FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) -Five years in the NFL have taught Michael Vick a painful lesson: He's not Superman, even if a tattoo on his hand says otherwise.

Even worse, when Vick looks at the last game from the Atlanta Falcons' disappointing 2005 season, he accuses himself of ``not giving my all'' a sharp self-criticism he says led him to apologize to teammates.

Vick told USA Today this week ``I didn't go out and give it my all'' in last season's final game, a 44-11 loss to Carolina that came one week after a close loss to Tampa Bay eliminated the Falcons from the playoffs.

``I just expect a lot out of myself,'' Vick said Thursday after the Falcons' first practice of training camp.

``I set high standards. I know what I can do. I know what I'm supposed to do. When things don't go well I always blame myself. I think I'm my own worst critic and I think that's a good thing.''

Referring to his Superman tattoo, Vick said, ``That's the way I feel sometimes, but in reality that's not the way things are going to be. I've learned some things the hard way, to experience some things I had to experience at the end of last season. I think it only made me stronger.''

Vick said Thursday he gave 100 percent effort, but didn't play his best in the loss to Carolina, when he threw an interception and was sacked three times.

``That (Tampa Bay) game took so much out of me and reality set in that I wasn't going to the playoffs,'' Vick said. ``As I look back on the game ... I saw some things I could have done better.

``That will never happen again. I apologized to my teammates, my coaches and myself and my family for doing that.''

Falcons coach Jim Mora said he believes Vick ``continues to mature as a leader'' by making public the criticisms of his play.

``I think a leader sometimes does that,'' Mora said. ``He's not afraid to admit 'You know what? I'm not perfect and I'm not afraid to tell you when I'm wrong.' I think leaders do that and kind of challenges himself to say this will never happen again and this is not what I'm about.

``To me, he just continues to mature as a leader and I think that was another sign of it, at least the way I read it, the way I interpreted his remarks.''

Mora said there was no sign Vick lacked enthusiasm or intensity in last season's loss to Carolina.

``To me, Mike is the only person who would really know if that's in fact the case,'' Mora said. ``I appreciate his frankness. I didn't notice it. I've said he's one of the most competitive guys I've been around. He competes. He hates to lose. He loves to win and he loves to compete and to always be at his best.''

One year after playing in the NFC championship game, the Falcons were 8-8, thanks to a 2-6 record in the second half of the season.

Vick completed 55.3 percent of his passes and had a 73.1 rating in 2005 while throwing 15 touchdown passes with a career-high 13 interceptions.

In two seasons with Mora and offensive coordinator Greg Knapp, Vick has not matched the career highs he posted in his last full season under coach Dan Reeves in 2002: an 81.6 rating, 2,936 yards passing and 16 touchdown passes, while throwing only eight interceptions.

Most of the Falcons' offseason additions came on defense, including end John Abraham, safeties Lawyer Milloy and Chris Crocker, and top draft pick Jimmy Williams, a cornerback. The key additions on offense were left tackle Wayne Gandy and third-round draft pick Jerious Norwood, a speedy running back from Mississippi State.

Vick says the Falcons now have the experience and talent to make another run for the Super Bowl.

``We've been doing all the things necessary to put ourselves in position to be one of the elite offenses in this league,'' he said.

Vick added he is more comfortable because he has the same starting receivers, Michael Jenkins and Roddy White, returning for the first time in his six years.

``I think my confidence is up this year,'' Vick said. ``I think my preparation is going to be 10 times better. I think this is going to be a legitimate year for me to put this team in position to compete for that trophy. That's my only focus, my only goal.''

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