CHICAGO (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 60 yards and a touchdown on Kansas City's first possession, then watched as the Chiefs lost to the Chicago Bears 19-14 in the preseason opener Saturday.
The game was the first for Chicago's Matt Eberflus as a head coach. It also marked the return to Soldier Field for predecessor Matt Nagy, now the Chiefs' quarterbacks coach. He was fired in January after leading the Bears to a 34-31 record in four seasons, then reunited with Andy Reid after previously working for him in Philadelphia and Kansas City.
Chiefs safety Justin Reid showed he could be an emergency kicker, nailing an extra point after Justin Watson caught a 22-yard touchdown from Shane Buechele in the closing seconds of the first half. Reid, who made a 65-yard field goal in a training camp practice, sent the kick right down the middle to make it 14-0.
Mahomes had no trouble playing on a chopped-up field. He also picked apart a defense missing its two best players, with linebacker Roquan Smith in a contract standoff and the Bears holding out star pass rusher Robert Quinn.
Mahomes was 6 of 7 passing on a 72-yard drive after Chicago went three-and-out on the game's first possession. The four-time Pro Bowler dumped the ball off to Blake Bell for a 5-yard TD, capping an 11-play possession — then called it a day.
Chicago's Justin Fields, trying to build on a shaky rookie season, was 4 of 7 for 48 yards. He played three possessions before veteran Trevor Siemian replaced him.
PANTHERS 23, COMMANDERS 21
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Sam Darnold threw a touchdown pass and Baker Mayfield was solid aside from a fumbled snap in the latest stage of Carolina's quarterback competition, a preseason-opening victory at Washington.
Mayfield started and completed four of seven passes for 45 yards. He scurried for 3 yards on one play and botched the exchange with center Pat Elflein just inside the red zone, contributing to the first drive stalling and ending with a field goal.
Darnold took over with Carolina in the red zone after a fumble by Washington's Antonio Gibson and completed a play-action fade pass under pressure to Rashard Higgins for an 8-yard TD. After coach Matt Rhule said he expected each QB to play one series and get six to eight snaps, Darnold went back for a second drive, threw incomplete on third down and finished 2 of 3 for 16 yards.
There's no such competition in Washington for the first time in years, and Carson Wentz looked good in his debut for the franchise that played its first game as the Commanders. In his first exhibition action with his third different NFL team in as many years, Wentz was 10 of 13 for 74 yards and led a 14-play, 82-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown run by rookie Brian Robinson Jr.
BILLS 27, COLTS 24
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Matt Ryan's pass attempts were much like his Indianapolis preseason debut: relatively short and efficient in a loss to Buffalo.
Tyler Bass made a 46-yard field goal as time expired as Buffalo scored on three consecutive possessions in the final 8:10 to rally from a 14-point deficit. Matt Barkley oversaw the comeback in finishing 18 of 24 for 224 yards, with Raheem Blackshear rushing for touchdowns of 1 and 3 yards over a span of 4:19 to tie the game.
Buffalo won its ninth straight preseason outing, which ranks as the NFL's second-longest active streak behind the Baltimore Ravens who have won a league-record 21 in a row.
Mahomes throws TD pass in Chiefs' preseason opener
With Von Miller and the rest of the Bills' starting defense watching from the sideline, Ryan finished 6 of 10 for 58 yards, with two incompletions occurring on fourth-down attempts. On the bright side, Ryan didn't commit a turnover during a first half in which the teams combined for six overall.
Ryan's backup, Nick Foles threw an interception and lost a fumble, which was returned 69 yards for a touchdown by Bills rookie linebacker Terrel Bernard.
With Buffalo also resting Josh Allen and its entire starting offense, Case Keenum struggled in throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble. Receiver Jake Kumerow also lost a fumble.
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