Ravens top Panthers, tie record with 19th straight preseason win
Tyler Huntley threw for 187 yards, and the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Carolina Panthers 20-3 on Saturday night to tie an NFL record with their 19th straight preseason win.
Nate McCrary and Ty’Son Williams rushed for touchdowns for the Ravens, who equaled the mark set by Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers, who had a 19-game winning streak in exhibitions from 1959 to 1962.
Lamar Jackson did not play for the Ravens.
McCrary ran for 64 yards and Williams 47 yards, including a grinding 20-yard score, as the Ravens outgained the Panthers 167-33 on the ground.
Quarterback Sam Darnold had his first action at quarterback for Carolina, but left after one series.
Darnold started the drive at the Baltimore 33 after Derrick Brown tipped Huntley’s pass at the line of scrimmage and Haason Reddick grabbed the easy interception.
But after a 16-yard completion from Darnold to former New York Jets teammate Robby Anderson and a 9-yard run by Chuba Hubbard, the Panthers’ drive quickly stalled. With a first-andgoal at the Ravens’ 6, Darnold threw one pass away while under pressure and the Ravens stuffed three Hubbard running plays to take over on downs. DeShon Elliott came up with the big stop on fourth-and-goal at the 1 after Hubbard appeared to make a bad cutback.
The Panthers didn’t play running back Christian McCaffrey, who has 29 touchdowns rushing in 51 games.
Dolphins 37, Falcons 17:
Tua Tagovailoa threw for 187 yards and a touchdown in one half, and Miami beat Atlanta.
The Falcons rested their starters, while the Dolphins’ first unit played most of the first half in the second preseason game for both teams.
Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, the No. 6 overall selection in this year’s draft, avoided a serious injury during the team’s opening drive. Waddle grimaced in pain after his left leg collided with a Falcons defender. The rookie from Alabama was checked in the medical tent and returned, but was not targeted again. Waddle caught three passes for 21 yards.
Steelers 26, Lions 20:
Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger enjoyed a perfect preseason debut.
Roethlisberger turned in a perfect passer rating of 158.3 and led the Steelers’ first-team offense to a pair of touchdowns and Pittsburgh defeated Detroit.
Roethlisberger had his initial opportunity to work with firstyear offensive coordinator Matt Canada during an in-game setting.
The 39-year-old Roethlisberger ran Canada’s up-tempo approach to near perfection in three series. He finished 8of-10 for 137 yards and two touchdowns, both to rookie tight end Pat Freiermuth.
Titans 34, Buccaneers 3:
Briean Boddy-Calhoun returned a fumble 42 yards for a touchdown and Tennessee beat Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay, who played without Tom Brady and several starters.
Tampa Bay’s Tanner Hudson had a 26-yard catch on a pass from Kyle Trask, but fumbled when he was hit by Bradley McDougald. Boddy-Calhoun scooped up the loose ball and went the distance to put the Titans up 20-3 in the third quarter.
Cowboys 24, Texans 14:
Cooper Rush’s days as the backup to Dak Prescott in Dallas might not be over.
Rush ended two long drives with touchdown passes while the star quarterback watched once again in the Cowboys’ win.
Prescott’s third straight exhibition absence means his first snap in a game since the severe ankle injury that ended his 2020 season will be in the opener Sept. 9 against Tom Brady and Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay.
Colts 12, Vikings 10:
Jacob Eason passed for 132 yards and directed two field goal drives in the Indianapolis victory.