Preseason roundup: Quinn disappoints in first start, Lions beat Browns

DETROIT -- Brady Quinn had some legitimate excuses to explain away his lackluster debut as an NFL starter.

He didn't want any of them.

Quinn barely broke the century mark in yards passing and failed to make a big play, helping the Detroit Lions beat the Cleveland Browns 26-6 in an exhibition Saturday.

The former Notre Dame star, taken 22nd overall last year, had just a few days to get prepared after Derek Anderson was knocked out of Monday night's game and playmakers Braylon Edwards and Jamal Lewis were missing from the Browns' lineup.

Quinn, though, said criticism is merited after he was 14-of-24 for 106 yards without a score, turnover or a pass longer than 16 yards.

"There's nothing unfair about it," he insisted. "You can say it was a short week. You can say what you want, but I'm not that type of guy.

"I completely take the burden for his loss. I didn't execute and I didn't get in a rhythm to let the team drive down the field."

Detroit's Jon Kitna threw for 98 yards on his two drives to set up field goals. Rookie Kevin Smith overcame a sluggish start with a 35-yard touchdown. Dave Rayner improved his chances of finding a job by making four field goals in Jason Hanson's place. Full story

Jets 10, Giants 7

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Giants hope they didn't lose more than just a preseason game to the Jets.

Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora was carted off the field with a knee injury in the second quarter of the Giants' loss. The injury overshadowed a first-half quarterback duel between Brett Favre and Eli Manning that ended up being a penalty-filled snoozer.

The Giants said Umenyiora's left knee "locked up" with 10:48 left in the half on an incomplete pass by Favre on third down. He couldn't put any weight on the leg. X-rays were negative, but further examinations were planned Sunday.

Umenyiora had a team-high 13 sacks in earning his second Pro Bowl appearance while leading the Giants' pass-rush happy defense in New York's run to the Super Bowl.

Saints 13, Bengals 0

CINCINNATI -- The blood on Carson Palmer's face reflected the state of Cincinnati's offense: a nasty, ugly mess.

New Orleans sacked Palmer three times in the first half Saturday night, knocking him out of the game with a bloody nose and a cut lip during a victory that left the teams heading in opposite directions.

The Bengals have big problems.

They couldn't move the ball or protect their franchise quarterback in the first half. Palmer left the game when Kevin Kaesviharn got to him on a third-down safety blitz with 2 seconds left before halftime.

Dolphins 24, Chiefs 0

MIAMI -- Ted Ginn Jr. is starting to look as though he's worth that high draft pick.

Ginn had a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown and caught three passes to lead Miami to a romp over Kansas City.

The speedy Ginn, taken No. 9 overall in the 2007 draft, is finally displaying the go-to-skills of a top NFL receiver. He finished with 29 yards receiving in his third solid performance of the preseason, getting a big boost with the arrival of quarterback Chad Pennington.

Pennington threw for 94 yards on 11 for 15 passing, including a 17-yard pass to Anthony Fasano that put the Dolphins ahead 17-0 at the half. Pennington, cut by the New York Jets barely two weeks ago to make room for Brett Favre, has had a smooth transition to Miami.

Panthers 47, Redskins 3

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Jason Taylor limped off the field with a worrisome knee injury and Washington quickly unraveled against Carolina's 1-2 punch of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.

The running backs combined to rush for 201 yards and two touchdowns, Jake Delhomme threw for two scores and the Panthers cruised as Washington's high-priced addition didn't make it to halftime.

Taylor, the six-time Pro Bowl pick and Dancing With the Stars celebrity, was injured when his right knee bent awkwardly as he got caught in the middle of the pile following Williams' 5-yard run midway through the second quarter.

The team called it a sprain and the defensive end, acquired from Miami last month after the Dolphins grew weary of his television work, didn't return. Apparently the Redskins' defense was through for the night, too.

Jaguars 23, Buccaneers 17

TAMPA, Fla. -- At least Jeff Garcia's preseason debut ended on a positive note.

Tampa Bay's Pro Bowl quarterback was intercepted twice, but threw a second-quarter touchdown pass before departing in a loss to Jacksonville.

Garcia, whose future with the Bucs was in question this summer while the team pursued a possible trade for Brett Favre, missed most of training camp because of a strained right calf that also sidelined him for Tampa Bay's first two preseason games.

The big question now is whether Garcia has had enough game work that coach Jon Gruden will be comfortable sending into the regular season opener without playing him more than most of the other starters in Thursday's preseason finale at Houston.

Steelers 12, Vikings 10

MINNEAPOLIS -- Mike Tomlin has moved on, but Minnesota's defense hasn't lost its edge.

The Vikings kept the pressure on Ben Roethlisberger, surrounded Willie Parker and held Pittsburgh's starting offense to three points before the Steelers rallied after halftime for a victory.

Jeff Reed kicked four field goals, the last a 37-yarder with four seconds left.

Minnesota held out quarterback Tarvaris Jackson (knee) and receivers Bernard Berrian (toe) and Sidney Rice (illness), giving Gus Frerotte more than 2½ quarters to run the show in the third preseason game -- viewed by coaches as the most important.

Rams 24, Ravens 10

ST. LOUIS -- Even with newly signed Steven Jackson just a spectator, St. Louis' first-string offense ended its long slump with two touchdowns.Troy Smith's illness forced Baltimore to put its quarterback derby on hold.

Marc Bulger's 4-yard pass to rookie Keenan Burton with six minutes to go in the second quarter gave the Rams' starters their first score in three preseasons under coach Scott Linehan in a victory.

Bulger directed another 91-yard drive at the end of the half, leaning on Burton and fellow rookie Donnie Avery before third-string running back Travis Minor's 1-yard catch with 27 seconds to go.

Jackson, who signed a six-year, $44 million contract on Thursday to end a 27-day holdout, worked out wearing a helmet and shorts well before the rest of the Rams (2-1) hit the field for organized pre-game warmups. He was booed by fans in a half-full Edward Jones Dome when he showed up on the videoboard in the first quarter

Cardinals 24, Raiders 0

OAKLAND, Calif. -- JaMarcus Russell's starting job is assured even after an inconsistent preseason performance. That might not be the case with Matt Leinart.

Leinart threw three interceptions in less than two quarters before the Arizona Cardinals offense opened things up in the second half of a ictory over the Oakland Raiders.

Leinart entered the game with the lead over Kurt Warner in the competition for the Cardinals starting job. Coach Ken Whisenhunt may have to rethink that following this performance by Leinart.

Leinart's first pass of the night was a deep one to Larry Fitzgerald that floated up long enough for safety Michael Huff to pick it off.