Preseason football gets underway in the NFL

Rookie quarterback Justin Fields settled in and the Chicago Bears saw the playmaking ability they dreamed about on draft day.

Fields rallied Chicago back Saturday from a 13-0 deficit in his preseason debut by throwing for a touchdown and running for one in a 20-13 victory over the Miami Dolphins.

In just over two quarters of playing time, Fields was 14 of 20 for 142 yards and was at his best rolling outside the pocket and throwing.

Fields’ passing also helped the Bears get on the scoreboard for the first time with a 53-yard Cairo Santos field goal on the final play of the first half. Until that possession, the Bears hadn’t picked up a first down as Miami dominated play early.

With Soldier Field fans chanting “Let’s Go Fields,” the former Ohio State passer replaced starter Andy Dalton with 12:11 left until halftime but needed a few drives to get warmed up. Fields did fumble during a scramble following a spin move in the second quarter before the rally began, but the ball went out of bounds.

The Bears put away the win with Brian Johnson’s 44-yard field goal following a 51-yard run by Artavis Pierce in the fourth quarter after Fields left the game. BRONCOS 33, VIKINGS 6 >> Drew Lock passed for 151 yards and two touchdowns in three possessions in a crisp first audition for Denver’s open quarterback competition. Teddy Bridgewater was sharp, too.

Broncos first-round draft pick Pat Surtain II scored on a 30-yard interception return after a misdirected throw by Vikings backup Jake Browning, who was then pulled for rookie Kellen Mond.

RAVENS 17, SAINTS 14 >> Tyler Huntley ran for a 7-yard touchdown with 6:35 remaining, and the Baltimore Ravens extended their preseason winning streak to 18 games.

The Ravens haven’t lost in the preseason since 2015. They struggled to move the ball Saturday with quarterback Lamar Jackson held out, but New Orleans couldn’t overcome its six turnovers. Huntley, who took over for Trace McSorley at quarterback in the second half, capped a 12play, 79-yard drive with the Ravens’ only touchdown of the game.

BROWNS 23, JAGUARS 13 >> Trevor Lawrence’s professional debut opened with a sack and a fumble, hardly ideal but not too concerning for the Jacksonville Jaguars. The No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft rebounded, delivering a couple of impressive throws and somewhat salvaging his first preseason game.

Lawrence completed 6 of 9 passes for 71 yards in two series.

JETS 12, GIANTS >> Zach Wilson, the No. 2 overall draft pick, was efficient in his first NFL preseason game, going 6 of 9 for 63 yards and leading the Jets to a field goal against the Giants’ backups on defense.

Robert Saleh, making his head coaching debut for the Jets, pulled Wilson and the projected offensive starters — as expected — after the second series stalled early in the second quarter. BENGALS 19, BUCCANEERS 14 >> Tom Brady and the Super Bowl champion Buccaneers opened the NFL preseason with a loss.

Chris Evans finished a long drive with a 1-yard touchdown run and kickers Evan McPherson and Austin Seibert combined for four second-half field goals for the Bengals, who played without quarterback Joe Burrow. They also didn’t see much of Brady or the rest of Tampa Bay’s regulars, either.

With Brady and his talented supporting cast sitting after playing just six snaps during the lone series the 44-year-old quarterback worked, veterans Blaine Gabbert and Ryan Griffin and second-round draft pick Kyle Trask ran the offense the remainder of the night.

TEXANS 26, PACKERS 7 >> Tyrod Taylor went 4 of 4 for 40 yards in his lone series and rookie quarterback Davis Mills led a couple of scoring drives for Houston.

Although the circumstances surrounding Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers and Houston’s Deshaun Watson have been two of the NFL’s biggest offseason stories, neither played Saturday as the spotlight shifted to the other quarterbacks on each team.

Taylor, the Texans’ likely starter if Watson isn’t available, led a 53-yard drive that resulted in one of Ka’imi Fairbairn’s four field goals.

Green Bay’s Jordan Love went 12 of 17 for 122 yards with a touchdown pass and a fumble in his first game appearance since the Packers traded up four spots to take him out of Utah State with the 26th overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Watson, who had an NFL-leading 4,820 yards passing last season, returned to practice Monday.