Caleb Williams showed signs of promise in the No. 1 draft pick’s preseason debut by overseeing a pair of drives ending in field goals in the Chicago Bears’ 33-6 road win Saturday over the Buffalo Bills.
The 22-year-old out of Southern California completed 4 of 7 passes for 95 yards and converted a third-and-9 by bolting out of the pocket for a 13-yard gain. For Buffalo, Josh Allen went 2 of 3 for 22 yards and had a 7-yard run while being limited to playing the first quarter.
A minute into the fourth quarter, Bears linebacker Micah Baskerville returned an interception 53 yards for a touchdown.
Packers 23, Browns 10: Jordan Love made the most of limited playing time, throwing a 65-yard touchdown pass to former University of Virginia star Dontayvion Wicks on Green Bay’s third play as the Packers rolled to a win at Cleveland.
Vikings 24, Raiders 23: Rookie J.J. McCarthy rebounded from an ill-advised throw that was intercepted by Las Vegas starting cornerback Jack Jones with two touchdown passes against backups, a mixed but promising preseason debut for Minnesota’s future franchise quarterback in a home victory.
Rookie Will Reichard kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired to stop Minnesota’s 10-game preseason losing streak. The Vikings last won an exhibition on Aug. 24, 2019, at home against Arizona.
Gardner Minshew, in a too-close-to-call competition with Aidan O’Connell for the starting quarterback job for the Raiders, was 6 for 12 for 117 yards and a second-quarter touchdown to D.J. Turner.
Titans 17, 49ers 13: Will Levis led touchdown drives on both his series as Tennessee beat San Francisco in Nashville.
Levis, who worked in the offseason to learn new coach Brian Callahan’s system, completed 4 of 5 passes for 35 yards, and he capped the Titans’ opening drive by scoring on a quarterback sneak.
Tennessee third-string quarterback Malik Willis, a former Liberty star, directed a scoring drive in the fourth quarter that resulted in 34-yard field goal by rookie Brandon Narveson.
Seahawks 16, Chargers 3: Sam Howell threw for 130 yards and a touchdown in his Seattle debut as the Seahawks had a successful preseason opener under Mike Macdonald, defeating Los Angeles in coach Jim Harbaugh’s first game.
Howell, acquired from Washington during the offseason, directed a pair of scoring drives in the second quarter. He completed 16 of 27 passes in 10 series and played until a little over midway through the third quarter. Seattle quarterback Geno Smith did not play after missing practice time last week due to knee and hip issues.
Jaguars 26, Chiefs 13: Parker Washington delivered the longest return under the NFL’s new kickoff rules — an ankle-breaking, 73-yarder that set up an early touchdown — for host Jacksonville.
Washington made at least five tacklers miss before finally going down at the Chiefs’ 30-yard line. Trevor Lawrence found running back Travis Etienne for a 9-yard score four plays later to give the Jaguars the two biggest highlights of the game.
Kansas City receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who signed a one-year, $7 million contract in March, landed awkwardly on a shoulder following an 11-yard reception on the opening play and did not return. He fractured his clavicle.
Buccaneers 17, Bengals 10: Cincinnati saw all it needed to see of Joe Burrow in its first series.
In his first game action in nearly nine months, having had surgery on his throwing hand, Cincinnati’s franchise quarterback directed a 73-yard drive, tossed a touchdown pass to Tee Higgins and then walked off the field.
The Buccaneers scored late to win, but Burrow passed his test. He was 5 for 7 for 51 yards, directed five first downs and completed passes to four receivers.
Saints 16, Cardinals 14: New Orleans rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler led the winning drive in final minute, providing a spark in his bid to become the team’s backup quarterback this season, and the Saints beat host Arizona.
Rattler — a fifth-round selection out of South Carolina who went to high school in Phoenix — spearheaded a 12-play, 56-yard drive in the final two minutes, capped by a 37-yard field goal from Charlie Smyth with five seconds left.
The Saints are trying to decide on a backup quarterback behind Derek Carr, and it’s a duel between Rattler and second-year pro Jake Haener.
Late Friday
Dolphins 20, Falcons 13: Atlanta rookie Michael Penix Jr. completed 9 of 16 passes for 104 yards in Miami’s home win.
Penix, the former Washington star drafted eighth overall, started and played the first five drives. He directed two drives that ended in scores — Younghoe Koo’s 39-yard field goal and Carlos Washington’s 1-yard touchdown run.
Taylor Heinicke replaced Penix with 6:40 remaining in the second quarter for the Falcons; the former Old Dominion record-setter was 4 of 11 for 11 yards and was sacked for a 7-yard loss.
Texans 20, Steelers 12: C.J. Stroud, in his preseason debut, threw a touchdown pass to Tank Dell and was 2 of 4 for 41 yards as Houston won in Pittsburgh.
Justin Fields, listed behind Russell Wilson on the Steelers’ depth chart, completed 5 of 6 for 67 yards.
Eagles 16, Ravens 13: Given a second chance after a Ravens fumble, Jake Elliott made a 49-yard field goal with no time remaining to give Philadelphia a win in Baltimore.
Elliott hit the right upright on a 50-yard attempt with 16 seconds remaining, but Baltimore quarterback Emory Jones — who had just entered the game — was sacked and fumbled on the next play. The recovery by Patrick Johnson set up Elliott’s game-winner at nearly the same spot where he’d just missed.
