Falcons Beyond Vick’s Help

Michael Vick’s return was less than triumphant. Domanick Davis ran for two quick touchdowns early in the third quarter and David Carr made his own unplanned appearance Sunday, rallying the Houston Texans to a 17-13 victory Sunday over the Atlanta Falcons.

It was Vick’s first game since he fractured his right leg in Week 2 of the exhibition season.

“I think I’ve got my elusiveness back,” he said. “I have to take my hat off to their defense. They gave me some looks I hadn’t seen in a long time.”

Vick, the top draft choice in 2001 who set an NFL rushing mark for quarterbacks with 1,066 yards over his first two seasons, made his debut with 2:14 remaining in the third quarter. He completed a nine-yard pass to Justin Griffith on his first play, though the drive ended with a punt.

Vick relieved Doug Johnson, who started eight times in Vick’s absence. Johnson was 12 for 27 for 116 yards and threw an interception that cost the Falcons (2-10) -- losers of three three in a row and 10 of 11.

Texans linebacker Jay Foreman was miffed the Falcons didn’t start their best quarterback.

“We thought he was hurt, then we could see he was throwing on the sidelines and wasn’t hurt,” Foreman said. “They took the Texans like it was a warmup game, and we took it personal.”

Vick was eight for 11 for 60 yards and ran three times for 16 yards.

Before Vick came back, it was last year’s top draft pick making the first unscheduled appearance. Carr was supposed to sit out the game after spraining his right shoulder two weeks ago. But he was pressed into action when Tony Banks broke his right hand on another player’s helmet near the end of the first half.

Carr, in obvious pain, led a 63-yard drive on the Texans’ first possession of the second half, getting 36 himself with a Vick-like run to the Atlanta 22. Davis ran untouched for a seven-yard touchdown and a 10-7 lead for the Texans (5-7).

Johnson’s next play was an interception thrown right to Coleman, who ran it back 22 yards to the Atlanta 13. Davis took it from there, punching it in from two yards for his second score in less than three minutes.