I'm still not convinced Rivers is the best choice over Drew Brees. This is just the first game of preseason.
Rivers impresses as Chargers top Packers
NFL.com wire reports
SAN DIEGO (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer has high expectations for new quarterback Philip Rivers.
Rivers didn't disappoint in his debut, throwing for 169 first-half yards and leading two early scoring drives in a 17-3 victory over Green Bay in Saturday night's preseason opener for both teams.
"I thought he played excellent," Schottenheimer said. "He played pretty much like I expect him to."
The Chargers showed their faith in Rivers, a third-year pro, by letting Drew Brees leave for New Orleans during the offseason.
Cool in the pocket and crisp with his passes, Rivers completed 15-of-21 while playing the entire first half except for the final play. He connected on a 22-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson on the Chargers' opening series to cap a 64-yard drive, then engineered an 18-play, 86-yard scoring march the first time they had the ball in the second quarter.
Philip Rivers looked in control of the Chargers offense.
"He was standing in the pocket, stepping into his passes like he's been doing his whole life," said Keenan McCardell, San Diego's leading wide receiver last season.
"Nobody in the huddle had any doubt. He gave you all what you wanted to see," added McCardell, who had two receptions for 22 yards in the victory.
Rivers took the game in stride.
"We threw a lot of completions, threw a touchdown pass," Rivers said. "It was a good start. We had some things we didn't do well, but it's early. It's just what you want to do in the first preseason game."
Packers quarterback Brett Favre, pressured by the San Diego defense for most of the four series he played, was unable to generate much. The loss spoiled the head coaching debut of Green Bay's Mike McCarthy.
The 36-year-old Favre, who pondered retirement in the offseason but decided to return, completed 5 of 10 passes for 66 yards and was sacked twice on consecutive plays in the first quarter. He came out of the game early in the second.
"We've got a long way to go," Favre said. "We weren't very good."
McCarthy wasn't pleased with his first game at the helm.
"We leave here with a sense of reality of how we started our preseason," said McCarthy, a former assistant under Schottenheimer at Kansas City. "This isn't about me. This is about where we are as a team, and we didn't play the way we're capable of playing.
"It starts with me. I have to get prepared."
In the first half, before both coaches began wholesale substitutions, the Chargers defense held the Packers to 89 yards while San Diego's offense churned out 204 yards.
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay's first pick in the 2005 draft and Favre's heir apparent, was 9-of-11 for 124 yards while playing nearly half the game.
The 24-year-old Rivers, a former North Carolina State standout, threw for more yards -- and equaled his touchdown total -- in the first half of the exhibition victory than he had during his four career appearances in the NFL regular season combined.
As Brees' backup the past two years, Rivers was 17-of-30 for 148 yards, with one touchdown.
Rivers came to San Diego after he was drafted No. 4 by the New York Giants in 2004. The Chargers took Eli Manning with the first pick, then swapped him to the Giants for Rivers because Manning did not want to play for San Diego.
The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Rivers completed a variety of passes against the Packers.
After Jackson caught a perfectly thrown ball in full stride in the end zone for an apparent 17-yard touchdown 4 minutes into the game, the Packers called for a video replay, and the pass was ruled incomplete because Jackson stepped out of bounds.
No problem for Rivers. After a 5-yard penalty moved the ball back to the 22, the Chargers' quarterback lofted another pass to a diving Jackson in the end zone for an undisputed TD.
San Diego built its lead to 17-0 on a 23-yard field goal by Nate Kaeding late in the third quarter. Green Bay's Billy Cundiff finally put the Packers on the board with a 23-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.
San Diego All-Pro running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who rarely plays during the preseason, sat out the game.
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Dallas Cowboys Tony Romo Gies 19-25; Cowboys Beat Seattle Seahawks 13 to 3
I think too much is made of Drew Bledsoe sitting out. There are three more games and a lot of time for him to get work. This was a good move by Cowboys Coach Bill Parcells to get his backup ready.
Tony Romo goes the distance in Cowboys' win
NFL.com wire reports
SEATTLE (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Dallas coach Bill Parcells wanted to see Tony Romo play, and the quarterback was happy to oblige.
Drew Bledsoe's backup played the entire game and completed 19 of 25 passes for 235 yards and one touchdown in the Terrell Owens -less Cowboys' 13-3 win over the sloppy Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.
Owens, who stayed back in training camp with other injured Cowboys, may or may not have watched from Oxnard, Calif. Dallas' newest star is recovering from a strained hamstring.
Bledsoe watched from the sidelines wearing a full uniform and a blue baseball cap, simply because Parcells wanted to see Romo play.
And he did. Impressively.
Romo was especially sharp in the first half, going 12-of-15 for 154 yards on scoring drives of 12 and 15 plays.
He also mimicked his veteran coach afterward. When asked about Romo shining, Parcells said, "Why don't we start on the other end? He fumbled two snaps. You can't do that."
Romo's initial assessment of his most -- and most successful -- playing time since he was a Division I-AA national player of the year at Eastern Illinois in 2002?
"Honestly, I think more about the things I didn't do," said Romo, who didn't throw a pass in the regular season in his first three years in the NFL. "Two fumbled snaps ... that stuff sticks with me after a game."
Tony Romo guided the Cowboys offense to two first-half scores.
After his first dropped snap on Dallas' mistake-filled opening drive, Romo completed 12 passes in a row. Six were on Dallas' 15-play, 89-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown throw to Patrick Crayton late in the opening quarter.
Crayton ran past Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu and in front of safety Mike Green, who was starting while Michael Boulware recovers from offseason knee surgery. Two other Seahawks defensive starters were out with injuries.
Crayton limped off at halftime with a sprained right ankle and did not return. Parcells said he doesn't think the injury was too serious.
Romo completed five more in row with the second-team offense on Dallas' second scoring drive. Three of those completions came in succession against Seattle's top draft pick, rookie Kelly Jennings, who is battling veteran Kelly Herndon for the starting left cornerback job.
Crayton's 33-yard juggling reception and run against Jennings set up Mike Vanderjagt's 21-yard field goal late in the first half.
Jamaica Rector made a spinning, leaping catch behind Jennings for 18 yards on a third-quarter drive. That ended with backup kicker Shaun Suisham plunking a 34-yard field goal off the center of the crossbar.
"I've got to work on that underthrown fade route," Jennings said.
Reigning league MVP Shaun Alexander rushed six times for 13 yards before leaving with the rest of the defending NFC champions' starting offensive backs and receivers early in the second quarter. Matt Hasselbeck was 4-of-6 for 43 yards passing.
His backup, Seneca Wallace, played until midway through the fourth quarter and was 11-of-17 for 117 yards. He was sacked four times.
Seattle's first-team offense, which led the league in scoring last season, gained 56 yards on 14 plays and scored three points.
"That wasn't us out there," Hasselbeck said.
Coach Mike Holmgren said: "On the whole, I thought we were a little bit sloppier than we have been in other first preseason games.
"I was a little disappointed, to be honest."
Anthony Fasano, Dallas' second-round pick in the draft, started at H-back. A Romo pass sailed high through his hands to end the opening drive.
That play included Seattle safety Ken Hamlin 's first true hit since he fractured his skull in an October street fight -- a first that Holmgren had acknowledged he was anxious to see. Hamlin came in late on Fasano and pushed his hands and head at the rookie's face.
"I'm all right," Hamlin said. "I was fooling around, having fun. This was just a tease for the regular season."
Tony Romo goes the distance in Cowboys' win
NFL.com wire reports
SEATTLE (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Dallas coach Bill Parcells wanted to see Tony Romo play, and the quarterback was happy to oblige.
Drew Bledsoe's backup played the entire game and completed 19 of 25 passes for 235 yards and one touchdown in the Terrell Owens -less Cowboys' 13-3 win over the sloppy Seattle Seahawks on Saturday night.
Owens, who stayed back in training camp with other injured Cowboys, may or may not have watched from Oxnard, Calif. Dallas' newest star is recovering from a strained hamstring.
Bledsoe watched from the sidelines wearing a full uniform and a blue baseball cap, simply because Parcells wanted to see Romo play.
And he did. Impressively.
Romo was especially sharp in the first half, going 12-of-15 for 154 yards on scoring drives of 12 and 15 plays.
He also mimicked his veteran coach afterward. When asked about Romo shining, Parcells said, "Why don't we start on the other end? He fumbled two snaps. You can't do that."
Romo's initial assessment of his most -- and most successful -- playing time since he was a Division I-AA national player of the year at Eastern Illinois in 2002?
"Honestly, I think more about the things I didn't do," said Romo, who didn't throw a pass in the regular season in his first three years in the NFL. "Two fumbled snaps ... that stuff sticks with me after a game."
Tony Romo guided the Cowboys offense to two first-half scores.
After his first dropped snap on Dallas' mistake-filled opening drive, Romo completed 12 passes in a row. Six were on Dallas' 15-play, 89-yard drive that ended with a 9-yard touchdown throw to Patrick Crayton late in the opening quarter.
Crayton ran past Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu and in front of safety Mike Green, who was starting while Michael Boulware recovers from offseason knee surgery. Two other Seahawks defensive starters were out with injuries.
Crayton limped off at halftime with a sprained right ankle and did not return. Parcells said he doesn't think the injury was too serious.
Romo completed five more in row with the second-team offense on Dallas' second scoring drive. Three of those completions came in succession against Seattle's top draft pick, rookie Kelly Jennings, who is battling veteran Kelly Herndon for the starting left cornerback job.
Crayton's 33-yard juggling reception and run against Jennings set up Mike Vanderjagt's 21-yard field goal late in the first half.
