Press Services:Still gimpy, Vick rules himself out vs. Titans

[TK]

http://www.gomemphis.com/mca/football/article/0,1426,MCA_478_2445067,00.html

Still gimpy, Vick rules himself out vs. Titans

NFL

By From Our Press Services

November 21, 2003

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick missed his second straight practice Thursday and indicated he won't play Sunday against Tennessee.

Vick sprained his right ankle in a morning walk-through Wednesday when guard Martin Bibla accidentally stepped on his foot. Vick, who has missed the entire season after fracturing his fibula Aug. 16, rolled his ankle as he tried to move to his right.

"I wanted to come out and try and play this week, get a couple of snaps," Vick said. "But what happened yesterday was something that we all didn't expect. I got a little taste of what it's like to get it touched, and that's a good thing. Now I know. We'll just see how it plays out."

Vick refused to offer details of how he was hurt, but linebacker Keith Brooking acknowledged that he was blitzing and accidentally pushed Bibla backward. Vick and Bibla were working with the scout team, and Brooking with the first-team defense.

"That's part of it," Brooking said. "I can't help it. That's just the way it goes, man. It's football."

Added Bibla, "Nobody's going full-tilt, but Keith goes a little harder than usual sometimes. That's just Keith, though."

The Falcons (2-8) have lost eight of their last nine as they prepare to host the Titans (8-2). Doug Johnson will start at quarterback for Atlanta.

If anything good came from his latest setback, Vick learned a hard lesson regarding his ankle brace. He practiced last week with a brace on his ankle, which was taped, but he didn't wear one for walk-throughs.

He will from this point forward.

"It was a little scary, but it was something that I think I needed," Vick said.

In his first full season as a starter last year, Vick led the Falcons to a 10-7-1 record and the second round of the NFC playoffs. He was the No. 1 overall draft choice in 2001 and set four league records for rushing by a quarterback in 2002.

Vick wants to play Nov. 30 at Houston if his ankle will let him, but his debut could get pushed back to the Dec. 7 home game with Carolina. The 23-year-old returned to practice last week for the first time this season.

Other developments:

Kearse update: Tennessee Titans defensive end Jevon Kearse didn't practice Thursday for a second straight day, and said his sprained left ankle is healing enough that he can walk on the foot. Whether he plays Sunday against Atlanta remains unknown.

Briefly: The Arizona Cardinals upgraded Emmitt Smith to questionable for Sunday's game against St. Louis after the NFL's career rushing leader went through a second day of practice Thursday. . . . Redskins QB Patrick Ramsey did not practice again Thursday, and he planned to stay late to "try a bunch of things" to get his ailing foot well enough to play this week. . . . The New England Patriots re-signed Dedric Ward to help their injury-depleted receiving corps. The Patriots (8-2) also placed fullback Fred McCrary on injured reserve with a leg injury, ending his season.

Asia Gray, the fiancee of Cleveland Browns running back William Green, pleaded innocent to charges she stabbed the player at their home Wednesday. Green was wounded under his left shoulder blade during a fight. . . . Former Tampa Bay receiver Keyshawn Johnson has joined "Fox NFL Sunday" as a studio analyst.