Vicks’ replacement leads Falcons

Joey Harrington paced Atlanta to a 24-19 preseason win over the Bengals.

ATLANTA (AP) — There were plenty of Falcons fans wearing No. 7 jerseys at the Georgia Dome. They got a chance to cheer for Michael Vick’s replacement.

Joey Harrington made a good first impression on Atlanta fans by throwing two touchdown passes Monday night in a 24-19 preseason win over the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a much-needed salve for a franchise trying to get past the stunning downfall of its most dynamic player.

The day began with Vick pleading guilty to federal dogfighting charges in Virginia, followed a short time later by Falcons owner Arthur Blank saying he won’t cut the quarterback immediately, mainly because of salary-cap issues rather than any desire to bring him back two or three years from now.

Against that wrenching backdrop, Harrington and the Falcons (2-1) played their first home game of the preseason. Small groups of dueling protesters faced off outside the Georgia Dome, while hundreds of fans showed their support for Vick by wearing his jersey — the best seller in team history.

Sacked on first snap

Harrington received a smattering of applause when he trotted on the field for Atlanta’s first offensive series. He was sacked on his very first snap, a jarring reminder the Falcons no longer have the quarterback who rushed for 1,000 yards last season.

But No. 13’s luck changed after that. Harrington completed his first six passes, including a 28-yard touchdown to Adam Jennings. After Allen Rossum put the Falcons in scoring position again with a 59-yard kickoff return, Harrington hooked up with Dwayne Blakley on a 29-yard completion, then flipped a 12-yard pass to Jerious Norwood for another TD.

Harrington played the first possession of the second half, guiding the Falcons into field goal range for Billy Cundiff’s 37-yarder.

A flop in Detroit and Miami, Harrington left the field with a 17-13 lead and reveling in plenty of cheers. He was 13-of-21 for 164 yards and an impressive 118.0 passer rating, with two other throws being caught just out of bounds.