Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. Dallas:
The Cardinals let Emmitt Smith have his minute - 48 seconds, actually - against the Cowboys. He ran once for no gain, then later caught a swing pass and gained 11 yards, making two defenders miss on the play. After that, he headed to the sidelines for the night. Marcel Shipp didn't have much of a game, with just 19 yards on eight carries. He also picked up a chop-block penalty that almost killed a scoring drive. Jeff Blake was 5-for-8 for 52 yards on the opening possession - leading to a field goal - but then missed on three passes during the second series before heading to the sidelines. Three of Blake's first seven passes went toward Kevin Kasper, with a pair of completions for 29 yards. Kasper later had a 35-yard touchdown run in the second half, and he had one kickoff return for 37 yards. TE Freddie Jones, WR Bryant Johnson and WR Jake Soliday also had two catches each. RB Travis Prentice was given eight carries in the second half but gained just 16 yards. PK Bill Gramatica made a couple of field goals, from 40 and 27 yards.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. Green Bay:
Mike Vick looked very sharp in one quarter of work, completing 6-of-7 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, a 43-yard pass to Brian Finneran. Vick only ran once, a nine-yard scamper for a first down. Finneran made a nice adjustment on the touchdown catch, but he eventually left the game with bruised ribs and a sore shoulder. WR Peerless Price had three catches for 31 yards and got involved early, and he looked to be on the same page with Vick. Warrick Dunn had four carries for 32 yards and a 3-yard touchdown (where he was barely touched on a burst up the middle). Dunn caught just one pass. T.J. Duckett struggled for just 20 yards on nine carries - most of his yards came on one 11-yard run. He did catch a seven-yard touchdown pass from backup QB Doug Johnson, however. FB George Layne got involved in the passing game, catching five passes for 67 yards, with four of the grabs coming in the first half. The new Field Turf in the Georgia Dome received rave reviews from the hometown Falcons, with Vick, in particular, a big fan of the new rug.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. Buffalo:
Say this for QB Chris Redman - he certainly looks improved. He completed 5-of-8 passes for 55 yards, and the interception he threw wasn't his fault - the ball went through the hands of WR Marcus Robinson (one catch, 13 yards). Redman directed a touchdown drive on the second Baltimore possession, notable since he didn't get the Ravens into the end zone at all in 23 tries last summer. Rookie QB Kyle Boller went 10-for-21 for 124 yards in his stint; his best moments came while running the 2-minute drill at the end of the fourth quarter. Boller connected with WR Randy Hymes on a 23-yard touchdown in the final minute to essentially tie the game, but since the result didn't mean anything, Brian Billick decided to go for two and the Ravens wound up losing by a point. RB Jamal Lewis looked healthy but didn't do anything special (six carries, 15 yards), though the Ravens focused on him near the goal line and he wound up scoring on a 1-yard plunge. Backup RB Chester Taylor had 30 yards on eight carries. WR Frank Sanders dislocated two toes and was forced out of the game; he's listed as day-to-day. The veteran receiver acquisition caught a short pass in Saturday night's preseason opener and then got his foot twisted underneath Buffalo Bills defenders Takeo Spikes and Antwoine Winfield. LB Ray Lewis played three series and had one tackle. After, he said his shoulder felt fine. Rookie TE Trent Smith had a 39-yard reception in the second half, but later he was carted off the field with a broken leg. TE Todd Heap (back) didn't dress. The Baltimore stadium, for what it's worth, is now known as M&T Bank Stadium. The team has also switched surfaces this year, ripping up last year's grass field and replacing it with Momentum Turf.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Baltimore:
