NFL League and Player Capsules: Vikings win as Favre has up and down Dome debut
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Opening night is less than two weeks away and Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings are still trying to figure out exactly what they have in a banged-up receiving corps and a rotating offensive line.
Favre's two newest targets made pretty good impressions just days after arriving in Minnesota.
So did Seattle rookie safety Earl Thomas.
Favre threw for 187 yards and two interceptions, one that Thomas returned 86 yards for a touchdown in Minnesota's 24-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.
Favre completed 16 of 26 passes and took a couple of big hits while playing two series into the third quarter. His interception to Thomas went in and out of the hands of Bernard Berrian.
"We've got to find out in a short period of time who can make some plays in the passing game," Favre said.
Thomas delivered Seattle's lone touchdown of the game and also leveled Percy Harvin on a slant over the middle. It was a big night for the heavy-hitting safety from Texas, taken by the Seahawks with the 14th overall pick over Taylor Mays, who was a standout for coach Pete Carroll at USC.
"He made a huge play tonight," Carroll said. "I can't wait to see it again."
As soon as the ball fell into Thomas's arm, "I was just thinking gas," he said. "Just put my head back. It was like Pop Warner when you throw your head back and run."
The Vikings signed veteran Javon Walker on Tuesday and acquired Greg Camarillo from Miami in a trade on Wednesday to bolster a receiving corps that has lost Pro Bowler Sidney Rice for eight weeks because of hip surgery.
Camarillo had four catches for 47 yards and Walker made a great catch over Walter Thurmond for a 25-yard TD from Sage Rosenfels in the fourth quarter.
"I don't even know how many people know my name, but it doesn't hurt to grab a couple balls and get a couple first downs," Camarillo said. "That's how you get trust from your teammates. Hopefully they'll start believing in me."
Favre, who was coaxed back for a 20th NFL season on Aug. 18, played eight series on Saturday night. He led the Vikings to one field goal and a touchdown, a 24-yard run by Adrian Peterson that was set up by a 73-yard kickoff return by Darius Reynaud.
Peterson finished with 37 yards on 11 carries.
Favre also lost a fumble when Chris Clemons blew past left tackle Bryant McKinnie for a sack that had the 40-year-old quarterback shaking his throwing hand in pain early in the first. But he remained in the game and helped the Vikings amass 242 yards of offense, but only 10 points, while he was playing.
Coach Brad Childress called the offense, which also started Anthony Herrera at center for John Sullivan (calf), "still in flux," which has to be a concern with the opener in New Orleans looming on Sept. 9.
"There are a lot of moving parts and parts that are just being added," Childress said.
Seattle's offense sputtered along as well.
Matt Hasselbeck completed nine of 17 passes for 126 yards, 42 coming on a completion to Mike Williams in the third quarter. More importantly, he left after two series in the third quarter without a scratch on him.
That was no small feat for Seattle's patchwork offensive line against a defensive line that led the NFL in sacks last year. Sixth overall draft choice Russell Okung is out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain, forcing the Seahawks to move backup left guard Mike Wrotto out to left tackle.
Two years ago, Jared Allen put a crunching hit on Hasselbeck in the preseason that knocked him out of the game with a back injury, one that lingered most of the season and kept him out for nine games in the regular season that year. He missed two games with a rib injury last season, but the Seahawks did a pretty good job of protecting him on Saturday night.
Hasselbeck was sacked twice and hit two other times, but came away unscathed.
"Three of their four guys are Pro Bowlers and it easily could have been four out of four," Hasselbeck said of Allen, Pat and Kevin Williams and Ray Edwards. "It was a huge challenge and I think we did a good job."
The Vikings also had to be encouraged by Harvin's return. The reigning offensive rookie of the year has only practiced six times this preseason because of recurring migraine headaches, including a bout that caused trainers to call an ambulance to practice just over a week ago.
"I did a test last night and they found some things that we think was the main cause of it," Harvin said. "We're feeling really confident. I know we said that a couple times, but I think this time we found what the main cause was. I'm not saying I'll never get a headache again, but hopefully we can slow it down a little bit."
Harvin had two catches for 30 yards. He also took two big hits to the head, one from Lofa Tatupu that knocked his helmet off and the one from Thomas that broke up a pass in the third quarter.
"We drafted him because he's a playmaker," Carroll said. "He was the best playmaker in the country. He played much better tonight than he did last week so I was really happy for him."
Anderson, Leinart help Cardinals beat Bears 14-9
CHICAGO (AP) — The way Matt Leinart sees it, he's done all he can. Now, it's simply up to his coach, and Ken Whisenhunt wasn't giving any clues.
He'll let this competition between Leinart and Derek Anderson play out a little longer after watching each throw for a touchdown while delivering solid if not spectacular performances for the Arizona Cardinals in a 14-9 preseason victory over the Chicago Bears on Saturday night.
"I don't have to make any decisions right now," Whisenhunt said. "The starting QB evaluation covers more things than just this game."
Anderson started after the first-team offense struggled with Leinart, and he responded by completing 7 of 12 passes for 94 yards for Arizona (2-1).
