Cleveland rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders made an impressive pro football debut on Friday, throwing for two touchdowns while leading the Browns to a 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte.
The game was the preseason opener for both teams.
Sanders, who started and played until the middle of the third quarter, completed 14 of 23 passes for 138 yards. He also ran four times for 19 yards.
Sanders said, “I would say I’m comfortable with being uncomfortable, so that’s what it is. I got pockets of finding my rhythm, and I’ve got to get into that quicker, regardless of anything. But overall, I felt like me out there. …
“Did I play up to par? No, I don’t feel like I did. But overall, the main goal was to win, and that’s honestly what we did.”
The Panthers led 7-0 after a 5-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young to Jalen Coker late in the first quarter before Sanders threw his two scoring passes to give the Browns a 14-7 halftime lead. Each time Sanders connected with Kaden Davis, for 7 yards and for 12 yards.
Sanders engineered another TD drive in the third quarter before exiting with Cleveland up 21-7.
Tyler Huntley went the rest of the way at quarterback for the Browns, hitting on 6 of 8 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.
Young played the first two series for the Panthers and went 4-for-6 for 58 yards and the one score. Andy Dalton (13-for-19, 101 yards, one interception) and Jack Plummer (6-for-10, 79 yards) handled the rest of Carolina’s QB duties.
Panthers wide receiver Xavier Legette and Browns safety Rayshawn Jenkins were ejected after throwing punches in the first quarter.
Lions 17, Falcons 10
Journeyman Kyle Allen threw more touchdowns than incompletions as Detroit beat host Atlanta in a game that was halted in the fourth quarter after Lions safety Morice Norris Jr. was taken off the field in an ambulance following a hit to the head.
On the first play of the fourth period, Falcons running Nathan Carter took a handoff and got into the Detroit secondary. As Norris went in for the tackle, Carter’s right knee hit Norris in the head. The second-year player immediately went to the turf and Lions trainers ran into the field.
After being tended to, Norris was put in an ambulance and taken to an area hospital.
After one more snap, the teams then gathered to pray at midfield and the clock continued running with no more plays run until officials eventually called the game.
Allen was 7 of 8 for 120 yards and two TDs. Lions undrafted free agent rookie Jackson Meeks led all players with 78 yards receiving and caught the winning score midway through the third quarter.
Easton Stick led the Falcons with 149 yards passing and a touchdown — a 13-yard strike to receiver Chris Blair in the second quarter.
Patriots 48, Commanders 18
New England running back TreVeyon Henderson took the game’s opening kickoff 100 yards for a score and the Patriots rolled from there, blowing out Washington in Foxborough, Mass.
If it were the regular season, the game would have featured the second and third picks in the 2024 draft. Instead, the Commanders held out quarterback Jayden Daniels — the second overall pick and reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. The third overall pick, Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, did play two drives but came away with mixed results.
In his first drive, Maye turned the ball over after Washington defensive tackle Jer’Zhan Newton sacked him and stripped the ball. In his other series, however, Maye scrambled for 5-yard touchdown on third-and-goal with 5:41 left in the first.
Maye finished 3 of 5 for 12 yards passing and added two carries for 16 yards. The Patriots finished with four rushing touchdowns.
The Commanders got 173 yards passing from veteran Josh Johnson. He threw one touchdown and one interception.
–Field Level Media