Jamaica Rector made a spinning, leaping catch behind Jennings for 18 yards on a third-quarter drive. That ended with backup kicker Shaun Suisham plunking a 34-yard field goal off the center of the crossbar.
"I've got to work on that underthrown fade route," Jennings said.
Reigning league MVP Shaun Alexander rushed six times for 13 yards before leaving with the rest of the defending NFC champions' starting offensive backs and receivers early in the second quarter. Matt Hasselbeck was 4-of-6 for 43 yards passing.
His backup, Seneca Wallace, played until midway through the fourth quarter and was 11-of-17 for 117 yards. He was sacked four times.
Seattle's first-team offense, which led the league in scoring last season, gained 56 yards on 14 plays and scored three points.
"That wasn't us out there," Hasselbeck said.
Coach Mike Holmgren said: "On the whole, I thought we were a little bit sloppier than we have been in other first preseason games.
"I was a little disappointed, to be honest."
Anthony Fasano, Dallas' second-round pick in the draft, started at H-back. A Romo pass sailed high through his hands to end the opening drive.
That play included Seattle safety Ken Hamlin 's first true hit since he fractured his skull in an October street fight -- a first that Holmgren had acknowledged he was anxious to see. Hamlin came in late on Fasano and pushed his hands and head at the rookie's face.
"I'm all right," Hamlin said. "I was fooling around, having fun. This was just a tease for the regular season."
Houston Texans Rookie Wali Lundy Shines - Texans Top KC Chiefs 24-14
Rookie sparks Texans attack in 24-14 win
NFL.com wire reports
HOUSTON (Aug. 12, 2006) -- If the Houston Texans hope to justify spending their No. 1 pick on Mario Williams, he'll have to contribute more than he did against the Chiefs.
Williams assisted on one tackle in a quarter of play in Houston's 24-14 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Shuffled all around the defensive line, Williams looked tentative at times and was stood up on a couple of plays.
"I kind of got too excited and that made me get a little tired," Williams said. "But I was not nervous at all."
He finally registered his first stat late in the first, when he joined second-round pick DeMeco Ryans to stop Larry Johnson for a 3-yard gain.
In his 11 plays, Williams mostly lined up against Chiefs left tackle Kyle Turley, who was playing in his first game since 2003 because of back problems. Turley was thrust into the starting lineup when 11-time Pro Bowler Willie Roaf unexpectedly retired the night before training camp.
"I have a lot to learn," Williams said. "I was moving up and down the ball. I'm used to just coming off the edge and it's a lot different here."
While Williams' debut was forgettable, another Houston rookie -- sixth-round draft pick Wali Lundy -- had a head-turning first outing.
Mario Williams showed his inexperience at times, but the Texans prevailed.
With Domanick Davis out recovering from a lingering knee injury, the Texans started 10-year veteran Antowain Smith. Smith was ineffective early and the Texans turned to Lundy, who ran for 25 yards on his first carry and waltzed into the end zone untouched for Houston's first touchdown on a 3-yard run three plays later.
He finished with nine carries for 59 yards and had one reception for 9 yards for a performance coach Gary Kubiak said he was impressed with.
The former Virginia standout also returned one kickoff for 30 yards and a punt for 12 yards.
"I'm just happy I'm getting an opportunity to play in the NFL," Lundy said. "Anything I can do to help this team ... that's what I'm going to do."
Though it was a preseason game, Houston has to be happy with its first look at the team that was revamped after last season's 2-14 finish. The Texans had 325 yards of offense while holding the Chiefs to 172.
"I like how hard we played," Kubiak said. "I thought we were still pretty sloppy at times."
Johnson had seven carries for 30 yards with no scores for Kansas City in its first game under coach Herm Edwards. Dee Brown added 23 yards on five carries and had a 12-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
"Larry Johnson did a good job," Edwards said. "He was supposed to come out of the game, but he wanted to stay out there a couple of more times."
Trent Green was 5 of 6 for 34 yards before leaving after the first quarter. Canadian League Football star Casey Printers played the rest of the game and was 6 of 12 for 71 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.
"He was real jittery at times," Edwards said of Printers. "He kept his poise for the most part. He lost it a couple of times, but that's kind of the problem at times of having a young quarterback."
Houston's first team managed to move the ball well in its first game under Kubiak. David Carr was 3 for 5 for 23 yards and added 20 yards rushing in the first.
Carr's first two plays of the night went to offseason acquisition Eric Moulds. Carr found Moulds for an 11-yard gain on the right side of the field before hitting him for an 8-yard gain on the next play.
After being sacked more than 200 times in his career, Carr stayed on his feet in this game -- a prospect that excites the quarterback.
"We didn't have a sack in the game and it's been a while since we've done that here," Carr said. "Keeping the quarterback clean, we're going to be able to score points."
Backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels had a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and Kris Brown kicked a 22-yard field goal in the third. Damien Rhodes added a score on a 4-yard run in the fourth.
Notes: Texans TE Bennie Joppru, who had season-ending injuries the past three seasons, appeared in his first NFL game. He had a 9-yard reception in the fourth quarter. ... Michael Bennett, who was recently traded from the Saints, did not play while he struggles with a sore hamstring. ... This is the second time the Texans have played the Chiefs in the preseason, losing 19-9 in their inaugural season. ... Houston's 24 points scored was a preseason franchise record.
NFL.com wire reports
HOUSTON (Aug. 12, 2006) -- If the Houston Texans hope to justify spending their No. 1 pick on Mario Williams, he'll have to contribute more than he did against the Chiefs.
Williams assisted on one tackle in a quarter of play in Houston's 24-14 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Shuffled all around the defensive line, Williams looked tentative at times and was stood up on a couple of plays.
"I kind of got too excited and that made me get a little tired," Williams said. "But I was not nervous at all."
He finally registered his first stat late in the first, when he joined second-round pick DeMeco Ryans to stop Larry Johnson for a 3-yard gain.
In his 11 plays, Williams mostly lined up against Chiefs left tackle Kyle Turley, who was playing in his first game since 2003 because of back problems. Turley was thrust into the starting lineup when 11-time Pro Bowler Willie Roaf unexpectedly retired the night before training camp.
"I have a lot to learn," Williams said. "I was moving up and down the ball. I'm used to just coming off the edge and it's a lot different here."
While Williams' debut was forgettable, another Houston rookie -- sixth-round draft pick Wali Lundy -- had a head-turning first outing.
Mario Williams showed his inexperience at times, but the Texans prevailed.
With Domanick Davis out recovering from a lingering knee injury, the Texans started 10-year veteran Antowain Smith. Smith was ineffective early and the Texans turned to Lundy, who ran for 25 yards on his first carry and waltzed into the end zone untouched for Houston's first touchdown on a 3-yard run three plays later.
He finished with nine carries for 59 yards and had one reception for 9 yards for a performance coach Gary Kubiak said he was impressed with.
The former Virginia standout also returned one kickoff for 30 yards and a punt for 12 yards.
"I'm just happy I'm getting an opportunity to play in the NFL," Lundy said. "Anything I can do to help this team ... that's what I'm going to do."
Though it was a preseason game, Houston has to be happy with its first look at the team that was revamped after last season's 2-14 finish. The Texans had 325 yards of offense while holding the Chiefs to 172.
"I like how hard we played," Kubiak said. "I thought we were still pretty sloppy at times."
Johnson had seven carries for 30 yards with no scores for Kansas City in its first game under coach Herm Edwards. Dee Brown added 23 yards on five carries and had a 12-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
"Larry Johnson did a good job," Edwards said. "He was supposed to come out of the game, but he wanted to stay out there a couple of more times."
Trent Green was 5 of 6 for 34 yards before leaving after the first quarter. Canadian League Football star Casey Printers played the rest of the game and was 6 of 12 for 71 yards with no touchdowns and an interception.
"He was real jittery at times," Edwards said of Printers. "He kept his poise for the most part. He lost it a couple of times, but that's kind of the problem at times of having a young quarterback."
Houston's first team managed to move the ball well in its first game under Kubiak. David Carr was 3 for 5 for 23 yards and added 20 yards rushing in the first.
Carr's first two plays of the night went to offseason acquisition Eric Moulds. Carr found Moulds for an 11-yard gain on the right side of the field before hitting him for an 8-yard gain on the next play.
After being sacked more than 200 times in his career, Carr stayed on his feet in this game -- a prospect that excites the quarterback.
"We didn't have a sack in the game and it's been a while since we've done that here," Carr said. "Keeping the quarterback clean, we're going to be able to score points."
Backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels had a 5-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and Kris Brown kicked a 22-yard field goal in the third. Damien Rhodes added a score on a 4-yard run in the fourth.
Notes: Texans TE Bennie Joppru, who had season-ending injuries the past three seasons, appeared in his first NFL game. He had a 9-yard reception in the fourth quarter. ... Michael Bennett, who was recently traded from the Saints, did not play while he struggles with a sore hamstring. ... This is the second time the Texans have played the Chiefs in the preseason, losing 19-9 in their inaugural season. ... Houston's 24 points scored was a preseason franchise record.
Dolphins Daunte Culpepper Goes 1-2; Jacksonville Jaguars Win 31-26
Marcus Vick catches two passes in game.
Jags upend Dolphins in preseason opener
NFL.com wire reports
MIAMI (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Daunte Culpepper 's teammates slapped him on the back as he came out of the game -- the only blows the Dolphins' new quarterback would absorb in his brief Miami debut.
Culpepper settled for one 2-yard completion, while the Jacksonville Jaguars completed four touchdown passes of 50 yards or more to beat Miami 31-26 in the exhibition opener for both teams.