Leinart came in late in the second quarter and was 9 of 10 for 84 yards, with a touchdown pass early in the third that made it 14-0 and sent Chicago (0-3) to another loss.
"I feel like I've done everything I can as a quarterback to get to this point," Leinart said. "I've played well in three games, and I'm continuing to work hard to get better, to continue to lead this team, and that's all I can do. I've just got to let my play speak for itself."
Chicago's Lance Briggs sustained a sprained ankle early in the second quarter and sat out the rest of the game, another blow to a linebacking corps already missing Brian Urlacher because of a strained left calf.
It was also a rough night for Jay Cutler, who was sacked four more times after being taken down five times the previous week. He simply fell down on one of them and got intercepted twice, while completing just 10 of 20 passes for 129 yards.
Cutler acknowledged he might have been a bit gunshy after the line broke down against Oakland.
"We had some protection issues last game," he said. "There might still be some of the little bit of the effects of that. I trust in those guys up there, they're doing a good job for me. We had a miscue on the first play and I think from that point on it was up and down."
Anderson led the Cardinals to their first touchdown after Calais Campbell blocked Robbie Gould's 38-yard field goal with 36 seconds left in the first quarter. He converted three third-down passes on a 72-yard drive, and Stephen Williams turned a slant underneath into a 27-yard touchdown.
"I thought Derek did a great job, especially early in the game when he had to avoid pressure and had to get the ball out of his hands," Whisenhunt said.
Leinart came on after Cutler's second interception with just over two minutes left in the first half near midfield. And he had the Cardinals in position to score after going three-and-out on all three series in a loss to Tennessee on Monday night.
They were on the 15 when Beanie Wells lost a fumble at the 6 after being stripped by Danieal Manning with 52 seconds left, stopping what could have been their first scoring drive of the preseason for Leinart. Leinart finally broke through at the halfway mark of the third when Steve Breaston caught a 13-yard pass, flying over Chris Harris at the goal line to make it 14-0.
The TD had to feel good for Leinart.
It's been a trying preseason for the former Southern California star after he was penciled in to take over for the retired Kurt Warner. He's been labeled a bust. His arm strength has been questioned, as has his accuracy downfield.
It doesn't help that the receivers have been hit hard by injuries, most notably Larry Fitzgerald. Either way, Whisenhunt has a decision to make.
"I'm not going to comment on that," said Fitzgerald, who sprained his right knee in the first preseason game and isn't expected back until the opener. "That's a no-win situation for me to be in. I just want to win."
For the Bears, it was simply a poor performance.
"We're not where we want to be right now," coach Lovie Smith said. "The plan was for us to play a lot better at home in the third preseason game. But we have time. They're going to let us start over in a couple weeks."
Notes: The Bears got a 22-yard field goal from Gould and a 3-yard TD pass from Dan LeFevour to Juaquin Iglesias in the fourth quarter. Gould also had a 48-yard field goal hit off the left upright midway through the second quarter. ... Hunter Hillenmeyer started at middle linebacker in Urlacher's place. ... Arizona FB Nathan Broughton sprained his knee in the second quarter. ... WR Early Doucet was back after missing a game with an abdominal strain and caught a 2-yard pass, but Darren Mougey (broken hand) and Andre Roberts (shoulder) were out. So was tight end Ben Patrick (knee), who missed his third game.
-- Andrew Seligman
49ers beat Raiders 28-24, knock out Campbell
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Bruce Gradkowski solidified his backup quarterback spot for the Oakland Raiders with his arm. David Carr did the same for the San Francisco 49ers with his toughness and legs.
Gradkowski threw for 202 yards and two touchdowns after Jason Campbell left with an injury, and Carr led a late touchdown drive that gave the Niners a 28-24 victory Saturday night.
San Francisco's first defense allowed three touchdowns and the team committed 10 penalties but the Niners still managed to squeak out their third straight preseason win.
"We did not play very smart, and a little bit sloppy," 49ers coach Mike Singletary said. "Winning the game was nice, but it also was a reminder to our guys of all the work we still have to do."
The Raiders also have work to do. Coach Tom Cable was upset about poor tackling on defense and special teams and an offense that stalled for a long stretch in the first half.
"There's too many ups and downs in this football game for us to be who we need to be to succeed," Cable said. "A lot to learn from it, and that's a good thing. I'm glad it happened now as opposed to a few weeks from now."
It's also fortunate that Campbell has two weeks before the season opener to recover from the stinger that knocked him out in the second quarter.
He was down for about 5 minutes before leaving in the passenger seat of a cart. He watched the second half from the sideline.
"It felt a lot worse at the time that it happened, but ... they don't think it's going to be really, really serious," Campbell said. "But at the same time it's something we've got to take care of before the season starts."
Gradkowski once again proved more than capable as a backup. After breathing life into Oakland's offense last year when he took over the reins from JaMarcus Russell, Gradkowski was once again relegated to backup status after the Raiders acquired Campbell in the offseason.
Gradkowski did not play in the first two exhibition games because of a groin injury and was in danger of falling behind Kyle Boller on the depth chart. But he completed 14 of 22 passes and led Oakland to scores on his first three drives. He threw touchdown passes to Louis Murphy and Zach Miller and set up a 57-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski.