The first string offense looked rusty at times, which may be why Gregg Williams let QB Drew Bledsoe play into the second period. Bledsoe finished 4-for-8 for 27 yards, and as you'd expect, three of his eight pass attempts went in the direction of Eric Moulds (two catches, 16 yards). WR Josh Reed started and had three passes thrown his way, but none of them was completed (keep in mind that two of those passes came from scattershot #3 QB Travis Brown, who finished 9-for-21 on the night). RB Olandis Gary had just 17 yards on seven carries, although he converted on a 1-yard scoring leap with ease in the first quarter. The Bills rested Travis Henry, who dinged up his knee in the scrimmage against Cleveland last week but is otherwise fine. The retooled defense forced three turnovers, and new LB Takeo Spikes racked up three tackles in the first period. Undrafted WR Clarence Coleman had five catches for 89 yards, although four of the grabs came in the second half against Baltimore's nobodies. Another undrafted receiver, Antonio Brown, won the game for the Bills with a late kickoff return for a touchdown.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. Washington:
RB Stephen Davis came to play against his old teammates, rushing seven times for 74 yards and catching a pass for 13 yards. He ripped off 53 yards on the first three scrimmage plays of the game, including a 34-yard run. RB DeShaun Foster didn't dress, while Dee Brown looked okay (six carries, 25 yards) but also lost a fumble. RB Skip Hicks mopped up, with seven carries for 30 yards and a touchdown, all in the final period. QB Rodney Peete completed just 5-of-11 passes, although the Panthers had field goals on each of his two drives. Jake Delhomme (3-of-5, 43 yards) looked fine, and he also had a nifty 12-yard gain on a bootleg run. Chris Weinke had pretty stats (8-of-11, 69 yards) and directed two touchdown drives, although he didn't get into the game until late in the third quarter against the Washington scrubs. Randy Fasani missed on all three of his passes and shouldn't make long-term plans for the greater Carolina area. Muhsin Muhammad (three catches, 41 yards) was the best of the regular receivers, while Ricky Proehl had a 28-yard catch. WR Steve Smith (hamstring) isn't expected back until late August. Both kickers, Shayne Graham and John Kasay, made a short field goal. No one individual on the defense stood out, but hey, a shutout is a shutout. "They dominated us," Washington head coach Steve Spurrier conceded.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. Indianapolis:
The Bears put QB Kordell Stewart in conservative spots to succeed, and, for the most part, he did just that (7-of-8 passing), although the completions netted just 29 yards. Stewart had one nifty run for nine yards, although he also lost a fumble and was sacked twice. RB Adrian Peterson started, and started fast, with 15- and 14-yard runs. His next four carries didn't amount to much, but still six rushes for 36 yards wasn't a bad night for him. RB Anthony Thomas didn't dress, in part because the Bears wanted to get a look at Peterson. Third-down back Rabih Abdullah had a pair of long runs (16 yards, 10 yards). QB Chris Chandler was 5-of-10 passing with one touchdown. QB Rex Grossman looked much like a rookie, completing 9-of-21 passes for 74 yards, although he did engineer a late 50-yard drive that led to Paul Edinger's game-winning 38-yard field goal. Fourteen different players caught a pass for the Bears, but no one had more than two receptions. David Terrell, Marty Booker, and Dez White all had two catches. Terrell hasn't lost his nerve, that's for sure. At one point, an official had to get in the way of the receiver as he talked endless trash with Indianapolis LB Marcus Washington.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/10 at New York Jets:
The first-team offense struggled, doing little with three possessions. QB Jon Kitna completed 4-of-6 passes for 24 yards, lost a fumble, and was never able to get the Bengals into Jet territory. WR Chad Johnson started the game with two quick receptions, then never saw the ball again, and RB Corey Dillon had just one carry. # 2 QB Shane Matthews was passable in his stint (8-for-11, 51 yards), and QB Carson Palmer had his good moments and bad moments. He completed 12-of-22 for 140 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions, and both were run back for New York touchdowns. Palmer also had to deal with the radio in his helmet not working, a persistent rain, and playing without WR Kelley Washington, who according to Bengals.com, missed Sunday's game so he could get a second opinion on his surgically-repaired neck. Cincinnati struggled on special teams all afternoon, botching an extra point and a field-goal attempt. Undrafted RB Ray Jackson had 14 carries for 54 yards in the second half as he tries to earn a roster spot. He also caught two passes for 22 yards.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Tennessee:
