Luck’s touch helps lead Colts past 49ers
INDIANAPOLIS » Andrew Luck keeps checking off the boxes.
On Saturday, he got the Indianapolis Colts’ offense in sync, bounced back from yet another big hit and led them to a go-ahead touchdown before leaving in the second quarter.
Yes, five days after a mediocre performance in his first home start in more than 19 months, Luck looked much sharper as the Colts hung on for a 23-17 victory over San Francisco.
“I really wanted to feel like we created some type of rhythm and we did,” he said. “We put a sustained drive together, and the other ones, we made some mistakes. But getting in rhythm was something I really wanted to see.” He was in good company.
Coach Frank Reich and Colts fans also wanted to see improvement in what’s likely Luck’s final action of the preseason. The results were better.
Luck scrambled for a 15-yard run on thirdand-13 then threw a 15-yard TD pass to a leaping Eric Ebron on the next play to give Indy a 7-3 lead midway with 8:47 left in the first half. He finished 8 of 10 with 90 yards and took one sack.
Christine Michael’s 1-yard TD plunge late in the third quarter made it 14-9, a lead Indy never relinquished.
Jimmy Garoppolo, meanwhile, couldn’t get the ball into the end zone. He was 9 of
19 for 135 yards, leading the 49ers to only two field goals before departing in the third quarter. Alfred Morris carried 17 times for
84 yards, doing the bulk of his work in the first half.
STEELERS 16, TITANS 6 » Ben Roethlisberger believes his right arm feels as good as it has at any point in his 15-year career. Maybe too good. While the Pittsburgh quarterback threw for 114 yards and a touchdown in his brief preseason cameo during a victory over Tennessee, the 36-year-old admits it’s the throws he didn’t make that will stick with him as the Steelers get ready for the Sept. 9 season opener at Cleveland.
“I wasn’t real happy with the way I threw the ball tonight,” said Roethlisberger, who completed 11 of 18 passes in three series. “I was kind of sailing some passes.”
Blame it on a combination of rust and the adrenaline rush that comes when facing an opposing pass rush for the first time in eight months.
BEARS 27, CHIEFS 20 » Bears coach Matt Nagy decided to rest starters for the next-to-last preseason game rather than use it as the customary regular-season tuneup. And the backups proved that they’re also ready for the regular season.
Chase Daniel directed touchdown drives on the first three possessions and Chicago defeated Kansas City.
The Bears played in the Hall of Fame Game and have been practicing since July 20, and Nagy liked what he’d seen from the starters in practices. So he decided Friday to keep starters out of what normally would be a dress rehearsal for the regular-season opener at Green Bay.
RAMS 21, TEXANS 20 » Rookie John Kelly rushed for 64 yards and two touchdowns, and Los Angeles briefly debuted its new defensive stars.
Although the Rams rested 10 presumptive offensive starters for the third straight preseason game, the Los Angeles defense’s three big offseason acquisitions played at the Coliseum. Ndamukong Suh and cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib got some action early in the first quarter before sitting.
J.J. Watt also started and made a tackle in his first on-field action since breaking his leg in the Texans’ fifth game last season. RAVENS 27, DOLPHINS 10 » First-round pick Lamar Jackson led TD possessions of 84, 62 and 73 yards against mostly deep reserves. Jackson entered the game at the start of the second half and had his best performance yet for the Ravens. He went 7 for 10 for 98 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 39 yards on three carries, including a 19-yard TD.