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NFL roundup

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Johnson, defense spark Bengals’ 44-31 win over Bills ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) – Chad Johnson got his first touchdown this preseason. The Bengals receiver’s bid to celebrate, though, was denied.

It didn’t matter much, because there was enough high-scoring entertainment in Cincinnati’s mean-nothing 44-31 win over the Buffalo Bills on Friday night.

Johnson and the defense led the way, helping Cincinnati produce the third-most points in a preseason game in team history – and most since a 45-0 win over Tampa Bay in 1977.

The always-colorful receiver, hard to miss sporting a new golden mohawk he debuted last weekend, had five catches for 73 yards and a 9-yard touchdown reception.

The only thing missing was a TD celebration after he caught Anthony Wright’s pass in the left corner for the Bengals’ go-ahead score 8 minutes into the second quarter. Johnson’s request to put on a show was turned down by an official because of the NFL’s new rules limiting celebrations.

“I asked the ref if I could celebrate,” said Johnson, who pleaded with the official immediately after the catch. “I offered to pay his fine. He said, “No.”‘

At least Johnson made a contribution after being held without a catch in a 19-3 win against Washington last weekend.

“Great play by Anthony. Great scramble. Great focus. Great throw,” Johnson said of starter Carson Palmer’s fill-in. Palmer has practiced in training camp but is still recovering from a severe left knee injury.

Wright finished 9-of-19 for 99 yards and a touchdown in the first half, which ended with the Bengals ahead 27-17.

Cincinnati’s defense played a big role, forcing four turnovers in the first half, returning two of them for touchdowns on Dexter Jackson’s 72-yard fumble return and Keiwan Ratliff’s 26-yard interception return.

The Bills (0-2), coming off a 14-13 loss at Carolina last weekend, had a mixed outing. The 44 points they allowed is the fifth-most by a Bills team in preseason, and most since a 45-14 loss at Chicago in 1985.

Willis McGahee was the bright spot with nine rushes for 88 yards, including an electrifying 61-yard touchdown run on a power sweep to the left. The touchdown made up for McGahee’s miscue on the previous possession, when his fumble led to Jackson’s touchdown.

Quarterback J.P. Losman, however, had an up-and-down outing in his first preseason start, and after coach Dick Jauron named him the front-runner for the No. 1 job this week.

Losman finished 7-of-11 for 134 yards passing, but lost two fumbles and an interception, leading to 13 Bengals points. His worst pass was a quick out intended for Josh Reed, which was intercepted by Ratliff, who jumped the route with 6 minutes left in the second quarter.

Losman responded on the next possession, hitting Lee Evans in stride up the right sideline for a 46-yard touchdown.

The Bengals were without several starters, including both offensive tackles Levi Jones (sprained ankle) and Willie Anderson.

The Bills played minus former Bengals linebacker Takeo Spikes, held out as he continues to recover from a torn right Achilles’ tendon he hurt in Week 3 last season. Veteran safety Troy Vincent was rested while rookie cornerback Ashton Youboty was excused because of a death in his family.

Bears 24, Chargers 3

CHICAGO – Brian Urlacher and Rashied Davis saw to it that the Chicago Bears wouldn’t have to rely on the offense to score.

Urlacher returned an interception 64 yards for a touchdown on the game’s third play from scrimmage and Davis took a kickoff 100 yards for another first-quarter TD to lead the Bears over the San Diego Chargers.

Urlacher, last season’s defensive player of the year, stepped in front of Philip Rivers’ pass intended for Antonio Gates and raced in easily to give the Bears an early cushion.

Chargers running back Michael Turner broke three tackles on a tough 45-yard run around the right side late in the first quarter before Nate Kaeding kicked a 43-yard field goal to cut the Bears’ lead to 7-3.

But on the ensuing kickoff, Davis bounced off a scrum at the 20, broke outside, put a nice fake on Kaeding and outran Terrence Kiel to give the Bears a 14-3 halftime lead.

Dealing with an aggressive Chicago rush and taking some hard hits, Rivers played the first quarter and more than half the second before he was replaced by Charlie Whitehurst.

Rivers completed 9 of 14 passes for 75 yards and made one of the best plays of the first half. Shaking off two tacklers, he rolled left and threw a 21-yard pass to Malcom Floyd on the sideline.

Bears quarterback Rex Grossman, a shaky 3-for-11 in the preseason opener last week against the 49ers, looked sharp late in the second quarter by hitting passes of 24, 14 and 10 yards to drive the Bears to the Chargers 24. But when he tried to hit Gabe Reid in the corner of the end zone, Marlon McCree cut across for the interception.

Grossman finished 7-of-14 for 83 yards. Brian Griese took over in the second half, played two series, completed 2 of 4 passes for 16 yards and threw a touchdown pass before Kyle Orton entered the game.

A pair of rookies helped the Bears increase their lead to 21-3 in the third. Devin Hester returned a punt 42 yards and P.J. Pope had a 14-yard run on a fourth-and-1 from the Chargers 29, setting up Griese’s 9-yard TD pass to Justin Gage.

Rookie Jamar Williams recovered a San Diego fumble, leading to a 49-yard field goal by Robbie Gould early in the final quarter. Jason Harmon intercepted a Whitehurst pass in the end zone with just under seven minutes remaining to stop a Chargers’ scoring threat.

Neither team’s top running backs played. Chargers’ star LaDainian Tomlinson rested and the Bears’ Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson are injured.

There were 15,220 no-shows at Soldier Field in the Bears’ preseason home opener.

Browns 20, Lions 16

CLEVELAND – Overlooked on draft day and underrated for most of his career, little Jerome Harrison is making big plays for the Cleveland Browns.

The 5-foot-9 rookie running back caught a 31-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and finished with 107 total yards Friday night as the Browns rallied for a 20-16 win over the Detroit Lions.

With Cleveland down 16-10, third-string quarterback Derek Anderson hit Harrison in stride over the middle for the go-ahead score. Harrison, who rushed for 1,900 yards at Washington State in 2005, ran for 53 yards on nine carries and had six receptions for 54.

Browns tight end Kellen Winslow had three catches for 37 yards in his second game back after missing most of the past two seasons because of leg injuries.

Harrison has emerged as a multipurpose threat for the Browns (1-1), who looked much better on both side of the ball than they did a week ago in a listless 20-7 loss at Philadelphia. Harrison scored Cleveland’s lone TD against the Eagles.

Taken in the fifth round (145th overall) by the Browns, Harrison has shown speed, agility and toughness. Although he’s the shortest Browns player, Harrison hasn’t been intimidated about running inside.

Matt Prater kicked three field goals – 22, 44 and 48 yards – for the Lions (1-1).

An undrafted rookie from Central Florida, Prater has no chance of beating out Jason Hanson, Detroit’s all-time scoring leader and one of the NFL’s most consistent kickers for the past 14 seasons. However, Prater’s strong kicking could land him a job elsewhere, or force the Lions to keep him around.

Browns starting quarterback Charlie Frye finished 8-of-11 for 41 yards with one touchdown, one interception and one fumble in four series.

Except for throwing the pick to cornerback Dre Bly on his fourth attempt, Frye showed nice poise and pocket presence. His performance had to be reassuring to Browns coach Romeo Crennel, who handed the starting job to the second-year quarterback when he traded veteran Trent Dilfer to San Francisco.

The Browns also got big plays from rookie linebackers Kamerion Wimbley, D’Qwell Jackson and nose tackle Babatunde Oshinowo. Wimbley had a sack, Jackson made an interception and Oshinowo and a late sack as Detroit was driving.

Lions starter Jon Kitna played the entire first half, completing 7 of 12 passes for 94 yards and one TD. Kitna’s passing was one of the few bright spots as the Lions first-team offense managed just 3 yards rushing on nine attempts against Cleveland’s defensive starters.

Frye bounced back from throwing an interception on Cleveland’s first possession by hitting Dennis Northcutt for a 5-yard TD pass in the first quarter to put the Browns ahead 7-0.

After taking a low snap from new center Ross Tucker, Frye scrambled to buy himself time before zipping his pass over the middle to Northcutt, who has been his favorite target during camp.

Frye’s next attempt didn’t go as well. Detroit defensive end James Hall beat tackle Jeff Shaffer on an outside rush and stripped the ball from Frye deep in Cleveland territory.

Three plays later, Kitna hit Kevin Jones for a 2-yard TD to tie it.

The Lions took a 10-7 lead on Prater’s 22-yard kick. Backup quarterback Ken Dorsey drove the Browns 63 yards in 13 plays in the final three minutes as Cleveland tied it on Phil Dawson’s 32-yard field goal.

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