Vikings beat Giants 13-10 as Kyler Murray makes his first start for Minnesota

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Kyler Murray led a drive that ended in a field goal in his first game action since being named Minnesota’s starting quarterback, New York’s Jaxson Dart threw for a touchdown after passing a concussion test and the Vikings beat the Giants 13-10 in each team’s preseason opener on Saturday.

Murray completed two of his three passes for 10 yards as coach Kevin O’Connell played his first-team offense — minus top receiver Justin Jefferson — for just one series. J.J. McCarthy, the 10th pick in the 2024 draft who has been relegated to backup duty, struggled in his first possession before settling in to finish 4 of 7 for 34 yards.

In John Harbaugh’s first time on the sideline as Giants coach, Dart was sacked twice on six drop-backs, the second time getting crushed by Vikings safety Jay Ward. Dart was escorted to the blue medical tent to be evaluated for a concussion, then returned two snaps later to complete a 15-yard TD pass to rookie Malachi Fields on the second-year QB’s final play of the game.

Dart was 3 of 4 for 26 yards.

BILLS 29, PANTHERS 14

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — New Buffalo Bills stadium. Same Josh Allen.

Allen displayed his familiar strong arm and elusive scrambling abilities on a 9-yard touchdown pass to Keon Coleman in the Bills’ win over Carolina.

The outing was the Bills’ first competitive game in their new $2.1 billion stadium built across the street from the team’s former home.

It was also their first outing under new coach Joe Brady, who replaced Sean McDermott in January, and elected to play his starters to get accustomed to their new digs and coaching staff.

It didn’t take long for Allen to get comfortable in overseeing scoring drives on each of his two series. On the first offensive snap, he faked a handoff to James Cook before hitting Khalil Shakir on a crossing route for a 21-yard gain on a drive ending with Tyler Bass’ 33-yard field goal.

Allen was 6 for 8 for 111 yards. On the touchdown to Coleman, Allen rolled to his right, evaded linebacker Trevis Gipson by stepping back toward the middle and throwing across his body to hit the open receiver.

The Bills appear to have avoided a scare when receiver DJ Moore, the team’s prized offseason trade acquisition, came up limping after an 18-yard catch along the left sideline, a play before Coleman scored.

BEARS 34, BROWNS 10

CHICAGO (AP) — Deshaun Watson led Cleveland on two early scoring drives in the first half of Saturday’s loss to Chicago, and Shedeur Sanders tossed an ugly interception in the fourth quarter of the preseason opener for each team.

Watson and Sanders are competing for the starting quarterback job in coach Todd Monken’s first training camp since taking over in January. Watson was 11 for 15 for 126 yards in his first game in almost two years, and Sanders was 6 for 11 for 79 yards while playing the third quarter and first part of the fourth.

KC Concepcion had a 14-yard touchdown run for Cleveland on an end around on the first play of the second quarter. The wide receiver, who also had three receptions for 27 yards, was a first-round pick in this year’s draft.

Caleb Williams got the day off as Chicago coach Ben Johnson rested most of his starters. Williams passed for 3,942 yards and 27 touchdowns in Johnson’s first season in charge, helping the Bears win the NFC North for the first time since 2018.

Tyson Bagent played the first half for the Bears, going 13 for 22 for 169 yards and a touchdown. He also threw an interception. Case Keenum was 9 for 10 for 151 yards and two touchdowns.

JAGUARS 24, SAINTS 20

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — J’Mari Taylor rushed for 78 yards and a 2-yard, go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter, and Jacksonville scored 18 unanswered points in the second half to defeat New Orleans.

Taylor’s score, which gave the Jaguars their first lead, was set up by undrafted rookie quarterback Joey Aguilar’s 43-yard completion deep down the left sideline to fellow rookie Trebor Pena.

New Orleans had two more possessions before the game ended with fourth-string QB Hunter Dekkers under center. The first ended with a punt, the second with an incomplete pass as time expired on second and goal from the 2.

Carter Bradley passed for 105 yards and short TD to tight end Hunter Long for the Jaguars. He also was intercepted by Jayden Price near midfield late in the first half, setting up a Saints touchdown.

Both teams sat out most of their projected starters, seeking to preserve their health while focusing on evaluations of players trying to fill reserve roles or simply stick on the roster.

