Baker Mayfield threw for 138 yards in a dominant first half for Cleveland
Color Rush Deshaun Davis Jersey , and the Browns wrapped up the preseason with a 35-17 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thursday night.Mayfield completed a 41-yard pass to Devon Cajuste on the first play from scrimmage, and the top overall pick in this year’s draft looked sharp throughout his two quarters directing Cleveland’s offense.With Tyrod Taylor atop the depth chart at quarterback, the Browns are likely to bring Mayfield along slowly. But if the rookie doesn’t play again for a while, this was a nice note to finish on before the start of the regular season.Nick Chubb and Matthew Dayes ran for touchdowns for Cleveland in what was generally a battle of backups.The Lions closed out an uninspiring preseason under new coach Matt Patricia. They were booed off the field at halftime by the sparse crowd at Ford Field with the score 25-0.COLTS 27, BENGALS 26CINCINNATI (AP) — Matt Barkley‘s left knee was injured by a low hit after he threw a pass, giving Jeff Driskel the inside track for the Bengals‘ backup quarterback role.For the second year in a row, the Bengals (3-1) lost a quarterback to injury in the final preseason game. Last year, Driskel broke the thumb on his passing hand in Indianapolis, ending his season. Cincinnati also has seventh-round pick Logan Woodside.It was the most high-profile job up for grabs in a game that featured few starters. The Colts‘ Andrew Luck and the Bengals’ Andy Dalton watched as reserves competed for roster spots.The No. 2 quarterback job hadn’t been an issue for the Bengals since they drafted AJ McCarron in 2014. He led them to the playoffs the following year when Dalton broke the thumb on his passing hand. The Bengals asserted McCarron was still under contract for 2018 because he was hurt during his rookie season, but McCarron won a grievance and became a free agent, going to Buffalo. The Bengals then signed Barkley.On Cincinnati’s second possession, Kemoko Turay hit Barkley in the legs after he threw a pass, drawing a roughing-the-passer penalty. Barkley came to the sideline to have the knee examined and walked to the locker room. He didn’t return.DOPHINS 34, FALCONS 7ATLANTA (AP) — Brock Osweiler made a strong final bid for Miami’s backup quarterback job, leading three first-quarter touchdown drives. Osweiler is competing with David Fales to be Ryan Tannehill‘s backup. Osweiler completed each of his first six passes for 65 yards, including a 1-yard scoring pass to Buddy Howell on Miami’s opening drive. He added a 14-yard scoring pass to Francis Owusu on the final play of the third quarter.Osweiler completed 16 of 25 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns for the Dolphins (1-3). Fales completed 13 of 20 passes for 94 yards and one interception.The Falcons (0-4) had little offense with its stars, including quarterback Matt Ryan, running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman and wide receiver Julio Jones
Ryan Glasgow Jersey , watching on the sideline. Atlanta was held to nine first downs and 185 yards.EAGLES 10, JETS 9PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Christian Hackenberg had a rough audition for an NFL roster spot, tossing two interceptions, but the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles rallied.Joe Callahan threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Matt Jones with 18 seconds left to lift Philadelphia (1-3).Jason Myers kicked field goals of 58 and 43 yards for the Jets (1-3). New York‘s defense didn’t allow a touchdown in August until the final drive.Eagles quarterbacks Carson Wentz, Nick Foles and Nate Sudfeld watched from the sideline, while Jets rookie Sam Darnold also was a spectator. Darnold is expected to be New York’s starting quarterback in Week 1 at Detroit. Wentz is still recovering from knee surgery last December and is waiting for medical clearance to play. Foles, the Super Bowl MVP, would start the opener next Thursday night if Wentz can’t go.Hackenberg didn’t take a snap in two seasons with the Jets after he was selected in the second round of the 2016 draft. He signed with the Eagles earlier in the month as the fifth quarterback and has no chance to make the roster so he was playing for his next job.JAGUARS 25, BUCCANEERES 10TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Fourth-stringer Tim Cook ran for a pair of second-half touchdowns, and Carroll Phillips returned a fumble for another TD to help Jacksonville.Cook scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards, while Phillips picked up a fumble by rookie quarterback Austin Allen and ran it back 28 yards during a 19-point third quarter that turned a 10-3 halftime deficit into a 12-point lead.Regulars for both teams sat out the finale in mostly empty Raymond James Stadium. A total of 34 players did not dress for the Jaguars, including every starter on offense and defense.Tampa Bay’s starters had the night off, too, as did suspended quarterback Jameis Winston, who must sit out the first three games of the regular season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.PATRIOTS 17, GIANTS 12EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Third-stringer Danny Etling tossed a 1-yard touchdown pass to Ralph Webb early in the second half and iced the game with an 86-yard run late.Giants quarterback Eli Manning chatted with receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in the first half