They're not going to run him out of Cleveland or anything, but QB Tim Couch didn't get a lot done over three possessions (4-of-8, 17 yards), although WR Andre King dropped a possible touchdown pass at the 5-yard line. QB Kelly Holcomb looked better against mostly Tennessee backups (7-of-11, 71 yards), and he's already been named as next week's starter against Green Bay, (but that was the plan even before this game). Holcomb just missed a touchdown pass when Kevin Johnson fumbled at the 1-yard line. Bottom line? Both Couch and Holcomb generated just three points each while they were in the game. WR C.J. Jones, an undrafted rookie from Iowa, looked decent with three catches and some decent kick returns. If the Browns keep six receivers again, Jones could stick. The offensive line didn't have a strong game, as the QBs were constantly harassed and there weren't a lot of holes for the backs to run through. RB William Green had just 11 yards on six carries, and this is on the heels of his six-carry, nine-yard scrimmage against Buffalo the prior week. Not a great sign, but those are two real good run defenses. RB James Jackson had two carries for minus-2 yards in the first half, and he had three strong runs (10, 11, 15 yards) in the second half, but that was against the Tennessee scrubs. PK Phil Dawson, not noted for having a long leg, converted on a 51-yard field goal at the end of the first half, and he also made good on a 26-yarder.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Arizona:
Wow, there's a lot of work to do here. Getting shut out by a defense as weak as Arizona's simply isn't acceptable. QB Chad Hutchinson got the start and went 5-of-10 for 43 yards. He also lost a fumble on a sack. A couple of his throws were nowhere close to the intended target. QB Quincy Carter, who gets the start next week, didn't really play any better. He was 8-for-13 for 81 yards, with one interception, and never really looked comfortable in the pocket. Carter wound up running five times for 12 yards, as he is wont to do. RB Troy Hambrick couldn't get on track, with four carries for minus-1 yard. RB Aveion Cason had 12 yards on his first run in the first quarter, then just eight yards on four more rushes, but nonetheless we might see more of him next week. Cason also had 21 yards on three receptions, including a 14-yard gain on a screen pass. WR Terry Glenn had a couple of catches for 26 yards, but more importantly, he was able to get up and walk off the field (eventually) after taking a blow to the head. At least the defense was solid. Superstar-in-waiting S Roy Williams had four tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery. Williams also made a key stop on a 3rd-and-1 that forced the Cardinals to punt.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Houston:
QB Jake Plummer couldn't have looked much better on the opening drive. He completed 3-of-5 passes for 47 yards, doing a nice job running, scrambling, and hitting receivers in seams. Plummer should have had a fourth completion, but WR Rod Smith by mistake stepped out of bounds on a routine sideline pass. Plummer capped the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to WR Chris Cole; then he watched for the rest of the game. Smith and Ashley Lelie both had a catch on the opening drive, then rested, while WR Ed McCaffrey didn't dress. Cole, battling for a final roster spot, had a 13-yard reverse in the second quarter and looked good on special teams. Clinton Portis looked fine over six carries of work (23 yards). In all, 11 different players carried the ball for the Broncos, with FB Reuben Droughns (six carries, 41 yards) getting the best of it. Rookie RB Cecil Sapp had five carries for 15 yards.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. Pittsburgh:
