BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Brown threw for 256 yards and a touchdown, and the Baltimore Ravens extended their record preseason winning streak to 23 games with a 17-15 victory over the Washington Commanders on Saturday night.
The Commanders (0-3) pulled within two with 5:31 remaining when Sam Howell threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Bonnafon. A 2-point conversion pass was incomplete, helping preserve the streak, but Baltimore defensive back Kevon Seymour injured an ankle on the play. Teammate Zakoby McClain appeared to fall on Seymour’s right leg.
It was in this preseason matchup last year that the Ravens (3-0) lost running back J.K. Dobbins to a season-ending knee injury. They seemed to avoid anything that serious this year — although Poe, the team’s mascot, was carted off at halftime. Baltimore also announced that defensive tackle Aaron Crawford went down with a groin problem.
Neither team was taking too many chances: Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Carson Wentz were among those who didn’t play.
The Ravens haven’t lost a preseason game since Atlanta beat them 20-19 on Sept. 3, 2015.
COLTS 27, BUCCANEERS 10
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tom Brady led Tampa Bay to a field goal on his first and only series of the preseason and Indianapolis’ backups rallied to beat the Buccaneers in the teams’ preseason finale.
Brady looked sharp in the hurry-up offense, going 6 of 8 with 44 yards while converting one fourth down on an 11-play, 66-yard drive.
The seven-time Super Bowl champ, Mike Evans, Julio Jones and most of the Buccaneers’ other starters then watched the rest of the game from the bench. Brady returned to the practice field Monday after missing the previous 11 days of training camp for personal reasons.
Matt Ryan and the Colts starters also played about one quarter.
And after Ryan led Indy to a go-ahead score — Deon Jackson’s 1-yard touchdown run — on his final series, Indy’s backups dominated.
Tampa Bay (0-3) made it 10-7 on Ke’Shawn Vaughn’s 1-yard scoring plunge, but Phillip Lindsay’s 2-yard scoring run gave Indy the lead late in the first half. And Sam Ehlinger’s nifty 45-yard TD run on the second offensive play of the second half helped Indy (1-2) pull away.
DOLPHINS 48, EAGLES 10
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa connected with Tyreek Hill for 51 yards on the first play from scrimmage, and Miami set a franchise record for points in a preseason game, beating Philadelphia.
Tagovailoa played the entire first quarter, looking more comfortable in first-year coach Mike McDaniel’s system. He finished 6 of 7 for 121 yards and a touchdown in three series.
Hill played the opening series, finishing with two catches for 64 yards in his only action this preseason. Miami (2-1) acquired the speedy receiver in an offseason trade with Kansas City and signed him to a four-year, $120 million extension.
The Eagles (1-2) sat their starters, including quarterback Jalen Hurts and receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, instead getting an extended look at players hoping to make the team’s 53-man roster.
Gardner Minshew started at quarterback, finishing 6 of 9 for 48 yards in two drives.
BEARS 21, BROWNS 20
CLEVELAND (AP) — Justin Fields threw three touchdown passes in the first half, leading Chicago to a win in its exhibition finale over Cleveland, which got its first in-game look at substitute starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett.
Fields, who was sacked nine times — 4 1/2 by All-Pro Myles Garrett — during a rough visit to Cleveland as a rookie last season, looked confident and in command while moving Chicago’s starters.
With the Browns resting Garrett, Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward and a few other first-teamers, Fields fired a 22-yard TD pass to tight end Ryan Griffin in the first quarter and then connected with receiver Dante Pettis and tight end Cole Kmet on scoring plays in the second.
Fields finished 14 of 16 for 156 yards in helping the Bears (3-0) open a 21-0 lead.
Cleveland’s backups rallied in the second half with quarterback Josh Rosen’s TD sneak pulling the Browns (1-2) within a point. However, Rosen’s 2-point pass attempt to receiver Javon Wims was incomplete with 2:31 left.
This was Brissett’s first preseason action for the Browns, who are hoping the 29-year-old veteran can keep them in contention until December while Deshaun Watson serves his 11-game NFL suspension. Brissett completed 13 of 23 passes for 109 yards with an interception.
