Steelers knock off Giants on the road

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) - The Pittsburgh Steelers may be fine without the suspended Ben Roethlisberger for the start of the season.

Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon combined to lead three long touchdown drives after Roethlisberger made his preseason debut and the Steelers beat the Giants 24-17 on Saturday night, spoiling New York's first home game in its new $1.6 billion stadium.

Roethlisberger, suspended for the opening six games of the regular season by commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, was solid in his first game since the suspension was announced. He completed six of eight passes for 76 yards and an interception and led the Steelers on a 13-play, 58-yard drive that lasted seven-plus minutes and ended in a 26-yard field goal by Jeff Reed.

This was a quarterback mismatch. The Steelers (2-0) had three good ones while the Giants (1-1) had only third-stringer Rhett Bomar, with starter Eli Manning (stitches) and backup Jim Sorgi (shoulder) sidelined.

Buccaneers 20, Chiefs 15

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Josh Freeman's preseason is over, and Tampa Bay (1-1) can only hope his injured thumb doesn't lead to another slow start when the real games begin.

The second-year quarterback fractured the tip of the thumb on his throwing hand and will be sidelined at least until the opening week of the regular season.

Freeman's backups, Josh Johnson and Rudy Carpenter, each threw for a touchdown. Micheal Spurlock scored on a 53-yard reception in the second quarter, and Carpenter snapped a fourth-quarter tie with a 5-yard throw to Terrance Nunn.

Matt Cassel completed 14 of 19 passes for 125 yards and no interceptions for Kansas City (0-2). His 6-yard TD pass to Jeremy Horne finished a 47-yard scoring drive that rookie Javier Arenas set up with a 53-yard kickoff return.

Ravens 23, Redskins 3

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) - Baltimore safety Haruki Nakamura took a direct snap on fourth-and-6 and juked his way 51 yards - all the way to the 1 - in the second quarter to set up the only touchdown scored by either first-team offense.

The Redskins (1-1) had two starters leave with knee injuries: Fullback Mike Sellers hurt his left knee while blocking on a running play, and free safety Kareem Moore injured his right knee trying to catch up to Nakamura on the fake punt play.

Also, Donovan McNabb emerged from the locker room after halftime with a large wrap around his lower left leg and ankle. Left tackle Trent Williams, the No. 4 overall draft pick, left with a bruised elbow.

The Ravens improved to 2-0.

Jets 9, Panthers 3

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Mark Sanchez was lucky to avoid two interceptions and failed to get New York (1-1) in the end zone despite great field position.

And he still had the better night of the two starting quarterbacks.

Matt Moore couldn't lead Carolina (0-2) to any points on a night of dismal offense.

Sanchez was 5 of 10 for 12 yards, a setback after he recovered from an interception on his first pass Monday against the Giants and looked sharp. LaDainian Tomlinson's 20-yard draw play was the Jets' top offensive play.

Moore failed to lead a scoring drive for the second straight game. He was 6 of 17 for 57 yards and an interception.

Cowboys 16, Chargers 14

SAN DIEGO (AP) - Philip Rivers, Sam Diego's $93 million quarterback, chased Dallas safety Barry Church for about 70 yards before making a touchdown-saving tackle.

The Cowboys (2-1) scored three plays later to tie it, then went on to win it 16-14 on a safety with 3:46 left to play. Chargers rookie quarterback Jonathan Crompton was sacked by Victor Butler, who forced a fumble at about the 5. The ball rolled into the end zone and was recovered by San Diego rookie left tackle Ryan Otterson.

The Chargers dropped to 1-1.

Lions 25, Broncos 20

DENVER (AP) - Many in the crowd came hoping to get a glimpse of Denver's future in Tim Tebow and instead got a peek at the past when former Bronco Dre' Bly's 47-yard interception return set up Detroit's first touchdown.

Detroit third-stringer Drew Stanton's 25-yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw with 1:53 left was the difference. Brady Quinn drove the Broncos into Lions territory in the closing seconds before Willie Young stripped the ball away.

Tebow's home debut will have to wait at least another week. He sat out with bruised ribs he sustained in the exhibition opener a week ago, much to the disappointment of throngs of Broncos fans donning his No. 15 jersey at Invesco Field.

Both teams are 1-1.

Dolphins 27, Jaguars 26

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Eight months after picking apart Jacksonville in the regular season, Chad Henne did it again in a preseason game, completing 11 of 14 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the first half for Miami.

The game was delayed 1 hour, 45 minutes by a thunderstorm.

The Dolphins improved to 2-0, and the Jaguars dropped to 0-2.

Rams 19, Browns 17

CLEVELAND (AP) - Josh Brown made a 28-yard field goal, his fourth field goal of the game, with 3:33 left to lift St. Louis (1-1).

Jake Delhomme, making his home debut for Cleveland (1-1), was accurate and efficient in a steady first-half downpour, completing 12 of 16 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown before he was replaced in the second half by Seneca Wallace.