"It felt like just where I left off," Gradkowski said. "It was exciting. It feels so great to be out there and playing and competing. We have a really good football team and we're excited about it."
The Niners put together a 16-play, 80-yard drive to win it. The biggest play might have been Carr's 5-yard run on third-and-3. Carr leaped in the air and was spun around like a helicopter after being hit by a defender a week after Nate Davis went down shy of the marker on a similar play.
"I'm trying to inspire my team," Carr said. "That's all I'm trying to do. They did a great job the first 12 plays of that drive. I'm just trying to finish it off. It was a spur of the moment play."
Anthony Dixon then scored on third-and-goal from the 1 to give the Niners the lead with 1:44 remaining. Carr's pass to Nate Byham for the two-point conversion made it 28-24.
Todd Watkins dropped a deep pass inside the 5 on fourth down to end Oakland's hopes at a comeback.
Frank Gore ran for 58 yards on two carries in his first action of the preseason for the Niners, Alex Smith threw a touchdown pass to Josh Morgan and rookie Phillip Adams scored on an 83-yard punt return as San Francisco remained undefeated in the preseason.
Campbell got off to another strong start, completing four passes for 67 yards on the 81-yard touchdown drive. Darrius Heyward-Bey had two of his three catches on the drive, fullback Marcel Reece had a 34-yard reception and Michael Bush scored on a 1-yard run. Oakland didn't get another first down until the final minute of the first half.
Gradkowski then hit Murphy on a seam route behind safety Reggie Smith for a 74-yard touchdown that cut San Francisco's lead to 17-14 at the half.
In between the two touchdowns, the Raiders had four straight three-and-outs as the offense struggled to get into any kind of rhythm. Patrick Willis had two tackles behind the line of scrimmage against Darren McFadden and an 11-yard sack against Campbell. Travis LaBoy later beat left tackle Mario Henderson for a sack and knocked Campbell out.
The Niners offense also started well, getting a 49-yard run from Gore on his first carry of the preseason. Gore ran over Michael Huff and Stanford Routt on the play, showing he needs little work in exhibition games.
"After a month of training camp, finally getting to play in a game, I was like a little kid out there," Gore said. "When my number got called, I took advantage."
Notes: Bush also left the game with a broken left thumb and does not know how serious it is. DT Desmond Bryant had an elbow injury. ... Niners LT Joe Staley (sprained knee) and Westbrook (hamstring) are day to day. ... Niners WR WR Michael Crabtree did not play because of a stiff neck.
-- Josh Dubow
Offenses struggle, Panthers beat Titans 15-7
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Star running backs Chris Johnson and DeAngelo Williams couldn't find any holes. Vince Young and Matt Moore weren't much better through the air.
Optimists can point to the ferocious defense Carolina and Tennessee played Saturday night, but the offensive ineptitude was cause for concern after the Panthers slogged to a 15-7 victory over the Titans.
Carolina's overhauled defense hardly looked like it missed Julius Peppers, sacking Young four times, keeping Johnson in check and holding Tennessee to 50 yards in the first half.
"We got caught off guard by a lot of pressures, a lot of blitzes and things like that," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "I think that happens, it's coaching, and it happens in a short week."
But the Titans stymied Moore and Williams, too. Carolina's first-team offense is still looking for its first touchdown of the preseason despite playing into the fourth quarter against Tennessee's second- and third-stringers.
"Two of our three biggest playmakers from a year ago haven't played a snap in the preseason," Panthers coach John Fox said, referring to receiver Steve Smith (broken arm) and running back Jonathan Stewart (heel). "I think we're very young overall and particularly at the receiver position. We've still got a lot of work to do."
But Fox's defense is playing better than anybody could've hoped.
Johnson, the NFL's Offensive Player of the Year in 2009, managed just 10 yards on eight carries with little room to roam in his most extensive work of the preseason. He has 39 yards on 19 carries in three games after rushing for 2,006 yards last season.
"We'll be OK when the season starts," Johnson said.
Young, playing the entire first half, completed just 6 of 9 passes for 48 yards under constant pressure. Charles Johnson, who took over for the five-time Pro Bowl defensive end Peppers when he signed with Chicago in the offseason, had his way with right tackle David Stewart and had two of Carolina's seven sacks.
"We just stayed pretty basic today," Young said.
The Panthers, who held the Jets to 112 yards a week earlier, looked speedy in the secondary, and the line swarmed the ball despite starting with four different linemen than ended last season. The Panthers have 18 sacks in three games.
"I'm really liking what's going on so far," Carolina linebacker Jon Beason said.
The offense, though, is another story.
Moore, given the starting job when Jake Delhomme was released in the offseason, had his third straight uninspiring performance. He completed 18 of 33 passes for 190 yards and no interceptions. Williams rushed for just 13 yards on nine carries, and there is still no clear No. 2 receiver opposite Smith.
Just how inefficient have the Panthers been? They have five field goals in 39 preseason possessions.
"There are throws that I missed that are unacceptable," said Moore, pointing to an overthrown pass to an open Dwayne Jarrett that would've been a first-quarter touchdown. "You've got to hit those opportunities."
