Redskins wallop depleted Bills
LANDOVER, Md. — Kevin Kolb left the game with concussion-like symptoms, leaving the Buffalo Bills with an undrafted rookie as their only healthy quarterback.
Even a rookie NFL head coach can figure out what to do next.
“I think we’ll be looking at bringing some quarterbacks in,” coach Doug Marrone said.
That’s right. There’s a team even more quarterback- depleted this preseason than the Redskins, who are making do without Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins.
Third- stringer Rex Grossman threw for 171 yards as the Redskins beat the Bills 30-7 Saturday, but nearly all of the focus was on the players who either left early or didn’t play at all.
Kolb was hurt in the first quarter after he was kneed in the back of the helmet at the end of an 8-yard scramble. He remained in the game for four more plays until the drive ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by C.J. Spiller.
With first-round pick EJ Manuel nursing a knee injury, Kolb’s departure left Jeff Tuel from Washington State as the last Bills QB standing. He completed 10 of 17 passes for 63 yards. If Tuel had gone down, Marrone said he would have put either receiver Brad Smith or running back Fred Jackson under center.
Kolb regained the inside track in Buffalo’s quarterback competition after Manuel hurt his left knee in the Bills’ previous game. Manuel was ruled out for the rest of the preseason, and Kolb’s status will be in question given his history with concussions.
Washington, unlike Buffalo, is carrying four quarterbacks in the preseason, so Grossman didn’t have to play the entire game. Pat White took his turns under center and went 7 for 14 for 96 yards and scored on a 14-yard run.
Griffin isn’t playing in the preseason as he works his way back from major knee surgery.
OTHER GAMES
Cowboys 24, Bengals 18 at Arlington, Texas: Tony Romo threw two touchdown passes and the Dallas Cowboys’ first-team offense finally got into the end zone, beating Cincinnati.
After completing 13 of 18 passes for 137 yards, with TD passes to Dez Bryant and Miles Austin for a 14-7 halftime lead, Romo was done.
Cincinnati got its first touchdown on Brandon Tate’s 75-yard punt return.
Buccaneers 17, Dolphins 16 at Miami Gardens, Fla.: The Miami Dolphins’ red zone offense took plenty of snaps Saturday night and finally produced a touchdown.
The first-team offense scored its only TD just before halftime on its 17th play inside the Tampa Bay 20, but the Buccaneers scored with 1:03 left in the game to win.
Miami’s starters netted 180 yards playing the entire first half, their most extensive outing in four exhibition games. Ryan Tannehil went 17 for 27 for 150 yards and a 4-yard score to Brandon Gibson with 10 seconds left in the half for a 13-10 lead.
Eagles 31, Jaguars 24 at Jacksonville, Fla.: Bryce Brown and Chris Polk ran for fourth-quarter touchdowns, and Philadelphia rallied to beat Jacksonville. Nick Foles, who lost the starting job to Michael Vick last week, completed 10 of 11 passes for 112 yards in the second half.
Both teams with new head coaches got lengthy looks at starters.
Vick completed 15 of 23 passes for 184 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. He found Riley Cooper for a 9-yard score in the second quarter.
Jets 24, Giants 21 at East Rutherford, N.J.: Billy Cundiff kicked a 32-yard field goal with 8:04 left in overtime and the Jets defeated the Giants.
It’s the only time the rivals will play this year unless they qualify for the cold-weather Super Bowl here in February. The way the Jets (2-1) and Giants (1-2) played, it’s highly unlikely.
The Jets quarterback picture got even murkier, too, despite winning the annual bragging rights game.
Rookie Geno Smith struggled. Mark Sanchez seemingly hurt his right shoulder, and his status is suddenly in question two weeks before the season opener. The only guy who looked good was Matt Simms.
The Jets’ quarterback situation has been the No. 1 question mark for Rex Ryan’s team since training camp opened.
Colts 27, Browns 6 at Indianapolis: Andrew Luck threw two scoring passes, and Indianapolis’ defense did not allow a touchdown for the second straight week as the Colts beat Cleveland.
The Colts (2-1) scored on the opening series of both halves before Luck and most of the starters exited early in the third quarter. Luck finished 16 of 25 for 164 yards with one interception.
Cleveland (2-1) managed only four first downs.
Chiefs 26, Steelers 20 (OT) at Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger and Kansas City’s Alex Smith fought to a first-half draw and the Chiefs beat the Steelers in overtime.
Roethlisberger was 13 of 19 for 166 yards and a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Dwyer as the Steelers (0-3) shook off two lethargic performances with easily their best 30 minutes of the preseason.
Smith struggled early but led Kansas City to a pair of scoring drives late in the first half and finished 17 of 24 for 158 yards and a touchdown.
Broncos 27, Rams 26 at Denver: Rookie St. Louis linebacker Alec Ogletree ripped the ball from Ronnie Hillman’s arms, scooped it up and trotted 13 yards for the score one week after Hillman’s fumble at the goal line was returned 106 yards for a touchdown in Seattle.
Peyton Manning completed 25 of 34 passes for 234 yards in one half for Denver (2-1), but Ogletree’s pickoff just before halftime set up Greg Zuerlein’s 58-yard field goal. Gary Woodland is tied with his good friend Matt Kuchar for the lead at The Barclays after three rounds. Aside from some wind, the course in New Jersey has been fairly easy.