Backup David Garrard connected on scores of 62 and 55 yards for the Jaguars, whose three quarterbacks netted 321 yards passing.
Culpepper tested his surgically repaired knee by playing one series, throwing two passes and directing his new team to a field goal.
"It felt great," he said. "You get those first little jitters out after the first play, and you're back into the game situation and game mold. It felt good to get my feet wet a little bit."
Miami's other new quarterback, Joey Harrington, completed his first pass to Randy McMichael for an 18-yard touchdown. Harrington later fumbled twice, bobbling a snap that the Jaguars' Tony Williams recovered to set up a field goal.
"We did some good things, and we did some first-game things," Harrington said.
Daunte Culpepper has shown he's ready to perform for the Dolphins.
Jacksonville's first-team offense sputtered until Miami began substituting on defense. The Jaguars' Byron Leftwich, playing for the first time since a broken ankle sidelined him for the final five games last season, threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Matt Jones.
"We didn't start very well," Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said. "We settled down a little bit at the end of the half and got some things going and looked a little bit better."
Chad Owens, battling for a roster spot with the Jaguars, beat the Dolphins deep to catch a 62-yard touchdown pass. Second-round draft pick Maurice Jones-Drew caught a short pass from Garrard and wove through the secondary to complete a 55-yard TD.
Jacksonville's final score came on a 51-yard pass from Quinn Gray to George Wrighster.
Miami's first-round pick, safety Jason Allen, was on the field for Jacksonville's first three touchdown completions. He played only four days after ending a 10-day holdout.
The Dolphins mounted a strong pass rush against Leftwich and knocked him down several times, but Culpepper never came close to absorbing a hit. While he has yet to miss a practice in training camp, the game was his first exposure to contact since a knee injury ended his 2005 season with the Minnesota Vikings last October.
"I had a vision of seeing myself being ready for this first preseason game from the time I got hurt," Culpepper said. "It was very important to me to go out and show I'm ready to play."
Culpepper took six snaps, four of which were running plays. He missed Chris Chambers open over the middle on a short pattern and hit McMichael for 2 yards on third-and-7. Olindo Mare then kicked a 52-yard field goal.
Harrington played the rest of the first half and finished 10-for-19 for 99 yards.
Leftwich, who threw only five interceptions last season, was picked off on the Jaguars' second series by Eddie Jackson. Two plays later, Harrington threw to McMichael in the end zone for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Leftwich played most of the first half and finished 6-for-12 for 100 yards. He connected on a long pass to Jones, who beat Dolphins newcomer Will Allen for a score in the second quarter.
"We have a lot of work to do on offense, but it was great to get that much work," Leftwich said.
He was replaced by Garrard, who went 6-for-11 for 172 yards.
With Josh Scobee sidelined by a leg strain, Seth Marler did all the place-kicking for the Jaguars and made a 21-yard field goal. Jacksonville re-signed him this week.
Cleo Lemon, Miami's third-string quarterback, directed a 15-play drive in his first series that led to a field goal and threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jason Willis.
Undrafted rookie Marcus Vick, a former Virginia Tech quarterback trying to make the transition to receiver, caught two passes from Lemon for 12 yards.
Jags upend Dolphins in preseason opener
NFL.com wire reports
MIAMI (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Daunte Culpepper 's teammates slapped him on the back as he came out of the game -- the only blows the Dolphins' new quarterback would absorb in his brief Miami debut.
Culpepper settled for one 2-yard completion, while the Jacksonville Jaguars completed four touchdown passes of 50 yards or more to beat Miami 31-26 in the exhibition opener for both teams.
Backup David Garrard connected on scores of 62 and 55 yards for the Jaguars, whose three quarterbacks netted 321 yards passing.
Culpepper tested his surgically repaired knee by playing one series, throwing two passes and directing his new team to a field goal.
"It felt great," he said. "You get those first little jitters out after the first play, and you're back into the game situation and game mold. It felt good to get my feet wet a little bit."
Miami's other new quarterback, Joey Harrington, completed his first pass to Randy McMichael for an 18-yard touchdown. Harrington later fumbled twice, bobbling a snap that the Jaguars' Tony Williams recovered to set up a field goal.
"We did some good things, and we did some first-game things," Harrington said.
Daunte Culpepper has shown he's ready to perform for the Dolphins.
Jacksonville's first-team offense sputtered until Miami began substituting on defense. The Jaguars' Byron Leftwich, playing for the first time since a broken ankle sidelined him for the final five games last season, threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Matt Jones.
"We didn't start very well," Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio said. "We settled down a little bit at the end of the half and got some things going and looked a little bit better."
Chad Owens, battling for a roster spot with the Jaguars, beat the Dolphins deep to catch a 62-yard touchdown pass. Second-round draft pick Maurice Jones-Drew caught a short pass from Garrard and wove through the secondary to complete a 55-yard TD.
Jacksonville's final score came on a 51-yard pass from Quinn Gray to George Wrighster.
Miami's first-round pick, safety Jason Allen, was on the field for Jacksonville's first three touchdown completions. He played only four days after ending a 10-day holdout.
The Dolphins mounted a strong pass rush against Leftwich and knocked him down several times, but Culpepper never came close to absorbing a hit. While he has yet to miss a practice in training camp, the game was his first exposure to contact since a knee injury ended his 2005 season with the Minnesota Vikings last October.
"I had a vision of seeing myself being ready for this first preseason game from the time I got hurt," Culpepper said. "It was very important to me to go out and show I'm ready to play."
Culpepper took six snaps, four of which were running plays. He missed Chris Chambers open over the middle on a short pattern and hit McMichael for 2 yards on third-and-7. Olindo Mare then kicked a 52-yard field goal.
Harrington played the rest of the first half and finished 10-for-19 for 99 yards.
Leftwich, who threw only five interceptions last season, was picked off on the Jaguars' second series by Eddie Jackson. Two plays later, Harrington threw to McMichael in the end zone for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Leftwich played most of the first half and finished 6-for-12 for 100 yards. He connected on a long pass to Jones, who beat Dolphins newcomer Will Allen for a score in the second quarter.
"We have a lot of work to do on offense, but it was great to get that much work," Leftwich said.
He was replaced by Garrard, who went 6-for-11 for 172 yards.
With Josh Scobee sidelined by a leg strain, Seth Marler did all the place-kicking for the Jaguars and made a 21-yard field goal. Jacksonville re-signed him this week.
Cleo Lemon, Miami's third-string quarterback, directed a 15-play drive in his first series that led to a field goal and threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jason Willis.
Undrafted rookie Marcus Vick, a former Virginia Tech quarterback trying to make the transition to receiver, caught two passes from Lemon for 12 yards.
Buffalo Bills First String Lackluster; Panthers Win 14-13
Panthers hot early, beat Bills 14-13
NFL.com wire reports
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Aug. 12, 2006) -- It didn't take Keyshawn Johnson long to show the Carolina Panthers are no longer a one-dimensional passing team centering around Steve Smith.
Johnson, in his first game with Carolina, caught an 18-yard pass from Jake Delhomme on the first play from scrimmage, the beginning of a game-opening touchdown drive on the way to a 14-13 win over the Buffalo Bills.
Delhomme hit Johnson twice for 27 yards on the opening series, then threw a 14-yard scoring pass to Drew Carter as Smith watched from the sideline with a strained left hamstring.
"You want to get the ball in certain guys' hands to get them off early, so they can stay in tuned to the flow of the game," Johnson said. "It's important to get off to a good start. Jake's starting to learn a little more and I'm learning him more."
Delhomme, who completed 5 of 6 passes for 64 yards before giving way to Chris Weinke, showed the Panthers could move the ball without Smith.
That wasn't the case last season. Smith led the league with 103 catches for 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns, but no other Panthers receiver caught more than 25 passes.
Carter had three catches for 20 yards and Keary Colbert caught two balls for 23 yards in place of Smith, who was injured on the first day of training camp.
New receiver Keyshawn Johnson notched his first catch as a Panther.
"Naturally, adding Keyshawn is going to attract attention," fullback Brad Hoover said. "He's going to help us out a lot. But I think it's the confidence of the other guys and just how they've matured that's sort of helped out."
Carolina's reserves didn't fare as well, as Casey Cramer and Efrem Hill both lost fumbles, but the Panthers were able stop the Bills' reserves on fourth down in the final minute.
Buffalo's quarterback troubles appeared no closer to a resolution. Kelly Holcomb and J.P. Losman both struggled in Dick Jauron's first game as coach.
Holcomb, who got the start, completed 2 of 4 passes for 16 yards and one interception, a poorly thrown ball that Ken Lucas returned 23 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter to give Carolina a 14-0 lead.
"I read the coverage wrong. I thought I had something I didn't have," Holcomb said. "I'm disappointed, I wanted to play better. It just didn't seem like I could get in a rhythm."
Holcomb was sacked by Julius Peppers on the opening drive and failed to lead the Bills to a first down in three series.
"Obviously Kelly had a rough night," Jauron said. "It was a sloppy start for us. The beginning of the game wasn't anything like we wanted to have happen."
Losman took over early in the second quarter and started with three straight incompletions. But he settled down and got into a rhythm in the second half against the Panthers' second and third strings. Losman was 15 of 24 for 144 yards for the Bills.
"We started off a little rusty, especially bringing in a new offense, new players, new coaches" Losman said. "I've always said the more I play, the more I'm in there, the more comfortable I'll get. As the game went on, I saw things better, but being in the offense for the first time, it takes time, it takes trust."
