NFL ROUNDUP

NFL ROUNDUP

This weekend’s games

SUNDAY

Seahawks 24, Chargers 16

SAN DIEGO — Shaun Alexander barely broke a sweat. LaDainian Tomlinson didn’t even suit up. That’s what happens when the last two NFL MVPs hook up in an exhibition opener. Alexander’s Seattle Seahawks beat Tomlinson’s San Diego Chargers, getting the go-ahead points on a 36-yard field goal from Josh Brown with 7:18 left. Brown had missed a 41-yard attempt, but got a second chance when the Chargers were penalized for having 12 men on the field. Third-stringer Marquis Weeks added a 6-yard scoring run with 1:55 left.

SATURDAY

Dolphins 18, Jaguars 17

MIAMI — Trent Green struggled in his Dolphins debut, underthrowing receivers and managing just 60 yards on 6-for-15 passing with one interception in Miami’s win over Jacksonville. Green, the Dolphins’ biggest offseason acquisition, took every snap in the first half and led the Dolphins to just four first downs in six possessions. He exited amid boos from the crowd at Dolphin Stadium in four of his last five drives, and led Miami to only one scoring drive — a 26-yard field goal by Jay Feely. Patrick Cobbs’ 3-yard touchdown run, followed by his two-point conversion run, provided the winning score for the Dolphins with 3:46 left — on a drive led by rookie quarterback John Beck, who was 3-for-5 for 23 yards in the series. Josh Scobee missed a 43-yard field from the dirt with 42 seconds left to seal Miami’s victory. Scobee made an NFL-best 14 field goals last season between 40 and 49 yards. Byron Leftwich was 7-for-11 passing for 78 yards and a touchdown in his first game for Jacksonville since a loss against the Houston Texans on Oct. 22, when he suffered a sprained left ankle and later had season-ending surgery. Jesse Chatman, Ronnie Brown’s backup, had a 74-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to get Miami within 17-10. Chatman finished with six rushes for 88 yards.

Panthers 24, Giants 21

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — With or without Michael Strahan, the New York Giants defense has a lot of work to do after being exposed in a loss to Carolina. Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith combined for an opening-drive touchdown pass for the Panthers, and receiver Taye Biddle caught touchdown passes of 23 and 85 yards. The Panthers went 81 yards in 13 plays on their opening drive with DeShaun Foster ripping off several good cutback runs that eventually set up Delhomme’s 5-yard TD toss to Smith. Eli Manning threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Pro Bowl tight end Jeremy Shockey late in the first quarter. The score was set up by a 67-yard kickoff return by Derrick Ward right after the Smith touchdown. Manning only played two series, completing 3-of-5 for 27 yards. He also missed a key first down pass that would have kept their opening drive alive.

Redskins 14, Titans 6

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Vince Young was benched for violating a team rule, and without him Tennessee struggled in a loss to Washington. Marcus Mason scored from a yard out and Byron Westbrook recovered a fumble in the end zone in the final 1:14, helping the Redskins pull out the win. Titans coach Jeff Fisher refused to say why he sat Young except that he owed it to the quarterback not to say. Fisher said Young will practice and play next week. In Young’s place, Kerry Collins finished 10-of-17 for 79 yards for an offense that had only 38 yards rushing in the first half without Young’s legs. Jason Campbell continued the Redskins’ offensive struggles from last preseason when the first-team unit never got inside the opponent’s 20 by getting only to the Titans 29. He finished 6-of-14 for 104 yards.

Bears 20, Texans 19

HOUSTON — Matt Schaub, who replaced David Carr after backing up Michael Vick for three years in Atlanta, completed 3 of 5 passes for 25 yards in Houston’s loss. The defending NFC champion Chicago Bears scored 13 fourth quarter points, including a 47-yard go-ahead field goal by Robbie Gould with 2:23 remaining. Schaub’s first drive, which also featured a 1-yard run by new Texan Ahman Green, ended in a punt. On his second and last series, Schaub looked a bit better, finding Andre Johnson for a 15-yard gain and Owen Daniels up the middle for 8 yards. The Texans had to settle for a field goal that put them ahead 3-0 after Schaub overthrew a wide-open Kevin Walter in the end zone on third-and-4. Rex Grossman, hoping for more consistency in his second full season at starter, looked sharp in two series and completed his first eight passes. He finished 8-of-10 for 50 yards.

Raiders 27, Cardinals 23

OAKLAND, Calif. — Andrew Walter threw a touchdown pass to Mike Williams and Hiram Eugene scored on a 36-yard interception to lead Oakland in coach Lane Kiffin’s first game with the Raiders. Kurt Warner threw a 58-yard touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson on his only drive of the game and Neil Rackers kicked a 59-yard field goal off the infield dirt on the final play of the first half for Arizona. New coach Ken Whisenhunt played quarterback Matt Leinart only one quarter and running back Edgerrin James just two series in the game. Leinart finished 5-for-11 for 50 yards and James carried twice for 3 yards. The Raiders were without No. 1 overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell, who is in a contract dispute with the team. That left the quarterbacking duties to Josh McCown, Walter and Culpepper. Culpepper entered to a standing ovation with 9:38 left in the third quarter and promptly fumbled the snap from Jeremy Newberry. Rookie Alan Branch recovered to set up a field goal by Rackers that made it 21-20. Culpepper fumbled again on the next drive but the Raiders retained possession.

Associated Press