Preseason Week 1 Highlights: Coleman scores, Young's defense shines, Watson returns
Saturday's preseason games featured Keon Coleman's first touchdown for Buffalo, promising defensive showings for Carolina, and Deshaun Watson's first live snaps in nearly two years.
Keon Coleman opened the Bills' new Highmark Stadium with a 9-yard red-zone touchdown, finishing with three receptions for 17 yards on four targets. Coach Joe Brady said the medical staff examined both Coleman and teammate DJ Moore but expressed no concerns about their status.
Carolina's defense received a boost from recent free-agent additions. Edge rusher Jaelan Phillips recorded a red-zone sack on Josh Allen and added another quarterback pressure, while linebacker Devin Lloyd posted three tackles, a quarterback hit and a run stop in limited action.
Deshaun Watson made his first live-action appearance for Cleveland in nearly two years, completing 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown, showing more comfort in Todd Monken's offense than under the previous head coach. Backup quarterback Shedeur Sanders also connected on a 35-yard pass to Luke Floriea, though both Sanders and Dillon Gabriel threw interceptions that were returned by Bears defensive back Beanie Bishop Jr.
The Bears' offense, led by quarterbacks Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum, combined for 320 passing yards and three touchdowns, exploiting the Browns' backup defensive unit.
Giants quarterback Daniel Dart suffered a concussion after a blitz but returned to throw a touchdown pass to rookie Malachi Fields.
Kyler Murray, the Vikings' Week 1 starter, completed a short pass and led a drive that ended with a field goal, while backup J.J. McCarthy managed 34 yards on four completions.
Rams rookie quarterback Ty Simpson, the No. 13 overall pick, completed 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a strong preseason debut, earning additional red-zone opportunities from head coach Sean McVay.