Head coach Steve Mariucci took this one seriously, as QB Joey Harrington attempted 25 passes, a huge total for a meaningless August game. Harrington's numbers (13-of-25, 136 yards, one touchdown) look better than his actual play was. The Lions didn't score at all on the first-string Pittsburgh defense, and the touchdown pass came on a poorly thrown ball that WR Scotty Anderson (four catches, 49 yards) snatched away from a defender. WR Bill Schroeder (four catches, 40 yards) made some plays, although he also dropped two catchable balls. WR Az-Zahir Hakim (hip), WR Charles Rogers (finger) and TE Mikhael Ricks (knee) all sat out. QB Mike McMahon completed only 7-of-17 passes, although he looked good scrambling (four rushes, 26 yards). If he starts at anytime this year, he'll be a much better fantasy quarterback than a real-life one. RB James Stewart had one 12-yard run, but he didn't do anything else on five carries (just two yards). RB Luke Staley had seven carries for 30 yards in the second half. Rookie LB Boss Bailey had three tackles and an assist, and Barrett Green had five tackles and a sack of Tommy Maddox in the end zone, producing the game's first points.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Atlanta:
The Packers didn't take the game all that seriously with their starters, but wound up with a win anyway. QB Brett Favre played just two series (4-of-7, 32 yards) and was working without his starting WRs, Donald Driver and Robert Ferguson. Given a golden opportunity, WR Javon Walker wasn't able to step up. He didn't catch any of the three passes thrown to him and later left the game with a mild concussion. RB Ahman Green was given a light night of work (three carries, nine yards), which essentially turned RB Najeh Davenport into the featured back. Davenport managed just 43 yards on 15 carries, although he did have two short touchdown runs. # 2 QB Doug Peterson played only briefly (1-of-3, 8 yards) so the Packers could let their two other QBs get extensive action. NFL Europe whiz Craig Nall (8-for-13, 80 yards) was the first-round winner over Akili Smith (7-for-12, 61 yards, one interception) in the battle for the # 3 job. The Packers took a couple of major shots on defense, as DL Gilbert Brown (torn biceps) is probably done for the year, and DB Bryant Westbrook (Achilles tendon) is confirmed out for the season.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. Denver:
The signs are subtle, but the offensive line looks improved: QB David Carr (4-of-7, 29 yards) wasn't sacked, and RB Stacey Mack (14 carries, 49 yards) was complimentary of the blocking. Mack also made a positive impression on his new teammates, judging from post-game comments. It would be very surprising if he wasn't the team's starting tailback when the real games begin. RB Jonathan Wells had 12 carries for 40 yards in his stint, most of it in the second half. The downfield passing game didn't really come together. Rookie WR Andre Johnson had one catch for 19 yards, a rare long gain for the Texans. WR Corey Bradford had three catches for all of nine yards, and he also had 10 yards on one reverse.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Chicago:
RB Edgerrin James isn't a fan of preseason games, but at least he suited up. He had four carries for 13 yards, in addition to two catches for negative yardage. Perhaps his disdain for exhibition games was the reason he looked so-so. QB Peyton Manning played for two series (4-of-7, 36 yards), one a three-and-out and one a deep march that ended in a missed field goal (the theme of the night for the Colts, as it turned out). WR Marvin Harrison had one long reception than hit the sidelines. Given how much he and Manning work out together, these games mean nothing to them. WR Reggie Wayne started but didn't see any passes in his direction. RB James Mungro had four carries for 17 yards, and 5’9" RB Brian Allen had eight carries for 74 yards in the second half, including a 45-yard run. PK Mike Vanderjagt didn't get off on the right foot, missing two field-goal attempts, one a chip shot from 25 yards. PK Brett Conway made a 24-yarder and missed from 47 yards. Don’t worry about Vanderjagt, though. It would be a shock if the Colts cut him loose in favor of Conway.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Minnesota:
As you might expect, QB Mark Brunell and WR Jimmy Smith have adjusted to Jacksonville's new West Coast scheme fairly quickly. Brunell was 10-for-13 passing for 110 yards, and Smith caught five balls for 70 yards. RB LaBrandon Toefield picked up a start with Fred Taylor out and finished with nine carries for 33 yards. PK Seth Marler moved to the head of the class with two field goals, including a 43 yarder, and PK Danny Boyd moved closer to the waiver wire by missing a 29-yard attempt (he did make a 32-yarder), and kicking off short most of the night. PK James Tuthill had two opportunities, one extra point try (which he converted, naturally), and one long field goal attempt (a 52-yarder, which he missed). # 2 QB David Garrard struggled (3-for-8, 38 yards) and has no real shot to hold off Byron Leftwich, if the rookie ever signs. The lone Jacksonville touchdown came on a 97-yard fumble return by DB Ike Charlton.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. San Francisco:
Things continue to look cautiously optimistic for RB Priest Holmes. While he didn't do a lot in the final numbers (three rushes for nine yards, two catches for three yards), he made a nifty move on one 8-yard run, and Dick Vermeil insists that Priest is 100%. We'll see. WR Johnnie Morton was heard from for the first time in a while, with a diving 30-yard catch and another 17-yard reception. QB Trent Green was sharp throwing the ball (8-of-11 for 80 yards) and made good decisions. He just missed hitting TE Tony Gonzalez (one catch) in the end zone for a touchdown. RB Larry Johnson had another mediocre showing (four carries, 11 yards) and could begin the year as #3 on the depth chart. It's going to take him a while to completely pick up Kansas City's complicated offensive system. All that said, RB Derrick Blaylock (11 carries, 26 yards) didn't do much with his opportunity, either. PK Morten Anderson hit two short field goals and continues to look fine. The pass defense allowed the 49ers to complete 23-of-28 attempts even without Jeff Garcia in uniform. Obviously, a lot of work is still needed there. DE Kal Truluck, who did almost nothing as a rookie last year, had four tackles, a pair of sacks, and a forced fumble. The Chiefs have been impressed with his pass rushing in camp, for what it's worth, and he might become an important specialist for the team this season.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/8 at Tampa Bay:
Even though QB Brian Griese floated the ball on a couple of passes, he still completed 6-of-8 for 45 yards. The Buccaneers got to him for a couple of sacks, though, and Griese's pass behind TE Randy McMichael probably set up the ensuing fumble. RB Ricky Williams made just a brief appearance (two carries, eight yards), while all the other backs ran well (Travis Minor six rushes, 34 yards, Robert Edwards 4-17, Leonard Henry 6-43 – all in the second half). For the most part, Miami's offensive line did a solid job on the Tampa Bay front seven. There's nothing wrong with QB Jay Fiedler's back, but the Dolphins chose not to dress him. FB Robert Konrad broke a finger in his right hand and will miss the rest of the preseason. He's expected to have a pin inserted into the finger. Backup TE and long-snapper Ed Perry tore an ACL and is probably out for the year. CB Patrick Surtain, coming off a knee scope, didn't play. LB Zack Thomas was his normal self, with four tackles and three assists. LB Junior Seau had a couple of tackles, but he was also beaten badly by Michael Pittman on a 28-yard pass play.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. Jacksonville:
It was a mixed bag for RB Onterrio Smith, who finished with 33 yards on 12 attempts (including a 1-yard touchdown run). His worst moment of the night came when he failed to block Jacksonville defensive end Marco Coleman early in the second quarter, which led directly to a sack and a short benching for Smith. But Mike Tice went back to Smith in the third period, and he showed some nice moves. After the game, Tice said Smith was moving up to the second string (over Larry Ned on the depth chart), and the coach also said "it will be exciting to see (Onterrio) work more with the (top) offensive line." Ned (six carries, 18 yards) hurt his stock significantly with a red-zone fumble that turned into a 97-yard return for Jacksonville's lone touchdown. RB/KR Jon Avery also put the ball on the ground on a kickoff and probably won't be playing much on offense in coming weeks. Veteran backs Doug Chapman (four carries, 16 yards) and Moe Williams (one carry, nine yards) weren't asked to do a lot, in part because they're already known quantities. As for the rest of the offense, it looked solid enough. Daunte Culpepper seemed confident during his two possessions, completing 5-of-8 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown. He also had a pretty 19-yard run, and most importantly didn't turn the ball over. Randy Moss had a pair of catches for 25 yards, one a nifty catch-and-run that went for 18 yards, and D'Wayne Bates made a nice end zone adjustment on Culpepper's 13-yard touchdown pass. Second-string QB Gus Frerotte was 5-of-7 for 37 yards.

New England Patriots
Exhibition Game Notes in 8/8 report.

