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Quinn Shines In Browns Debut

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The Associated Press

Published: August 19, 2007

CLEVELAND - Brady Quinn's pro debut was nearly picture perfect.

With flashbulbs popping all around the stadium, Quinn threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes in his first NFL exhibition game and looked better than any Cleveland quarterback in the Browns' 23-20 loss to the Detroit Lions on Saturday night.

The former Notre Dame star entered with the Browns down 23-7.

As No. 10 jogged onto the field with 9:20 remaining, Cleveland fans welcomed Quinn with a roaring ovation, and many of them stayed on their feet after Quinn hit Chris Barclay on a screen pass that went for 30 yards on his first play.

Quinn completed five passes in a row before his first miss. On second-and-3 at Detroit's 4, he calmly rolled to his right and drilled a TD pass to rookie Efrem Hill, who got open near the sideline.

The next time Cleveland (1-1) got the ball, Quinn drove the Browns 92 yards in 1:52, hitting Jerome Harrison with a 6-yard TD pass with 18 seconds left.

Quinn, who missed 11 days of training camp before signing a five-year, $20.2 million contract, didn't play in last week's win over Kansas City.

Quinn finished 13 of 20 - with three spikes to stop the clock - for 155 yards.

Playing the entire first half, Jon Kitna finished 12 of 16 for 137 yards and hit Shaun McDonald with a 14-yard scoring pass just before halftime for the Lions (2-0).

SAINTS 27, BENGALS 19: Drew Brees led New Orleans to a touchdown in his only series, completing all six throws he made.

The NFL's leading passer last season, Brees had his way with the league's worst pass defense, one that Cincinnati (0-2) put a lot of moves and money into trying to upgrade in the offseason. The Saints (1-2) scored on their first three drives against Cincinnati's starting unit.

TEXANS 33, CARDINALS 20: Matt Schaub was nine of 12 for 108 yards and ran 5 yards for a score as Houston beat Arizona in Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt's home debut.

Matt Leinart went 7-for-7 for 70 yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Edgerrin James, for the Cardinals (0-2).

Texans rookie Jacoby Jones returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown and backup Sage Rosenfels threw 40 yards to Charlie Smith for another score to help Houston (1-1) dominate the third quarter. Rosenfels was 8-for-13 for 125 yards.

CHARGERS 30, RAMS 13: If San Diego can save LaDainian Tomlinson for the regular season, St. Louis figures it can preserve its star running back, too.

Tomlinson, the NFL MVP, didn't dress for the Chargers' win and hasn't been on the field in August since 2005. St. Louis' Steven Jackson, who led the league with 2,334 yards rushing and receiving last year, might as well have not dressed, either.

Jackson was on the field for the first play, a pass from Marc Bulger to Torry Holt, and then called it a night. In two games, Jackson has two receptions for 8 yards, but no carries.

The Chargers (1-1) didn't need Tomlinson. Darren Sproles returned a punt 81 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the first half and Philip Rivers threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Vincent Jackson in the first quarter.

COWBOYS 31, BRONCOS 20: Even after two days of practicing against Dallas' juiced-up defense, Denver looked pretty helpless against the Cowboys.

The attacking, pressure-seeking front being implemented by new Dallas coach Wade Phillips locked up Denver's starting offense for two quarters, paving the way for the Cowboys (2-0) to beat the Broncos (1-1).

Tony Romo had another strong outing guiding the Dallas offense, with Marion Barber III running for two touchdowns and Julius Jones also getting one. The Cowboys were up 24-6 at halftime, when both teams turned things over to backups.

STEELERS 12, REDSKINS 10: Washington's first-string offense finally scored in a preseason game, albeit without the first-string quarterback.

With Jason Campbell on the sidelines with a bruised knee from a scary hit in the first quarter, Todd Collins completed a 7-yard pass to Brandon Lloyd for the game's only touchdown.

Campbell's injury wasn't the worst of the night for the Redskins. Linebacker Marcus Washington, one of the emotional leaders of the defense, dislocated his right elbow in the second quarter.

PACKERS 48, SEAHAWKS 13: Brett Favre's frustration with his first-team offense faded quickly, with Green Bay scoring early and often in a romp.

The Seahawks weren't exactly poised to put up much of a fight, as cautious coach Mike Holmgren sat quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and both of his starting offensive tackles. But Favre's first unit did get some friendly competition from the Packers' defense, which scored two touchdowns.

It was the most prolific preseason scoring output since the days of leather helmets for the Packers, who beat the Cedar Rapids Crush 75-0 in 1938.

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