The game didn't open up until Carolina's starting offense left early in the fourth quarter.
The Titans took the lead on former Panthers quarterback Kerry Collins' 35-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jared Cook. Mike Goodson then brought back the ensuing kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown for Carolina. Josh Vaughan's 2-point conversion run failed.
Cornerback Brian Witherspoon picked off Collins on the next possession, leading to John Kasay's third field goal. Witherspoon, fighting for a roster spot, later intercepted rookie Rusty Smith, who played ahead of Chris Simms.
Carolina rookie backup Jimmy Clausen threw a 50-yard pass to tight end Gary Barnidge on the next possession, but Kasay hooked a 25-yard field goal attempt.
While Moore's protection was better than the first two games, he had trouble finding receivers, his accuracy was suspect and there were drops.
Five of Carolina's first six drives ended in three-and-outs. Carolina finally moved the ball late in the first half with an odd group of Wallace Wright, Trent Guy and David Gettis at receiver. But Wright fumbled after a catch and it was recovered by Tennessee's Stephen Tulloch at the 14 to end the only first-half scoring threat for either side.
To make matters worse, Wright injured his right shoulder on the play and didn't return.
With Johnson getting stuffed, Young had little room to maneuver, either. Johnson, who lost weight and appeared to gain speed in the offseason, blew by Stewart on a spin move for his first sack.
"We've definitely got work to do," Panthers left tackle Jordan Gross said, "but luckily, our defense has played outstanding these first three games and given us a chance to win."
Notes: Defensive end Derrick Morgan, the Titans' first-round pick, had one tackle in his NFL debut as he returned from injury. ... The Titans didn't dress 11 players, including TE Bo Scaife (back), CB Cortland Finnegan (groin) and WR Nate Washington (wrist). ... Trent Guy replaced the struggling Armanti Edwards as Carolina's punt returner, but struggled judging punts. ... Jason Baker had a 76-yard punt for Carolina.
-- Mike Cranston
McCown's second-half TD pass helps Jags beat Bucs
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Josh Johnson gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the reassurance they sought with starting quarterback Josh Freeman sidelined by a broken thumb.
Jacksonville backup Luke McCown showed his team the way to the end zone and a 19-13 preseason victory Saturday night.
Filling in for Freeman, who the Bucs expect to return in time for their regular season opener, Johnson completed 9 of 14 passes for 122 yards and one touchdown to build a 13-6 lead before leaving the game in the third quarter.
Jacksonville moved the ball consistently with starter David Garrard at quarterback. But it settled for field goals on three promising drives and had its best possession of the night turned back by a goal-line interception that linebacker Barrett Ruud returned 80 yards to set up Tampa Bay's only touchdown.
McCown gave the Jaguars some relief from their frustration, throwing a 27-yard TD pass to John Matthews on his first attempt of the night to put Jacksonville up 16-13 late in the third quarter. Josh Scobee's fourth field goal provided the final margin of victory.
"I liked a lot of the stuff we've been doing. But we've been killing ourselves with penalties, and the turnover down there ... those are situations we can't have," Garrard said.
Garrard, in what likely was his final tuneup for the regular season, played into the third quarter and completed 24 of 31 passes for 211 yards and one interception. Coach Jack Del Rio has said he probably will not play many starters in Thursday's preseason finale against Atlanta.
Raheem Morris has similar plans for the Bucs' finale at Houston, which is why it was important for Johnson to play well.
The third-year pro started four games last season, going 0-4 but showing enough progress that Morris insists he's comfortable with the idea of the 24-year-old leading the offense in the opener if Freeman doesn't recover as quickly as expected.
"I'm the second-string quarterback of this team. I understand my role, and right now Josh Freeman is our starter," Johnson said. "My job is, when I'm called upon, the ship's got to keep sailing. The ship can't dock at all, and that's the whole mindset I'm taking to this."
The Jaguars played without running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who sat out three days of practice last week and did not make the trip to Tampa. The Pro Bowler's agent said the fifth-year pro is not injured and that the Jaguars were holding him out of the final two preseason games for "precautionary reasons."
Jacksonville was also without all three starting linebackers — Daryl Smith, Kirk Morrison and Justin Durant — in a revamped defense, which continued to struggle to mount a pass rush. One of the few times the Jaguars got decent pressure, Johnson scrambled for an 18-yard gain that made him Tampa Bay's leading rusher well into the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Jacksonville's running game sputtered again, despite having the first-team offensive line intact for the first time this preseason. After averaging just 2.4 yards per carry against Philadelphia and Miami, the Jaguars were limited to 33 yards on 11 attempts in the opening half, when both teams' starters were on the field.
Other than the goal-line interception, Garrard was efficient if not spectacular. He completed 15 of his first 17 passes for 134 yards and was 4 of 4 in marching the Jaguars into scoring position before Ruud stepped in front of his pass intended for Greg Jones.
"I saw Greg Jones going into the flat. I didn't really have enough time to look anywhere else. It was him or nobody, and the best thing I can do right there is keep it in front of him so that he catches it or no one does. That's the only way I can help myself right there," Garrard said.