Zach Wilson, acquired as a free agent by New Orleans this offseason, began making his case to become the backup to Tyler Shough. Wilson relieved Spencer Rattler in the second quarter and completed 11 of 16 passes for 145 yards and short touchdown to rookie tight end Oscar Delp.

Wilson completed three deep passes, hitting Bub Means for gains of 37 and 27 yards, and rookie Barion Brown for 28 yards.

Rattler, who entered training camp as the projected backup, completed 8 of 11 passes for 42 yards. He lost a fumble on a sack by Yasir Abdullah at the New Orleans 10, setting up one of Cam Little’s three field goals for Jacksonville.

RAMS 20, CHIEFS 12

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Justin Fields completed all four of his passes in his first quarter as the backup to Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, then watched as rookie Ty Simpson led Los Angeles Rams to a comeback preseason win.

The Chiefs signed Fields, a former first-round pick of the Bears, to serve as their veteran backup in part because they were unsure whether Mahomes would be ready for Week 1 after reconstructive knee surgery. But the two-time MVP has been ahead of schedule throughout his rehab and the Chiefs are optimistic Mahomes will be on the field to face Denver in a few weeks.

The only time Mahomes got on the field Saturday was the coin toss. He was one of the captains, even though he was never playing.

Rams backup Stetson Bennett was 4 of 6 for 38 yards in his lone quarter before giving way to Simpson, their first-round draft pick out of Alabama. He was 21 of 25 for 190 yards with a pair of TD passes to Dean Connors against fourth-stringers in the fourth quarter.

Seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier played most of the way for Kansas City, going 13 of 19 for 98 yards.

RAVENS 24, EAGLES 7

BALTIMORE (AP) — Ja’Kobi Lane had a 16-yard touchdown catch during a promising night for Ravens rookie receivers, and Baltimore beat Philadelphia.

Lane, a wide receiver from Southern California selected in the third round of the NFL draft, finished with three receptions for 38 yards.

Fourth-round selections Matt Hibner (tight end, Southern Methodist) and Elijah Sarratt (wide receiver, Indiana) combined for 11 receptions and 127 yards to help Jesse Minter win his preseason head coaching debut.

With Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts among the starters on both sides who did not play, backup Tyler Huntley led Baltimore’s first two series and went 6 for 7 for 76 yards.

Joe Fagnano, an undrafted rookie from UConn, connected with Lane and shook off a later interception to complete 22 of 28 passes for 223 yards.

Tyler Loop, whose missed field goal at Pittsburgh ended the Ravens’ 2025 season, missed from 49 yards in the first quarter before connecting from 42 yards in the third. Adam Randall and quarterback Austin Reed each had fourth-quarter touchdown runs for Baltimore.

Philadelphia rookie quarterback Cole Payton found Erik Ezukanma for a 6-yard TD pass for the game’s final score, completing a nine-play, 69-yard drive.

The Eagles were outgained 440 yards to 159 and managed only two first downs before that series.

COWBOYS 17, SEAHAWKS 7

SEATTLE (AP) — Rookie Camden Brown had two touchdown catches, including a diving, one-handed snag, to help lead Dallas past Seattle.

Brown caught a 39-yard pass from Sam Howell in the second quarter to put Dallas up 10-7. On the first drive of the third quarter, Brown snared a fade pass from Joe Milton in the back left corner of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown.

An undrafted free agent who started his career at Auburn before transferring to Georgia Southern, Brown has stood out throughout training camp. The 6-foot-2, 204-pound wide receiver has made good use of his frame, and demonstrated on Saturday he can also do so in an NFL game.

Milton, who’s entering his third pro season and second with Dallas, was impressive in his bid to be the Cowboys’ backup quarterback behind Dak Prescott. The 2024 sixth-round draft pick completed six of his first eight passes against the Seahawks’ backup cornerbacks, and finished 12 of 15 for 107 yards and the TD to Brown.

Howell, who is competing with Milton for the Cowboys’ No. 2 job, was 8 of 12 for 94 yards and his touchdown pass to Brown.

With Sam Darnold sitting out, Seattle rotated its backup quarterbacks throughout the night. Drew Lock led the Seahawks on a 13-play, 80-yard scoring drive to open the game. It was capped by a 5-yard touchdown catch by Montorie Foster Jr.

Advertisement