Decision on Vick might be made just prior to game

Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005 | 9:24 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICES

Protecting his injured hamstring, Falcons quarterback Michael Vick did not practice Wednesday and said he might not know until shortly before Sunday's kickoff if he will play.

Vick is one of three key players with hamstring injuries whose status for the game at Buffalo is questionable.

"Basically, we're going to play it by ear and see how it goes," said Vick, who injured his left hamstring on a 32-yard, fourth-quarter run in last Sunday's 21-18 loss at Seattle. "I'll probably make the final decision. I'm the only one who knows how bad I'm hurting and knows what I can't and can do.

"I've got to be able to move around. That's a big part of my game, a big part of our package in what we do as an offense. If I can go out, move around, maneuver a little bit, maybe 80, 85, 90 percent, then I've got a great shot at going out there Sunday. . . I've got to be able to be me, that's all."

Since Vick became the full-time No. 1 quarterback in 2002, the Falcons have a 3-10 mark when he has not started. If he does not start, second-year quarterback Matt Schaub will make his second career start. Schaub completed 17 of 41 passes for 188 yards and two interceptions in a 26-13 loss at New Orleans last season.

If he does start against the Bills (1-1), Schaub wouldn't have to feel like it's his responsibility to determine the outcome, coach Jim Mora said.

"Whether Mike's playing or not, we're going to run the football," Mora said. "If Mike doesn't play we're not going to change our mind-set as a football team. The players in that locker room and the coaches upstairs and myself, we have tremendous confidence in Matt. We like the guy. He can win for us and we can win with him as our quarterback."

Bills coach Mike Mularkey said his players would be making a mistake if they did not think they would face Vick.

"We are preparing that Michael is going to be healthy," Mularkey said. "We can adjust from there, but I don't know if you can adjust the other way. We're going to go like he's 100 percent and adjust if need be."

Vick, who did not walk with a limp Wednesday, said he was uncertain whether he would practice today or at all this week, but said he if did not practice he still would be prepared enough to play if he felt healthy Sunday. Mora said Vick, who has not played in all 16 regular-season games in any of his previous four seasons, would not be pushed to return.

"Will Allen is the starting corner, OK?" Coughlin said before mumbling as he was leaving the room that his news conference had lasted five minutes too long.

Though the Giants have won their first two games for the first time in five years, and even though the 0-2 San Diego Chargers are their opponent on Sunday, Coughlin says his team has little margin for error, especially in the secondary.

Coughlin made the Chargers, who are 27th in the NFL in total offense, sound downright scary. The Giants have succeeded in stopping the run in their first two games, but stopping the pass has been a different story.

Allen was benched in the second half of the Giants' 27-10 victory against the New Orleans Saints after he allowed a hard, heavy pass from Aaron Brooks to zip through his hands. It would have been Allen's first interception of the season.

Allen said that he was surprised when he was replaced by the rookie Corey Webster, but added that the only way to influence a coach's decision was to play well. After repeatedly watching videotape of the play, Allen seemed disgusted with himself. Had he caught the ball, he said, he might not have been benched.

Fonoti broke his hand during practice last week but played in Sunday's loss at Denver.

Kris Dielman will start in his place at left guard.

Franks has played in all of Green Bay's 88 games, counting playoffs, since former general manager Ron Wolf made him his top pick out of Miami in the 2000 draft.

But a bruised left knee could keep Franks on the sideline Sunday for the first time in his six-year NFL career, further hampering the Packers' efforts to straighten out their sputtering offense.

Franks, who was hurt Sunday when four Cleveland defenders drove him into the ground after a 10-yard reception, missed Wednesday's workout and is listed as questionable for Sunday, when the Packers (0-2) will try to beat Tampa Bay (2-0) for the 13th consecutive time at home.