TITANS 26, CARDINALS 23
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Logan Woodside scrambled for a 9-yard touchdown on fourth-and-goal with 52 seconds left and Tennessee wrapped up the preseason by rallying to beat Arizona.
Woodside’s rally likely won’t be enough to remain veteran Ryan Tannehill’s backup despite helping the Titans (2-1) finish the preseason with a second straight home win. Woodside was 5 of 9 for 43 yards on his lone drive, but rookie Malik Willis turned in his best performance this preseason in his third start.
Rookie Jarrett Guarantano tried to rally the Cardinals (1-2), but he was flagged for intentional grounding when being grabbed by Titans linebacker Rashad Weaver for a loss of down and a 10-second runoff. Sam Okuayinonu sacked Guarantano to end the game.
BENGALS 16, RAMS 7
CINCINNATI (AP) — Jake Browning came off the bench to go 19 of 24 for 173 yards and a touchdown, leading Cincinnati over Los Angeles in a preseason game contested mostly by backups.
Tight end Justin Rigg caught a 3-yard touchdown pass from Browning with 4:34 remaining to secure the win in the rematch of last season’s Super Bowl, which Los Angeles won 23-20.
Two days after the teams were involved in a benches-clearing brawl at a joint practice during which Rams star Aaron Donald swung a helmet, the game proceeded without incident. Both teams also appeared to avoid any serious injuries in their preseason finale.
Bengals backup quarterback Brandon Allen played most of the first half, going 11 of 15 for 130 yards. Allen and Browning are each vying to become Burrow’s primary backup.
Evan McPherson connected on field goals of 39, 38 and 35 yards to give the Bengals (1-2) a 9-0 halftime lead. McPherson, Cincinnati’s 2021 fifth-round draft pick, went 9-for-10 in the preseason.
Perkins finished 14 of 19 for 143 yards for the Rams (1-2). He also gained 33 yards on eight carries. He was playing in place of second-string quarterback John Wolford, who was nursing an injured thumb on his throwing hand.
FALCONS 28, JAGUARS 12
ATLANTA (AP) — Desmond Ridder shook off an interception on his very first throw to lead Atlanta to its first home preseason win since 2016, beating Jacksonville.
Both teams relied mainly on backups and roster wannabes in their preseason finale, with the Falcons (2-1) prevailing behind their third-round draft pick out of Cincinnati.
Playing into the fourth quarter, Ridder completed 14 of 25 passes for 185 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown throw to fellow rookie Tyler Allgeier in the first quarter.
Ridder also guided two impressive touchdown drives in the second half before calling it a day against the Jaguars (0-4).
There was an eight-play, 90-yard possession in which the rookie completed all three of his passes for 69 yards before Caleb Huntley’s 1-yard scoring run. The Falcon then drove 80 yards on 14 plays, with Ridder completing three more passes before Allgeier scored his second TD on a 4-yard run.
Atlanta had lost eight straight home preseason games since moving into Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 2017.
E.J. Perry went the distance at quarterback for the Jaguars. He completed 19 of 27 for 201 yards, with a pair of interceptions.
BRONCOS 23, VIKINGS 13
DENVER (AP) — Baron Browning’s 17-yard fumble return for a touchdown after McTelvin Agim’s strip-sack of Sean Mannion highlighted Denver’s win over Seattle.
Both teams rested their starters in the final tune-up for the season.
Browning’s score gave the Broncos (2-1) a 17-7 lead less than a minute left in the first half.
Greg Joseph’s 58-yarder five seconds into the fourth quarter made it 17-13 and the Vikings (0-3) were driving again when safety rookie safety Dalarrin Turner-Yell sacked Kellen Mond on fourth-and-goal from the Denver 5.
With Kirk Cousins sitting out again, Mannion was 9-of-16 for 121 yards and Mond went 10 for 17 for 102 yards in the second half.
Like Cousins, Russell Wilson didn’t play at all in the preseason. Brett Rypien was 14 for 21 for 137 yards in the first half and Josh Johnson threw for 107 yards on 11-of-14 passing.
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