Tebow makes case for roster spot
Pats QB throws for two TDS in exhibition finale
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tim Tebow threw two touchdown passes and one interception as the New England Patriots beat the New York Giants 28-20 on Thursday night.
In an up-and-down performance in both teams’ last preseason game, Tebow had a 52-yard touchdown pass and a 13yard run. He was 6-for-11 for 91 yards. He also gained 30 yards on six carries for the Patriots (3-1).
PRESEASON ROUNDUP
The Giants (1-3) sacked Tebow four times. But the third-string quarterback ended his game with a 9-yard touchdown pass with six seconds left.
Giants running back Andre Brown suffered a broken left leg on the first play after the two-minute warning in the first half but said he doesn’t need surgery.
All teams must reduce their rosters to the regular-season limit of 53 players by 6 p.m. EDT Saturday, and coach Bill Belichick has given no indication of whether he will keep Tebow.
Bengals 27, Colts 10 — At Cincinnati, Andy Dalton led Cincinnati (3-1) to a touchdown in his only drive, and Josh Johnson threw for another in his bid to win the backup job.
The Bengals played most of their starters on offense and defense for one series only. Dalton’s appearance ended in Giovani Bernard’s 1-yard touchdown run. Indianapolis (2-2) rested most of its starters, including quarterback Andrew Luck.
Lions 35, Bills 13 — At Orchard Park, N.Y., Matt Leinart struggled in his debut for quarterback-depleted Buffalo (2-2).
Looking like someone who’s had just three days practice, the 2004 Heisman Trophy winner went 3-for-10 for 11 yards and two interceptions before being yanked after five possessions.
Second- and third-string quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Kellen Moore threw two touchdown passes each in helping Detroit (3-1) build a 35-3 lead at the half.
Jets 27, Eagles 20 — At East Rutherford, N.J., Matt Simms, competing for New York’s No. 3 quarterback job, led four scoring drives, and Kahlil Bell had two touchdown runs for the Jets (3-1).
With New York’s quarterback competition still uncertain, Geno Smith and Mark Sanchez didn’t play. But Simms showed he might deserve to stick around. The son of former Giants star Phil Simms, who had his share of big games against the Eagles (2-2), was 33 of 44 for 285 yards for the Jets.
Redskins 30, Buccaneers 12 — At Tampa, Fla., Pat White set up one touchdown with a 66-yard completion and ran 7 yards for another TD for Washington.
The Redskins (4-0) finished unbeaten in the preseason for the first time in 28 years. Tampa Bay finished 1-3.
Panthers 25, Steelers 10 — At Tampa, Fla., Ted Ginn Jr. showed he has something left to offer Carolina (3-1), catching five passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns.
In a game devoid of star power, Derek Anderson completed 10 of 15 passes for 220 yards, including TD strikes of 87 and 35 yards to Ginn, who’s looking to find a home after being run out of Miami and San Francisco. Pittsburgh, which rested all of its primary skill players, finished 0-4 in the preseason.
Browns 18, Bears 16 — At Chicago, Brian Hoyer threw for 307 yards and came on down the stretch for Cleveland.
Hoyer was intercepted twice. But he also led the Browns (3-1) on a 76-yard touchdown drive that made it a onepoint game in the fourth quarter. Robbie Gould missed a 57-yard field goal wide right with just more than a minute left for the Bears (2-2).
Chiefs 30, Packers 8 — At Kansas City, Mo., Tyler Bray threw for 169 yards and three touchdowns for Kansas City (2-2).
Bray, an undrafted rookie out of Tennessee, hit Junior Hemingway late in the first half for a touchdown and then connected with Josh Bellamy and Frankie Hammond Jr. for TDs in the second half to rout Green Bay (1-3).
Texans 24, Cowboys 6 — At Arlington, Texas, Case Keenum and T.J. Yates each threw a touchdown pass in their battle for the backup quarterback job, and Cierre Wood and Dennis Johnson combined for 187 yards rushing for Houston (3-1).
Dallas (2-3) didn’t get a chance to settle the battle for its backup running back because Lance Dunbar missed his second straight game with a sprained foot.
Rams 24, Ravens 21 — At St. Louis, Bobby Rainey scored his first two touchdowns of the preseason for St. Louis (13), leading a cluster of backups fighting for jobs on both sides.
Running back Ray Rice watched from home for Baltimore (2-2), as did Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Joe Flacco.
Titans 24, Vikings 23 — At Minneapolis, Jake Locker led the Titans to a field goal as Tennessee (2-2) played many of its offensive starters.
Locker went 3-for-5 for 31 yards. Hoping to avoid a spot on the practice squad, quarterback Rusty Smith completed 13 of 21 passes for 178 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
Marcus Sherels returned a kick 109 yards for a touchdown and intercepted a pass in a last-ditch effort to make the team for Minnesota (0-4).
Dolphins 24, Saints 21 — At Miami Gardens, Fla., third-string quarterback Pat Devlin threw for 259 yards to help Miami (2-3) edge New Orleans (3-1).
Devlin threw a 56-yard pass to Marvin McNutt on fourth-and-4 with 3:02 left for the winning score.
Jaguars 20, Falcons 16 — At Atlanta, Jordan Todman ran for a touchdown for the second straight week, and Mike Kafka threw a fourth-quarter scoring pass to Jeremy Ebert for Jacksonville (1-3).
Todman, who appeared in one game in his 2012 rookie season, was trying to take advantage of the void created when Justin Forsett missed the entire preseason with a toe injury. Todman had nine carries for 60 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown run.
Most regulars for Atlanta (0-4), including quarterback Matt Ryan, watched from the sideline.
Cardinals 32 Broncos 24 — At Denver, Ryan Lindley threw for two touchdowns for Arizona (3-1).
Gerell Robinson caught five passes for 99 yards, including a 25-yard TD pass from rookie Zac Dysert, for Denver (2-2).
Seahawks 22, Raiders 6 — At Seattle, Tarvaris Jackson led Seattle on three first-half scoring drives, and Terrelle Pryor struggled through his worst performance of the preseason with a chance at earning the starting quarterback job for Oakland.
Jackson led the Seahawks (4-0) to a trio of field goals from Steven Hauschka, including kicks of 51 and 56 yards.
Pryor was lackluster, completing 3 of 8 passes for 31 yards and an interception for Oakland (1-3).
49ers 41, Chargers 6 — At San Diego, Colin Kaepernick threw a touchdown pass to cap his only drive, and San Francisco (3-1) roughed up the Chargers (1-3).
Kaepernick faked an inside handoff and then threw a short sidearm pass to Quinton Patton, who deked rookie free agent Marcus Cromartie and completed the 43-yard scoring play.