ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — It took one half of their preseason debuts for Russell Wilson and Jaxson Dart to provide promising glimpses into the New York Giants’…
It took one half of their preseason debuts for Russell Wilson and Jaxson Dart to provide promising glimpses into the New York Giants’ present and future in a 34-25 win over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.
The 36-year-old Wilson — New York’s anticipated season-opening starter — was efficient in running the Giants’ quick-strike passing attack by going 6 of 7 for 28 yards in an opening drive ending with Graham Gano’s 53-yard field goal. The 22-year-old Dart — New York’s starter in waiting — then closed the half by displaying his arm strength and mobility in overseeing three scoring drives on four possessions.
The rookie first-round pick out of Ole Miss finished 12 of 19 for 154 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown pass to Lil’Jordan Humphrey, while adding three carries for 24 yards.
The outcome was decided with the teams trading leads four times in the second half of their respective preseason openers.
New York backup kicker Jude McAtamney scored the go-ahead points, hitting a 42-yard field goal with 7:13 remaining.
Bills third stringer Mike White threw two second-half touchdown passes, including a 39-yarder on fourth-and-4 to K.J. Hamler.
Giants third stringer Jameis Winston led three second-half possessions and went 7 of 11 for 62 yards, including a 7-yard completion to Gunner Olszewski. Tommy DeVito mopped up by going 10 of 14 for 73 yards and a 8-yard touchdown to Jonathan Ward.
VIKINGS 20, TEXANS 10
MINNEAPOLIS J.J. McCarthy was solid in his brief return for the Vikings, going 4 of 7 for 30 yards while leading a scoring drive in his only series and Minnesota topped Houston in the teams’ preseason opener.
McCarthy, who missed all of his rookie season after tearing the meniscus in his right knee in last year’s first preseason game, took the field to a rousing ovation from the home crowd.
The first-round pick in last year’s NFL draft out of Michigan completed his first four passes, three to Jordan Addison, who made a sliding grab for an 18-yard gain on one. McCarthy also ran 8 yards for a first down on fourth-and-4 at the Texans 43 to keep alive a 13-play, 58-yard scoring drive that was capped by Will Reichard’s 48-yard field goal that put the Vikings up 3-0.
Houston’s Davis Mills, who got the start at quarterback when head coach DeMeco Ryans elected to sit starter C.J. Stroud, then marched the Texans 74 yards in 10 plays — capped by a 14-yard touchdown pass to Braxton Berrios.
McCarthy was replaced by backup Sam Howell before the Vikings’ second possession. Howell played the rest of the first half, finishing 11 of 13 for 105 yards. He led Minnesota to a pair of scores: a 38-yard field goal by Reichard and a 1-yard touchdown run that gave the Vikings a 13-7 halftime lead.
RAMS 31, COWBOYS 21
INGLEWOOD, Calif. Stetson Bennett passed for 188 yards and two touchdowns in a strong start to the preseason, leading Los Angeles to a victory over the Cowboys in new Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s debut.
Blake Corum rushed for short TDs to cap the Rams’ first two offensive drives behind Bennett, the two-time national champion at the University of Georgia attempting to secure his job as the Rams’ third-string quarterback for another season.
Looking much sharper than he did a year ago against the Cowboys, Bennett went 16 for 24 and hit Cody Schrader and Brennan Presley for touchdowns in the second half. Bennett’s only interception resulted from an exceptional play made by Dallas’ Israel Mukuamu on a long pass.
