ESPN NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers hoped to find clarity at quarterback in Sunday night's third and most important preseason game against the Denver Broncos. Instead, Pittsburgh has more questions than answers with less than two weeks before the start of the regular season.

Pittsburgh suffered a 34-17 exhibition loss to the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field. But the score wasn't nearly as significant as the performance of the Steelers' two quarterbacks: Dennis Dixon and Byron Leftwich. Both players struggled in their "dress rehearsal" game.

With Ben Roethlisberger serving a conditional six-game suspension, Pittsburgh's quarterback situation doesn't look good.

Dixon, who has one career start, struggled in his debut with the first-team offense. Despite playing lights out against backups this preseason, he did not look comfortable against Denver's starting unit. Dixon made two poor decisions on first-half interceptions to Perrish Cox and Andre Goodman, who returned his pick for a touchdown. Dixon settled down in the second half. But his inconsistency is what scares Pittsburgh's coaching staff and could keep him out of the quarterback race. The Steelers will have to win conservatively on offense without Roethlisberger. Dixon finished 9 of 16 for 94 yards and two interceptions.

Leftwich also has struggled at times this preseason. He played with the first- and second-team offense Sunday and finished 0-for-4. Leftwich also lacks mobility and was hit several times in the backfield. In three preseason games, he's a pedestrian 9-for-20 for 138 yards and a touchdown.

But "pedestrian" could be enough to win the Steelers' quarterbacking job. That may also be the best way to describe Pittsburgh's passing offense this season without Roethlisberger.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will meet with Roethlisberger on Friday, and Roethlisberger likely will get his suspension reduced from six games to four. Based on Sunday's performance, that suspension couldn't end soon enough for Pittsburgh.

Here are some other notes and observations on the Steelers:

• Roethlisberger was solid in limited playing time. He completed 4 of 6 passes for 67 yards and led the Steelers to a field goal in the first quarter. It's a good sign for Pittsburgh that "Big Ben" has remained sharp despite limited reps and playing time.
• Pittsburgh rookie running back Jonathan Dwyer is making a late push for a roster spot. He led the Steelers with 89 rushing yards and a touchdown. Dwyer, a sixth-round pick, had a disappointing training camp and remains on the roster bubble.
• It was not a good start for second-year cornerback Keenan Lewis, who replaced the injured Bryant McFadden Sunday. Lewis was beat on several plays and had a personal foul penalty that earned a tongue lashing from coach Mike Tomlin and a place on the bench.
• Fourth-string quarterback Charlie Batch made some nice plays, including a fourth-quarter touchdown pass to rookie receiver Antonio Brown. But Batch also threw a pick six to Denver cornerback Syd'Quan Thompson, capping off a mediocre night for Pittsburgh's quarterbacks.

The key to being a successful quarterback in the NFL is bouncing back.

That’s a lesson all rookies learn. Tim Tebow learned it quickly Sunday night as he bounced back glowingly.

Early in the fourth quarter of Denver’s 34-17 victory over visiting Pittsburgh, Tebow made a classic rookie mistake. He misjudged the speed of an NFL defensive backs and looked silly on an interception that set up a Pittsburgh touchdown.

However, the former Heisman Trophy winner didn’t go in the tank in his debut in Denver. On the next drive he threw bullets, including a short touchdown pass to fellow rookie Eric Decker.

Once again, Tebow, who completed 5 of 10 passes for 72 yards, showed he’s resilient and he’s a confident passer. He didn’t let the interceptions ruin his night or take him out of his game.

It’s another important step for Tebow as he learns the NFL game. Tebow, who sat out last week’s game against Detroit with sore ribs, was mostly good Sunday.

He still has an awkward throwing motion that is not going to change overnight. But he threw some legitimate NFL passes and he moved the chains. After his two preseason performances, Denver has to be mostly pleased with Tebow’s progress.

Tebow, who should play extensively against Minnesota in the preseason finale Thursday, should play in special packages as a rookie. He is not great as of right now, but he is making progress and he is learning from his mistakes, which is crucial for a young quarterback.

Meanwhile, Denver’s first-team offense was solid under the leadership of Kyle Orton, who has been outstanding in the preseason. Orton bounced back from a big hit from Pittsburgh’s James Harrison. Denver’s first-team offense has accounted for five touchdowns and one field goal for an average of 3.2 points per possession in 12 offensive drives under Orton this preseason.

Denver’s defense also made strides after a shaky showing in the first two games. Linebacker Robert Ayers showed a strong burst and perhaps he is ready to take the next step as Denver looks for a pass-rushing presence during Elvis Dumervil’s injury.

Let’s hit the links to review Carolina’s preseason 15-7 victory against Tennessee on Saturday night.