Cheap Deshaun Davis Jersey , while Tom Brady sat next to the New England water coolers and relaxed.There wasn’t much action on the field, with the biggest play coming late after an Alex Tanney-led drive from the New York 1 stalled at the Patriots 14 with New England ahead 10-6. Etling faked a handoff and ran an option around right end and scored untouched to give the Patriots a 3-1 preseason record. The Giants finished their first preseason under new coach Pat Shurmur at 2-2.VIKINGS 13, TITANS 3NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Rookie Daniel Carlson kicked field goals of 39 and 22 yards, and Kyle Sloter added a 24-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Carlson rebounded from missing a pair of 42-yarders wide left a week ago after beating out Kai Forbath for the job. Carlson connected from 39 yards late in the first half, tying it 3-3. He added a 22-yarder midway through the third quarter, giving the Vikings (3-1) a 6-3 lead.The Titans finished first-year coach Mike Vrabel’s first preseason winless, though he made clear protecting starters for the regular season mattered more than notching an exhibition victory.The starters who did play were the kickers, and the Titans kept Pro Bowl punter Brett Kern very busy. He punted five times before his backup took over.RAVENS 30, REDSKINS 20BALTIMORE (AP) — Ravens rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for a touchdown while backup Robert Griffin III spent the entire game on the sideline as Baltimore completed its third consecutive unbeaten preseason.Jackson played the first half and led Baltimore (5-0) on three scoring drives. The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner and first-round draft pick is sure to make the team, but coach John Harbaugh has not yet revealed whether he will keep Griffin, who’s currently No. 2 on the depth chart behind starter Joe Flacco. Griffin, a five-year veteran, went 27 for 41 during the preseason and showed no rust after sitting out last year.Kevin Hogan played the entire game at quarterback for the Redskins (1-3), going 22 for 38 for 272 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in his bid to unseat Colt McCoy as the backup to Alex Smith.His first interception was returned 23 yards for a touchdown by Kai Nacua to make it 27-7.STEELERS 39, PANTHERS 24PITTSBURGH (AP) — Josh Dobbs put together a compelling case to be on someone’s NFL roster next week, throwing for a touchdown and running for another.Dobbs, fighting for one of the backup quarterback jobs behind Ben Roethlisberger
Hardy Nickerson Jersey , vaulted into the end zone for a 3-yard scoring run to cap Pittsburgh’s first drive. He added a 27-yard strike to Tevin Jones later in the opening quarter and finished 8 of 12 for 151 yards to cap an impressive training camp.It just might not be enough for the 2017 fourth-round pick to stick around. Dobbs, veteran Landry Jones and rookie Mason Rudolph are all vying for a spot behind Roethlisberger. Jones, who has played well while filling in for Roethlisberger over the last three seasons, is likely safe. So too is Rudolph, a third-round pick this spring.Carolina’s Taylor Heincke played well in his bid to be the top backup behind Cam Newton. Heincke started and was 7 of 12 for 68 yards and a 6-yard touchdown to Mose Frazier. Garrett Gilbert came on in the second quarter and was 4 of 7 for 23 yards.___ CINCINNATI (AP)Marvin Lewis went to sit in his customary chair for his Monday media availability and discovered that it had been adjusted to a lower setting. He laughed after discovering that his seat at the front of the room no longer fit. The Bengals’ coach will finish his 15th season in Cincinnati amid a full-blown discussion about whom the chair will fit in a few weeks. Lewis said Monday that he hasn’t talked to owner Mike Brown about his contract, which ends after this season. Although he emphatically denies a report that he’s decided to leave, Lewis was noncommittal Monday about what happens next. Asked if he wants to be back in Cincinnati next year, he replied by saying only, ”I want to coach football.” Asked again if he wants to coach in Cincinnati next year, he simply said, ”Sure.” The past two weeks pretty much sealed Lewis’ fate, leaving the question of how the parting is handled. The Bengals (5-9) had another fourth-quarter meltdown against the Steelers in a 23-20 loss on Dec. 4 that essentially ended their playoff chances and left Lewis 8-24 against their biggest rival. They followed that deflating game by getting flattened at home by the struggling Bears 33-7. On Sunday, they went to Minnesota and were lifeless from the start, losing 34-7. They managed only one first down and 42 yards while falling behind 24-0 in the first half. When the game ended, defensive end Carlos Dunlap tweeted : ”Crazy feeling when you invest so much in anything and you don’t have any chance at any reward. Can’t even say I’m embarrassed any more I’m at a loss for words.” ESPN reported before the game in Minnesota on Sunday morning that Lewis doesn’t want to return, citing unnamed sources. After the game, Lewis denied the report, saying he hasn’t made any decisions about his future. He also addressed the report with his players
Deshaun Davis Jersey Womens , telling them to pay no attention to it. It’s another distraction for an injury-depleted team that finishes the season against opponents with playoff aspirations. The Bengals host Detroit (8-6) on Sunday and play at Baltimore (8-6). Brown’s longstanding tradition is to wait until the end of a season to meet with the head coach and decide what comes next. He hasn’t fired a coach midseason since Dave Shula’s team opened 1-6 in 1996. Bruce Coslet quit after a 0-3 start in 2000. Lewis indicated on Monday that he won’t force the issue, allowing the last two weeks to play out before meeting with Brown to tell him about his plans. ”It’s not the pertinent thing right now,” Lewis said. ”The pertinent thing right now is to coach the football team, and that’s what my job is and what I’m supposed to do. Anything else?” The 59-year-old coach knew it was a pivotal season. He failed to get a contract extension after a six-win season in 2016. Brown acknowledged at the start of training camp that there was more pressure on Lewis to produce. Instead, the season has turned out even worse than last year in many respects. Attendance at 65,515-seat Paul Brown Stadium is down significantly from 2015, when the Bengals collapsed during a first-round playoff loss to Pittsburgh. They’re 0-7 in the postseason under Lewis, the worst playoff coaching record in league history. They’re averaging only 54,026 fans this season, a drop of nearly 8,000 per game from two years ago. The team’s poor showings the past few weeks will drive away even more fans unless there are significant offseason changes. MORE INJURIES The Bengals have been gutted by injuries the past two games. In Minnesota, they were missing both starting cornerbacks, all three linebackers, running back Joe Mixon and center T.J. Johnson. Several other players missed time during the game with injuries, including safety George Iloka and left tackle Cedric Ogbuehi. Lewis declined to say which ones could be available for the Detroit game. —