MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — New England rookies TreVeyon Henderson and Efton Chism III each had another preseason touchdown, and the Patriots beat the Minnesota Vikings 20-12 on Saturday.
Henderson, the second-round draft pick from national champion Ohio State who’s been turning heads in training camp and tracking toward a prominent role in the backfield, rushed for 20 yards with an 8-yard score on four carries during a two-drive stint for the first-team offense. Henderson had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last week.
The Patriots held a handful of projected starters out, including four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who’s returning from a torn ACL in his right knee suffered halfway through his lone season with the Houston Texans.
Second-year quarterback Drake Maye started against an all-backups Vikings defense and went 4 for 7 for 46 yards with a delay-of-game penalty and an overthrow that was nearly intercepted but dropped by Tavierre Thomas.
Chism made another compelling case for a regular-season roster spot with six receptions from backup QB Joshua Dobbs for 71 yards and a score. He caught a short throw on third-and-9 from the 12 and broke six tackle attempts as he twisted and muscled his way into the end zone.
With Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte and veterans Kendrick Bourne and Mack Hollins on the Patriots’ roster, there might be only one opening for a wide receiver. Chism, who was undrafted out of Eastern Washington, will certainly get a long look. He had a 12-yard touchdown catch last week.
TEXANS 20, PANTHERS 3
HOUSTON (AP) — C.J. Stroud threw a touchdown pass in limited work in his preseason debut to help Houston to a win over Carolina.
Stroud, who sat out in last week’s 20-10 loss at Minnesota, played two series Saturday, going 6 for 8 for 44 yards. The Texans punted on their first possession before Stroud connected with Nico Collins on a 5-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to cap the second drive and make it 7-0.
Collins is coming off consecutive 1,000-yard seasons after he led the Texans with 68 receptions for 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns despite missing five games with an injury.
Nick Chubb ran five times for 25 yards in his Texans’ debut after spending his first seven seasons in Cleveland. Chubb played with the starters with Joe Mixon out recovering from a foot injury he sustained this offseason.
Stroud, who has led the Texans to the postseason in both of his first two seasons, has a new offensive coordinator this year in Nick Caley after the former Patriots and Rams assistant was hired this offseason following the firing of Bobby Slowik.
Carolina’s Bryce Young, the first overall pick in the 2023 draft when Stroud was taken second, failed to move the offense in two drives. He was 0 for 2 and was sacked once Saturday after directing the offense for two drives with a TD pass in last week’s 30-10 loss to Cleveland.
Andy Dalton replaced him and was 2 of 4 for 22 yards before leaving with a right elbow injury.
BROWNS 22, EAGLES 13
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Cleveland Browns had to turn to other quarterbacks with rookie Shedeur Sanders injured.
The decisive touchdown came on defense instead of from relief QBs. K.J. Henry returned an interception 45 yards for a score in the third quarter to send Cleveland to a preseason win over Philadelphia.
In a game missing almost all regular-season starters on both sides — Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley sat out for the defending Super Bowl champions while Myles Garrett and Jerry Jeudy rested for the Browns — the Eagles got a better look at their draft picks fighting for playing time.
Andrew Mukuba returned an interception 75 yards for a score and recovered a fumble, and Jihaad Campbell had a sack, an impressive showing for the Eagles’ top two 2025 draft picks.
DOLPHINS 24, LIONS 17
DETROIT (AP) — Backup quarterback Zach Wilson had a strong first half and third-stringer Quinn Ewers threw for two second-half touchdowns as Miami beat Detroit.
The teams had a pair of joint practices earlier in the week. Both teams’ starters participated in those workouts, but Saturday’s game was all about the reserves who are trying to earn roster spots.
Wilson, the Dolphins’ No. 2 QB behind Tua Tagovailoa, completed 15 of 23 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. Ewers went 11 of 17 for 116 yards.
The Lions also took a long look at their second- and third-string quarterbacks with Jared Goff on the sideline. Kyle Allen impressed in the first half, going 14 for 17 with 124 yards and two scores. Hendon Hooker struggled in the final two quarters, completing 6 of 13 throws for 61 yards and an interception.