Tom Sorensen writes that the continued lack of offensive production now is a legitimate concern. With the starters getting extensive playing time in the third preseason game, that’s when you get the best glimpse of what the regular season will look like. If this is what Carolina’s offense is going to look like in the regular season, the Panthers could be in big trouble. But, keep in mind, they’ve been playing without receiver Steve Smith and running back Jonathan Stewart, who are expected back for the start of the season.

Carolina’s defense continues to play exceptionally well. That’s a little surprising, because the Panthers have a bunch of no-names up front, they’ll probably be without injured linebacker Thomas Davis for the entire season, and the secondary, aside from Chris Gamble, doesn’t appear to be anything special on paper. But always remember that John Fox can coach, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Three guys that likely are on the roster bubble suffered injuries against the Titans. Receiver Wallace Wright (shoulder), running back Tyrell Sutton (shoulder) and receiver Trent Guy (hamstring) were the players Fox said were injured in the game. We probably won’t know the severity of any of the injuries for another day or two.

Steve Reed points out that the Panthers have spent most of their preseason working on the passing game. They’ve virtually ignored the run. While there’s no doubt they need improvement in the passing game, and Smith’s return should help, do you really think Fox is going to continue to abandon the running game in the regular season?

Here are observations from Saturday night's preseason action in the AFC North:

Bills 35, Bengals 20

The Good

• Cincinnati's first-team offense doubled its touchdown output this preseason with two touchdown drives. With new faces like Terrell Owens, Jordan Shipley and Jermaine Gresham, the Bengals' offense has been a work in progress. It showed positive signs against Buffalo as quarterback Carson Palmer connected on touchdown passes to Gresham and receiver Chad Ochocinco. Palmer had his best preseason game to date, completing 9 of 11 passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns.
• Bengals starting tailback Cedric Benson also had his best game of the preseason. He rushed for 50 yards on eight carries. Benson is running hard, but hasn't found many holes in limited carries this preseason. He finally broke off a nice run of 20 yards against Buffalo and averaged 6.3 yards per carry.

The Bad

• The Bengals allowed too many points to a Buffalo offense that's not very good. Rookie tailback C.J. Spiller rushed for two first-half touchdowns, giving the Bills a 21-7 lead at intermission. Bills quarterback Trent Edwards was near-perfect, completing 13 of 17 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. Cincinnati's defense was often one step behind Buffalo's offense Saturday. Expect Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer to get after his unit in practice this week.
• The Bengals have been sloppy with penalties, an issue that plagued them last season and has continued in the preseason. Cincinnati recorded 12 penalties for 122 yards, which is high even for a preseason game. Cincinnati cannot expect to suddenly "turn it on" and play smarter when games count in the standings.

Ravens 24, Giants 10

The Good

• Baltimore's first-team offense came alive in the "dress rehearsal" game. Quarterback Joe Flacco recorded a preseason-high 229 passing yards. He drilled two nice touchdown passes to tight end Todd Heap and receiver Anquan Boldin in the red zone, an area Baltimore wants to be more efficient passing the football. The Ravens also want to spread the ball around, and 10 receivers caught passes Saturday.
• Heap looks great. He led Baltimore Saturday with six catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Competition has clearly brought out the best in Heap after the Ravens drafted two tight ends in April. This is also the healthiest Heap has been to start the season in years.

The Bad

• Baltimore suffered a major injury as receiver Donte' Stallworth broke his foot and is expected to miss about two months. Stallworth, who was out of football in 2009, had a solid training camp and was expected to be a good addition to Baltimore’s receiving corps. Backups Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams will have to step up in reserve roles.
• The Ravens' third-down conversions could still use improvement. Baltimore's offense moved the ball well, but was just 4-of-15 on third downs.

Lions 35, Browns 27

The Good

• Cleveland's first-team offense was productive. The Browns scored 17 offensive points in the first half. (Cleveland's starting defense also scored a first-half touchdown.) Starting quarterback Jake Delhomme was accurate for the third straight exhibition game. He completed 20 of 25 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown. For the preseason, Delhomme has thrown for 345 yards, two touchdowns and completed 79.2 percent of his passes. He's done a good job of erasing concerns about him heading into the regular season.
• The Browns have a nice find in running back Peyton Hillis. Acquired in the Brady Quinn trade with the Denver Broncos, Hillis showed his versatility with 40 receiving yards and 26 yards rushing and a touchdown. But what stood out most was Hillis' regular-season intensity. He broke through arm tackles and bullied Detroit defenders. Hillis is Cleveland’s leading rusher through three preseason games.

The Bad

• For the second week in a row, the Browns were too careless with the football. Cleveland fumbled four times, losing three. Running back Jerome Harrison's fumble in the second quarter was returned 14 yards for a touchdown. Last week Cleveland played in rainy conditions, but this time there were no excuses for putting the ball on the ground in a dome. The Browns have eight turnovers in their past two preseason games. They have to play smarter and more efficient to have a chance to climb out the basement of the AFC North.
• Cleveland's defense was gashed by the Lions. Detroit rookie Jahvid Best zipped through the Browns’ first-team defense for 51 yards on his first carry, which was a sweep left. Cleveland's tackling and defensive fundamentals were not sharp, particularly against the run. The Lions rushed for 154 yards and averaged 5.9 yards per carry.

