posted on Aug, 29 2004 @ 09:23 AM
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, expected to play the first half of Saturday night's preaseason game against Cincinnati, instead was held out
after feeling tightness in his right hamstring during pregame warmups.
"It's been bothering me for a while, and that's why I think they made the decision to sit me down," Vick said. "I don't want to tweak it again and
have to worry about this on a week-to-week basis."
Added coach Jim Mora: "We feel having a healthy Michael Vick going into the regular season is the way to go.
"He's like one of those great sprinters or a fine race car. If they are not perfectly tweaked there is no sense in putting them out on the track,
especially if it's a game that has nothing to do with the standings or with the regular season," Mora said.
Rookie Matt Schaub started and led the Falcons on a four-play, 83-yard touchdown drive on their opening possession, completing a 36-yard pass to tight
end Alge Crumpler to open the drive and a 16-yard touchdown pass to Dez White.
After Schaub directed the touchdown drive, the Falcons announced Vick would be held out of the game. He was in uniform, wearing a baseball cap on the
sideline. Schaub finished with three touchdown passes for the second straight game.
Vick first strained the hamstring on Aug. 5, and he aggravated the injury in last week's preseason win over Minnesota. Mora and Vick downplayed the
injury this week, and Vick's status for the game was not expected to be in doubt.