honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, August 21, 2005

Bears drop Colts to 0-3 in preseason

Associated Press

Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning called the loss to Chicago "disappointing, but that's what the preseason is for."

DARRON CUMMINGS | Associated Press

spacer
spacer

CHAD OWENS WATCH

Former Hawai'i receiver/return specialist Chad Owens (Jaguars) vs. Buccaneers, preseason

Receiving: 3 catches, 37 yards, long of 17, 0 TDs

Punt returns: 4 (14.5 average, long of 28, 0 TDs) One punt fumbled, recovered by Jaguars

Kickoff returns: 2 (25.5 average, long of 26, 0 TDs)

spacer

INDIANAPOLIS — Chicago quarterbacks Chad Hutchinson and Kyle Orton thought they had to produce last night.

Instead, the Bears' defense turned up the pressure on Indianapolis' high-scoring offense.

Hutchinson and Orton each led the Bears on touchdown drives, Chicago scored another TD on a punt return and Chicago's defense muzzled two-time MVP Peyton Manning in a 24-17 preseason victory.

"Our front four set the tone," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "They put constant pressure on them."

It was an impressive performance for a team reeling from the loss of starting quarterback Rex Grossman, who broke his left ankle a week ago.

Hutchinson and Orton both showed moxie by overcoming mistakes. Hutchinson, the starter, recovered from two early interceptions to finish 5 of 8 for 40 yards. Orton, a rookie, rebounded from a fumble deep in Bears territory to lead Chicago on the winning drive. He finished 6 of 10 for 67 yards.

The quarterbacks weren't the only surprises. With first-round pick Cedric Benson still holding out and incumbent starter Thomas Jones held out by Smith, Adrian Peterson started and ran 14 times for 60 yards, including a 4-yard TD.

Then there was the defense.

The Bears had four sacks, recovered two fumbles and hurried the Colts (0-3) into countless other miscues. They made the NFL's highest-scoring team last season look almost unrecognizable.

Indianapolis drew five penalties in its first series — including one that led to a TD on the punt return, lost four yards on the next possession and then lost two fumbles. And all that came in the first quarter.

The second quarter included a botched snap, two more punts, a missed 50-yard field goal and a scrap between defensive end Robert Mathis and Bears backup tackle Marc Colombo.

Manning was 8 of 13 for 80 yards and Edgerrin James carried six times for four yards. The Colts have now rushed for 52 yards in three weeks.

"It's not the kind of performance we wanted to have here at home in our last preseason game at home," Manning said. "That's disappointing, but that's what the preseason is for."

BROWNS 21, LIONS 13

DETROIT — Former Michigan star Braylon Edwards leaped over a defender for a go-ahead 7-yard touchdown reception with 54 seconds left, lifting Cleveland (2-0) past Detroit (0-2) in Edwards' professional debut. On fourth-and-7, Charlie Frye lofted a pass to Edwards in the corner of the end zone and the No. 3 pick in the draft outjumped Michael Echols to make the catch.

BILLS 27, PACKERS 7

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Quarterback J.P. Losman, who has replaced Drew Bledsoe as the Bills' starter, engineered scoring drives on each of his first three possessions to lead Buffalo (2-0). Playing the entire first half, Losman finished 7 of 14 for 59 yards, energized by a sellout crowd in his first home preseason game. He added 36 yards rushing, scoring on a 1-yard keeper set up by ReShard Lee's 69-yard kickoff return in the second quarter. Green Bay is 1-1.

JAGUARS 20, BUCS 17

TAMPA, Fla. — David Garrard and Derrick Wimbush ran for second-half touchdowns, and Josh Scobee kicked one of his two 29-yard field goals at the end of a 17-play, 10-minute drive that was a reminder of how Jacksonville (2-0) struggled to get the ball into the end zone last season. The Jaguars were last in the AFC and 29th in the NFL in scoring in 2004. They marched 77 yards against the Bucs' No. 2 defense in the second quarter, with Byron Leftwich completing 9 of 10 passes for 73 yards before the drive stalled at the Tampa Bay 11. The Bucs dropped to 1-1.

TEXANS 19, RAIDERS 17

HOUSTON — Receiver Doug Gabriel scored two first-quarter touchdowns and the Raiders' starting offense moved the ball at will in the first half before the Texans (1-1) rallied to win on a pair of fourth-quarter field goals of 53 and 46 yards by Kris Brown. The winner came with eight seconds left. Oakland is 0-2.

GIANTS 27, PANTHERS 21

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Inserted into the first unit after an injury to starter Will Peterson, rookie cornerback Corey Webster had an interception and recovered a fumble as the Giants (1-1) forced five turnovers and snapped the Panthers' 10-game preseason win streak. Eli Manning threw two long scoring passes to overcome a subpar performance by the Giants' first-team offense and defense, both of which were pushed around by the Panthers (1-1) in the first half.

EAGLES 20, RAVENS 14

BALTIMORE — Dexter Wynn returned a punt 74 yards for a score, Donovan McNabb threw a 51-yard touchdown pass to Brian Westbrook, and the visiting Eagles benefited from three turnovers by Kyle Boller. McNabb went 6 for 9 for 107 yards before leaving in the second quarter with the Eagles (1-1) leading 17-0. He also ran for 27 yards on his lone carry against the Ravens (0-2). Terrell Owens missed a second straight preseason game because of a groin injury he aggravated Thursday.

STEELERS 17, DOLPHINS 3

PITTSBURGH — The Dolphins lost five fumbles in the first half and seven overall in a miserably played game, exhibition or not, and the host Steelers (2-0) had just enough offense to capitalize. James Harrison, filling in for injured Pro Bowl linebacker Joey Porter, scored on a 69-yard return of quarterback Gus Frerotte's fumble in the first quarter for the Steelers' fourth return touchdown in two preseason games. Miami is 0-3.

CARDINALS 24, CHIEFS 17

KANSAS CITY, Mo, — Josh McCown threw two touchdown passes in the second half in relief of Kurt Warner to rally the visiting Cardinals (2-0). Damon Huard, who replaced Trent Green for Kansas City (0-2), was 1 for 12 for 11 yards and two interceptions.