Some bullet-point thoughts on the Titans’ 15-7 preseason loss at Carolina on Saturday night.

Impressive:

• Rookie end Derrick Morgan did some very nice work getting outside and going around right tackle Geoff Schwartz twice early and pressuring Matt Moore. It was an encouraging sign from the first-round pick’s first preseason action.
• With Bo Scaife not playing, Craig Stevens' 23-yard catch continued to show he is more than just a blocker.
• Alterraun Verner forced a Wallace Wright fumble and Stephen Tulloch recovered it when Carolina was closing in on a score just before intermission.
• Dave Ball continues to play some very good run defense.

Unimpressive:

• Chris Johnson found virtually no room with 10 yards on eight carries. The Titans have zero doubt that he will be himself once the games have meaning and they are game planning. But a better performance would still be a bit reassuring.
• Vince Young fumbled early when he got hit after a pump fake. Guard Jake Scott saved him with a recovery. This comes after he dribbled the ball off his chest -- which he recovered -- after a pump fake in the Titans win over the Arizona Cardinals last week.
• Carolina rushed the passer very well and the Titans were ineffective at getting in the way. Young was sacked four times and took a couple other note-worthy hits.
• Damian Williams did not do much on three return chances and fumbled as he took a big hit at the end of the final one. The Titans have played three games, he’s played two and I am sure they’d like to have a better feeling about him in game action to this point.
• One third-down conversion for the first team offense in the first half.

Unfortunate:

• Left tackle Michael Roos left ahead of schedule with what the team said was a mild right knee strain. With Mike Otto recovering from a knee scope, Troy Kropog replaced Roos.

Some bullet-point thoughts on the Jaguars’ 19-13 preseason win at Tampa Bay on Saturday night.

Impressive:

• Josh Scobee hit on four of four field-goal tries – from 35, 43, 26 and 48 yards.
• John Matthews made a wonderful 27-yard diving touchdown catch of a well-placed Luke McCown pass.
• The third-down defense allowed the Buccaneers to convert just twice in 11 attempts.
• The Jaguars held the ball for 39 minutes.
• Scotty McGee had an electric 47-yard kickoff return to open the game.

Unimpressive:

• Jacksonville was 0-for-4 in the red zone, an area that still needs major work. David Garrard threw an interception to Barrett Ruud at the goal line.
• Garrard’s longest pass play was 26 yards (and that was his first pass, to Marcedes Lewis), McCown’s was 27 (the touchdown to Matthews) and the long run was 18 yards by Mike Thomas, a receiver.
• Nine penalties for 62 yards.
• When Derek Cox fell down and allowed a long pass from Josh Johnson to Mike Williams up the right side, Reggie Nelson was next on the scene. He failed to slow Williams and looked lackadaisical in pursuit from there.

Let's catch up on the all-important Week 3 of the preseason:

Arizona Cardinals 14, Chicago Bears 9
Preseason record: 0-3
Of interest: The Bears look off. I don't know how else to describe it. Quarterback Jay Cutler threw two interceptions, took four sacks and seemed hesitant on too many throws. In three preseason games, Mike Martz's offense has scored 36 points. Quite simply, it's not ready for the season to start. "I think we came out and put a lot of pressure on Game 3," Cutler said. "And sometimes it doesn't work out like that." I'll say. Meanwhile, the defense spent most of the night on the ropes against a Cardinals offense that has had its own struggles this summer. Late Saturday night, safety Chris Harris tweeted that it "might have been my worst game ever." Among other things, Harris took a poor angle on Stephen Williams' 27-yard touchdown reception. It didn't help that linebacker Lance Briggs left early with an ankle injury.
Local coverage: David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune: "If you're the Colts or another model of NFL consistency, you can dismiss chronic preseason problems as an aberration. If you're the Bears you have no such luxury and likely fear a trend. You certainly sense a familiar doom." The Bears continue to be plagued by uncharacteristic special teams miscues, writes Jeff Dickerson of ESPNChicago.com. Saturday night, it was a blocked field goal. And the normally-reliable Robbie Gould hit the left upright from 48 yards. Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune offers this balance: "It's true the Bears were without Brian Urlacher and Nick Roach, and then Lance Briggs for most of the game. That's like a baseball team without its starting outfield. So we should not be jumping off any skyscrapers today."
Next: Thursday at Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions 35, Cleveland Browns 27
Preseason record: 2-1
Of interest: The Lions were trailing 27-21 when starters departed midway through the third quarter, the result of some shoddy defense but an offense that continued to display explosive potential. Running back Jahvid Best sprinted 51 yards on his only carry, and quarterback Matthew Stafford connected for a nice 7-yard touchdown pass to Bryant Johnson. But the defense allowed Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme to complete 20 of 25 passes. Other than a couple of big hits from defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, along with cornerback Chris Houston's 12-yard fumble return for a touchdown, it was an alarming outing for the defense. Middle linebacker DeAndre Levy's early groin injury surely didn't help matters.
Local coverage: Stafford said the offense has "done a good job in preseason as a unit, executing and playing fast," according to Tom Kowalski of Mlive.com. Best only had one carry because he felt "tight," after the first drive, according to coach Jim Schwartz via Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News on the defense: "Unless the line can rush the passer, tackle runners and occasionally destroy an opposing offense, the defense will have a hard time avoiding less-pleasant crowd noise, the kind that rhymes with "'Suuuh.'"
Next: Thursday vs. Buffalo Bills

Minnesota Vikings 24, Seattle Seahawks 13
Preseason record: 2-1
Of interest: Receiver Percy Harvin played only after passing a final medical test Friday night. He said doctors believe they have pinpointed the causes of his migraine headaches and have given him a better plan to deal with them. He gamely pushed through 14 plays and took two hard hits that had him twisting his neck on the sideline. Meanwhile, the Vikings started rookie Chris Cook at right cornerback and my amateur eyes saw nothing to suggest he isn't ready to be their Week 1 starter. It was notable that Asher Allen served in the nickel and veteran Lito Sheppard was playing with the third team late in the fourth quarter.
Local coverage: Quarterback Brett Favre was thrilled to see once-and-current teammate Javon Walker's 25-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter, notes Jeremy Fowler of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Phil Mackey of 1500ESPN.com suggests that Tyrell Johnson will win the competition with Jamarca Sanford for the starting strong safety job. Coach Brad Childress was planning to watch tape of the game before deciding whether starters will play in Thursday's preseason finale, according to Judd Zulgad of the Star Tribune.
Next: Thursday versus Denver Broncos

Earlier: Our review of the Green Bay Packers' 59-24 victory against the Indianapolis Colts.

The Beast will have to wait until Sunday afternoon to watch the replay, but by all accounts, the New York Giants weren't very impressive in Saturday's 24-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Here's what folks are saying about the game this morning:

• Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNDallas.com couldn't find a lot of positives for the Giants. And coach Tom Coughlin seemed to indicate that a few players were living off their reputations right now. I don't recall Coughlin ever reacting to a preseason loss with this much disgust. "My word is energy," Coughlin told reporters. "The defense has been more than the offense. The offense has to be methodical and has to be able to execute and to put themselves in position where plays are made. There is more needed there. Some people have to play better than they have been playing. Some people are given credit for being good football players, they got to get going. It's time to get going. Let's go."
• Here's a postgame injury report from Youngmisuk. Adrian Tracy had been making a little move, but the dislocated elbow will likely sideline him for a while.
• Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger says that Coughlin was frustrated with the Giants' lack of energy.
• Adam Himmelsbach of the New York Times focused on Eli Manning's evening.
• Ralph Vacchiano of the Daily News says the Giants were overmatched on both sides of the ball.
• Vinny DiTrani may be covering his final season for The Record, but the man still knows how to write a nice lead.

If this was truly a dress rehearsal for the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday evening, Redskins fans have to be licking their chops for Sept. 12. The Cowboys' first-team offense was once again whipped by an AFC defense. And the defense wasn't much better. The Colts don't get worried about pitiful preseason performances because of their winning pedigree. I'm afraid Cowboys fans won't take the same laidback approach. Now let's assess the damage:

• About the best thing you can say about the first half is that fourth-round pick Akwasi Owusu-Ansah opened the game with a 41-yard return. He showed a nice burst and Joe DeCamillis's unit did a good job creating a lane along the right side of the field.
• It looked like the Cowboys' offensive line hadn't seen a stunt all preseason. On the first sack of Tony Romo, Texans defensive end Mario Williams came racing up the middle and Andre Gurode appeared to be shocked by his arrival.
• Both Bradie James and Mike Jenkins did a nice job diagnosing plays early in the game, but Jenkins has to do a better job wrapping up. That's what Darren Woodson was really worried about with this group. Would they be able to tackle? Jenkins looked bad early in the game. Then Alan Ball started missing tackles.
• The Cowboys are praying Dez Bryant will someday be like Andre Johnson. Matt Schaub has the luxury of being able to deliver the ball even when Johnson is closely covered. Johnson caught one ball on the first drive with Terence Newman all over him and then dragged him another 5 yards.
• Jason Witten had no chance against defensive end Antonio Smith. Witten was overwhelmed by Smith when the Cowboys tried to run the ball to the left side. The Cowboys' running game has been bad throughout the preseason. I did like the draw play to Felix Jones on the second drive of the game. Right tackle Alex Barron did a really nice job sealing his man on that play. On the next play, Miles Austin had a bad drop in the left flat.
• Gurode may have jump-started Amobi Okoye's dormant career in the first quarter. The Texans' former first-round pick raced around Gurode to sack Tony Romo. It looked like Gurode was in decent position and then he just watched Okoye run past him. Romo doesn't have any time to survey the field.
• Missed the memo on former Tennessee Volunteer Arian Foster being such a wonderful running back. In the first quarter, DeMarcus Ware got pancaked by a tight end when Foster took off on an 18-yard run. Cowboys free safety Alan Ball whiffed on Foster in the open field. On the same drive, the Cowboys were completely fooled in coverage when Matt Schaub rolled right and then threw back across the field to Jacoby Jones. It looked like Ball was the player who was fooled on the touchdown.
• Hey, at least Roy Williams came to play Saturday night. He made a nice catch off his shoetops late in the first quarter and then he overpowered Kareem Jackson on a 29-yard catch. Later in the drive, Williams drew a holding penalty on cornerback Glover Quin. The Cowboys then botched a toss to Felix Jones, who raced back and failed to recover the fumble. CBS' Gus Johnson was in midseason form on that call.
• The Cowboys have to do a better job of knowing down and distance on defense. Cornerback Orlando Scandrick was giving Jacoby Jones way too much cushion on a third-and-6 play. There was no mystery where Jones was going with that route. On the next route, the Cowboys did the same thing on third-and-7. You think it might be a good idea to cover Andre Johnson on a crossing route? Johnson was the best player on the field Saturday.
• Did anyone else see defensive end Igor Olshansky getting blown off the ball in the first half? That's supposed to be the strength of Olshansky's game, but he was on his heels every time I watched.
• Scandrick simply has no chance against Andre Johnson. The Texans receiver is too physical for Scandrick. Former Texans offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has promised Santana Moss that he'll be able to do a lot of the same things as Johnson in the Skins' offense.
• It's impressive to watch Tashard Choice on one of those slip screens. And it's remarkable to see Leonard Davis racing downfield in front of Choice. Doug Free told me recently that Davis might be the fastest player on the offensive line.
• Wade Phillips finally lost his temper after a Foster run early in the second half. Looked like he was especially upset with Jason Williams and safety Michael Hamlin on the play. Both players took poor angles to Foster and ended up chasing him from behind.
• With 11:47 left in the third quarter, Phil Simms says the Cowboys don't appear to be motivated for this game. You think? What a weak little attempt at a tackle by safety Pat Watkins on Jeremiah Johnson's long run.
• On Foster's touchdown run early in the second half, Cowboys linebacker Victor Butler was driven into the end zone and never came close to making a play. Dallas had no interest in playing this game. How much should that concern Cowboys fans?
• The Texans were double-teaming Jay Ratliff and Bradie James was overpursuing against the run. Foster just burned them all night. Simms makes a statement with 5 minutes left in the third quarter that the Cowboys are playing a lot of reserves. I looked up and saw DeMarcus Ware, Ratliff, Anthony Spencer and James all in the game. Second consecutive disgraceful performance for the Cowboys. We'll see if they can flip the switch against the Redskins.

MINNEAPOLIS -- When asked this week to describe the state of his offense, Minnesota Vikings coach Brad Childress offered a quick two-word response: "In flux."

Saturday night at the Metrodome, we saw a pretty good illustration of that answer.

"It's no different than my answer the other day," Childress said after the Vikings' 24-13 preseason victory over the Seattle Seahawks. "It's still in flux."

Indeed, the Vikings opened the game with right guard Anthony Herrera playing center. Their surprise slot receiver was Percy Harvin, who has fully participated in exactly two practices since the start of training camp. No. 4 receiver Greg Camarillo was a member of the Miami Dolphins until Wednesday morning, No. 5 receiver Taye Biddle is someone I have never heard of and the Vikings' sixth receiver (Javon Walker) is trying to resurrect his career after having experimental knee surgery.

That combination produced the predictable mixed results. The No. 1 offense played through the first two series of the third quarter, scoring 10 points and gaining 242 yards in 45 plays while quarterback Brett Favre threw two interceptions. The starters came up empty on two trips to the red zone -- failing to convert a fourth down on one and having a pass bounce off Bernard Berrian's hands for an interception on the other -- and had their touchdown set up by a 73-yard kickoff return from Darius Reynaud.

Enough positives happened to silence most of the alarmists out there; it was especially encouraging to see Harvin's triumphant return after a month of fighting migraines and personal issues. He caught two passes for 32 yards, while Walker snatched an athletic 25-yard touchdown reception from Sage Rosenfels in the fourth quarter. Nevertheless, Childress admitted he is considering the rare step of playing starters in Thursday's preseason finale against the Denver Broncos.

Favre, who admitted he "felt like a guy that's about to turn 41 years old" after the game, said he would appreciate the extra playing time but also pointed out the Vikings' early start to the season -- Sept. 9 at New Orleans -- might make it more trouble than it's worth.

"As tired as I was," Favre said, "I really felt like I needed some more work and will lobby for that this week. But I also know that we have to be smart, because it's a little bit different situation this year [with the schedule]. There's not a lot of time to get ready, but there won't be a lot of time to recover."

So what would you do? Call it a preseason and bring a healthy and rested roster to New Orleans? (We'll get to Favre's finger injury in a bit.) Or are things too disheveled to stand pat?

Consider these three illustrations of an offense "in flux:"

• Camarillo caught four passes on his third full day with the team. But on his second, a 12-yard reception to convert a 3rd-and-8 situation, he ran the wrong route. "We still found him," offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell said. "... I don't know what he was doing. I'm not sure he knew what he was doing."
• Herrera started his first-ever game at center to give the Vikings a look at Plan B if center John Sullivan (calf) isn't ready for the Saints game. Favre indicated that some protection confusion led to a sack/fumble on the third play Saturday night when Seahawks defensive end Chris Clemons beat left tackle Bryant McKinnie inside. Favre got his right index finger stepped on and said "I'll probably lose a nail" but won't otherwise be affected.
• Favre's second interception came when he overthrew Camarillo by nearly 10 yards on a deep pass down the right sideline. "I sort of misjudged his speed," Favre said. "I threw it too far. I really wanted to give him a jump ball and see what he could do." Now he knows.

The Vikings are 11 days away from kickoff at the Superdome. I think they felt better about their offense when they left the Metrodome late Saturday night, but they have a lot more work to do in a short period of time.

I'll be back Sunday morning with some broader thoughts on the division now that Week 3 of the preseason is officially in the books.

Some bullet-point thoughts on the Texans’ 23-7 preseason win over Dallas on Saturday night.

Impressive:

• [+] Enlarge
  Thomas Campbell/US PresswireMatt Schaub went 18-of-29 for 183 yards and a touchdown.
  The offense had a lot of good rhythm. Matt Schaub was in control, making a beautiful play with Jacoby Jones on the game’s first touchdown. Arian Foster provided just the sort of run threat this team needs to be more balanced on offense. Foster showed he can be physical, elusive, score and catch.
• Andre Johnson was very effective, particularly when he carried Terence Newman for several yards. The best Newman could do was get a handful of jersey. Jones also had a nice night, providing some hope he might be able to build on what he did last season.
• Antonio Smith was disruptive to the Cowboys on a handful of early plays, making noise in the backfield. Amobi Okoye had an early sack and then delivered a shot to Tony Romo in the third quarter. Plays from linemen other than Mario Williams are a very good thing.
• Glover Quin had a sack when Williams moved Romo towards him and made a nice hit early in run defense. Always nice to see a guy counted on first and foremost for coverage to be able to make other kinds of plays.
• Kareem Jackson pulled in a great interception off a tipped Romo pass. But his solid 61-yard return could have been a longer play and a score if he could have outrun Felix Jones.

Unimpressive:

• Chris Myers’ holding penalty against Junior Siavii erased a touchdown run by Foster and the Texans wound up settling for a field goal in the second quarter.
• Houston allowed a 4-yard gain to fullback Chris Gronkowski on a fourth-and-1, then got assessed a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty against linebacker Zac Diles. Quin completely misread the handoff to the upback and got beat on the play. Quin drew a holding penalty on the same drive, but the Texans recovered when Dallas fumbled away the possession.
• Duane Brown got beaten badly by DeMarcus Ware, who went on to strip Schaub and recover his fumble. But the play was wiped away by a penalty against Dallas linebacker Jason Williams.

One question:

• Since these teams play in the regular season, why not transfer the “Governor’s Cup” to the meaningful game?

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- Thoughts from the press box at Ralph Wilson Stadium, where the Buffalo Bills beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night 35-20:

• If there was any doubt before -- or if Bills fans were in denial and still clinging to hope Brian Brohm would win the gig -- Trent Edwards is Buffalo's quarterback.
• On the first possession, Buffalo had minus-12 yards aside from a pass interference penalty. The Bengals sacked Edwards the only time he tried to pass. But Edwards rebounded on the second drive, methodically taking the Bills down the field. He completed all five of his passes for 48 yards and connected with Roscoe Parrish for a 12-yard touchdown.
• Edwards' stat line: 13-of-17 for 153 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. He had a 122.9 quarterback rating.
• C.J. Spiller had another brilliant game. He ran 12 times for 52 yards and two touchdowns and two receptions for 33 yards in a half of work. He had a 20-yard run and a 26-yard reception.
• As mentioned in my notes column following the Bills' victory over the Indianapolis Colts last week, Spiller is going to have a lot of negative-yardage runs because of his style and the Bills' offensive line. He had runs of minus-7 and minus-11 yards. But he's a threat to break away every single time.
• The Bills showed off a little Wildcat. Spiller took a direct snap and ran 6 yards for a first down. In case you were wondering, Edwards remained on the field, split wide right. In the fourth quarter, rookie running back Joique Bell also took a direct snap and ran for 4 yards.
• Parrish is one of those players fans always want to see more of, but size always seemed to be an impediment to increased involvement. Think Leon Washington with the New York Jets. Maybe new Bills head coach Chan Gailey has been able to figure something out. Parrish caught all four balls thrown to him for 56 yards and a touchdown.
• Maybe the Bills were showcasing Ryan Fitzpatrick for a potential trade (hello, Arizona?). Otherwise, Brohm can't like the fact he quarterbacked only two series late in the fourth quarter. Brohm threw one pass, an incompletion.
• Buffalo's secondary didn't have the same success against Carson Palmer that it did against Peyton Manning. Palmer completed all but two of his 11 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns for a 142.2 rating.
• Second-year outside linebacker Aaron Maybin, the 11th overall draft choice last year, may have gotten some traction. He didn't start even though Reggie Torbor was out with an undisclosed injury. Chris Ellis started instead. But Maybin did force J.T. O'Sullivan into an intentional grounding call with some heavy pressure in the third quarter and sacked Jordan Palmer twice in the fourth quarter.
• James Hardy, a second-round draft pick in 2008, didn't make much of an impression in his bid to stay on the roster. He had one catch for 30 yards (great pass from Fitzpatrick) and a drop. That was all.
• Undrafted rookie receiver David Nelson had another strong game: two receptions for 34 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown.
• Third-year cornerback Reggie Corner looked like he might be on the roster bubble in a deep defensive backfield. He helped himself in the fourth quarter by intercepting Jordan Palmer and dashing 20 yards for a touchdown.
• Reserve cornerback Ellis Lankster, meanwhile, had another rough night. Quan Crosby beat him for a 44 yard pass play one series after Corner's touchdown. Lankster broke up a pass on fourth-and-goal from the 6, but he got away with pulling on Dezmon Briscoe's collar. Lankster was called for illegal hands to the face to wipe out an Arthur Moats 9-yard sack.
• The Bills strength in recent years has been their special-teams play. Special teams coordinator Bobby April bolted for Philadelphia, and the transition to Bruce DeHaven has not been smooth. Their kickoff coverage unit has been awful. The Bengals averaged 32.7 yards per return and rarely started a drive insider their own 30-yard line.

Mark Sanchez didn't have the kind of performance that would give New York Jets fans peace of mind heading into the regular season.

The third preseason game is supposed to be the most realistic exhibition, but in Friday night's 16-11 loss to the Washington Redskins at the Meadowlands, Sanchez looked like he needs more time to figure things out.

Sanchez was 13-of-21 for 139 yards and one touchdown with one interception. The Redskins sacked him twice.

Sanchez guided the Jets to zero touchdowns on 15 straight possessions before he hooked up with tight end Dustin Keller in the fourth quarter.

In all three preseason games, Sanchez has quarterbacked 18 drives that have gone for 28 points. That's two touchdowns (a missed extra point) and four field goals.

The "NFL Live" crew of host Michael Smith and analysts Tim Hasselbeck and Eric Allen took a look at Sanchez's development and how the Jets will handle it.

"From what I saw from him last season and then what I've seen in the preseason," Hasselbeck said, "you've seen some improvement, but you've also seen him revert back to some things that got him into trouble last year. What I would like to see from Mark Sanchez is really more consistency."

Hasselbeck was critical of how careless Sanchez is with the ball when he's in the pocket.

"That is an issue for me and something I'd like to see him clean up," Hasselbeck said, "if he's going to take the Jets to ultimately where they think he can take them."

Allen provided his formula for the Jets to help Sanchez come around.

"They have to get back to controlling the middle of the football field with Shonn Greene, utilize [LaDainian Tomlinson's] experience," Allen said. "When you're standing back there and it's third down, having that great veteran by you and be able to chip before he goes out [for a pass], utilize Keller in the passing game, screens and draws, really get that confidence back into that passing game and confidence back into that young man so they can work down the football field."

Against all odds, it appears that Albert Haynesworth and Mike Shanahan have made nice -- at least for one evening. Haynesworth entered the game early in the first half and played some snaps with the starters. He even cracked a couple jokes in the postgame locker room.

"I'm going over to dinner at his house, probably tonight," Haynesworth said. "Gonna sit and have a cigar and talk."

