An Ill-Timed Loss for Saints

Michael Vick felt sick on Atlanta’s final possession of the game. That didn’t stop him from leading the Falcons to their third consecutive victory.

Vick drove the Falcons down the field in the closing minutes, setting up Jay Feely’s 47-yard field goal as time expired Sunday to give Atlanta a 37-35 victory over the New Orleans Saints.

“I took myself out because I didn’t want to vomit on the field,” said Vick, who took himself out two plays before game’s end because of a swollen left thumb, pain in his left shoulder and nausea. “I’m banged up just a little bit. I’ll be all right.”

The game was the first matchup of two heralded quarterbacks who are cousins. The Falcons’ Vick and the Saints’ Aaron Brooks both grew up in Newport News, Va.

“It was fun playing against him,” Vick said. “He brings out the best in me, and I bring out the best in him.”

Atlanta (4-3) harried Brooks throughout, but the New Orleans quarterback guided the Saints (6-2) to a 35-34 lead when Deuce McAllister ran 16 yards for a score with 2:20 left.

Then Vick took control. He drove the Falcons to the Saints’ 29-yard line before he took himself out. Feely, who missed a 45-yard attempt with 56 seconds left in Atlanta’s loss to Chicago, did the rest.

After the game, Vick had both shoulders iced. His right, non-throwing shoulder had been injured Oct. 6 against Tampa Bay, forcing him to sit out the Falcons’ next game.

“It’s nothing,” said Vick, who completed 16 of 24 passes for 195 yards. He rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns, including a 32-yard score in the last quarter.

Atlanta’s Warrick Dunn, who entered the game with 160 yards rushing this season, gained 142 yards and scored once.

“It was just a matter of getting the opportunity to play big,” said Dunn, whose role was expanded Sunday when emerging rookie T.J. Duckett did not play because of a sore foot.

Brooks completed only 16 of 35 passes for 192 yards. He threw two touchdown passes and two interceptions. “On film we saw Brooks was most successful when dropping back, so he has time to read the defense,” Falcon cornerback Ray Buchanan said. “We played man to man and rushed guys in his face.”

McAllister had 115 yards in 17 carries and scored two touchdowns.