QB comparison: Dalton tops Allen
Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton celebrated a warm reception in Buffalo by completing two touchdown passes in the Bengals’ 26-13 preseason win over the Bills on Sunday.
Dalton — whose popularity in Buffalo soared on New Year’s Eve when he led Cincinnati past Baltimore to eliminate the Ravens from playoff contention and secure Buffalo’s first postseason berth since 1999 — began Sunday by making a donation to Buffalo’s Roswell Park Cancer Institute, then received two standing ovations before kickoff.
Once the game began, Dalton completed 11 of 16 passes for 180 yards over five series.
Linebacker Carl Lawson had 2½ of the Bengals’ five sacks in the first half, during which Cincinnati’s defense overwhelmed Buffalo’s starting offense and rookie quarterback Josh Allen.
Buffalo’s first-round draft pick finished 6-for-12 passing for 34 yards and was sacked five times for 39 yards in his first preseason start.
Allen’s day ended in the final minute of the first half, when he was escorted off the field to be evaluated for a possible concussion after being tackled by Carlos Dunlap in the end zone. Allen was cleared to return, but stayed on the sideline.
Arizona forced eight turnovers on its way to a 27-3 preseason win over the host Cowboys, who decided to sit quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott in what was supposed to be a dress rehearsal. Decker retires: Wide receiver Eric Decker, who had been in camp with the Patriots, said on Instagram that he is retiring from the NFL after an eightyear career with the Broncos, Jets and Titans.
“This has been a passion inside of me since I was a little boy,” Decker wrote, “but now it is time for me to hang up my helmet and start a new chapter in my life.”
Decker caught 439 passes for 5,816 yards and 53 touchdowns in his career. He had three 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Injury report:Tennessee wide receiver Rishard Matthews passed his physical and was removed from the physically unable to perform list. Matthews, who has led the Titans with 1,740 yards receiving and 13 touchdown catches over the past two seasons, missed all of the team’s offseason program and most of the preseason because of a knee injury . ... Indianapolis starting right tackle Denzelle Good could be sidelined for several weeks because of a knee injury, head coach Frank Reich said. Among the candidates to replace Good are former Raiders linemen Austin Howard and J’Marcus Webb. Briefly: The Broncos signed cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones to a one-year deal and waived inside linebacker Bo Bower. Jones has been out of the NFL since March, when the Bengals declined to pick up his $5.5 million contract option . ... The Vikings acquired center Brett Jones from the Giants for a 2019 seventh-round draft pick. Jones, who started 13 games for New York last season, had been competing with Joe Halapio for the starting spot with the Giants. Minnesota’s incumbent starting center, Pat Elflein, is still working his way back from offseason surgeries on his ankle and shoulder . ... The Eagles released linebacker Corey Nelson, who had been competing for a starting job at weakside linebacker. Nelson played the previous four seasons in Denver . ... The Colts traded linebacker Antonio Morrison, who made 15 starts over the previous two seasons, to the Packers for cornerback Lenzy Pipkins.