MANKATO, Minn. -- Fred Smoot couldn't wait to get rookie cornerback Cedric Griffin to training camp.
Entering his sixth NFL season, Smoot has become an expert in the time-honored tradition of rookie hazing.
"When we first got here, Smoot and some of those guys were talking about shaving my eyebrows off, cutting my dreadlocks, shaving people's legs, pouring water on me when I go to sleep," said Griffin, a second-round draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings.
There was a time when hazing was as much a part of Vikings training camp as two-a-days in the August heat. But new coach Brad Childress put a stop to that this year, issuing a no-hazing edict that has made life easier for his first-year players.
"Awwww, never!" Smoot recalled saying when he first heard about the rule. "But he did it. He really wanted us to focus on winning, and I respect that. I just wish he was my coach my rookie year."
Smoot was drafted by Washington in 2001, coming to a team loaded with veterans like Bruce Smith and Darrell Green who knew how to make a rookie's life miserable.
"My first practice they made me tackle everybody, then they taped me to the goal post and poured some water on me and left me there for about two hours," Smoot said. "Then ... I make it to my room and my mattress was thrown out the window. So I had to sleep with no mattress and no alarm clock. They had stole my TV and my alarm clock out of my room for like four or five days."
Ever since that tough initiation, Smoot has relished returning the favor.
Not under Childress's watch. The no-nonsense coach sees hazing not as harmless fun, but as a potentially divisive force.
"You better be inclusive," Childress told his players. "You better pull people into the pile, because if that guy can help you win and you're a seven-year player and you think that doing something to him or making him get up and sing or alienating him is going to help you, no, it's not."
Childress isn't the only one to feel that way. Across the nation, stories of hazing incidents gone wrong have grabbed headlines, most notably at the college level.
In June, Northwestern's women's soccer coach resigned and several players were suspended after photographs appeared on a Web site allegedly showing members of the team clad only in T-shirts and underwear, some blindfolded and others with their hands tied behind their back.
"Hazing is something that happened in high school, it happened in college," said Chad Greenway, the Vikings' first-round pick. "I was guessing something would happen here, but Coach Childress has been strong in that we won't have any of that and it's nice to hear as a rookie."
It's yet another stark contrast between Childress and his predecessor, Mike Tice, who in some respects was more like a bullying older brother to his players than a coach.
Under Tice, rookies had to stand up during lunch and sing their college fight song and put on a "talent show" later in camp.
Most of it was the kind of good-natured fun found at many NFL stops, including when defensive end Erasmus James had his clothes stolen out of his locker, dipped in cold water and thrown outside on a frigid December afternoon to freeze solid.
But the prank infuriated James, which is just what Childress is hoping to avoid.
"We're not a team that hazes because, hey, we want all hands on deck," Childress said. "If there's four [rookies] who can contribute, or three, we want them there if they can help us win."
Offensive lineman Chris Liwienski said his fellow veterans initially were disappointed with the policy, but they have been understanding.
"The league is competitive, and if we need rookies to step in and make plays for us then we need to start embracing them as teammates as early as we can and not alienate them," said Liwienski, who was taped to the goal post and covered in shaving cream as a rookie.
It's just one less thing to worry about for Griffin. While rookies across the league lie awake at night wondering when the vets are coming for them, Griffin dozes off peacefully.
"I'm happy about the situation," the former Texas Longhorn said. "I can actually go to sleep at night without being afraid about who is coming to get me."
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Deion Branch Ready To Sit Out Most Of Season - Pats Blog
According to this post -- click title -- from Patriots blog, WR Deion Branch is prepared to sit out the majority of the season to get the contract he feels he deserves. I personally think Branch is right to do this, and the Pats are perhaps playing this in an unwise fashion.
Deion Branch's value to the organization is obvious by the role he's played in their games. From the outside looking in, this seems to be less a business decision and more of a "who's the boss" approach -- that kind of negotiating style's not only unintelligent, but serves no one well at all.
Because of it, Branch sits out, and the Pats receiver corps quality stuffers.
San Diego Chargers Philip Rivers Goes 15 for 21; LaDainian Tomlinson Sits Out - Chargers Beat Packers 17-3
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.
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.
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."
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