Keenum leads Vikings to preseason win over Bills
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater need not rush back from injury after Case Keenum showed glimpses of being a capable backup in the Minnesota Vikings’ 17-10 preseason-opening win over the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night.
Taking over for starter Sam Bradford, Keenum went 11 of 16 for 121 yards. The sixth-year player engineered a pair of scoring drives — both set up by passes to rookie receiver Stacy Coley.
Keenum hit Cooley in stride over the middle on a crossing pattern for a 38yard catch to set up Kai Forbath’s 36yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3 late in the second quarter.
On the opening drive of the second half, Keenum rolled to his right and hit Coley, a seventh-round pick out of Miami, who made a sliding catch at the Bills 2.
Fullback C.J. Ham scored on the next play to put Minnesota ahead 10-3.
The Vikings signed Keenum in April as insurance with Bridgewater still recovering from a left knee injury.
Buffalo starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor played three series and hit 5 of 8 attempts for 46 yards.
At Dolphins 23, Falcons 20: Now the NFL’s highest-paid running back, Devonta Freeman looked the part in a brief appearance, scoring on a 15-yard reception from Matt Ryan as Atlanta lost to Miami.
Freeman, who agreed to terms Wednesday on a $41.25 million, fiveyear contract extension, scored to cap the Falcons’ first preseason possession. New offensive coordinator Steve Sarkasian’s unit drove 36 yards for the touchdown after a 39-yard punt return by newcomer Andre Roberts.
The Dolphins’ exhibition season began badly. Second-round draft pick Raekwon McMillan, the front-runner to start at middle linebacker, hurt his right knee on Roberts’ punt return and walked to the locker room accompanied by trainers.
Jaguars 31, at Patriots 24: Chad Henne hit Keelan Cole on a 97-yard touchdown pass, Corey Grant scored on a 79-yard run and Jacksonville feasted on a New England lineup without Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski — or much defense at all — to beat the defending NFL champions in their exhibition opener.
With the reigning Super Bowl MVP sitting out, Jimmy Garoppolo completed a Brady-like 22 of 28 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns. The Patriots’ heir apparent completed 13 straight passes at one point, finding Austin Carr on a 3-yard touchdown pass at the end of the first half and then K.J. Maye from 5 yards out to start the second and make it 17-17.
But the New England defense followed by giving up another one-play scoring drive — this one Grant’s run down the left sideline to make it 24-17. Third-string QB Brandon Allen hit Dede Westbrook from 42 yards out — victimizing Patriots cornerback Cyrus Jones for another big play — to make it a twotouchdown game.
At Ravens 23, Redskins 3: Ryan Mallett struggled in place of injured quarterback Joe Flacco, throwing for only 58 yards while playing the entire first half, and Baltimore beat Washington in a sloppy preseason opener.
The Ravens scored 13 points while Mallett was in the game, including a 2yard touchdown run by Terrance West following two costly penalties by the Redskins: pass interference for 23 yards on a third-and-8 and an illegal formation on a field goal try that hit the left upright.
Flacco has yet to take a snap this summer because of a bad back. That left Mallett to run the first-team offense; he went 9 for 18 and was sacked once.
At Browns 20, Saints 14: Myles Garrett showed flashes of dominance in his NFL exhibition debut, and Cleveland rookie quarterback DeShone Kizer threw a late touchdown pass and the Browns beat New Orleans while Saints stars Drew Brees and Adrian Peterson watched.
The No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft, Garrett had a tackle for loss and blazed off the edge to pressure Saints backup QB Garrett Grayson in the first half.
The Browns haven’t solved their endless QB dilemma, but Garrett appears to be a long-term answer at defensive end.
Broncos 24, at Bears 17: Mitch Trubisky threw for 166 yards and led three scoring drives after Mike Glennon struggled for Chicago, before Denver scored two long touchdowns in the closing minutes to beat the Bears.
Though the Bears have insisted Glennon is their starter, Trubisky just might have created a quarterback controversy.
Denver’s Trevor Siemian did nothing to hurt his standing as the leader for the starting quarterback job, while Paxton Lynch did little to close any ground.
At Packers 24, Eagles 9: Quarterback Carson Wentz had a perfect preseason debut for Philadelphia.
Green Bay might need to keep working on tackling, though they’re off to a good start in creating turnovers.
Wentz went 4 for 4 for 56 yards and a score on his first series, eluding a potential sack and burning the Packers on third and fourth downs in Philadelphia’s loss.
— Wire services