And what did Del Rio think his quarterback should have done with the ball?
"Not that," the coach said. "Anything but that. Coaches say throw it to the guy in the first row, the guy with the beer in his hand. Try to knock that beer out of his hand."
Ruud returned the interception up the sideline to the Jaguars 19. Four plays later, Johnson threw a 2-yard TD pass to Earnest Graham.
"Obviously that is a missed opportunity there," said Del Rio, who nevertheless was encouraged that the Jaguars took the ensuing kickoff and drove 49 yards in 11 plays to set up Scobee's 43-yard field goal just before halftime.
"What I talked to the guys about tonight coming out was as a football team we have to learn how to respond positively. It's not always going to go the way you want," Del Rio said. "I thought we did a nice job coming back on the two-minute drill, moving down the field, having a shot at a touchdown, securing the points, so we go into halftime at least feeling good about how we finished the half."
The game was delayed for 30 minutes between the first and second quarters because of lightning.
The Bucs lost backup safety Sabby Piscitelli to a mild concussion in the fourth quarter. Jacksonville tight end Marcedes Lewis left in the first half with a sprained ankle and did not return.
-- Fred Goodall
Pass-happy Ravens cruise past Giants 24-10
BALTIMORE (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens' objective on offense this season appears to be eradicating all forms of predicability.
Joe Flacco threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns for the pass-happy Ravens, whose no-huddle offense befuddled the New York Giants in a 24-10 preseason victory Saturday night.
The win was marred by an injury to wide receiver Donte' Stallworth, who broke his foot and will likely be lost for two months.
"The good news is it is not a season-ending injury," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "We'll get it operated on right away and put a screw in it. Hopefully, we'll get him back by the bye week (Oct. 31)."
Flacco completed 21 of 34 passes before leaving after one series in the third quarter. Last year, he threw as many as 34 passes only seven times for a team that relied heavily on the run.
This year, there's no telling what Baltimore will do when it gets its hands on the ball.
"As an offense, we want to make sure defenses don't dictate what we do. We want to make sure we dictate what the defense does," wide receiver Derrick Mason said. "If that means we go out there and throw the ball 30 times, it's not because we want to, but because we can."
Going without a huddle and often throwing on first down, the Ravens (3-0) scored 17 points over three straight possessions in the first half and coasted to their seventh consecutive preseason win.
New York (1-2) managed only five first downs in the pivotal first half. Returning after a one-week absence, quarterback Eli Manning went 9 for 18 for 63 yards and an interception in 30 minutes of play.
"He needs to play. He's got to be in the middle of it," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "He did some things well, but he obviously was rusty."
Manning last played on Aug. 16, when he received stitches to his forehead after taking a hard hit in a game against the New York Jets.
"As a quarterback, I always think it's important to get back out on the field and get used to getting hit again, have live movement and have people chasing you," Manning said. "It was good to get back out there. There are some things I know I have to improve on."
Manning received little support from the running game: New York rushed for 58 yards in the first half, half of them on a 29-yarder by Brandon Jacobs.
The defense was even worse.
"We didn't stop them, we really didn't consistently pressure the quarterback, they threw and catched," Coughlin said. "They isolated our corners out there and they beat us."
The Giants' lone first-half score was a field goal by Lawrence Tynes after Corey Webster returned an interception 37 yards to the Baltimore 32.
That was arguably the one glaring flaw in Flacco's solid performance. The third-year quarterback connected with five different receivers — throwing touchdowns to newcomer Anquan Boldin and old hand Todd Heap — and ran for a team-high 16 yards.
"We had a good tempo going tonight, we got in a groove and we were able to march the ball down the field," Flacco said. "I really feel good about how we were doing things."
The Ravens passed 32 times in the first half, ran only 11 times and amassed 17 first downs and 243 yards.
"They hit us with the no-huddle and it kind of hurried the game," Giants defensive end Justin Tuck said. "We made some plays, but there's still a lot of work for us to get this defense where we want it to be."
After Baltimore scored a field goal on its second possession, New York moved from its 11 to the Baltimore 15 before Ahmad Bradshaw was stuffed three straight times in a bid to gain one yard and a first down.
Flacco promptly moved the Ravens the other way, completing five straight passes to begin a drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Boldin on fourth-and-3. Flacco went 6 for 7 for 67 yards on the 11-play march.
After the Giants punted, Flacco again deftly moved the Ravens downfield. Beginning at the Baltimore 23, he completed five consecutive passes to start the drive. Then, after a run by Le'Ron McClain, Heap got in front of New York safety Antrel Rolle for an 11-yard catch on a fourth-and-2 from the New York 36.
Three plays later, Rolle was called for a hit to the helmet on receiver Mark Clayton, a penalty that gave the Ravens a first down at the New York 13. Heap then made a leaping catch in the end zone in front of Rolle for a 17-0 lead.
Clayton sustained a mild concussion on Rolle's hit and sat out the rest of the game.
Baltimore's defense did not permit a touchdown during the preseason until Rhett Bomar threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Victor Cruz with 1:18 left.