Other notes: Head coach Bill Belichick made a point of saying this weekend that RB Kevin Faulk's increased role is in no way tied to any displeasure Antowain Smith. One problem that could arise is that the two backs have such different styles that there could be continuity problems up front with the blocking. And let’s not forget that Smith needs 15-20 carries a game to get going. The Pats may be making a mistake if the try to feature Faulk. Veteran G Brenden Stai signed with the Patriots on July 28, started in the preseason opener and did well, but then retired over the weekend.

New Orleans Saints
Play exhibition season opener this evening.

New York Giants
Exhibition Game Notes in 8/8 report.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/10 vs. Cincinnati:
If you wanted to get a look at RB Curtis Martin, guess again. Herman Edwards had him on the field for three plays, all passes, then took No. 28 out. Chad Pennington was just 3-of-8 passing for 34 yards, but since he was playing in the rain all day, there's no reason to be alarmed. Pennington tried to hook up with WR Curtis Conway twice, with no success, although he did have a 21-yard connection with Santana Moss. RB Lamont Jordan was solid enough, with 10 carries for 37 yards and a short touchdown. No New York receiver had more than two catches.

Oakland Raiders

Exhibition Game Notes 8/8 vs. St. Louis:
Head coach Bill Callahan used his regulars very briefly - Rich Gannon threw one incompletion and was sacked twice over two possessions, then hit the sidelines, and Jerry Rice and Tim Brown didn't catch any passes (Jerry Porter didn't dress). Charlie Garner had three carries for six yards in his cameo, and Ty Wheatley had just one carry. RB Madre Hill raised some eyebrows with a 50-yard run and finished with six carries, 63 yards and a short touchdown. Rookie RB Justin Fargas was the star of the scrub game in the second half (17 carries, 72 yards), although he also had a fumble at the goal line. He's got some major wheels, though, no question about that. TE Teyo Johnson, who's been all over the field in camp, had a solid game with two catches for 41 yards. He also did a decent job with his blocking. Advice to Roland Williams: Don't grow any roots in the bay area. Johnson would be a trendy sleeper at TE if not for the presence of starter Doug Jolley. PK Sebastian Janikowski was surprisingly short on a 52-yard field goal attempt, and he also missed a 48-yarder. QB Tee Martin completed just 1-of-6, which won't help him beat out # 3 QB Rick Mirer. # 2 QB Marques Tuiasosopo looked okay (6-of-10, 57 yards), although he was also sacked three times. SS Anthony Dorsett had an interception and a game-high eight tackles, which gives him a leg up on Derrick Gibson (four tackles) for the starting job.

Philadelphia Eagles
Play exhibition season opener this evening.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Detroit:
It was pretty clear the Lions couldn't cover WR Plaxico Burress, who had three catches for 45 yards and could have had two touchdowns if the passes weren't under-thrown by QB Tommy Maddox. Burress was clearly the receiver of choice in this game, as Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El combined for three short catches (Ward threw in a 20-yard reverse for good measure). Maddox didn't have the best of days, completing just 5-of-10 passes for 54 yards (he also took two sacks, one for a safety), but he didn't lose any ground to Charlie Batch, who was awful (5-of-13, 34 yards) in his old stomping grounds. RB Jerome Bettis may be in good shape, but it didn't translate to production, as he gained just 19 yards on eight carries. Take away one 8-yard burst and you get seven carries, 11 yards, not good. Amos Zereoue (ankle) sat this one out, while Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala (three rushes for 11 yards, one catch for seven yards) played and looked okay. Undrafted rookie RB Dante Brown had an electric 38-yard touchdown run in his only carry in the fourth quarter against the Detroit scrubs. We expect Bill Cowher to give the rookie speedster more of a look next week. Pittsburgh's first-string defense didn't allow any points, for what it's worth, so don't let the final score throw you. The Lions clearly wanted the game more (Joey Harrington threw 25 passes), and that's why they won it. Rookie S Troy Polamalu looked solid with four tackles.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Seattle:
