LANDOVER, Md. — In many ways, Saturday’s game was promoted like a movie opening, the curtain raiser for a budding quarterback rivalry between the Nos. 1 and 2 picks in the draft. The co-stars responded with a display of A-list poise and promise as Robert Griffin III’s Redskins defeated Andrew Luck’s Indianapolis Colts 30-17.
Luck completed 14 of 23 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown to fellow rookie T.Y. Hilton. Heisman Trophy winner Griffin went 11 for 17 for 74 yards and a scoring throw to veteran Santana Moss.
Luck’s touchdown was an impressive moment. He stepped up in the pocket to avoid the rush, then put a deep ball down the left side into the arms of third-round pick T.Y. Hilton for a 31-yard touchdown, wrapping up an 80-yard drive.
Griffin responded on the next drive, which also went 80 yards. He took a high-and-wide shotgun snap and drifted to the right to find Moss for a 4-yard score.
Through three preseason games, Luck is 40 for 64 for 514 yards with three touchdowns, two interceptions and a 90.2 rating. Griffin is 20 for 31 for 193 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 103.2 rating — not to mention an approving coach.
RAIDERS 31, LIONS 20
OAKLAND, Calif. — Matthew Stafford threw for 68 yards until leaving with an injury to his non-throwing hand in the Detroit Lions’ 31-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders on Saturday.
Defensive end Dave Tollefson drove Stafford to the ground after an incomplete pass in the second quarter. Team trainers wrapped Stafford’s left hand in heavy bandages and a brace on the sideline. Shaun Hill took over on Detroit’s next possession.
Oakland sidelined several more Detroit players.
Cornerback Bill Bentley departed with a shoulder injury and Chris Houston with a left ankle injury for the Lions (tied for No. 11 in the AP Pro32). Running back Kevin Smith also left with a right ankle injury and trainers wrapped bandages around Mikel Leshoure’s midsection after his final run.
Friday
BUCCANEERS 30,
PATRIOTS 28
TAMPA, Fla. — First-round draft picks Mark Barron and Doug Martin scored touchdowns, helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.
Barron intercepted a pass tipped by Ronde Barber and returned it 22 yards for a first-quarter TD. Martin scored on a 1-yard run that finished a game-opening drive led by Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman.
Brady played three quarters in his most extensive action of the preseason, but didn’t really get the Patriots offense on track until after Tampa Bay built a 23-7 lead. He finished on a high note, though, throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski on his final play.
The Patriots (1-2, No. 2 in the AP Pro32) traveled to Florida early in the week to practice with the Bucs (2-1, No. 26) twice in preparation for the game — workouts that first-year Bucs coach Greg Schiano felt would be especially beneficial to his players because of what they could learn from being on the field with Brady and other veterans who have been vital to New England’s success.
In what likely will be the most playing time he’ll get before the regular season, Brady completed 13 of 20 passes for 127 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
BEARS 20, GIANTS 17
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Jason Campbell threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Joe Anderson with 8:22 to play and Chicago rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit against New York’s second-team defense.
Starting quarterback Jay Cutler threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall, and Robbie Gould kicked two field goals for the Bears (2-1, No. 11 in the AP Pro32). Isaiah Frey intercepted a pass in the end zone with 1:06 to play to preserve the win.
Eli Manning (17 of 21 for 148 yards) threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ramses Barden, Andre Brown scored on a 1-yard run and Lawrence Tynes kicked a 32-yard field goal for New York (1-2, No. 3).
EAGLES 27, BROWNS 10
CLEVELAND — Rookie quarterback Nick Foles, filling in for injured starter Michael Vick, threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter to lead Philadelphia over mistake-prone Cleveland.
With Vick sidelined with bruised ribs, Foles stepped in and played impressively for the Eagles (3-0, No. 8 in the AP Pro32), who open the regular season in Cleveland on Sept. 9. Foles finished 12 of 19 for 146 yards with one interception.
The Browns (2-1, No. 30) had two costly turnovers in the first quarter, when they also had a punt blocked. It was not a good showing for their new owner, Jimmy Haslam III, who sat in the stands in the first quarter watching his $1 billion purchase.
Browns rookie QB Brandon Weeden went 9 of 20 for 117 yards.
FALCONS 23, DOLPHINS 6
MIAMI — Ryan Tannehill went 11 for 27 for 112 yards and one interception in his first game as Miami’s starting quarterback, and the Dolphins lost to Atlanta.
Four of Tannehill’s passes were dropped, including a potential 4-yard touchdown throw that Anthony Fasano bobbled in the end zone. Shaky pass protection was also a problem for Tannehill, who was sacked once, forced to run twice and hit several other times.
Miami (No. 27 in the AP Pro32) fell to 0-3, and Atlanta (No. 13) improved to 1-2.
The Dolphins managed only three points in Tannehill’s seven possessions. Atlanta’s Matt Ryan played midway into the third quarter and went 18 for 26 for 220 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown to Roddy White against reserves.
CHARGERS 12, VIKINGS 10
MINNEAPOLIS — Nick Novak’s 45-yard field goal as time expired gave San Diego Chargers a victory over Minnesota, after Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder struggled along with the rest of the starting offense.
Nate Kaeding made field goals of 50 and 54 yards for the Chargers (No. 16 in the AP Pro32 rankings). Novak, the token training camp competitor who’ll most likely be cut next week, kicked two of his own.
The Chargers had a scare in the third quarter when first-round draft pick Melvin Ingram, the outside linebacker from South Carolina, limped off in pain after trainers looked at his left knee. But the team later announced he was treated for a thigh bruise.
The most encouraging development for the Vikings was probably in pregame warmups, when running back Adrian Peterson took part in drills to continue to ramp up his rehabilitation. He’s close to returning from reconstructive knee surgery. The Vikings, though, lost promising rookie cornerback Josh Robinson to a possible concussion in the second quarter.
