CBSSports.com wire reportsSep. 2, 2010
CLEVELAND — Montario Hardesty can’t seem to outrun his knee problems.
Cleveland’s highly touted rookie running back, whose career at Tennessee was slowed by knee injuries, hurt his left one in the second quarter of Thursday night’s 13-10 win over the Chicago Bears, a potentially major blow to the Browns’ running game.
Fellow rookie Colt McCoy got his first pro start and went a perfect 13 of 13 for 131 yards in two-plus quarters. The former Texas star fumbled his first snap, but finally showed some potential in easily his best performance of an otherwise rough preseason.
Quarterback Todd Collins, recently signed by Chicago to back up Jay Cutler, completed 10 of 15 for 139 yards and a 15-yard TD pass to tight end Greg Olsen for the Bears.
Phil Dawson kicked a 36-yard field goal — set up when Browns defensive back DeAngelo Smith blocked a punt — as time expired for the Browns (2-2).
Hardesty made his pro debut after missing training camp with a bone bruise, an injury he sustained in his surgically repaired right knee in a 1-on-1 tackling drill during the week before Cleveland’s veterans reported. He recently returned to practice and the Browns were excited about him finally getting on the field.
Hardesty showed his inside power before getting hurt, scoring on a 1-yard run in the first quarter. He finished with 25 yards on seven carries. Full story
Bengals 30, Colts 28
INDIANAPOLIS — Cedric Peerman had a 93-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and Cincinnati beat Indianapolis.
Peerman finished with 100 yards rushing, and Jordan Palmer completed 10 of 14 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns for the Bengals (3-2). Starting quarterback Carson Palmer played for one possession, which netted a field goal.
Colts quarterback Peyton Manning didn’t play, and most of Indy’s starters took the night off. Curtis Painter got the start and completed nine of 20 passes for 114 yards. Backup Tom Brandstater completed 10 of 18 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns, all to rookie Brandon James.
It’s the sixth winless preseason in Colts history.
Lions 28, Bills 23
DETROIT — Matthew Stafford had an interception returned for a touchdown, but third-stringer Drew Stanton threw a pair of second-half touchdown passes to lift Detroit to a win over Buffalo.
Stafford’s second pass was picked off by Drayton Florence and Detroit (3-1) punted on his second and last drive.
Trent Edwards was 4 for 4 for 66 yards — including a 50-yard pass to Lee Evans — on his only drive that set up Rian Lindell’s first of three field goals.
Buffalo’s Marshawn Lynch had 2 yards rushing on five carries after missing two games with an ankle injury. Bills rookie running back C.J. Spiller was rested and running back Fred Jackson missed a third straight game because of a broken left hand.
Jaguars 13, Falcons 9
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — with most starters watching from the sideline, Atlanta and Jacksonville got a last look at players vying for open roster spots.
No one really stood out.
Fullback Brock Bolen scored on a 16-yard run, Josh Scobee kicked two field goals and the Jaguars beat the Falcons.
The teams exposed just a few starters to the preseason finale, with coaches and close friends Mike Smith and Jack Del Rio preferring to save them for next weekend’s season openers.
Titans 27, Saints 24
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Alvin Pearman’s 5-yard touchdown with 3:18 left helped Tennessee beat new Orleans on a night where both teams thought of safety first for their key stars.
Vince Young tossed a TD, and LeGarrette Blount also ran for a score as Tennessee (2-2) protected Chris Johnson by sitting him.
new Orleans looked ahead to the NFL’s regular-season opener, when the defending Super Bowl champs host the Minnesota Vikings with most of the starters like Drew Brees and Reggie Bush dressed and safely on the sideline.
Harry Coleman recovered the ball off the first of two blocked punts for a TD, and Chase Daniel had a 35-yard TD pass to Adrian Arrington for new Orleans (2-2).
Buccaneers 24, Texans 17
HOUSTON — Rudy Carpenter threw two touchdown passes to Arrelious Benn, Corey Lynch returned one of his two interceptions 91 yards for another score and Tampa Bay beat Houston.
Carpenter completed 15 of 22 passes for 203 yards and played into the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay (2-2) rested starter Josh Freeman and backup Josh Johnson.
Houston backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky started and threw both interceptions to Lynch. Third-stringer John David Booty played the second half and threw touchdown passes to Bobby Williams and Derek Fine. Booty completed 17 of 37 passes for 209 yards.
Nearly all of the starters sat out for the Texans (1-3), including quarterback Matt Schaub, receiver Andre Johnson, defensive end Mario Williams and linebackers Brian Cushing and DeMeco Ryans.
Chiefs 17, Packers 13
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Matt Cassel and Brodie Croyle each led touchdown drives and Kansas City beat Green Bay for its first preseason victory since 2008.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and a host of other Green Bay starters didn’t suit up for the final tuneup of the preseason. Backup signal-caller Matt Flynn played into the third quarter and hit 23 of 37 passes for 304 yards, much of it against backups.
Running back Ryan Grant and cornerback Charles Woodson also did not dress for what was expected to be a rainy night but actually remained dry. Held out with injuries were nine other Packers, including four other starters: linebackers Clay Matthews and Brad Jones, defensive end Cullen Jenkins and tackle Chad Clifton.
Rodgers, who led the No. 1 offense on three touchdown drives in one half against Indianapolis last Thursday, watched Flynn go three-and-out in Green Bay’s first four possessions.
49ers 17, Chargers 16
SAN FRANCISCO — on a night when San Francisco’s offensive stars sat out, the 49ers got more big plays on the other side of the ball to cap their first unbeaten preseason in 18 years.
Manny Lawson and rookie Taylor Mays each had interceptions and rookie Anthony Dixon ran 46 yards for a first-half touchdown in the Niners’ victory over San Diego.
Jehuu Caulcrick caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from Nate Davis with 8:41 left and Joe Nedney added a 25-yard field goal. San Francisco (4-0) went undefeated in its exhibition schedule for the first time since 1992.
Jeremy Williams returned a punt 93 yards for a touchdown, then caught a 29-yard pass to set up Curtis Brinkley’s 2-yard TD run late in the third quarter for the Chargers.
Raiders 27, Seahawks 24
OAKLAND, Calif. — Bruce Gradkowski threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter and Oakland mostly used backups in a victory over Seattle.
Kyle Boller also threw a touchdown pass and Swayze Waters kicked two field goals for the Raiders (3-1), who were more focused on staying healthy than winning their final exhibition game.
Charlie Whitehurst threw a touchdown pass and former Raider Louis Rankin scored on a 99-yard kickoff return for the Seahawks (1-3), who came out with the same strategy as Oakland. Olindo Mare kicked three field goals for Seattle.
Gradkowski started in place of Jason Campbell, who was knocked out of last week’s game against San Francisco because of a stinger and a sore right wrist. Campbell was on the sideline and not in uniform as Gradkowski led Oakland to its third opening-drive touchdown in three weeks.
<a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/13869964/roundup-qb-mccoy-looks-sharp-browns-top-bearstag:news.google.com,2005:cluster=http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/story/13869964/roundup-qb-mccoy-looks-sharp-browns-top-bearsFri, 03 Sep 2010 04:02:52 GMT 00:00″>Roundup: QB McCoy looks sharp, Browns top Bears