With LaDainian Tomlinson not in uniform (he's fine) and David Boston suited up but not in the game, you'd expect the Chargers offense to struggle, and that's exactly what happened. QB Drew Brees completed 7-of-10 passes for 34 yards and had at least one pass dropped on him. It's impossible to find any fault in the Brees performance given who was missing: In addition to Tomlinson and Boston, FB Lorenzo Neal, TE Stephen Alexander and WR Tim Dwight didn't play. Reserve RB Nick Maddox had 10 carries for 72 yards, as well as four catches for 24 yards, although the heavier chunk of his production came in the second half against the scrubs. The young San Diego pass defense was easily exposed by the Seahawks all night, even when rookie QB Seneca Wallace was in the game.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Kansas City:
The main 49ers didn't get a lot of work - QB Jeff Garcia (back) didn't dress; RBs Kevan Barlow and Garrison Hearst both had three rushes for nine yards; and WR Terrell Owens (three catches, 23 yards) looked fine in a brief appearance. Owens did lose one fumble, although it was overturned on replay. All of the backup QBs looked solid. Tim Rattay started and went 8-for-9 passing for 90 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown to rookie WR Brandon Lloyd. Rookie QB Ken Dorsey had a couple of touchdown passes in the second half, and QB Brandon Doman completed 11-of-12 passes for 101 yards. If nothing else, they proved it's still easy to beat the Kansas City pass defense. Rookie TE Aaron Walker, third on the depth chart, had four catches for 42 yards. NFL Europe signee Jamal Robertson had 10 carries for 70 yards, although it all came against backup defenders. Another journeyman RB, XFL refugee Rashaan Salaam, also saw a lot of second-half action (nine carries, 27 yards; three catches for 34 yards; one lost fumble).

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. San Diego:
Matt Hasselbeck's elbow looked just fine, thanks, as he was very sharp in his two possessions. He completed 6-of-7 passes on the opening touchdown drive (using five different receivers in that stretch), and finished the game 8-of-11 for 75 yards. If WR Koren Robinson (one catch, 12 yards) hadn't dropped two throws, Hasselbeck would have been 10-for-11 on the night. RB Shaun Alexander only had 12 yards on four carries, although he picked up a short touchdown run and also caught two passes for 23 yards. RB Maurice Morris had eight carries for 46 yards and a short touchdown, which came on the heels of a 20-yard scamper. He also had one catch for eight yards, and 53 yards on returns. Rookie PK Josh Brown was good on two field goals, covering 29 and 47 yards.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/8 at Oakland:
The big story here is the offensive line, as the pass blocking was very poor Friday, and Kurt Warner (3-of-4, 18 yards) and Marc Bulger (11-of-16, 104 yards) spent much of the night running for their lives. Warner threw one interception and was sacked once, looking a little rusty in the pocket. It's just one game, though. Bulger moved the Rams deep into Oakland territory on three straight drives, although St. Louis didn't score on any of them (missed field goal, turned ball over on downs, interception in the red zone). With Marshall Faulk sitting this one out, Lamar Gordon started and did well (12 rushes for 55 yards, four catches for 30 yards), although he also fumbled, something Mike Martz clearly won't tolerate (see the Trung Canidate file). QB Kirk Farmer (8-for-13, 130 yards, touchdown) was successful against the Oakland scrubs, and now looks like the # 3 quarterback; he had a 9-yard touchdown pass to perennial fantasy tease Cam Cleeland. TE Brandon Manumaleuna also looked good with three catches; a fourth was overturned on a replay. Rookie WR Kevin Curtis had four catches for 64 yards as he continues a strong push for the # 3 job. Heads-up on PK Jeff Wilkins, who missed a 37-yard field goal and had an extra point blocked (low kick). Sure, he's working with a new holder (Dane Looker) now that Ricky Proehl is gone to Carolina, but Martz has his run-ins with Wilkins last year and isn't likely to be that patient going forward. Rookie OLB Pisa Tinoisamoa, who's penciled in as a starter, had three tackles and a sack and, in general, looked like a man possessed. DE Leonard Little also picked up a couple of sacks, and DE Grant Wistrom played despite sore feet and had an early sack as well.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/8 vs. Miami:
While RB Thomas Jones more or less came up small (11 carries, 28 yards, one short touchdown), Michael Pittman (6-yard touchdown, 28-yard reception) and Aaron Stecker (six rushes for 27 yards, and three catches for 38 yards) looked decent. Pittman would probably be the unquestioned #1 back if not for his pending legal situation. All things considered, he's had an excellent camp to this point. His big reception came on a play in which he beat Junior Seau in coverage. WR Keyshawn Johnson played briefly and didn't have any passes in his direction; he's now gone two games without a catch, for whatever that means. WR Joe Jurevicius, whom Jon Gruden raved about all spring, had two catches, including a 5-yard touchdown pass from # 2 QB Shaun King (who looked good; 8-for-12 passing for 72 yards, and two runs for 20 yards). Starting QB Brad Johnson got in two possessions (3-for-6, 41 yards) then wore a baseball cap the rest of the night. PK Martin Gramatica (groin) was a last-minute scratch, and the Bucs have already said he won't play next week. Rookie DB Torrie Cox suffered a knee injury and is probably out for the year.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 vs. Cleveland:
The main Titans looked solid, if not spectacular, in this one. QB Steve McNair completed 7-of-10 passes for 61 yards; he wasn't throwing the tightest spiral for most of the night, but we're not going to worry about that. WR Derrick Mason had five catches for 52 yards and was constantly open, pretty good proof that his thigh and hand are fine. RB Eddie George had a modest 24 yards on seven carries, including a short touchdown. Rookie WR Tyrone Calico had a lukewarm debut. While he caught two passes and looked good on kick returns, he also missed two catch-able balls, losing one pass in the stadium lights. TE Erron Kinney had four short catches for 23 yards, as backup QB Neil O'Donnell threw six passes in his direction. Frank Wycheck started but didn't catch any passes. RB Robert Holcombe had seven carries for 25 yards in the first half; he looked decent behind the starting line, but he couldn't find a lot of holes when the second-string came in. RBs John Simon (seven carries, 32 yard) and Dwone Hicks (7-11) worked the second half, with rookie RB Chris Brown (hamstring) sitting out. CB Andre Woolfolk, the 28th pick in last April's draft, dislocated his left big toe and is set for an MRI. He's been penciled in as the team's nickel back.

Exhibition Game Notes 8/9 at Carolina:
Remember how the Redskins rolled up the score over and over again last August? Year Two of the Steve Spurrier regime started much differently with a shutout loss at Carolina, the first time in 16 years that a Spurrier offense has gone without points, dating back to his days at Duke University. Nothing much happened in the backfield derby: Trung Canidate had three carries for four yards; Kenny Watson had three carries for three yards; Chad Morton didn't carry the ball, and Ladell Betts (elbow) didn't dress. Undrafted rookie RB Sultan McCullough had nine carries for 50 yards in the second half in garbage time. WR Laveranues Coles was one bright spot, with a nifty 48-yard catch-and-run in the first quarter. He was open on a few other plays, but the ball wasn't delivered to him on target. Patrick Ramsey finished just 2-for-6 for 57 yards, most of them coming on the Coles completion. Rob Johnson completed 10-of-16 passes for 107 yards but he also fumbled twice, was sacked twice, and threw an interception. A 7-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Pat Johnson late in the second quarter was taken off the board by a holding penalty. QB Danny Wuerffel (4-for-9, 58 yards) didn't do anything special over the final quarter and change. PK John Hall (hamstring) didn't dress, but the team is merely being cautious. Temporary PK Matt Simonton didn't make anyone tingly, missing his long attempt, a 35-yarder. He'll be cut as soon as Hall is cleared to go. Defensive starters Jeremiah Trotter, Bruce Smith, and Regan Upshaw didn't make the trip, as each player is coming off knee surgery.

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