Running back Lionel Gates, who didn't play a down for the Bills last season, rushed for 31 yards on eight carries, including an acrobatic touchdown early in the third quarter.
Gates was sandwiched by Nate Salley and Keith Adams and did a complete 360 in the air, but came back down on his feet at the two-yard line. He then broke Jermaine Hardy 's tackle to get into the end zone.
Bills first-round pick Donte Whitner, who began practicing with the team Aug. 7 after an eight-day holdout, led the team in tackles. Matt Bowen, who started ahead of Whitner at strong safety, injured his right leg early in the second quarter. X-rays were negative.
Panthers first-round pick DeAngelo Williams had eight carries for 21 yards.
"I'm pleased with the way we came out on offense and defense and even in the kicking game," Panthers coach John Fox said. "After that we seemed to get a little sloppy and it leaves us with a lot of things to work on."
NFL.com wire reports
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Aug. 12, 2006) -- It didn't take Keyshawn Johnson long to show the Carolina Panthers are no longer a one-dimensional passing team centering around Steve Smith.
Johnson, in his first game with Carolina, caught an 18-yard pass from Jake Delhomme on the first play from scrimmage, the beginning of a game-opening touchdown drive on the way to a 14-13 win over the Buffalo Bills.
Delhomme hit Johnson twice for 27 yards on the opening series, then threw a 14-yard scoring pass to Drew Carter as Smith watched from the sideline with a strained left hamstring.
"You want to get the ball in certain guys' hands to get them off early, so they can stay in tuned to the flow of the game," Johnson said. "It's important to get off to a good start. Jake's starting to learn a little more and I'm learning him more."
Delhomme, who completed 5 of 6 passes for 64 yards before giving way to Chris Weinke, showed the Panthers could move the ball without Smith.
That wasn't the case last season. Smith led the league with 103 catches for 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns, but no other Panthers receiver caught more than 25 passes.
Carter had three catches for 20 yards and Keary Colbert caught two balls for 23 yards in place of Smith, who was injured on the first day of training camp.
New receiver Keyshawn Johnson notched his first catch as a Panther.
"Naturally, adding Keyshawn is going to attract attention," fullback Brad Hoover said. "He's going to help us out a lot. But I think it's the confidence of the other guys and just how they've matured that's sort of helped out."
Carolina's reserves didn't fare as well, as Casey Cramer and Efrem Hill both lost fumbles, but the Panthers were able stop the Bills' reserves on fourth down in the final minute.
Buffalo's quarterback troubles appeared no closer to a resolution. Kelly Holcomb and J.P. Losman both struggled in Dick Jauron's first game as coach.
Holcomb, who got the start, completed 2 of 4 passes for 16 yards and one interception, a poorly thrown ball that Ken Lucas returned 23 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter to give Carolina a 14-0 lead.
"I read the coverage wrong. I thought I had something I didn't have," Holcomb said. "I'm disappointed, I wanted to play better. It just didn't seem like I could get in a rhythm."
Holcomb was sacked by Julius Peppers on the opening drive and failed to lead the Bills to a first down in three series.
"Obviously Kelly had a rough night," Jauron said. "It was a sloppy start for us. The beginning of the game wasn't anything like we wanted to have happen."
Losman took over early in the second quarter and started with three straight incompletions. But he settled down and got into a rhythm in the second half against the Panthers' second and third strings. Losman was 15 of 24 for 144 yards for the Bills.
"We started off a little rusty, especially bringing in a new offense, new players, new coaches" Losman said. "I've always said the more I play, the more I'm in there, the more comfortable I'll get. As the game went on, I saw things better, but being in the offense for the first time, it takes time, it takes trust."
Running back Lionel Gates, who didn't play a down for the Bills last season, rushed for 31 yards on eight carries, including an acrobatic touchdown early in the third quarter.
Gates was sandwiched by Nate Salley and Keith Adams and did a complete 360 in the air, but came back down on his feet at the two-yard line. He then broke Jermaine Hardy 's tackle to get into the end zone.
Bills first-round pick Donte Whitner, who began practicing with the team Aug. 7 after an eight-day holdout, led the team in tackles. Matt Bowen, who started ahead of Whitner at strong safety, injured his right leg early in the second quarter. X-rays were negative.
Panthers first-round pick DeAngelo Williams had eight carries for 21 yards.
"I'm pleased with the way we came out on offense and defense and even in the kicking game," Panthers coach John Fox said. "After that we seemed to get a little sloppy and it leaves us with a lot of things to work on."
Ben Roethlisberger Returns; Cardinals Play In New Stadium - Win 21-13 - NFL.com
The highlight of this game was the play of Steelers backup QB's Boyd and Jacobs, as well as the new stadium itself.
Cardinals open dome, top Steelers 21-13
NFL.com wire reports
GLENDALE, Ariz. (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Ben Roethlisberger didn't mind that his appearance at the grand opening of the extravagant new home of the Arizona Cardinals was as brief as it was fruitless.
After what the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has been through, simply taking the field at all was enough.
"It kind of hit me right before the kickoff," Roethlisberger said, "to sit here and say thank you that I'm able to be out here, to put on the jersey, to be in front of people and playing again two months to the day after a pretty bad accident."
Roethlisberger played one series that ended in a missed field goal.
Then his Arizona counterpart Kurt Warner took over, christening the place with a touchdown in the Cardinals' first drive, following it with another in a 21-13 preseason victory against the Super Bowl champs.
A capacity crowd of 63,400 attended the unveiling of the $455 million stadium in western suburban Phoenix.
"It's an awesome stadium," Roethlisberger said, "big, loud, very nice and the field is real good."
Roethlisberger, who lobbied his way into the starting lineup two months after sustaining serious head and facial injuries in a motorcycle crash, played one series. He completed 3 of 4 passes for 29 yards, the longest an 11-yard screen pass to Verron Haynes.
Warner played most of the first half, going 9-for-13 for 118 yards. The 35-year-old former NFL and Super Bowl MVP even ran for 5 yards.
"For the most part I thought it was really good for the first preseason game," Warner said. "We're so much farther along from where we were last year."
Ben Roethlisberger was sacked here, but walked away unhurt.
Roethlisberger drove the Steelers to the Arizona 26, but drew some shouts of caution after he escaped from a near-sack by Adrian Wilson and scrambled before throwing the ball. Coach Bill Cowher came onto the field a bit to tell him to take it easy.
"I just told him in the future that considering where we are right now, I would rather have him go down rather than trying to fight to get free," Cowher said.
The drive ended when Roethlisberger was sacked by Bertrand Berry on third down, and Jeff Reed's 54-yard field goal try was wide left.
"We came away with nothing on that first drive, but I'm glad from Ben's perspective," Cowher said. "He was able to get out there and I thought he made some plays."
Then the Cardinals drove for a touchdown on their first possession in their new home.
Warner went 5-for-6 for 59 yards, capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson. Four of the completions came on third down, including a 20-yarder to Larry Fitzgerald on third-and-13 to the Pittsburgh 7.
After Reed's 48-yard field goal, Warner directed an 11-play, 71-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by Johnson's one-handed grab of a 20-yard pass. The catch came on third-and-9 at the Arizona 46.
Fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo took a short pass from Warner and rambled 15 yards for a touchdown to put the Cardinals up 14-3 with 3:31 left in the half.
The arrival of star free-agent acquisition Edgerrin James had no immediate impact on what has been a woeful Arizona running game. James carried twice, once for a 2-yard loss and once for no gain.
Not to worry, said James, who would have preferred to sit out the game entirely to wait for the regular season.
"I kind of went through the motions. I just wanted to get off the field healthy," he said. "I did my job."
With rookie Matt Leinart still unsigned, Arizona backup John Navarre was intercepted twice -- both by rookie Anthony Smith.
On the first, Navarre was hit as he threw and Smith picked it off at the Cardinals 35. Third-string quarterback Shane Boyd threw 13 yards to Quincy Morgan to set up rookie Mark Brubaker's 24-yard field goal that cut the lead to 14-6 as the half ended.
Navarre completed 11 of 15 passes for 60 yards.
"Just OK," coach Dennis Green said of the quarterback's performance. "He did some good things, made one real blunder, and I think that always taints it a little bit."
Diamond Ferri ran 5 yards for Arizona's third touchdown with 9:41 to play. Omar Jacobs threw a 1-yard pass to fellow rookie Isaac Smolko for the Steelers' lone touchdown, with 1:25 to play. The Cardinals recovered the subsequent onside kick and ran out the clock.
"We got through the game with really no injuries," Cowher said. "That's the good news, but from an execution standpoint, we've got a long way to go, and I think that was very evident today."
GAME NOTES:
Many of the fans were late arrivals because of traffic jams on the surrounding streets.
The Cardinals sold out a home game for the first time since Sept. 24, 2000, against Green Bay. They are sold out for the entire regular season.
Leinart is the only first-round draft pick unsigned.
In 2003, the Steelers also opened Ford Field in Detroit.
Cardinals open dome, top Steelers 21-13
NFL.com wire reports
GLENDALE, Ariz. (Aug. 12, 2006) -- Ben Roethlisberger didn't mind that his appearance at the grand opening of the extravagant new home of the Arizona Cardinals was as brief as it was fruitless.
After what the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has been through, simply taking the field at all was enough.
"It kind of hit me right before the kickoff," Roethlisberger said, "to sit here and say thank you that I'm able to be out here, to put on the jersey, to be in front of people and playing again two months to the day after a pretty bad accident."
Roethlisberger played one series that ended in a missed field goal.