The Skins beat the Jets, 16-11, an odd final score that was aided by a missed Nick Folk extra point. I didn't get to see the game, but we can still link to some folks who did:

• Rick Maese of the Post has the latest on the Haynesworth-Shanahan relationship.

• Malcolm Kelly didn't make the road trip, but Donovan McNabb did.

• Fullback Darrel Young had to leave due to illness.

• Ryan O'Halloran of CSNWashington.com has five observations from Friday's game. He wonders what's going on with Devin Thomas.

• Matt Terl from the Redskins Blog goes over his final checklist for Friday's game.

If Andy Reid was trying not to show anything on offense in Friday's preseason game in Kansas City, he did a remarkable job. The Eagles lost their most explosive player, DeSean Jackson, on their first possession to what Reid called a neck strain and then defensive end Trent Cole was carted off the field with an ankle injury. Neither injury looks too serious, although Cole will have an MRI on Saturday. Here's some observations I've made after watching a replay of the game:

• Scary injury to Chiefs rookie linebacker Cameron Sheffield in the third quarter. I sort of lost interest in the game after that. Sheffield wasn't moving his arms or legs as he was carted off the field. Hoping we have some encouraging news on him soon.

• Perhaps the Eagles gave up on Andy Studebaker too quickly. He had two sacks in the first half for the Chiefs and celebrated as if we were in Week 8. And early in the fourth quarter, it was Studebaker who forced Kevin Kolb to unload the ball before he was ready in the red zone.

• Cornerback Asante Samuel's been looking for a 5-foot-7 player to tackle for years. Rookie Dexter McCluster gave him that opportunity late in the second quarter. That was a pretty nice hit, although the flexing after the tackle was a bit much. McCluster's going to be a fan favorite in Kansas City. Probably the most entertaining player on the field once Jackson made his exit.

• I liked how rookie defensive end Brandon Graham stood his ground when Todd Haley tried to run the ball into the end zone in the second quarter. He then came back with a nice bull rush on the Chiefs' right tackle. Ernie Sims should've had the interception on the awful pass from Matt Cassel. He threw a touchdown on the next play. Looked like Quintin Mikell and Samuel were trying to decide who's fault it was. I thought Samuel was out of position on the play.

• How do you not throw those crossing patterns to Jeremy Maclin all the time? It's impossible to cover. I didn't think Maclin was aggressive enough in going for some of Kolb's passes. On the deep ball in the first half, Maclin allowed Brandon Carr to rip the ball away. Then Maclin dropped a ball late in the first half when he felt Carr closing fast.

• Left tackle Jason Peters picked up right where he left off last season with some untimely false starts. The second false start knocked the Eagles out of field goal position.

• Late in the first half, Todd Haley called a delayed draw to Jamaal Charles and defensive end Darryl Tapp really made a weak attempt on the tackle. On the same drive, Ernie Sims couldn't make a play on Charles in the open field after he caught a swing pass from Cassel. I kept reading how Sims was destroying his teammates in camp, but Chiefs running backs were bouncing off him for additional yardage Friday.

• Somebody better teach Kevin Kolb how to slide -- and I mean now. He moves really well, but he can't keep leading with his head or we'll be seeing a lot of Michael Vick this season.

• Best literary retweet of the evening: Daily News beat man Les Bowen retweeted this from HighCheese: "Kafka known for ability to portray despair, not lead football team out of it."

• Chad Hall was shaky on punt returns in the second half. Hopefully he'll make it to the practice squad because there's not going to be a spot for him on the 53-man roster.

• Kolb made a really poor decision to throw it up for grabs on the interception in the third quarter. Maclin didn't have a chance to make the play because he was bracketed by a cornerback and safety. Easy pick for Kendrick Lewis, a fifth-round pick out of Ole Miss.

• Rookie linebacker Jamar Chaney took a really poor angle on the Thomas Jones touchdown run in the third quarter. Looked like the big tight end Leonard Pope held Quintin Demps on the play. Chiefs broadcasters laud Jones for his willingness to bypass autographs seekers in order to spend extra time in the weight room. Someone get this man an Ed Block Courage award.

• I was not impressed with Bobby April's coverage units. McCluster gave the Eagles fits on kickoff returns.

• Rookie cornerback Trevard Lindley has shown flashes, but I didn't like him in run support in the fourth quarter. McCluster made one little inside move and Lindley went flying out of the picture. On another McCluster run in the fourth quarter, defensive end Ricky Sapp allowed himself to be driven off the ball, leaving a large running lane.

• Really nice play by defensive end Eric Moncur to bring down McCluster in the backfield in the fourth quarter. The play pushed the Chiefs out of field goal range.

• Rookie left tackle Austin Howard has been impressive this preseason, but he was beaten badly on an inside move by a reserve Chiefs defensive end and Mike Kafka was sacked. In other rookie news, linebacker Keenan Clayton made a really nice open-field tackle to force the Chiefs to punt in the fourth quarter.