-- David Ginsburg
Spiller delivers as Bills beat Bengals 35-20
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Dressed in his street clothes and rushing out of the Bills locker room, center Geoff Hangartner was disappointed as he heard the final boom of the fireworks display that annually follows Buffalo's last preseason home game.
All was not lost for Hangartner, who saw enough bright sparks on the field after rookie running back C.J. Spiller scored twice in leading the Bills to a 35-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night.
"You can see what he does," Hangartner said. "All of a sudden, I see him break a run and I'll be yelling, 'Go to the house!' He's a dynamic player. He brings more of a home-run hitter element to our offense."
The first-round draft pick keeps breathing life into what's been a popgun attack that's finished 25th or worse in the NFL in yards gained in each of the past seven years.
After scoring on a 1-yard run to tie the game at 14 midway through the second quarter, Spiller showed his dynamic speed on a 20-yard scamper up the left sideline to produce the go-ahead touchdown in the final minute of the half. Beating safety Marvin White to the corner, Spiller outran cornerback Adam Jones to the end zone.
It was his third touchdown in two preseason starts, helping the Bills (2-1) combine to score 59 points after a 34-21 win over Indianapolis last week. Spiller, who also took one snap out of a wildcat formation, finished with 52 yards rushing and had two catches for 33 yards.
"If we can stay healthy, we can be a very explosive team," said Spiller, who's starting in place of injured veterans Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch. "We can be one of the best in the NFL if not the best."
That remains to be seen.
And it's becoming evident that the Bengals (2-2) can start making a claim of being good, too, after quarterback Carson Palmer showed he's starting to gain chemistry with his revamped receivers.
In only three series, Palmer went 9-for-11 for 95 yards and a pair of touchdowns, his first of the preseason. The starting offense finally finished after managing two touchdowns on 10 drives in its previous three games.
Just as important, Palmer distributed the ball to all three of his top receivers. He hit rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham for a 9-yard touchdown, Chad Ochocinco for a 6-yard score and Terrell Owens three times for 35 yards.
"We're getting better and better each week," said Palmer, who also unveiled a no-huddle attack. "I love what Jermaine is doing. I love what Terrell is doing, and Chad is playing like he believes he's the best receiver in the league."
Cincinnati invested heavily this offseason in improving its receivers around Ochocinco. Aside from drafting Gresham in the first round, the Bengals signed T.O. just before the start of training camp last month. The team also signed veteran free agent Antonio Bryant, who missed his fourth preseason game while nursing a sore knee.
Owens, making his return to Buffalo after spending last season with the Bills, was more than encouraged with how the offense is progressing.
"We have something special," said Owens. "The sky's the limit for this team."
Cedric Benson had eight carries for 50 yards, but was stuffed by safety Donte Whitner in attempting to convert a fourth-and-1.
The Bills defense forced two turnovers and twice stopped the Bengals on fourth down. Cornerback Reggie Corner sealed the win by returning Jordan Palmer's interception 20 yards for a touchdown with 10:33 left.
Aside from Spiller, quarterback Trent Edwards solidified his hold on the starting job. In six series, he finished 13 of 17 for 153 yards and a 12-yard touchdown pass to Roscoe Parrish.
Coach Chan Gailey credited Edwards for being patient, and for his ability to find his second and third options on pass plays.
"Trent made some very good decisions," Gailey said. "I thought that was very encouraging."
The Bengals avoided a scare when rookie cornerback Brandon Ghee was carted off the field midway through the third quarter after a violent helmet-to-helmet collision with running back Chad Simpson. Ghee lay motionless for several minutes before he was able to take a few groggy steps on his own to the cart.
The Bengals announced that Ghee, a third-round draft pick out of Wake Forest, sustained a head injury and had movement in both his arms and legs.
Coach Marvin Lewis would only say that Ghee got "dinged" on the head and will travel home with the team.
Jones did not return after leaving with a neck injury late in the third quarter.
-- John Wawrow
Lions look good on offense in 35-27 win vs Browns
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns were encouraged by positive signs when they had the ball.
On defense, not so much.
Matthew Stafford threw a touchdown pass, rookie Jahvid Best had a 51-yard run and Aaron Brown scored twice in the fourth quarter to lift the Lions to a 35-27 win over Cleveland in a preseason game Saturday night.
"We could be pretty good," Stafford said. "I'm excited about it."
Stafford was 13 of 17 for 141 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson on Detroit's first drive, connecting with a receiver on a high pass in the end zone for the second straight week.
"We've got tall receivers, great fade guys," Stafford said.
Jake Delhomme was 20 of 25 for 152 yards and a TD for the Browns, whose quick-strike, no-huddle offense found a lot of holes in Detroit's defense.
"Offensively, we're still growing and learning," Delhomme said. "We had some long drives and guys were making plays."
One of those players was Josh Cribbs, proving he's not just a return specialist with a leaping, 30-yard catch along the sideline that set up a TD toward the end of the first half.
"He's a special player," Delhomme said. "You try to get the ball in his hands."
Cleveland rookie Colt McCoy fumbled on his first drive midway through the fourth quarter to set up a lead-padding touchdown for the Lions.
