MINNEAPOLIS -- The quick-strike, high octane offense was there as expected, only it belonged to the New York Giants and not the Minnesota Vikings.
Kent Graham threw touchdown passes of 53 and 37 yards against the first stringers as the Giants whipped the Vikings 36-21 in an exhibition game Friday night.The Vikings, who scored an NFL record 556 points last season, were expected to torch New York's nicked-up secondary, but their starters amassed just 54 yards of offense in three fruitless drives.
Although Minnesota backup quarterback Jeff George threw touchdown passes of 20 and 30 yards, the big plays came not from Randall Cunningham and Randy Moss but from Graham and Sean Bennett.
Before leaving with a concussion, Bennett, a rookie running back thrust into the starting lineup by the Giants' rash of injuries, rushed 10 times for 35 yards and caught two passes for 65 yards, including a 53-yard TD.
He was hurt on his first carry of the second half and didn't return.
REDSKINS 20, PATRIOTS 14: At Foxboro, Mass., first-round draft choice Champ Bailey intercepted a pass from Drew Bledsoe and returned it 46 yards for a touchdown Friday night to lead the Washington.
The Patriots mounted a late rally when third-string quarterback Michael Bishop led them to two touchdowns in the last 5:47 to cut the deficit to six points. An onside kick with 1:54 left in the game gave New England a chance to win, but it ran out of time on the Washington 20.
Bledsoe, who missed the last three games last season with a broken finger, twisted his ankle on the interception with 4:27 left in the first quarter. He did not return, but he probably would not have come back in any case as both coaches used their starters sparingly in the exhibition opener.
FALCONS 35, LIONS 31: At Atlanta, rookie Rondel Menendez scored on a 63-yard punt return and set up another touchdown with a 32-yard return.
Menendez, a 5-foot-9, 183-pounder from Eastern Kentucky, scored when he returned the punt up the middle, cut to the left side and outran the defense.
Ray Buchanan gave Atlanta's defense a touchdown with a 23-yard interception return in the Falcons' first game since making their first appearance in the Super Bowl, where they lost to the Denver Broncos.
When scheduled, the game was expected to feature Barry Sanders of the Lions and Jamal Anderson of the Falcons, both among the top running backs in the NFL.
But Sanders shocked the Lions last month when he announced his retirement and Anderson missed the first two weeks of training camp as a holdout before signing a contract extension on Wednesday. He worked out Thursday and watched the game from the sidelines dressed in a T-shirt and blue jeans.
STEELERS 30, BEARS 23: At Pittsburgh, Hines Ward scored twice in a first quarter marked by special teams mistakes, once after Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher challenged under the new instant replay system.
Kordell Stewart, looking comfortable in new coordinator Kevin Gilbride's offense after struggling during a season-ending five-game losing streak last year, hit Ward on a 45-yard scoring pass while going 5-for-5 for 76 yards.
Ward also recovered a punt blocked by Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala for a touchdown on a play originally ruled a safety. Cowher challenged, arguing Ward was in possession before crossing the end line, and referee Johnny Grier reversed the call after reviewing it on a TV monitor near the Steelers bench.
The reversal helped the Steelers overcome James Allen's 102-yard touchdown return of the opening kickoff and Shane Matthews' 71-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Conway before Matthews gave way to rookie Cade McNown.
SAINTS 26, DOLPHINS 14:At Miami, Ricky Williams rushed for 44 yards before a minor shin bruise sidelined him late in the first quarter of his NFL debut.
Dolphins rookie Cecil "the Diesel" Collins also looked impressive, although he ran against second- and third-team defenders. Collins came off the bench to carry 17 times for 93 yards, including a 9-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
The Saints built a 20-0 lead in the second quarter, stopping the Dolphins without a first down on Dan Marino's three series. Fred Weary recovered a fumble at the goal line on a Miami kickoff return for a touchdown, and Troy Davis scored on a 5-yard run.
JAGUARS 35, PANTHERS 10: At Jacksonville, Fla., George Seifert was back on the sideline. Dom Capers was on a different one. One thing stayed the same: the smooth-running Jacksonville Jaguars offense.
Keenan McCardell caught two long touchdown passes and second-year quarterback Jonathan Quinn threw for 144 yards.
Jacksonville's offense has actually struggled in training camp against the new defense being installed by Capers, who became defensive coordinator after Carolina fired him as head coach last season. Against the Panthers, however, the Jaguars had little trouble.
Seifert returned to coaching two years after quitting at San Francisco and saw early signs that his .755 winning percentage, the best in NFL history, could take a hit.
in Miami, Friday, Aug. 13, 1999. (AP Photo/Gary I. Rothstein)
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