Weekend NFL roundup: Titans upend Saints on late TD
Malik Willis threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Bryce Oliver, the second on a late fourth down, to lift the Tennessee Titans past the host New Orleans Saints 30-27 on Sunday in the preseason finale for both teams.
Competing for the backup job behind Derek Carr, Saints rookie Spencer Rattler threw a TD pass and led four scoring drives totaling 24 points. Rattler was 7-of-13 passing for 105 yards, including a 21-yard score to Equanimeous St. Brown, capping a 70-yard drive in the second quarter.
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No. 1 QB Will Levis started for the Titans (3-0) and finished 7-of-8 passing for 118 yards as he led a pair of scoring drives. Tony Pollard (five carries, 17 yards) scored on an early 1-yard run before Tennessee rested its starters.
In the fourth, Rattler led a pair of scoring drives that ended with a pair of TD runs by undrafted rookie Jacob Kibodi, who led the Saints (1-2) with 12 carries and 59 rushing yards.
Oliver, who caught a 34-yard TD earlier in the fourth before his 5-yard scoring reception with 1:25 left, finished with a team-high 52 receiving yards on three catches for the Titans.
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Broncos 38, Cardinals 12
Zach Wilson threw a pair of touchdowns and ran for another, leading host Denver over Arizona as both teams wrapped up their preseason slate.
Wilson, who will back up rookie starter Bo Nix, completed 16 of 25 passes for 251 yards, including a 46-yard TD toss to Brandon Johnson and a 1-yard scoring pass to Nate Adkins. Wilson scored on a 1-yard scamper to put Denver (3-0) comfortably ahead 24-6 late in the third quarter.
Clayton Tune, competing with Desmond Ridder to back up starter Kyler Murray for Arizona (0-3), was 12-for-18 passing for 119 yards. Ridder completed 10 of 16 throws for 111 yards. Hassan Hall rushed for 59 yards on 19 carries, including a 3-yard TD run.
Saturday
Panthers 31, Bills 26
Jack Plummer completed 21 of 29 passes for 278 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Carolina Panthers held off the Buffalo Bills for a 31-26 victory in Orchard Park, N.Y., on Saturday in the preseason finale for both teams.
Plummer gave Carolina (1-2) a 31-19 lead when he found Jalen Coker for a 36-yard touchdown with 14:54 left in the game. It took Buffalo nearly 13 minutes to respond, as KJ Hamler rushed for a 1-yard score with 1:57 to go.
The Panthers faced a third-and-11 on the ensuing drive, but Plummer hit Coker for a 12-yard gain to put the Bills (1-2) to bed.
Bryce Young attempted eight passes for Carolina, completing six for 70 yards and a touchdown. Mike Boone found the end zone on the ground.
Frank Gore Jr. headlined Buffalo’s offense with 101 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Anthony Brown threw for 102 yards on 11-of-12 passing, and Ben DiNucci chipped in with 76 yards and a touchdown on 11-for-15 passing.
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Lions 24, Steelers 17
Jermar Jefferson rushed for two touchdowns to help Detroit overcome a 14-point deficit against visiting Pittsburgh.
Jefferson scored from 1 and 7 yards out. Hendon Hooker ignited the Lions’ comeback with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Jake Funk. Hooker completed 12 of 20 passes for 114 yards, the touchdown and an interception.
Cordarrelle Patterson ran for a 31-yard score and La’Mical Perine added a 1-yard scoring scamper to lift the Steelers (0-3) to a 14-0 lead with 6:05 remaining in the first quarter. Detroit (2-1) held Pittsburgh to one field goal the rest of the way.
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Packers 30, Ravens 7
Michael Pratt and Sean Clifford each threw for a touchdown and host Green Bay rattled off 24 unanswered points to steamroll Baltimore.
The Ravens (1-2) were up 7-6 after Josh Johnson connected with Tylan Wallace for a 48-yard score with 11:21 left in the second quarter. But the Packers then completely took over, getting touchdown passes from Pratt and Clifford during their outburst.
Anthony Johnson Jr. returned a fumble 24 yards for a touchdown for Green Bay (2-1), which held Baltimore to 177 yards of total offense.
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Vikings 26, Eagles 3
Will Reichard did enough with his leg to send visiting Minnesota past Philadelphia.
Reichard made good on four field goals, converting from 31, 33, 20 and 57 yards out. Jaren Hall put together a strong showing under center for the Vikings (3-0), throwing for 189 yards and two scores on 17-of-25 passing.
The Eagles (2-1) kept their offense out on the field for fourth down six times, and they never managed to pick up a first. Jake Elliott kicked a 41-yard field goal in the second quarter for Philadelphia’s only points.
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Texans 17, Rams 15
Host Houston stuffed Zach Evans on a two-point conversion attempt with 3:15 left in regulation to beat Los Angeles.
Evans got the Rams (2-1) within two by rushing for a 3-yard TD, but he couldn’t get across the goal line on the next play. Evans finished with 45 yards and two scores on 14 carries.
Tim Boyle connected on 19 of 28 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns for the Texans (3-1).
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Chargers 26, Cowboys 19
Los Angeles picked off Cowboys quarterback Trey Lance five times en route to a win over Dallas in Arlington, Texas.
Tre’mon Morris-Brash had one of those interceptions and turned it into a 25-yard pick-6 to give the Chargers (1-2) a 26-19 lead with 4:14 left in the game. Lance later got the Cowboys to the Los Angeles 20 with seven seconds to go, but his pass to the end zone was picked off by Robert Kennedy.
Lance finished with 323 yards and one TD on 33-of-49 passing. He also rushed for 90 yards and a score on 11 carries. The Chargers built a 14-3 lead thanks to a 70-yard touchdown run from Derius Davis and Simi Fehoko’s 78-yard scoring reception.
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Jets 10, Giants 6
Israel Abanikanda rushed for a 45-yard touchdown and the Jets’ defense did the rest for a win over the visiting Giants in East Rutherford, N.J.
Abanikanda finished with 83 yards on nine carries. The Jets (3-0) surrendered just 199 yards of total offense and stopped the Giants on 11 of 14 third-down tries.
Jude McAtamney made good on a pair of field goals — from 43 and 23 yards out — for the Giants (1-2). Tommy DeVito completed 14 of 27 passes for 103 yards and was also the Giants’ leading rusher with 48 yards on five touches.
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Seahawks 37, Browns 33
Dee Eskridge returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown and Kenny McIntosh rushed 56 yards for another score as host Seattle prevailed in a slugfest with Cleveland.
With the help of those big plays, the Seahawks (2-1) took a 34-20 lead into the fourth quarter. Cleveland nearly came back thanks to Tyler Huntley, who found Michael Woods II for a pair of TDs.
Huntley finished with 146 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-22 passing for the Browns (0-3). Jason Myers made three field goals for Seattle, with one coming from 58 yards out.
