American Football: Tight Hammy keeps Vick out of practice

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick missed practice Monday because of tightness in his right hamstring.

Coach Jim Mora indicated Vick might return Tuesday and should be ready when Atlanta hosts the Cincinnati Bengals in an exhibition game Saturday night.

"He's so intent on being 100 percent for San Francisco that he's being very, very careful about everything," Mora said, referring to the season opener Sept. 12 against the 49ers. "I don't think it's anything but a little tightness in his hammy."

Vick, who first injured his hamstring Aug. 5, grabbed the back of his leg as he ran out of bounds in the second quarter of the Falcons' preseason win Friday night against Minnesota.

Though he stayed in the game for the next three plays, Vick looked awkward as the Vikings' Kenny Mixon and Chris Hovan stopped him for no gain on third-and-goal at the 1. Vick completed only 5 of 9 passes for 35 yards. He ran three times for 18 yards.

Vick, who took only three snaps in a shutout loss at Baltimore in the preseason opener Aug. 12, was sacked for a 9-yard loss on a safety blitz before leaving the game.

In the preseason last year, Vick fractured his right fibula, an injury that led the Falcons to go 2-10 without him in the starting lineup. Vick, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2001, set four NFL records for rushing by a quarterback in 2002 as he earned a first-team spot in the Pro Bowl.

Also, Mora said two top defensive reserves, right end Karon Riley and middle linebacker Jamie Duncan, will miss the next three to four weeks after suffering injuries against Minnesota.

Can this team survive without Vick? I don't ever remember a team seemingly so dependent on one player like this before.