NFL roundup
Palmer sharp in return from injury as Bengals claw Chiefs KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Eight months after doctors rebuilt his mangled left knee, Carson Palmer hit nine straight passes in one impressive stretch for Cincinnati as the Bengals defeated the Chiefs, 23-10, on Sunday.
Kansas City quarterback Trent Green was injured in the third quarter. Green, motionless on the field , was carefully wheeled off on a stretcher after his head was snapped back to the ground on a hit by Robert Geathers. Chiefs GM Carl Peterson said Green had “pretty severe head trauma,” but was awake and moving shortly after the game.
Rudi Johnson and Kenny Watson scored touchdowns in a 17-point second-quarter. Palmer, who was injured in the opening minutes of Cincinnati’s playoff loss to Pittsburgh last January, was 13-for-19 for 127 yards.
Jaguars 24, Cowboys 17
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Terrell Owens made his presence felt early and late. As in, too early to hurt Jacksonville and too late to help Dallas.
Byron Leftwich threw a touchdown pass and ran for a score, and Fred Taylor had 115 combined yards to help the Jaguars beat the Cowboys, spoiling Owens’ much-anticipated debut with Dallas.
Owens finished with six receptions for 80 yards and a touchdown, but the Jaguars held him without a catch through much of the second half. Still, Owens keyed all three of Dallas’ scoring drives, including a 21-yard TD reception with 1:54 to play that cut the lead the 24-17.
Jacksonville recovered the onside kick and was forced to punt. The Cowboys got the ball back with 51 seconds to play, but Drew Bledsoe’s third-down pass was intercepted by linebacker Mike Peterson.
Bears 26, Packers 0
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Chicago barely let Brett Favre touch the ball, shutting out the three-time MVP for the first time in his 16-year pro career.
Quarterback Rex Grossman found Bernard Berrian for a 49-yard touchdown pass on the opening drive. It would be the Bears’ only offensive TD of the day, but Chicago moved the ball well enough to keep the game largely out of Favre’s hands.
Favre threw only five passes in the first half – completing all five for only 70 yards. He opened up the offense in the second half, but the quarterback couldn’t get the ball in the end zone and threw interceptions to Charles Tillman and Danieal Manning.
Favre finished 15-of-29 for 170 yards.
Grossman was 18-of-26 for 262 yards.
Cardinals 34, 49ers 27
GLENDALE, Ariz. – After 19 years in Arizona, the Cardinals finally have their own home – and maybe even a home-field advantage.
Kurt Warner completed 23 of 37 passes for 301 yards and three scores, the Cardinals turned two first-quarter San Francisco turnovers into touchdowns, and Arizona held on to beat the 49ers 34-27 on Sunday.
Playing in front of a sellout crowd of 63,407 in their $455 million, air conditioned new stadium, the Cardinals opened a season at home for the first time since the franchise moved to Arizona in 1988.
Larry Fitzgerald caught nine passes for 133 yards. Edgerrin James had a rugged debut for the Cardinals, gaining 73 yards in 26 carries, including a 1-yard touchdown run.
Patriots 19, Bills 17
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England came back from an ugly start, going ahead on a fourth-quarter safety for the win.
The Patriots trailed by 10 points at halftime in their first season opener in three years not preceded by the unveiling of a championship banner. And on the game’s first play from scrimmage, Tom Brady fumbled as he was belted by Takeo Spikes, and London Fletcher ran the recovery in for a 5-yard touchdown.
It was Bill Belichick’s 100th career win as a head coach.
New England cut the lead to 17-14 with 2:52 left in the third quarter on Brady’s 17-yard pass to Kevin Faulk after Buffalo went for it on fourth-and-1 at the Patriots 7 and the line stopped Willis McGahee for no gain. Stephen Gostkowski, the rookie replacing clutch kicker Adam Vinatieri, connected on a 32-yard field goal that tied the game at 17 with 9:33 remaining.
Exactly one minute later, the Patriots took the lead for good on the third play of Buffalo’s possession when Ty Warren sacked Losman for a safety.
Saints 19, Browns 14
CLEVELAND – Reggie Bush neither dazzled nor disappointed in his NFL debut but he got a win, teaming with Drew Brees to lead rebuilt New Orleans and give coach Sean Payton a win in his first game.
Bush, whose arrival in New Orleans has given the city’s football fans renewed optimism in the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, finished with 141 total yards. The Heisman Trophy winner had 61 yards rushing on 14 attempts, caught eight passes for 58 yards and returned three punts for 22.
The Saints also got 90 yards on 22 carries from Deuce McAllister.
Lions 9, Seahawks 6
DETROIT – The defending NFC champions got off on the right foot when Josh Brown kicked a 42-yard field goal on the last play of the game.
The Seahawks, who led the NFL in scoring last season, started the game-winning drive at their 20 with 3:13 left after Lions’ new coach Rod Marinelli decided against a long field goal attempt. All the scores in the game came on field goals.
Falcons 20, Panthers 6
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – John Abraham had two sacks and forced two fumbles in his first game with the Falcons, while Michael Vick threw two touchdown passes as Atlanta made up for two losses by a combined score of 68-17 last season.
Warrick Dunn rushed for 132 yards for the Falcons, who had 252 on the ground in all, the second most allowed by the Panthers.
Behind a revamped defensive line, the Falcons dominated the Panthers, who managed only two long field goals from John Kasay as they played without injured All-Pro receiver Steve Smith.
Ravens 27, Buccaneers 0
TAMPA, Fla. – Steve McNair started his first game for the Ravens, but it was the defense that stood out as Baltimore broke an 11-game road losing streak.
Chris McAlister returned one of the Ravens’ three interceptions 61 yards for a touchdown and 340-pound rookie Haloti Ngata lumbered 60 yards with a tipped pass to set up a field goal.
Rams 18, Broncos 10
ST. LOUIS – Jeff Wilkins kicked a franchise-record six field goals, and the new-look St. Louis defense forced five turnovers.
The Rams clinched the win when Denver quarterback Jake Plummer threw his third interception.
Eagles 24, Texans 10
HOUSTON – Donovan McNabb and Donte’ Stallworth are on their way to erasing the ugly scar Terrell Owens left on the Eagles.
McNabb threw for 314 yards and three touchdowns, including one to Stallworth, who had six catches for 141 yards.
Jets 23, Titans 16
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Chad Pennington, returning from two shoulder operations in as many years, threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns.
The Titans trailed 16-0 until Travis Henry tied the game, rushing for two fourth quarter touchdowns within five minutes. His 1-yarder with 5:58 left came one play after Pennington was sacked and fumbled at the 1. The Titans added 2-point conversions after each touchdown.
Pennington needed seven plays to put the Jets ahead after Justin Miller’s 41-yard kickoff return. The winning score came on a 12-yard touchdown pass to Chris Baker with 2:10 left.
The Jets’ Mike Nugent missed an extra point and two field-goal attempts.