Ollie Gordon II had 50 yards rushing for the Lions on 10 carries. Jacob Saylor had 13 carries for 39 yards.
The Dolphins took a 7-0 lead on Wilson’s 11-yard pass to Dee Eskridge late in the first quarter. Detroit tied the game midway through the second on Allen’s 11-yard pass to Jackson Meeks.
PACKERS 23, COLTS 19
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Anthony Richardson completed six of his first eight passes, leading Indianapolis to a touchdown on his first series before Green Bay rallied late for a victory.
Quarterback Sean Clifford scored on an 11-yard run with 1:31 left to put the Packers ahead.
Jason Bean then took the Colts to the Green Bay 31-yard line in the final minute before the rally fell short.
While Clifford finished strong, Richardson started fast. He played nearly the entire second quarter and capped Indy’s best drive of the preseason with Tyler Goodson’s 3-yard TD run. Richardson also took advantage of a fumble recovery to set up the second of Spencer Shrader’s four field goals.
The Packers’ only first-half score came on a 43-yard field goal to end the second quarter. They cut the deficit to 13-10 on Israel Abanikanda’s 3-yard TD run in the third quarter, tied the score at 16 on Amar Johnson’s 9-yard scoring run. Green Bay missed the extra point. Clifford’s scoring run gave Green Bay its only lead of the game.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur held out 29 players, including quarterback Jordan Love two days after the teams held a joint practice. Love had surgery to repair a ligament in his left thumb earlier this week.
Malik Willis went 6 of 14 with 83 yards in place of Love. Clifford ran twice for 19 yards.
49ERS 22, RAIDERS 19
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty proved he could deliver hits and absorb them at the NFL level, rushing for a bruising 33 yards and a touchdown on seven carries in Las Vegas’ 22-19 preseason loss to San Francisco.
Jake Moody made a 59-yard field goal as time expired for the 49ers (1-1). He also converted a 44-yarder with 37 seconds remaining to tie the game, and then Jaylen Mahoney intercepted Raiders quarterback Cam Miller to set up the winner.
Moody made 5 of 6 field goals while Daniel Carlson made all four of his tries for the Raiders (0-1-1).
Brock Purdy played the first series for the 49ers, which ended in a field goal. He was 5 of 7 for 66 yards. Backup Mac Jones completed 13 of 16 passes for 135 yards with an interception, and former Raider Carter Bradley led the tying and winning drives and finished 8 of 13 for 96 yards.
Star running back Christian McCaffrey did not play for the 49ers.
Geno Smith completed 6 of 8 passes for 55 yards as the Raiders’ first-team offense played the first two series. The Raiders scored 10 points on those drives. Aidan O’Connell guided the team into the fourth quarter, finishing 15 of 23 for 138 yards with an interception.
GIANTS 31, JETS 12
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Getting snaps with the first-team offense, then throwing for a touchdown and running for another with the backups, Jaxson Dart shined in his new home stadium debut for the New York Giants as part of a victory against the Jets in each team’s second preseason game.
The rookie first-round pick whom the Giants envision as their long-term franchise quarterback got a chance to show a little bit of how he could contribute in the near future by subbing in for starter Russell Wilson mid-drive and connecting with Theo Johnson on a 30-yard pass. Dart capped a 71-yard second half-opening drive with a TD throw to Greg Dulcich and scored on a goal-line sneak to finish another after completing 13 consecutive passes.
Dart was 14 of 16 for 137 yards, delivering on the hype under the lights at MetLife Stadium before giving way to Jameis Winston.
Wilson had his own highlight, throwing his so-called “moon ball” to undrafted free agent Beaux Collins for an 80-yard gain. The 36-year-old had another intercepted because of a miscommunication with Collins, his final throw of a 4 of 7, 108-yard performance.
While the Giants (2-0) got clicking, questions remain on offense for Justin Fields and the Jets (1-1). He left after two run-heavy series 1 of 5 for 4 yards, with Nick Folk’s 38-yard field goal the only points the starters got on the board.
BUCCANEERS 17, STEELERS 14
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Newly signed veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw a pair of first-quarter touchdowns, and Tampa Bay topped Pittsburgh.
