Ravens spoil homecoming for Colts’ Luck
The Baltimore Ravens spoiled Andrew Luck’s Indianapolis homecoming.
They intercepted him before allowing a completion, and Terrell Suggs nearly chopped the ball out of Luck’s hands on a sack. The Ravens then secured a 20-19 preseason win over the Colts by stopping a late two-point-conversion try.
Luck was just OK in his first home start since Jan. 1, 2017. He did receive a roaring ovation from the crowd when he took the field, led the Colts to one score and apparently emerged unscathed after going down twice on sacks.
“Not too sharp, certainly red-zone turnovers are a negative, missed a couple of throws I’d like to hit,” Luck said. “And I didn’t feel like we, as an offense, got into any semblance of a sustained rhythm.”
Expectations were high following a solid start in Seattle. But this time, the Colts looked sloppy.
Luck missed his first three throws, the third winding up in the hands of Baltimore safety Anthony Levine Jr. Luck rebounded to finish 6-for-13 for 50 yards and set up 45-yearold Adam Vinatieri for a 57-yard field before leaving in the second quarter.
If Luck had his way, he might have played longer, but first-year head coach Frank Reich wasn’t taking any chances with Luck’s surgically repaired arm.
“We just never found a rhythm for him, and some of his balls were not his best balls,” he said. “But I still have a lot of confidence we’re headed in the right direction.”
Joe Flacco, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens looked better. Flacco went 7-for-9 for 72 yards and a touchdown. Jackson then showed flashes of what helped him win the 2016 Heisman Trophy.
Jackson was 7-for-15 for 49 yards and a TD and carried four times for 26 yards.
Indy still had a chance at the end after Tarell Basham recovered a fumble at the Ravens’ 9. Five plays later, Phillip Walker threw a 9-yard TD pass to Zach Pascal with 2:24 left. But the Ravens (3-0) stopped Walker on the two-point try, recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock. Peterson to Washington: Washington has signed four-time All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson.
Peterson, 33, joins his fourth team as he enters what would be his 12th NFL season. The 2012 MVP is 12th all-time in rushing with 12,276 yards and needs 37 to pass Jim Brown.
The Vikings’ first-round pick in 2007 split last season between Arizona and New Orleans, finishing with 529 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
Washington also waived offensive tackle Cameron Jefferson with an injury designation. Broncos to cut Watson: Menelik Watson’s time in Denver is over because he’s hurt and buried on the depth chart.
The Broncos placed Watson, a second-round pick by the Raiders in 2013, on IR on Monday with a chest injury and intend to release him once he’s healthy. The Broncos will take a $6.83 million salarycap hit this year. Briefly: Rookie quarterback Josh Allen will start Buffalo’s preseason game against the Bengals on Sunday . ... The Lions placed linebacker Steve Longa on injured reserve with a torn knee ligament . ... Minnesota released kicker Kai Forbath and will turn over the job to rookie Daniel Carlson . ... The Titans’ secondary has taken another hit with cornerback Kalen Reed becoming the third defensive back to be placed on injured reserve this preseason. Reed joins safety Jonathan Cyprien and cornerback Tye Smith on the IR . ... The Seahawks released punter Jon Ryan, who had been the longesttenured member of the team . ... Rams right tackle Rob Havenstein agreed to terms of a four-year contract extension through the 2022 season . ... Chicago cornerback Deiondre’ Hall has been suspended for the season opener at Green Bay for a violation of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy.