The Buffalo Bills 22-7 opening-day rout of Houston may have had more to do with the Texans than the Bills. At any rate, RB Willis McGahee (113 rushing yards in Week One, 34 in Week Two) and QB J.P. Losman were as impotent in a 19-3 loss to Tampa Bay as they were lethal against Texas.

The Bills' defense has allowed only two rushing TDs this season, but Dunn and Duckett (and, perhaps, Vick) will sorely test that unit. On the offensive end, McGahee was criticized for being tentative against Tampa Bay, and Losman looked like a QB making only his second start.

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