The best news of the day was Nick Sorensen's quick recovery from what looked like a serious injury.
The Browns defensive back was covering a kickoff when he was blocked simultaneously by the Lions' Caleb Campbell and Andre Fluellen, leading to him being carted off the field. But Sorensen had movement in his arms and legs and was responsive as he was taken to a Detroit hospital, where tests were negative.
"I couldn't be happier about that," Cleveland coach Eric Mangini said. "It's a scary part of the game."
Cleveland led 24-14 at halftime after Phil Dawson made his first of two field goals, Eric Wright returned Kevin Smith's fumble 44 yards for a score, Delhomme tossed a short pass to Lawrence Vickers and Peyton Hillis had a 1-yard TD with 24 seconds left in the half.
"We took a step back from last week," Lions safety Louis Delmas said.
The Browns seemed to on defense, too.
Stafford handed off to Best for a 51-yard run on Detroit's first play, threw a short pass to the first-round pick that he turned into a 10-yard gain with a juke on the second and lofted a 7-yard TD to Johnson on the third.
Best didn't play the rest of the game because Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said his legs were tight.
Smith tried to make up for his fumble with a touchdown in the third quarter to pull the Lions within three points and Brown put them ahead in the fourth with enough speed to get into the end zone twice.
"It was probably (Brown's) best, complete game," Schwartz said.
NOTES: Lions LB DeAndre Levy, who was slowed by a back injury during training camp, left the game with a groin injury on the game's first drive. ... McCoy was 10 of 14 for 76 yards. ... Detroit's final preseason game is Thursday night at home against Buffalo on Thursday night — while Eminem and Jay-Z headline a concert next door at Comerica Park — and the Browns will host Chicago.
-- Larry Lage
Injuries
Bengals CB Ghee carted off field with head injury
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Bengals rookie cornerback Brandon Ghee was scheduled travel home with the team after being knocked cold following a violent helmet-to-helmet collision with Bills running back Chad Simpson in a preseason game Saturday night.
Coach Marvin Lewis provided few details except to say Ghee got "dinged" following the Bengals 35-20 loss. Lewis said Ghee was not taken to the hospital.
Ghee lay motionless for several minutes before being able to sit up along the Bills sideline after he was hurt six minutes into the third quarter. Though groggy, he took a few steps as he was loaded onto the cart before being driven off the field.
The injury occurred when the third-round draft pick out of Wake Forest lowered his helmet in a bid to stop Simpson on a 2-yard run on fourth-and-1. Ghee dropped to the ground and lay there face-down as Bills trainers immediately attended to him.
Joined by Bengals trainers, medical officials were eventually able to turn Ghee over on his back and then have him sit up on his own. It was at that point an ambulance began driving onto the field, before making a U-turn back up the stadium tunnel.
Bengals defensive players knelt at midfield in prayer, and teammates including receiver Chad Ochocinco and cornerback Adam Jones came across the field to watch and provide support.
Simpson also lay on the field briefly before getting up on his own and showing no signs of grogginess. Simpson eventually came over and tapped Ghee on the shoulder pad.
The Bengals later lost Jones, who did not return after hurting his neck late in the third quarter. Escorted by trainers, Jones slowly made his way off the field. Lewis did not provide an update on the player's status.
-- John Wawrow
Ravens WR Stallworth breaks foot, out for 8 weeks
BALTIMORE (AP) — Ravens wide receiver Donte' Stallworth broke his foot in Saturday night's game against the New York Giants and will probably be sidelined for two months.
It is unclear when the injury occurred, but it likely occurred during one of Stallworth's three punt returns. He saw limited time on offense and did not catch a pass.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Stallworth will have a screw placed in his foot. Harbaugh said he hopes to have Stallworth back on the field around the time the team has its bye week Oct. 31.
Baltimore signed Stallworth as a free agent in February. He was suspended last season after pleading guilty to DUI manslaughter, a second-degree felony, in the death of a dock worker in Florida.
Stallworth was driving when he hit 59-year-old Mario Reyes in March 2009.
His last action before this season was in December 2008 with Cleveland.
Browns' Sorensen OK after being carted off field
DETROIT (AP) — The Cleveland Browns were relieved Nick Sorensen seemed to make a quick recovery from a scary situation.
Sorensen was sprinting down the field after a kickoff when he was blocked simultaneously by Caleb Campbell and Andre Fluellen of the Detroit Lions in a preseason game.
That hit sent him to his back and led to him being carted off the field and taken to a hospital.
Browns coach Eric Mangini said tests were negative and he was on his way back from the hospital soon after Detroit's 35-27 preseason victory.
Sorensen's teammates on the kickoff team dropped to a knee, grabbed hands and bowed their heads when he was being evaluated on the field by both team's medical personnel. Cleveland's entire team and coaching staff later walked across the field to get closer to him.
"It's horrible whenever you see somebody laying down on the field," Mangini said. "It's a reminder of how tough this game is, how things can change so dramatically."
Chiefs rookie LB Sheffield hurt
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City rookie linebacker Cameron Sheffield has been released from the hospital after hurting his neck while making a tackle in a preseason game against Philadelphia.
