FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) -The Atlanta Falcons can only hope Lawyer Milloy avoids the same durability concerns that haunt Ed Hartwell.

Coming off a season in which he missed 11 games with an Achilles injury, Hartwell will miss the next two to four weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery Monday on both knees.

Pain and stiffness have bothered the middle linebacker since Atlanta opened the preseason with a home victory over New England. The problems persisted Saturday night, when the Falcons won at Tennessee.

Even with Hartwell playing at less than full strength, Milloy was pleased that the Titans managed just 2.4 yards rushing on 19 carries.

``Point blank, that was more like it,'' Milloy said. ``We needed that going into the next game, when we won't be getting as many plays, and the first week, when we're heading to Carolina.''

Jordan Beck, who was sidelined for his entire rookie season after tearing a ligament in his foot a year ago, is the likely replacement for Hartwell. Keith Brooking took over at middle linebacker last year, but coach Jim Mora probably will prefer to keep the five-time Pro Bowl selection at weakside, where he has an easier time harassing quarterbacks and pursuing the ball.

Milloy was the first major addition to Atlanta's defense in March. His three-year deal, which guaranteed at least $1 million in bonuses, was followed by the biggest splash, a three-team trade with Denver and New York that brought right end John Abraham from the Jets.

Abraham has looked as good as advertised since he signed an eight-year deal that included no less than $15 million in bonuses. The three-time Pro Bowl pick dominates opposing tackles with strength and speed, and his presence often gives left end Patrick Kerney and ``under'' tackle Rod Coleman one-on-one matchups they can exploit.

Tennessee's offensive line made a big mistake by shifting to its left to allow quarterback Billy Volek time to throw a quick slant to that side. However, with Brooking blitzing one gap and nickel linebacker Demorrio Williams holding firm to his right, the Titans left Volek unprotected as Kerney attacked.

``That was a good effort out there,'' Milloy said. ``We practiced like it was a game week, and I think that paid big dividends. We had the No. 1 unit out there, and it wasn't a mishmash. That was what we need to do out there every game.''

Even with Hartwell sidelined as the Falcons (2-1 preseason) host Jacksonville (2-1) and close the preseason on Thursday night, the run support should be respectable. New free safety Chris Crocker has proven to be a voracious open-field hitter, and 360-pound nose tackle Grady Jackson, who only signed last week and didn't dress against the Titans, will fill a lot of space.

Milloy brings aggression, both in his demeanor and technique, that Atlanta clearly lacked with the safety tandem of Bryan Scott and Keion Carpenter last year. Mora likes Milloy's knack for quickly filling space that teammates might vacate with a misread or an opponent's block.

During the first half Saturday night, Mora told coordinator Ed Donatell that Milloy was playing his role perfectly.

``I said to Ed, 'Lawyer's numbers don't look big, but he did some really good things out on the field,' `` Mora said. ``On a couple of toss cracks he came up and set the edge and made the guy turn it back in where our linebackers and linemen got a piece. His energy between plays, his football instincts and intelligence - he just knows where to fit. I just really like his presence on defense. He has a little swagger to him and I think that will rub off on some guys. He is tough.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.