Falcons...26 Texans...16

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons picked up their first victory without quarterback Michael Vick, and they beat Vick’s former backup to get it.

Joey Harrington threw two touchdown passes to Michael Jenkins, 47-year-old Morten Andersen kicked four field goals and the Falcons defeated Matt Schaub and the Houston Texans, 26-16, Sunday.

Harrington, who took over as starter for the Falcons (1-3) after Schaub was traded and Vick became embroiled in a dogfighting case, completed 23 of 29 for 223 yards.

The Texans (2-2) had a final chance with slightly more than two minutes remaining. Schaub ran up the middle and dived into the end zone, initially getting credit for a 13-yard touchdown run that could have pulled Houston within a field goal. The Falcons challenged, and referee Gerald Austin ruled that Schaub went down just short of the end zone.

Quoteworthy: “We feel like we’re starting to dictate what the other team has to do.” -- Joey Harrington, Falcons quarterback