The Chiefs said in a statement Saturday that Sheffield has movement in all his extremities.
He was hurt Friday night when his helmet made contact with Mike Bell's helmet as he took down the Eagles running back near the Chiefs' sideline.
Trainers and coaches tended to Sheffield for several minutes before securing his body and lifting him into a cart. Sheffield was conscious and talking to team officials as he was removed.
He was drafted in the fifth round out of Troy and is competing for a job as a backup.
Raiders QB Campbell leaves game with injury
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Raiders quarterback Jason Campbell has left an exhibition game after being injured on a sack.
Campbell landed hard on his right shoulder after being sacked by San Francisco linebacker Travis LaBoy on Saturday night. He was diagnosed with a stinger.
Campbell was down on the ground for about five minutes before being carted off the field. LaBoy beat left tackle Mario Henderson on the play.
Campbell was 6-for-8 for 93 yards before leaving the game. Bruce Gradkowski replaced Campbell to make his first appearance of the preseason.
Eagles DE Trent Cole has mild ankle sprain
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Eagles Pro Bowl defensive end Trent Cole has a mild ankle sprain and is day to day.
Cole injured his right ankle during the second quarter of Philadelphia's 20-17 win at Kansas City on Friday night. An MRI exam on Saturday revealed no structural damage.
Cole had 12½ sacks last season and earned his second trip to the Pro Bowl.
Player Moves
Niners NT Franklin signs $7M franchise tender
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers nose tackle Aubrayo Franklin ended his lengthy holdout Saturday by signing a $7.003 million franchise tag tender.
Franklin passed a physical and officially signed the deal before the Niners played the Oakland Raiders in an exhibition game Saturday night. Franklin was going to watch that game before rejoining his teammates for practice next week.
He has a little more than two weeks to get ready for the season opener Sept. 12 against Seattle. Franklin said he wants to play the exhibition finale next Thursday against San Diego.
"I'm anxious to go out there, see what I did this offseason, see what's going to help me out on the field," he said. "I'm anxious to go back out there with the guys, build on what we started on last year. I think another year with all of us together we can do a whole lot better this year on the defensive side and as a team."
Franklin spent the offseason working with a personal trainer in Atlanta and believes he's in better shape than when he arrived at camp last year. He did boxing workouts with his trainer, boxing for a minute and then taking 30 seconds off to replicate playing in a game.
"We just tried to make it mimic plays like an average game, maybe like 64 plays, so I tried to do the same things with boxing," he said.
Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said this week that while Franklin had fallen behind his teammates by missing camp, he believed the nose tackle could get up to speed for the opener by playing one exhibition game. Manusky said the biggest issue for Franklin will be "getting his wind back."
"Even though some of the starters are only playing 15 plays or 16 plays, at least they're back in the rhythm and get their groove back," Manusky said. "You can't really replicate that out here. But, he'll be fine."
Franklin emerged as one of the top nose tackles in the league last season with 36 tackles, two sacks and an interception.
The 30-year-old Franklin has recorded 291 tackles, four sacks, one interception and three forced fumbles in his seven-year career. He originally was a fifth-round pick by Baltimore in 2003 and joined the Niners as a free agent before the 2007 season.
The Niners placed the franchise tag tender on him in February and had hopes of agreeing to a long-term deal. But that did not happen by the July 15 deadline and Franklin chose not to report to training camp.
"The 49ers had their way with exercising the franchise tag," Franklin said. "Me and my agent decided to do what we did because it was best for us."
Of the six players who received franchise tag tenders this offseason, Franklin was the only one to miss training camp. New England defensive tackle Vince Wilfork and Green Bay defensive tackle Ryan Pickett signed long-term deals, and Oakland defensive lineman Richard Seymour, Seattle kicker Olindo Mare and Pittsburgh kicker Jeff Reed signed their tenders before camp started.
Second-year player Ricky Jean Francois, a seventh-round pick out of LSU last year, stepped up in Franklin's absence, giving the Niners more depth on the line for the season.
-- Josh Dubow
Falcons waive 2 players after preseason win
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons have waived rookie free agents Gabe Derricks and Mark Ortman.
Derricks is a cornerback who signed with the team after the draft, was waived July 31 and returned about two weeks later. Ortman is an offensive lineman initially signed by Carolina. He was cut in June and joined the Falcons Aug. 23, but lasted only one preseason game.
The team announced the moves Saturday, less than 24 hours after a 16-6 victory over Miami. The Falcons must get down to 75 players heading into their final preseason game.
League News
NFL experiments with 8th on-field official
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The NFL is experimenting with an eighth on-field official at four preseason games.
Called a "deep judge," the official was part of crews working Saturday's Tennessee-Carolina and New York Giants-Baltimore games. The official was also used at Friday's Atlanta-Miami contest and is scheduled for Thursday's Cincinnati-Indianapolis game.
The official is positioned in the defensive backfield opposite the back judge. His primary responsibility is to watch for eligible receivers, but can also help with watching other parts of the field as assignments have changed since the umpire was moved into the offensive backfield.
The NFL competition committee will evaluate video of the four games before deciding whether to add the official for the 2011 regular season.
