Brady dusts off skills in loss

Tom Brady shook off the rust of his post-Super Bowl layoff and led the two-time defending NFL champions to a couple of scores.

After throwing an interception on his first play of the preseason, Brady led the Patriots on two consecutive scoring drives. Doug Flutie converted two more TDs on Thursday night before both quarterbacks left the game and the New Orleans Saints rallied for a 37-27 exhibition victory in Foxborough, Mass.

The Patriots led 27-16 with 5:43 left in the third quarter before Aaron Brooks hit Devery Henderson on a 34-yard touchdown pass, then missed on the 2-point conversion to leave it 27-22.

Saints backup Todd Bouman hit Michael Lewis for 15 yards on a fourth-and-2 just before the two-minute warning. After an incompletion, Bouman threw to Nate Poole, who lunged for the end zone to break the plane as a defender grabbed his foot to pull him back.

With the Patriots at their own 14, L.P. Ladouceur hit Matt Cassel and forced a fumble that was scooped up by Jimmy Verdon and brought into the end zone for an insurance score.

Brady, who didn’t play in a 23-13 win over Cincinnati last week, was 6 for 11 for 105 yards and one interception before giving way to Flutie with 6:32 left in the first half. Flutie converted two touchdowns on his first three plays in a much-anticipated return to New England, where he won the Heisman Trophy for Boston College and spent four seasons with the Patriots during his well-traveled pro career.

Brooks played three quarters for the Saints and went 14 for 23 for 158 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Deuce McAllister, who had a costly fumble on the third play of New Orleans’ 34-15 loss to Seattle last week, carried 20 times for 88 yards.

Brady and Flutie both sat out the preseason opener while the Patriots held tryouts for the No. 3 job between rookie Cassel and Rohan Davey, who’s in his fourth year.

Chargers give Gates ultimatum

Antonio Gates, who set an NFL record for touchdown catches by a tight end last season, was given an ultimatum by the San Diego Chargers on Thursday:

Get to camp by Saturday afternoon or face a three-game suspension.

Gates, whose holdout has been totally obscured by the long-running dispute between Terrell Owens and the Philadelphia Eagles, has been seeking a long-term contract to replace the $380,000 he is due to make this year. He was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2003.

Bears say they’ve made final offer

General manager Jerry Angelo says the team has made its final offer to running back Cedric Benson, the only first-round pick left unsigned.

Benson’s holdout reached its 26th day Thursday and the former Texas star, the fourth overall choice in the draft, has already missed two preseason games.

Moss admits marijuana use

Oakland Raiders receiver Randy Moss admits he has used marijuana since entering the NFL seven years ago and still smokes it “every blue moon.”

“I have used, you know, marijuana … since I’ve been in the league,” Moss said in an interview for HBO’s “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel” scheduled to air Tuesday night. “But as far as abusing it and, you know, letting it take control over me, I don’t do that, no.”

When pressed whether he still smokes marijuana, the star receiver with the checkered past said: “I might. I might have fun. And, you know, hopefully … I won’t get into any trouble by the NFL by saying that, you know. I have had fun throughout my years and, you know, predominantly in the off-season.

“But, you know, I don’t want any kids, you know, watching this taking a lesson from me as far as ‘Well, Randy Moss used it so I’m going to use it.’ I don’t want that to get across. Like I say … I have used (marijuana) in the past. And every blue moon or every once in a while I might.”

Moss addressed the interview Thursday night after practice in Houston, saying his statements were about the past. He didn’t answer questions.

“A lot of people are jumping to conclusions because they really don’t know the real story or haven’t even heard the real story yet,” he said. “That was really me talking in the past tense of way back in the beginning of my career and my childhood – especially in high school and college.”

Raiders coach Norv Turner said he would reserve comment until he had watched the program.

“I imagine I’ll see it and yes then I’ll have a discussion with Randy about it,” he said.

The NFL’s drug policy calls for up to 10 tests a month after one positive result. A second violation results in a fine equal to the player’s salary for four games, a third in a four-game suspension, and a year’s suspension for a fourth violation.

Moss has never been suspended for violating the league’s drug policy and NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said it is confidential whether the receiver is in the drug program or not.

More troubles for Chiefs

In a third embarrassing episode involving Kansas City Chiefs players this week, authorities in Minnesota said they quelled a disturbance involving backup quarterback Todd Collins.

No charges were filed after the disturbance early Sunday at the Freight House in Stillwater, Minn., near the Chiefs’ River Falls training camp. But according to police reports, a woman claimed she was injured during the melee.

Earlier, kicker Lawrence Tynes was charged with breaking a bouncer’s nose in a bar fight in River Falls, Wis., and defensive tackle Junior Siavii and safety Greg Wesley were arrested after what was reported as a drunken confrontation with police in a Minneapolis hotel.

Carl Peterson, the Chiefs’ president and general manager, told reporters Thursday that starting quarterback Trent Green had helped to calm the situation involving Collins.

“Because of his efforts, a situation which could have been pretty volatile was not. There were no charges filed, no arrests,” Peterson said.

Around the league

Baltimore linebacker Peter Boulware passed his physical and is set to rejoin the Ravens. The 30-year-old Boulware is expected to sign a one-year, $1 million contract with an additional $1 million in incentives. … After missing nearly two weeks with a groin injury, Maurice Clarett returned to practice Thursday, the last day of training camp for the Denver Broncos. Now, the question will be whether his return has come too late to make the team.