NFL : McNabb makes impressive debut
The way Donovan McNabb is completing passes, it won’t matter if he has lost a step.
Playing his first game since tearing a knee ligament last November, McNabb did everything but scramble in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 27-10 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Friday night.
The five-time Pro Bowl quarterback put on an aerial display in the first quarter, finishing 6 of 9 for 138 yards, including a 58-yard strike to tight end Matt Schobel. He led the Eagles (1-1) to 10 points on four possessions, before giving way to A.J. Feeley.
“It wasn’t a test for me at all,” McNabb said. “I knew I can play this game at a high level.”
While McNabb shined, Jake Delhomme struggled for the Panthers (1-1) after a promising start under new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson in Carolina’s preseason opener against the New York Giants.
Delhomme, coming off a subpar season, was 9 for 18 for 78 yards, got sacked three times and threw one interception that was returned 40 yards for a touchdown by Lito Sheppard.
Falcons 13, Bills 10: At Orchard Park, N.Y., Joey Harrington, taking over Atlanta’s offense from troubled Michael Vick, had a better preseason outing than Buffalo’s J.P. Losman.
The Bills’ starter came up empty despite getting every opportunity in a loss to Atlanta.
Losman went 7 of 13 for 78 yards passing, and the starters for the Bills (1-1) managed just three first downs despite playing the entire first half.
Harrington finished 4 of 7 for 31 yards passing and an interception, and efficiently drove the Falcons 69 yards on 10 plays on their opening possession. The drive ended when rookie Jason Snelling, attempting to sneak in off right tackle from the 1, was stuffed by safety Donte Whitner for a 2-yard loss on fourth down.
Titans 27, Patriots 24: At Foxborough, Mass., after being benched for Tennessee’s exhibition opener for spending the previous night at his house instead of the team hotel, Vince Young was sacked four times and was tackled just short of the goal line on his final play in the Titans’ win over New England.
Young completed five of 17 passes for 102 yards and ran four times for 9 yards.
Backup Kerry Collins led Tennessee back from a 17-7 halftime deficit on a 15-yard pass to Roydell Williams, John Vaughn’s 31-yard field goal and Dontrell Moore’s 4-yard run.
Vikings 37, Jets 20: At East Rutherford, N.J., a week after not attempting a pass, New York Jets quarterback Chad Pennington had two ill-advised throws returned for touchdowns in a loss to Minnesota.
Darren Sharper’s 40-yard return came on Pennington’s third pass, and Chad Greenway later brought one back 16 yards for the Vikings (1-1), who took advantage of nearly every mistake by the Jets (1-1).
Rookie running back Adrian Peterson also had a big game for Minnesota, gaining 70 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.