Harbaugh Starts Out With a Win for Ravens

Associated Press
Friday, August 8, 2008

John Harbaugh's career as a head coach got off to a good start last night with the Baltimore Ravens' 16-15 preseason victory over the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass.

"It counts. There's the excitement of the players coming up here and getting a victory in this stadium against this team," Harbaugh said. "It was a real thrill to be here."

Harbaugh got a look at the quarterbacks competing to succeed the retired Steve McNair. Kyle Boller started for Baltimore, Troy Smith replaced him and both played decently, but first-round pick Joe Flacco lost a fumble on his second play.

Boller "was impressive," Smith "was very poised" and will start the next game Aug. 16 at home against Minnesota, and Flacco "will learn very fast," Harbaugh said.

The Ravens got key plays from Yamon Figurs: a 52-yard punt return to set up a touchdown and a 48-yard kickoff return to set up one of Matt Stover's two field goals.

Fabian Washington had two interceptions for the Ravens.

Tom Brady had the night off for New England. Among the quarterbacks competing to be his backup, third-round choice Kevin O'Connell led the team to its only touchdown on a 31-yard march after Flacco's fumble.

Another newcomer to New England, LaMont Jordan, rushed for 76 yards and scored on a one-yard run.

Ravens running back Willis McGahee sat out with a knee injury.

· LIONS 13, GIANTS 10: Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning struggled, completing 2 of 6 passes for 19 yards in his only two series, as New York lost in Detroit.

Eddie Johnson's 31-yard field goal with 2 minutes 47 seconds to play gave Detroit the win.

Third-string quarterback David Carr tried to put together a winning drive in the final moments. New York got as far as the Detroit 40, but the drive ended when Carr was called for intentional grounding, then sacked by rookie Andre Fluellen on the next play.

Both teams pulled their starters after one quarter, when the Lions led 7-0. Detroit scored on the game's opening drive when Roy Williams broke free of Michael Johnson's tackle and went 20 yards with a short pass from Jon Kitna, who went 6 for 7 for 106 yards.

· JETS 24, BROWNS 20: With newly acquired Brett Favre watching from the sideline, New York scored three long touchdowns to beat host Cleveland.

Dwight Lowery returned a punt 62 yards to score with 10:02 left to cap the Jets' comeback from a 10-point deficit. Lowery and Hank Poteat both intercepted passes by Ken Dorsey in the final four minutes.

David Clowney caught touchdown passes of 71 and 70 yards from Brett Ratliff.

The news wasn't all good for New York. Tight end A.J. Schable was taken from the field on a stretcher after a head-to-head hit while trying to make a tackle on a kickoff return in the fourth quarter.

He remained on the field in a curled-up position until trainers turned him on his back, then gently placed him on a stretcher. Schable gave a thumbs-up with his left hand as he was wheeled off the field. Early reports from the hospital were positive.

"He does have movement in his arms and legs," Coach Eric Mangini said.

Derek Anderson was 4 for 5 for 20 yards for the Browns. Brady Quinn replaced Anderson and played through the third quarter, completing 13 of 17 passes for 133 yards and one interception. . . .

Browns rookie linebacker Beau Bell had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage from behind his right kneecap, and is expected to be out four to six weeks.

· CHIEFS 24, BEARS 20: Back from a broken foot, Kansas City's Larry Johnson ran for a touchdown on the opening drive and Brodie Croyle passed for 82 yards to lead the Chiefs in Chicago.

Meanwhile, Chicago's Kyle Orton fumbled, Rex Grossman stumbled and neither established himself as the leader in a quarterback race. . . .

Bears first-round draft pick Chris Williams had surgery to repair a herniated disk in his lower back. Williams was expected to start at left tackle.

· SAINTS 24, CARDINALS 10: In Glendale, Ariz., Drew Brees was 6 for 7 for 40 yards and a touchdown in his lone series for New Orleans, and backup Mark Brunell was equally effective, completing 10 of 12 for 119 yards.

Matt Leinart, the third-year Arizona quarterback who missed the final 11 games last season with a broken collarbone, was 8 of 9 for 91 yards in the first two series of the game.

· BRONCOS: Rookie running back Ryan Torain is expected to miss about three months after breaking a bone in his left elbow, leaving the team with three healthy running backs -- Andre Hall, Selvin Young and Anthony Aldridge.

Torain, a fifth-round draft pick out of Arizona State, was flipped while rushing during nine-on-seven drills on Wednesday, and put out his left arm to brace his fall. He had to be carted off the field.

· PANTHERS: Carolina waived tackle Charles Spencer and re-signed offensive lineman Rueben Riley. Coach John Fox said Spencer, claimed off waivers from Houston two days before players reported to training camp, was let go because of "conditioning and weight."