Chase McLaughlin hit a 42-yard field goal as time expired to win it for the Buccaneers (2-0). Tampa Bay linebacker Antonio Grier’s 36-yard interception return set up the kick.
Bridgewater, who joined the Buccaneers last week after being suspended from his high school coaching job in Miami for self-reporting that he provided financial benefits to his players, was sharp in his three series of work.
The 10-year veteran completed 6 of 11 passes for 85 yards and two scores. He found running back Bucky Irving for a 15-yard touchdown and later delivered a pretty 5-yard lob to the back corner of the end zone that rookie first-round pick Emeka Egbuka pulled in with a sliding grab from his knees.
Mason Rudolph, making his second straight preseason start while Aaron Rodgers watched from the sideline, threw a 2-yard score to Brandon Johnson but also threw a pick that set up Tampa Bay’s first score.
Many of the bold-faced names for both sides were given the night off. Quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans and linebacker Lavonte David didn’t suit up for Tampa Bay.
The Steelers (1-1) sat almost all of their high-profile veterans, from quarterback Aaron Rodgers to All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt to offseason acquisitions DK Metcalf and Jalen Ramsey.
RAMS 23, CHARGERS 22
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Stetson Bennett rebounded from throwing a fourth-quarter interception to 305-pound defensive tackle TeRah Edwards, hitting Tru Edwards with an 8-yard touchdown pass with 5 seconds left while leading the Los Angeles Rams to a victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Bennett passed for 324 yards and three scores in his second straight sharp preseason performance — even if he failed to anticipate the ball-hawking skill and silky lateral movement of the hulking Edwards, who never had an interception in five seasons split between Northwestern and Illinois.
The rookie picked off Bennett’s throw, thundered downfield and even threw a head fake before plowing over Bennett and finally tripping at midfield to end his 29-yard return with 6:35 to play, setting off an unsurprisingly unhinged celebration on the Bolts’ sideline.
But Bennett shook it off with the poise of a two-time national champion and drove the Rams (2-0) downfield in the final seconds. Brennan Presley made an acrobatic 40-yard catch between two defenders with 11 seconds to play, setting up Edwards’ winning catch on the next play.
Justin Herbert went 2 of 5 for 46 yards while playing the opening series in his first-ever preseason game for the Chargers (2-1), who were the visiting team at the clubs’ shared stadium.
RAVENS 31, COWBOYS 13
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cooper Rush threw a touchdown pass and a pick-6 in his return to AT&T Stadium, and rookie Tyler Loop kicked five field goals as Baltimore beat Dallas.
D’Ernest Johnson ran for a 2-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for the Ravens (2-0).
Loop — the likely replacement for Justin Tucker, who was released in the offseason after he was accused of inappropriate behavior by massage therapists — connected from 53, 52, 42, 36 and 29 yards while missing from 50.
Cornerback Andrew Booth picked off Rush and returned it 40 yards for a TD, and Brandon Aubrey kicked field goals of 47 and 36 yards for the Cowboys (0-2).
Rush, who spent the previous seven seasons as Dak Prescott’s Dallas backup before signing as a free agent with Baltimore, flipped a 1-yard TD pass while backpedaling to Keith Kirkwood on a fourth-down play early in the second quarter. Rush played the first half, going 20 of 30 for 198 yards with two interceptions.
Rush’s first pick was a throw behind receiver LaJohntay Wester. Booth grabbed it and raced down the left sideline, avoiding tacklers during the final 10 yards.
BRONCOS 27, CARDINALS 7
DENVER (AP) — Troy Franklin caught two touchdown passes from Jarrett Stidham and Denver rolled over Arizona in a matchup of mostly backups.
With both teams sitting the majority of their starters following a productive and spirited joint practice on Thursday, Stidham followed up a spectacular preseason debut in relief of Bo Nix at San Francisco with another stellar performance.
He completed 16 of 23 passes for 240 yards and TDs of 27 and 17 yards to Franklin before giving way to Sam Ehlinger in the second half. Ehlinger completed 14 of 16 passes for 162 yards.
Denver’s top-to-bottom defense had another solid outing, too. The Cardinals (1-1) converted just 2 of 13 third downs a week after the Broncos held San Francisco to 1 of 12.
The Associated Press