Then his Arizona counterpart Kurt Warner took over, christening the place with a touchdown in the Cardinals' first drive, following it with another in a 21-13 preseason victory against the Super Bowl champs.
A capacity crowd of 63,400 attended the unveiling of the $455 million stadium in western suburban Phoenix.
"It's an awesome stadium," Roethlisberger said, "big, loud, very nice and the field is real good."
Roethlisberger, who lobbied his way into the starting lineup two months after sustaining serious head and facial injuries in a motorcycle crash, played one series. He completed 3 of 4 passes for 29 yards, the longest an 11-yard screen pass to Verron Haynes.
Warner played most of the first half, going 9-for-13 for 118 yards. The 35-year-old former NFL and Super Bowl MVP even ran for 5 yards.
"For the most part I thought it was really good for the first preseason game," Warner said. "We're so much farther along from where we were last year."
Ben Roethlisberger was sacked here, but walked away unhurt.
Roethlisberger drove the Steelers to the Arizona 26, but drew some shouts of caution after he escaped from a near-sack by Adrian Wilson and scrambled before throwing the ball. Coach Bill Cowher came onto the field a bit to tell him to take it easy.
"I just told him in the future that considering where we are right now, I would rather have him go down rather than trying to fight to get free," Cowher said.
The drive ended when Roethlisberger was sacked by Bertrand Berry on third down, and Jeff Reed's 54-yard field goal try was wide left.
"We came away with nothing on that first drive, but I'm glad from Ben's perspective," Cowher said. "He was able to get out there and I thought he made some plays."
Then the Cardinals drove for a touchdown on their first possession in their new home.
Warner went 5-for-6 for 59 yards, capped by a 5-yard touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson. Four of the completions came on third down, including a 20-yarder to Larry Fitzgerald on third-and-13 to the Pittsburgh 7.
After Reed's 48-yard field goal, Warner directed an 11-play, 71-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by Johnson's one-handed grab of a 20-yard pass. The catch came on third-and-9 at the Arizona 46.
Fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo took a short pass from Warner and rambled 15 yards for a touchdown to put the Cardinals up 14-3 with 3:31 left in the half.
The arrival of star free-agent acquisition Edgerrin James had no immediate impact on what has been a woeful Arizona running game. James carried twice, once for a 2-yard loss and once for no gain.
Not to worry, said James, who would have preferred to sit out the game entirely to wait for the regular season.
"I kind of went through the motions. I just wanted to get off the field healthy," he said. "I did my job."
With rookie Matt Leinart still unsigned, Arizona backup John Navarre was intercepted twice -- both by rookie Anthony Smith.
On the first, Navarre was hit as he threw and Smith picked it off at the Cardinals 35. Third-string quarterback Shane Boyd threw 13 yards to Quincy Morgan to set up rookie Mark Brubaker's 24-yard field goal that cut the lead to 14-6 as the half ended.
Navarre completed 11 of 15 passes for 60 yards.
"Just OK," coach Dennis Green said of the quarterback's performance. "He did some good things, made one real blunder, and I think that always taints it a little bit."
Diamond Ferri ran 5 yards for Arizona's third touchdown with 9:41 to play. Omar Jacobs threw a 1-yard pass to fellow rookie Isaac Smolko for the Steelers' lone touchdown, with 1:25 to play. The Cardinals recovered the subsequent onside kick and ran out the clock.
"We got through the game with really no injuries," Cowher said. "That's the good news, but from an execution standpoint, we've got a long way to go, and I think that was very evident today."
GAME NOTES:
Many of the fans were late arrivals because of traffic jams on the surrounding streets.
The Cardinals sold out a home game for the first time since Sept. 24, 2000, against Green Bay. They are sold out for the entire regular season.
Leinart is the only first-round draft pick unsigned.
In 2003, the Steelers also opened Ford Field in Detroit.
Arizona Cardinals first game in New Stadium Draws Fans from L.A. Desperate for NFL Football, Even Without Matt Leinart
Our man, Bill Chachkes
During our arrival in Arizona for our vacation (and our visit to Cardinals training camp) we met several fans on their way to the game between the Cards and the Steelers (the first game ever in the new stadium).
There were the Steelers fans who flew in from Pittsburg, but more surprising were the large amount of Cards fans from Los Angles who flew in for the game. We spoke with one father and son duo who told us that football fans in L.A. are so desperate to see Pro Football that they bought Cardinals season tickets! "we don't have a team at home anymore so we will come here for every home game" He said. His son continued "Even without Matt signed, this is an improved team. Now lets see them get him in here".
Vince Young's 4 of 10 Most Electrifying - Bush Thrills for Saints - Saints Win 19-16
Young makes NFL debut in preseason opener
By Craig Tapper
Titans Online
Rookie QB Vince Young made his NFL debut in the Titans' preseason opener vs. New Orleans Saturday night at LP Field.
NASHVILLE, TN, Aug. 12, 2006 -- The NFL debuts of Vince Young and Reggie Bush were expected to be the big story of the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints preseason opener. But while Young and Bush compiled their share of highlight worthy moments, the game was decided by a third-string quarterback.
Todd Bouman connected with Lance Moore for a 22-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, giving the Saints a 19-16 lead that held up Saturday night at LP Field.
Young made his first appearance with about nine minutes remaining in the second quarter. At times, Young displayed the strong arm and play-making ability that led him to be the #3 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. However, the rookie quarterback was unable to establish a legitimate groove, completing 4-of-11 passes for 56 yards, including a long pass of 19 yards. Young also ran four times for 28 yards before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a mildly sprained left ankle.
Regardless, Young was enthusiastic about being back in a game situation for the first time since January’s Rose Bowl.
“It’s been a long time since the Rose Bowl game,” Young said, “I was excited and the guys on the sidelines were pushing me, saying, ‘let’s go V, it’s your turn, so I was excited and then it slowed down and got more relaxed.”
Young’s first offensive drive began with a pair of runs and ended with an incomplete pass. During his second drive, Young managed to break through with his first professional reception — a 14-yard strike to rookie tight end Jamie Petrowski. As the game progressed, Young seemed to settle in and feel more comfortable leading the offense.
“In the first series guys were flying around real fast,” Young said, “I thought in the back of my mind, ‘I’m fast too, so put your speed with those guys’ and that’s what I did and went back to just playing football. I kind of relaxed and slowed down and as you can see, the game went on.”
With the Titans leading 10-9 in the third quarter, Young effortlessly flung a 50-yard pass down the sideline intended for Roydell Williams. The pass hit Williams in stride, but the second year receiver out of Tulane was unable to corral the ball.
During the fourth quarter, Young displayed his scrambling ability by evading defenders and connecting with Courtney Roby for 10 yards. The positive gain was disallowed due to an offensive holding penalty, but Young’s ability to create helped excite the already exuberant crowd.
The Titans had a scary moment midway through the fourth quarter when Young was tackled from behind by Saints defensive end Tommy Davis. Young remained on the ground for a few seconds following the third down play with a left ankle sprain, but he was able to leave the field under his own weight.
“I guess the most notable (injury) and most curious was Vince,” Fisher said. “He’s got a mild ankle sprain. He should be fine, probably a little sore in the morning. I don’t expect him to miss much.”
Young was replaced by undrafted rookie Cody Hodges on the team’s next offensive drive, although according to Fisher, he was going to be replaced following the previous drive even before sustaining the injury.
“I didn’t take him out because of the ankle,” Fisher said. “We had intended to take him our prior to the drive, to take him out and give Cody [Hodges] and Matt [Mauck] some work. I think he could have probably finished if we had taped him up.”
While Young did not make many highlight-caliber plays, the Saints first round draft pick Reggie Bush immediately displayed the game-changing ability and pure athleticism which earned him the 2005 Heisman Trophy and helped cement him as one of the most explosive running backs in the nation.
Bush compiled 59 yards on six carries, but his night was highlighted by a 44-yard run during the first quarter. With uncanny vision, Bush first ran to his left, then changed direction and darted his way around the backside of the defense. While Bush managed to evade defenders during that run, the defense was pleased with its overall performance in containing Bush.
“We did bend a little coming out of the gate on Reggie’s one particular long run,” said linebacker David Thornton, “but all in all, I think the defense came out with some intensity and we established some things we wanted to do on the side of the ball. I’m really looking forward to the defense playing solid this year and tonight was a great start.”
During the second quarter, Bush collided with Titans cornerback Pacman Jones. Jones and Bush exchanged words and Jones was handed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Following the game, Jones was far from awestruck of Bush’s talents.
“He doesn’t run up the middle, period,” Jones said. “If you can contain him outside, you can contain him. He doesn’t want to run up the middle. He’s not very, very strong, pretty fast. That’s about it.”
By Craig Tapper
Titans Online
Rookie QB Vince Young made his NFL debut in the Titans' preseason opener vs. New Orleans Saturday night at LP Field.
NASHVILLE, TN, Aug. 12, 2006 -- The NFL debuts of Vince Young and Reggie Bush were expected to be the big story of the Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints preseason opener. But while Young and Bush compiled their share of highlight worthy moments, the game was decided by a third-string quarterback.
Todd Bouman connected with Lance Moore for a 22-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, giving the Saints a 19-16 lead that held up Saturday night at LP Field.
Young made his first appearance with about nine minutes remaining in the second quarter. At times, Young displayed the strong arm and play-making ability that led him to be the #3 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. However, the rookie quarterback was unable to establish a legitimate groove, completing 4-of-11 passes for 56 yards, including a long pass of 19 yards. Young also ran four times for 28 yards before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a mildly sprained left ankle.
