PITTSBURGH — The Detroit Lions didn't score until there were 25 seconds left as the Pittsburgh Steelers opened their new stadium by getting strong play from quarterbacks Kordell Stewart and Tommy Maddox in a 20-7 victory Saturday.
Neither of Detroit's two Pittsburgh-area quarterbacks, Charlie Batch or Mike McMahon, had a good day as the Lions barely averted their first preseason shutout since a 34-0 loss to Oakland in 1975.
Stewart was 12-of-15 for 135 yards before being lifted late in the second quarter, completing three passes on third-and-long to lead a 96-yard scoring drive that ended with Jerome Bettis' 1-yard scoring run late in the first quarter.
Maddox, the MVP of the XFL's only season, was 11-of-17 for 144 yards, highlighted by a 33-yard scoring pass to Demetrius Brown that made it 20-0 with 10:11 remaining.
It wasn't much of a homecoming for either Batch (8-of-17 for 96 yards) or McMahon (5-of-16, 78 yards) as the Steelers outgained the Lions 397-217.
JETS 17, GIANTS 14: Vinny Testaverde passed for 148 yards and a touchdown in a first-half test for the West Coast offense, leading the New York Jets to a victory over the New York Giants.
Testaverde, who completed 12 of 17 passes, engineered an 81-yard first-quarter drive in 15 plays for the first touchdown allowed by the Giants (1-2) in three preseason games.
PACKERS 17, DOLPHINS 12: DeMond Parker set up his own 4-yard touchdown run with a 54-yard scamper as Green Bay overcame a mistake-prone offense and four field goals by Olindo Mare to beat Miami.
Trailing 12-10, the Packers drove 95 yards in seven plays behind quarterback Doug Pederson for the go-ahead touchdown with 6:07 left.
Mare, who missed practice time last week with a sore right foot, made four of five field goal attempts, the last of which gave Miami a 12-10 lead in the third quarter.
BILLS 20, BENGALS 10: Scott Mitchell was sacked for a safety and threw two interceptions that set up scores as Buffalo beat Cincinnati in a mistake-filled game.
The Bengals (1-2) were getting their last chance to pick a passer. Mitchell, making his first start, was no better than his predecessors Jon Kitna and Akili Smith, completing 8 of 19 for 97 yards in the first half.
CARDINALS 24, BEARS 20: Chris Greisen hit Tywan Mitchell on a 45-yard, fourth-down pass to set up Marcel Shipp's 2-yard TD run with 1:01 left as Arizona beat Chicago.
Paul Edinger kicked a 38-yard field goal with 2:56 left to give the Bears a 20-17 lead, and Chicago (1-3) appeared to have the game won with Arizona facing a fourth-and-20 near midfield.
BUCS 20, PATRIOTS 3: Brad Johnson threw for 117 yards and two touchdowns in just over a half as Tampa Bay's offense finally showed signs of life in a preseason victory over New England.
Johnson completed 14 of 22 passes while building a 13-3 lead with TD passes to Aaron Stecker and Jacquez Green.