Backups for Ravens, Falcons to have lead role in final preseason game

ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Falcons' first home preseason game this week was overshadowed by Michael Vick's guilty plea.

Nothing so dramatic would be required to upstage the team's final preseason game.

Atlanta's starters may not even make an appearance Friday night when the Falcons play the Baltimore Ravens at the Georgia Dome. Baltimore coach Brian Billick, meanwhile, is talking up the game only as good travel practice for his team.

It's no surprise some argue NFL teams don't need four preseason games.

The Falcons and their new quarterback, Joey Harrington, gave home fans reason for confidence in the post-Vick era when Harrington passed for two touchdowns in a 24-19 win over Cincinnati on Monday night.

Vick, who had been the face of the franchise, pleaded guilty to a federal dogfighting charge and was suspended indefinitely by commissioner Roger Goodell. Vick will be sentenced on Dec. 10.

Coach Bobby Petrino gave the team Tuesday off and in Wednesday's practice had his starters focus on their Sept. 9 first regular-season game at Minnesota. He then announced the starters, who played into the third quarter against the Bengals, probably would not play against Baltimore.

"That's a quick turnaround from Monday to Friday," Petrino said.

That leaves Chris Redman and Casey Bramlet as the Falcons' quarterbacks against the Ravens. Bramlet, the MVP for the Hamburg Sea Devils in this year NFL Europa World Bowl, will be trying to convince the team it doesn't need to shop for another quarterback following Vick's exit and D.J. Shockley's season-ending knee injury.

Even Redman needs to show he can handle the backup job.

"It's a big game for a lot of guys on the team," said Redman, who directed a 63-yard touchdown drive on his first possession against the Bengals.

"I think anytime you play quarterback you're going to feel pressure," he said. "The pressure is on. You don't have to put any added pressure on yourself."

The game may be more important to Baltimore, which had a 13-7 loss to Washington halted early in the third quarter Saturday night due to lightning.

"That hurt because you took substantial snaps away," Billick said.

Billick said second-string right guard Ben Grubbs, scheduled to play the full second half, instead was in the game for only five plays.

"It is what is," Billick said. "We have to find a way to make it up and we'll do it this week."

Billick said the Ravens need the road trip as practice for the Sept. 10 opening game at Cincinnati. The team only took a short bus ride for the game at Washington.

"It's helpful. This is a dry run," Billick said. "The next time we go on the road it will be a night game. So how do you travel, what do you do all day at the hotel? This is their last chance to have a dry run before they go to Cincinnati."

Petrino may be content to let Harrington use his strong showing against the Bengals -- 13-for-21 for 164 yards, two touchdowns and one interception -- as momentum for the regular season.

Billick may want to see more from his starters. The Ravens failed to score a touchdown in last week's 13-12 loss to the New York Giants before scoring only seven points against Washington.

The game could be important for Ravens quarterback Troy Smith, who earned the third-string job when the team cut Drew Olson on Monday. Smith is left as the only quarterback behind starter Steve McNair and backup Kyle Boller, but Billick hasn't decided if he will carry three quarterbacks after having only two on the active roster last season.

Each team is expected to hold out key linemen who practiced this week for the first time since last season.

Atlanta defensive tackle Rod Coleman, who had surgery in late April to repair his torn right quadriceps, returned on Wednesday. Baltimore offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, returning from a turf toe injury, made his practice debut on Tuesday.

Each could be ready for his team's opener.

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AP Sports Writer David Ginsburg in Baltimore contributed to this report.

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