Regardless, Young was enthusiastic about being back in a game situation for the first time since January’s Rose Bowl.
“It’s been a long time since the Rose Bowl game,” Young said, “I was excited and the guys on the sidelines were pushing me, saying, ‘let’s go V, it’s your turn, so I was excited and then it slowed down and got more relaxed.”
Young’s first offensive drive began with a pair of runs and ended with an incomplete pass. During his second drive, Young managed to break through with his first professional reception — a 14-yard strike to rookie tight end Jamie Petrowski. As the game progressed, Young seemed to settle in and feel more comfortable leading the offense.
“In the first series guys were flying around real fast,” Young said, “I thought in the back of my mind, ‘I’m fast too, so put your speed with those guys’ and that’s what I did and went back to just playing football. I kind of relaxed and slowed down and as you can see, the game went on.”
With the Titans leading 10-9 in the third quarter, Young effortlessly flung a 50-yard pass down the sideline intended for Roydell Williams. The pass hit Williams in stride, but the second year receiver out of Tulane was unable to corral the ball.
During the fourth quarter, Young displayed his scrambling ability by evading defenders and connecting with Courtney Roby for 10 yards. The positive gain was disallowed due to an offensive holding penalty, but Young’s ability to create helped excite the already exuberant crowd.
The Titans had a scary moment midway through the fourth quarter when Young was tackled from behind by Saints defensive end Tommy Davis. Young remained on the ground for a few seconds following the third down play with a left ankle sprain, but he was able to leave the field under his own weight.
“I guess the most notable (injury) and most curious was Vince,” Fisher said. “He’s got a mild ankle sprain. He should be fine, probably a little sore in the morning. I don’t expect him to miss much.”
Young was replaced by undrafted rookie Cody Hodges on the team’s next offensive drive, although according to Fisher, he was going to be replaced following the previous drive even before sustaining the injury.
“I didn’t take him out because of the ankle,” Fisher said. “We had intended to take him our prior to the drive, to take him out and give Cody [Hodges] and Matt [Mauck] some work. I think he could have probably finished if we had taped him up.”
While Young did not make many highlight-caliber plays, the Saints first round draft pick Reggie Bush immediately displayed the game-changing ability and pure athleticism which earned him the 2005 Heisman Trophy and helped cement him as one of the most explosive running backs in the nation.
Bush compiled 59 yards on six carries, but his night was highlighted by a 44-yard run during the first quarter. With uncanny vision, Bush first ran to his left, then changed direction and darted his way around the backside of the defense. While Bush managed to evade defenders during that run, the defense was pleased with its overall performance in containing Bush.
“We did bend a little coming out of the gate on Reggie’s one particular long run,” said linebacker David Thornton, “but all in all, I think the defense came out with some intensity and we established some things we wanted to do on the side of the ball. I’m really looking forward to the defense playing solid this year and tonight was a great start.”
During the second quarter, Bush collided with Titans cornerback Pacman Jones. Jones and Bush exchanged words and Jones was handed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.
Following the game, Jones was far from awestruck of Bush’s talents.
“He doesn’t run up the middle, period,” Jones said. “If you can contain him outside, you can contain him. He doesn’t want to run up the middle. He’s not very, very strong, pretty fast. That’s about it.”
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Apple Sues Steven Speilberg and H.G Wells For Use Of The World "Pod"
This just in. Apple Computer's suing Steven Speilberg and H.G. Wells for the use of the word "POD" in both the original "War Of The Worlds" and the 2004 remake produced by Speilberg.
Well, almost. Read below. I personally think Apple's going the way of Major League Baseball in its questionable view of how a word they didn't create is used by others just because they decided to name their device "iPod."
Personally, Apple's legal slopiness is going to run up against someone's first use trademark rights -- and Apple will have egg on its face. Or is it pod?
One part of me just thinks this is a way for their lawyers to justify their salaries. Another part of me holds that Apple's generally crack marketing staff -- cracked.
Don't believe me? Check out this article by David Berlind of zdnet.com. Apple's going after a small business -- a family.
What's up, Steve Jobs?
Ravens Steve McNair Goes 4 of 5; NY Giants Steal Show 17-16
Giants boot the Ravens, 17-16
NFL.com wire reports
BALTIMORE (Aug. 11, 2006) -- The first quarter belonged to Steve McNair, who produced a touchdown on his first series with the Baltimore Ravens before sitting out the rest of the game.
McNair didn't get a win to savor, however, because the New York Giants dominated the fourth quarter and rallied for a 17-16 victory.
In his lone drive, McNair moved the Ravens 80 yards in 12 plays. He went 4 for 5 for 45 yards and ran for a 6-yard touchdown.
"It was what we were looking for, offensively, to start us out," McNair said. "That's the kind of drive we want to establish during the course of the season."
Baltimore built a 16-7 lead before Michael Jennings returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown with 8:44 left. The Giants then forced a punt and moved 62 yards behind third-string quarterback Jared Lorenzen before Jay Feely kicked a 29-yard field goal as time expired.
"It's always nice to win, and we were very happy to come back and win the game," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Jennings, with a big punt return, kind of gave us a shot in the arm there."
Steve McNair carried three defender into the end zone on his only drive.
McNair was obtained in a June trade with the Tennessee Titans to provide direction to an offense that struggled for three seasons under Kyle Boller. The 2003 NFL co-MVP made an immediate impression, completing his first pass to tight end Todd Heap for 17 yards.
On third down from the New York 6, McNair burst from the pocket and carried Corey Webster and Chase Blackburn into the end zone.
"I had an opportunity, I got flushed out of the pocket, I saw the end zone and I just tried to make the best out of something," McNair said at halftime. "This is my style of play. I play to win, regardless of it's a preseason or a regular-season game. Once the blood gets flowing, you can't shut it off."
Unless your coach tells you to, and Brian Billick decided one series was enough for McNair -- especially after watching his star quarterback take off in the open field.
"I told him he and I are both too old to do a whole lot of that," Billick said with a chuckle. "But it's what he does. He's an incredible competitor."
Offensive coordinator Jim Fassel didn't need to see anything more, either.
"Steve managed the game well and made good decisions," Fassel said. "It was crisp for an opening drive in the first preseason game."
The Giants' No. 1 defense, conversely, was left smarting.
"I was disappointed in the way we came out defensively," end Osi Umenyiora said. "We really allowed them to make too many plays, and we weren't making any plays. We have a lot of things we need to get back to work on."
Eli Manning led the Giants to a touchdown on his third and final series, the key play a 43-yard pass to Plaxico Burress. After Derrick Martin was called for pass interference in the end zone on a third-down play, Brandon Jacobs scored from the 1.
"For the first group, we got in the end zone, which was kind of our goal," Manning said. "I would have liked to have done it on our first or second possession rather than our third, but that's just the way it goes."
Giants running back Tiki Barber, who ran for 1,860 yards and nine touchdowns in 2005, was held out by Coughlin despite being healthy. New York was also without tight end Jeremy Shockey (concussion).
Manning went 4 for 7 for 74 yards. His backup, Tim Hasselbeck, was 7 for 13 for 79 yards before leaving late in the third quarter.
Boller, now No. 2 on the depth chart, completed 12 of 18 passes for 100 yards.
Matt Stover kicked field goals of 27 and 43 yards in the second quarter to give Baltimore a 13-7 halftime lead, then added a 43-yarder in the third quarter.
Notes: Ravens LB Ray Lewis did not play (coach's decision). ... Baltimore WR Derrick Mason left after one series with a mild concussion. ... The Giants had 10 players catch passes, led by Tim Carter with three for 36 yards. ... Feely missed a 44-yard FG; Stover clicked on all three of his attempts.
NFL.com wire reports
BALTIMORE (Aug. 11, 2006) -- The first quarter belonged to Steve McNair, who produced a touchdown on his first series with the Baltimore Ravens before sitting out the rest of the game.
McNair didn't get a win to savor, however, because the New York Giants dominated the fourth quarter and rallied for a 17-16 victory.
In his lone drive, McNair moved the Ravens 80 yards in 12 plays. He went 4 for 5 for 45 yards and ran for a 6-yard touchdown.
"It was what we were looking for, offensively, to start us out," McNair said. "That's the kind of drive we want to establish during the course of the season."
Baltimore built a 16-7 lead before Michael Jennings returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown with 8:44 left. The Giants then forced a punt and moved 62 yards behind third-string quarterback Jared Lorenzen before Jay Feely kicked a 29-yard field goal as time expired.
"It's always nice to win, and we were very happy to come back and win the game," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said. "Jennings, with a big punt return, kind of gave us a shot in the arm there."
Steve McNair carried three defender into the end zone on his only drive.
McNair was obtained in a June trade with the Tennessee Titans to provide direction to an offense that struggled for three seasons under Kyle Boller. The 2003 NFL co-MVP made an immediate impression, completing his first pass to tight end Todd Heap for 17 yards.
On third down from the New York 6, McNair burst from the pocket and carried Corey Webster and Chase Blackburn into the end zone.
"I had an opportunity, I got flushed out of the pocket, I saw the end zone and I just tried to make the best out of something," McNair said at halftime. "This is my style of play. I play to win, regardless of it's a preseason or a regular-season game. Once the blood gets flowing, you can't shut it off."
Unless your coach tells you to, and Brian Billick decided one series was enough for McNair -- especially after watching his star quarterback take off in the open field.
"I told him he and I are both too old to do a whole lot of that," Billick said with a chuckle. "But it's what he does. He's an incredible competitor."
Offensive coordinator Jim Fassel didn't need to see anything more, either.
"Steve managed the game well and made good decisions," Fassel said. "It was crisp for an opening drive in the first preseason game."
The Giants' No. 1 defense, conversely, was left smarting.
"I was disappointed in the way we came out defensively," end Osi Umenyiora said. "We really allowed them to make too many plays, and we weren't making any plays. We have a lot of things we need to get back to work on."
Eli Manning led the Giants to a touchdown on his third and final series, the key play a 43-yard pass to Plaxico Burress. After Derrick Martin was called for pass interference in the end zone on a third-down play, Brandon Jacobs scored from the 1.
"For the first group, we got in the end zone, which was kind of our goal," Manning said. "I would have liked to have done it on our first or second possession rather than our third, but that's just the way it goes."
Giants running back Tiki Barber, who ran for 1,860 yards and nine touchdowns in 2005, was held out by Coughlin despite being healthy. New York was also without tight end Jeremy Shockey (concussion).
Manning went 4 for 7 for 74 yards. His backup, Tim Hasselbeck, was 7 for 13 for 79 yards before leaving late in the third quarter.
Boller, now No. 2 on the depth chart, completed 12 of 18 passes for 100 yards.
Matt Stover kicked field goals of 27 and 43 yards in the second quarter to give Baltimore a 13-7 halftime lead, then added a 43-yarder in the third quarter.
Notes: Ravens LB Ray Lewis did not play (coach's decision). ... Baltimore WR Derrick Mason left after one series with a mild concussion. ... The Giants had 10 players catch passes, led by Tim Carter with three for 36 yards. ... Feely missed a 44-yard FG; Stover clicked on all three of his attempts.
Michael Vick Throws 3 of 4, Runs for 16 - Falcons Win 26-23
The real story is Michael Vick's passing and running. A short but complete game. If he does this during the season, the Falcons will march into the playoffs.
Falcons top Pats on late field goal
NFL.com wire reports
ATLANTA (Aug. 11, 2006) -- The Atlanta Falcons have been looking far and wide for a young kicker who won't count too much against the salary cap.
They may have found him -- and he's already on the payroll.
Michael Koenen, who handled the punting and kickoff duties as a rookie last season, appears ready to take on another job after booting four long field goals, including a 40-yarder as time ran out for a 26-23 preseason victory over the New England Patriots.
Coach Jim Mora said he doesn't want to overwork Koenen, but he had to be impressed with the youngster's performance. The Falcons already dumped two kickers over the summer and two more in training camp, leaving Koenen and Tony Yelk.
Yelk booted an extra point and handled three kickoffs, but Koenen did the rest. He also kicked field goals of 44, 45 and 50 yards, averaged 44 yards on four punts and kicked off three times.
"I have reservations about it," Mora said. "I can't say he won the job. I liked what I saw tonight, but I'm concerned about having a guy do all three jobs. I'll take another week or so to see how he is, see how he feels. The last thing I want to do is wear him out. But with his ability to affect the game, like he did tonight, it's something we have to think long and hard about."
If Koenen is able to handle triple-duty this season, it would give the Falcons an extra roster spot and free up more cap room to bring in a player who can bulk up the interior of the defensive line. Chad Lavalais, last year's starter at nose tackle, has fallen out of favor and played sparingly in the preseason opener.
Falcons backup quarterback D.J. Shockley excited the local crowd late.
"I've got to take care of my body," Koenen said. "I'm just as worried about it as they are. But if it happens, awesome."
Rookie quarterback D.J. Shockley, who grew up in suburban Atlanta and played for the Georgia Bulldogs, thrilled the home fans with an impressive debut in the fourth quarter.
Cheered on with barks from fans who remember him leading Georgia to the Southeastern Conference title last season, Shockley guided the Falcons on a 14-play, 56-yard drive in the final 2:06. The biggest play was a 14-yard pass to Kevin Youngblood, who made a leaping catch over the middle. After a spike and a short run, Koenen trotted on the field and kicked the winning field goal.
Shockley completed 4 of 10 passes for 40 yards, his percentage hurt by a couple of clock-stopping spikes on the final drive. He also ran twice for 12 yards.
"I wondered if I would be nervous," Shockley said. "I was pleased."
Another Falcons rookie got off to a rousing start. Third-round pick Jerious Norwood turned two short passes into long gains, fitting right in with a team that already has Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett.
Norwood rambled 37 yards down the right sideline after hauling in a pass from No. 2 quarterback Matt Schaub. Then, with the third quarter winding down, he grabbed a pass from Bryan Randall and went 34 yards for a touchdown, making a great move to lose one defender and then turning on the speed.
"Whatever it takes," Norwood said. "If I have to run over somebody, I'll do that. If I have to juke somebody, I'll do that."
Michael Vick and Tom Brady played to a draw.
Vick, who broke his leg in a 2003 preseason game, ran only one series for the Falcons. He completed 3 of 4 passes for 26 yards and broke off a 16-yard run that put Atlanta in position for Koenen's first field goal.
Brady also played one series, completing three straight passes for 24 yards before an incompletion at the Atlanta 7. The Patriots got the first of three field goals. Martin Gramatica, seeking to replace Adam Vinatieri, made kicks of 26 and 30 yards. The other candidate, Stephen Gostkowski, made a 34-yarder.
Matt Cassel went the rest of the way at quarterback for New England, trying to show he's ready to be Brady's backup. Cassel was the Patriots' third-stringer last season and he barely played at Southern California, where he was stuck behind Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.
Cassel was stripped of the ball on his first possession, but also threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Cobbs.
In the fourth quarter, Cassel directed drives of 80 and 77 yards that helped the Patriots overcome a 10-point deficit. He finished 13 of 26 for 229 yards.
"I need to play a lot better," Cassel said. "I left a lot of throws out there."
Notes: The Patriots didn't have many of their biggest stars. LB Tedy Bruschi is expected to miss the entire preseason and maybe longer after undergoing wrist surgery. DL Richard Seymour, S Rodney Harrison and TE Daniel Graham are nursing injuries. WR Deion Branch is holding out for a new contract. ... Atlanta LB Keith Brooking went out in the first quarter with a sprained right ankle. He didn't return.
Falcons top Pats on late field goal
NFL.com wire reports
ATLANTA (Aug. 11, 2006) -- The Atlanta Falcons have been looking far and wide for a young kicker who won't count too much against the salary cap.
They may have found him -- and he's already on the payroll.
Michael Koenen, who handled the punting and kickoff duties as a rookie last season, appears ready to take on another job after booting four long field goals, including a 40-yarder as time ran out for a 26-23 preseason victory over the New England Patriots.
Coach Jim Mora said he doesn't want to overwork Koenen, but he had to be impressed with the youngster's performance. The Falcons already dumped two kickers over the summer and two more in training camp, leaving Koenen and Tony Yelk.
Yelk booted an extra point and handled three kickoffs, but Koenen did the rest. He also kicked field goals of 44, 45 and 50 yards, averaged 44 yards on four punts and kicked off three times.
"I have reservations about it," Mora said. "I can't say he won the job. I liked what I saw tonight, but I'm concerned about having a guy do all three jobs. I'll take another week or so to see how he is, see how he feels. The last thing I want to do is wear him out. But with his ability to affect the game, like he did tonight, it's something we have to think long and hard about."
If Koenen is able to handle triple-duty this season, it would give the Falcons an extra roster spot and free up more cap room to bring in a player who can bulk up the interior of the defensive line. Chad Lavalais, last year's starter at nose tackle, has fallen out of favor and played sparingly in the preseason opener.
Falcons backup quarterback D.J. Shockley excited the local crowd late.
"I've got to take care of my body," Koenen said. "I'm just as worried about it as they are. But if it happens, awesome."
Rookie quarterback D.J. Shockley, who grew up in suburban Atlanta and played for the Georgia Bulldogs, thrilled the home fans with an impressive debut in the fourth quarter.
Cheered on with barks from fans who remember him leading Georgia to the Southeastern Conference title last season, Shockley guided the Falcons on a 14-play, 56-yard drive in the final 2:06. The biggest play was a 14-yard pass to Kevin Youngblood, who made a leaping catch over the middle. After a spike and a short run, Koenen trotted on the field and kicked the winning field goal.
Shockley completed 4 of 10 passes for 40 yards, his percentage hurt by a couple of clock-stopping spikes on the final drive. He also ran twice for 12 yards.
"I wondered if I would be nervous," Shockley said. "I was pleased."
Another Falcons rookie got off to a rousing start. Third-round pick Jerious Norwood turned two short passes into long gains, fitting right in with a team that already has Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett.
Norwood rambled 37 yards down the right sideline after hauling in a pass from No. 2 quarterback Matt Schaub. Then, with the third quarter winding down, he grabbed a pass from Bryan Randall and went 34 yards for a touchdown, making a great move to lose one defender and then turning on the speed.
"Whatever it takes," Norwood said. "If I have to run over somebody, I'll do that. If I have to juke somebody, I'll do that."
Michael Vick and Tom Brady played to a draw.
Vick, who broke his leg in a 2003 preseason game, ran only one series for the Falcons. He completed 3 of 4 passes for 26 yards and broke off a 16-yard run that put Atlanta in position for Koenen's first field goal.
Brady also played one series, completing three straight passes for 24 yards before an incompletion at the Atlanta 7. The Patriots got the first of three field goals. Martin Gramatica, seeking to replace Adam Vinatieri, made kicks of 26 and 30 yards. The other candidate, Stephen Gostkowski, made a 34-yarder.
Matt Cassel went the rest of the way at quarterback for New England, trying to show he's ready to be Brady's backup. Cassel was the Patriots' third-stringer last season and he barely played at Southern California, where he was stuck behind Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.
Cassel was stripped of the ball on his first possession, but also threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Cobbs.
In the fourth quarter, Cassel directed drives of 80 and 77 yards that helped the Patriots overcome a 10-point deficit. He finished 13 of 26 for 229 yards.
"I need to play a lot better," Cassel said. "I left a lot of throws out there."
Notes: The Patriots didn't have many of their biggest stars. LB Tedy Bruschi is expected to miss the entire preseason and maybe longer after undergoing wrist surgery. DL Richard Seymour, S Rodney Harrison and TE Daniel Graham are nursing injuries. WR Deion Branch is holding out for a new contract. ... Atlanta LB Keith Brooking went out in the first quarter with a sprained right ankle. He didn't return.
Jay Culter Does "Leinart" -- Lions New Team Wins 20-13
While Leinart sits looking for more money, Jay Cutler, who some believe is better, makes a fine start for Denver.
Cutler impressive, but Lions edge Broncos
NFL.com wire reports
DETROIT (Aug. 11, 2006) -- Rod Marinelli remembers scurrying along the sideline before The Star-Spangled Banner, making sure the Lions were standing and holding their helmets properly.
Before Marinelli knew it, his debut as a head coach at any level was over.
Each of the Lions' quarterbacks -- Jon Kitna, Dan Orlovsky and Josh McCown -- led scoring drives and Detroit's defense caused three turnovers in a 20-13 victory against the Denver Broncos.
"I love to win," said Marinelli, a former defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "If we're playing marbles, I'm going to get you."
Third-string quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt drove Denver deep into Detroit territory in the final minute, but on a fourth-and-goal at the 9 his pass behind David Kircus was dropped.
"You couldn't have a better way to finish," Marinelli said. "I like pressure."
Kircus, a former Lions receiver competing for a spot on Denver's roster, had six catches for 76 yards and a score. But he only lamented his final opportunity.
"Any time you get a chance for the ball, have it touch your hand in the end zone on the last play of the game, it's heartbreaking when you don't bring it in," he said.
Even though his team lost, Broncos safety John Lynch was happy to see one of his former coaches get a chance to lead a team.
"This opportunity has been long overdue," Lynch said. "He was a defensive line coach with the Bucs, but he was more than that to guys on both sides of the ball. He's a special coach, and a great guy."
Damian Gregory (93) and Claude Harriott gang up on Denver's Bradlee Van Pelt.
The Lions led 10-0 early in the second quarter and, after losing the lead, went back ahead 17-13 midway through the third. Artose Pinner's 2-yard run was the go-ahead score, set up by Mike Williams' 24-yard catch from McCown. After Denver's third turnover, Matt Prater's field goal early in the fourth quarter gave Detroit a 20-13 lead.
Jay Cutler had a solid debut for the Broncos. The 11th pick in the draft was 16-for-22 for 192 yards and a touchdown.
"He played well, executed the offense," Denver coach Mike Shanahan said. "Both teams were very vanilla in their approach, so you don't get too excited. But a guy's got to go out there and perform, and I thought he showed a lot of poise."
Both starting quarterbacks, Kitna and Denver's Jake Plummer, played only one series and each moved the ball about 60 yards.
Kitna, signed as a free agent to replace Joey Harrington, converted consecutive third downs with an 18-yard pass to Roy Williams and a 10-yard run to set up Jason Hanson's 36-yard field goal.
Plummer got the Broncos past midfield with a 16-yard pass to Darius Watts, then Mike Bell fumbled two plays later -- less than a week after the undrafted rookie moved past Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne to become the No. 1 running back.
"We didn't like the fumble, but that's typical of young guys in the NFL," Shanahan said. "It's similar to what Clinton Portis went through as a rookie. That's why you play those guys in these situations."
Marinelli said earlier in the week McCown would be the second quarterback to play, but Orlovsky took snaps after the coaching staff decided to change plans. The second-year pro made a 24-yard pass to Corey Bradford on his first play and ended his first possession with a good read and accurate toss to running back Arlen Harris for a 20-yard TD and a 10-0 lead.
Cutler took advantage of a turnover by threading a pass through a zone to Tony Scheffler for a 15-yard gain, which set up Jason Elam's 36-yard kick. With 44 seconds left in the half, Cutler threw three passes for 27 yards and Tatum Bell had a 15-yard run before Elam made another field goal to make it 10-6 at halftime.
Tatum Bell finished with 26 yards on five carries and Mike Bell had 20 yards on seven rushes.
Denver went ahead 13-10 early in the third quarter. Cutler looked right and threw left to a wide-open Kircus.
The Lions had 16 players inactive, including five starters on defense and two first-string linemen on offense.
Denver had seven inactives, including receivers Javon Walker (knee) and Rod Smith (hamstring), cornerback Champ Bailey -- coming off a season slowed by shoulder and hamstring injuries -- and defensive end Courtney Brown, whose latest knee surgery was Aug. 9.
GAME NOTES:
After an impressive training camp and one reception for 9 yards, Broncos rookie WR Brandon Marshall left the game in the first half with a strained right knee. Shanahan said he didn't think the injury was serious.
Detroit TE Casey FitzSimmons, who had moved past Marcus Pollard on the depth chart, might be out for two weeks with an injured left wrist.
Cutler impressive, but Lions edge Broncos
NFL.com wire reports
DETROIT (Aug. 11, 2006) -- Rod Marinelli remembers scurrying along the sideline before The Star-Spangled Banner, making sure the Lions were standing and holding their helmets properly.
Before Marinelli knew it, his debut as a head coach at any level was over.
Each of the Lions' quarterbacks -- Jon Kitna, Dan Orlovsky and Josh McCown -- led scoring drives and Detroit's defense caused three turnovers in a 20-13 victory against the Denver Broncos.
"I love to win," said Marinelli, a former defensive line coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. "If we're playing marbles, I'm going to get you."
Third-string quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt drove Denver deep into Detroit territory in the final minute, but on a fourth-and-goal at the 9 his pass behind David Kircus was dropped.
"You couldn't have a better way to finish," Marinelli said. "I like pressure."
Kircus, a former Lions receiver competing for a spot on Denver's roster, had six catches for 76 yards and a score. But he only lamented his final opportunity.
"Any time you get a chance for the ball, have it touch your hand in the end zone on the last play of the game, it's heartbreaking when you don't bring it in," he said.
Even though his team lost, Broncos safety John Lynch was happy to see one of his former coaches get a chance to lead a team.
"This opportunity has been long overdue," Lynch said. "He was a defensive line coach with the Bucs, but he was more than that to guys on both sides of the ball. He's a special coach, and a great guy."
Damian Gregory (93) and Claude Harriott gang up on Denver's Bradlee Van Pelt.
The Lions led 10-0 early in the second quarter and, after losing the lead, went back ahead 17-13 midway through the third. Artose Pinner's 2-yard run was the go-ahead score, set up by Mike Williams' 24-yard catch from McCown. After Denver's third turnover, Matt Prater's field goal early in the fourth quarter gave Detroit a 20-13 lead.
Jay Cutler had a solid debut for the Broncos. The 11th pick in the draft was 16-for-22 for 192 yards and a touchdown.
"He played well, executed the offense," Denver coach Mike Shanahan said. "Both teams were very vanilla in their approach, so you don't get too excited. But a guy's got to go out there and perform, and I thought he showed a lot of poise."
Both starting quarterbacks, Kitna and Denver's Jake Plummer, played only one series and each moved the ball about 60 yards.
Kitna, signed as a free agent to replace Joey Harrington, converted consecutive third downs with an 18-yard pass to Roy Williams and a 10-yard run to set up Jason Hanson's 36-yard field goal.
Plummer got the Broncos past midfield with a 16-yard pass to Darius Watts, then Mike Bell fumbled two plays later -- less than a week after the undrafted rookie moved past Tatum Bell and Ron Dayne to become the No. 1 running back.
"We didn't like the fumble, but that's typical of young guys in the NFL," Shanahan said. "It's similar to what Clinton Portis went through as a rookie. That's why you play those guys in these situations."
Marinelli said earlier in the week McCown would be the second quarterback to play, but Orlovsky took snaps after the coaching staff decided to change plans. The second-year pro made a 24-yard pass to Corey Bradford on his first play and ended his first possession with a good read and accurate toss to running back Arlen Harris for a 20-yard TD and a 10-0 lead.
Cutler took advantage of a turnover by threading a pass through a zone to Tony Scheffler for a 15-yard gain, which set up Jason Elam's 36-yard kick. With 44 seconds left in the half, Cutler threw three passes for 27 yards and Tatum Bell had a 15-yard run before Elam made another field goal to make it 10-6 at halftime.
Tatum Bell finished with 26 yards on five carries and Mike Bell had 20 yards on seven rushes.
Denver went ahead 13-10 early in the third quarter. Cutler looked right and threw left to a wide-open Kircus.
The Lions had 16 players inactive, including five starters on defense and two first-string linemen on offense.
Denver had seven inactives, including receivers Javon Walker (knee) and Rod Smith (hamstring), cornerback Champ Bailey -- coming off a season slowed by shoulder and hamstring injuries -- and defensive end Courtney Brown, whose latest knee surgery was Aug. 9.
GAME NOTES:
After an impressive training camp and one reception for 9 yards, Broncos rookie WR Brandon Marshall left the game in the first half with a strained right knee. Shanahan said he didn't think the injury was serious.
Detroit TE Casey FitzSimmons, who had moved past Marcus Pollard on the depth chart, might be out for two weeks with an injured left wrist.
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