Russell Wilson Explodes Friday Night As NFL Preseason Rolls On

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Chargers Vs. Vikings Final Score: San Diego Defeats Minnesota 12-10

Offense was at a premium on Friday night as the San Diego Chargers used four field goals to defeat the Minnesota Vikings 12-10. The four field goals came on a pair each from Nate Kaeding and Nick Novak. Kaeding's two makes were from long range as he was good from 54 and 50 yards, but it was Novak who converted the game-winning kick from 45 yards out with three seconds left.

The Chargers were without starting quarterback Philip Rivers and tight end Antonio Gates, plus they are still without running back Ryan Mathews due to injury. So, missing three key offensive players played a role for the lack of offense.

The one touchdown on the night came from Vikings running back Matt Asiata, who scored on a 1-yard reception from backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels. Asiata also led the Vikings in rushing with 48 yards on nine carries.

Be sure to visit Bolts From The Blue for more Chargers coverage, and head over to Daily Norseman and SB Nation Minnesota for more on the Vikings. Also check out SB Nation's NFL hub for more preseason coverage from around the league.

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Seahawks Vs. Chiefs Final Score: Russell Wilson Has Big Game In 44-14 Win Over Chiefs

Seattle Seahawks rookie quarterback Russell Wilson had a big game Friday night in their 44-14 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Wilson completed 13-of-19 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns, plus he also rushed for an additional 58 yards.

The Seahawks were in control of this game from the start as they raced out to a 23-7 lead at the half, which is when Russell completed his touchdown passes, a 21-yard pass to tight end Kellen Winslow and a 11-yard toss to wide receiver Charly Martin.

Russell was not the only Seahawks player to have an impact as Earl Thomas picked off Chiefs starter Matt Cassel and returned the interception 75 yards for a touchdown. Then wide receiver Golden Tate had a 92-yard punt return for a touchdown at the end of the third quarter, which put a cap on the Seahawks' scoring for the night.

The only bright spot for the Chiefs came from rookie running back Nate Eachus, who rushed for 98 yards on just 10 carries.

For more on the Chiefs go visit Arrowhead Pride and SB Nation Kansas City, and visit Field Gulls and SB Nation Seattle for everything on the Seahawks.

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Bears Vs. Giants Final Score: Chicago Edges New York, 20-17

The Chicago Bears moved to 2-1 in the preseason, defeating the New York Giants 20-17.

The Bears' Jason Campbell had a solid night under center as the backup quarterback. He was 12-for-19 for 101 yards and a touchdown. Jay Cutler started and was slightly less impressive. He also had a touchdown, but completed fewer than half of his passes (9-21).

Eli Manning outdid both and was nearly flawless, completing 17 of his 21 passes. He and backup David Carr spread the wealth, connecting with 13 different receivers on the evening. Running back David Wilson also had a huge night for the Giants, rushing for 49 yards on only five carries. He was playing in place of starter Ahmad Bradshaw, who sat out with a hand injury, and also added two catches for 26 yards.

There were a couple of key injuries in the game. The Giants' Prince Amukamara was carted off with a high ankle sprain after tackling the Bears' Brandon Marshall. New York's Mathias Kiwanuka also left with a strained groin and did not return.

New York led 17-7 at halftime, but the second half belonged to Chicago. The Bears' Robbie Gould connected on field goals from 30 and 48 yards. Jason Campbell then connected with Joe Anderson on a 12-yard touchdown strike in the fourth quarter for the lead and the eventual win.

For more on the Bears, check out SB Nation blog Windy City Gridiron. For the Giants, head over to Big Blue View.

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Falcons Vs. Dolphins Final Score: Matt Ryan Impressive In 23-6 Win Over Miami

In what is often considered the dress rehearsal for the regular season, the Atlanta Falcons cruised to a 23-6 win over the Miami Dolphins in their third preseason game. The Falcons offense looked particularly sharp, with quarterback Matt Ryan hitting on 18 of 26 attempts for 220 yards.

Ryan looked impressive, connecting with his two top targets in Roddy White and Julio Jones. White pulled in a beautiful fade pass from 20 yards out for the Falcons first touchdown of the game. The Pro-Bowler went up and got the Ryan pass at the highest point and pulled it in for the 16-3 lead. On the other side, second-year wideout Julio Jones led all pass-catchers with four receptions for 90 yards, including a 49 yard catch after adjusting on a Ryan ball in double coverage.

The Dolphins new starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill did not have quite the night of his counterpart, completing only 11 of 27 attempts against the Atlanta secondary. It appeared Tannehill hit Anthony Fasano for a touchdown but the reliable tight end dropped the ball on the goal line. Friday was likely his roughest preseason game to date, but it was not an all-out catastrophe by any means.

Tannehill did not lead a Miami touchdown and he was picked off by Thomas DeCoud while trying to hit Davone Bess down the middle of the field. He attempted to force it in the middle and linebacker Sean Witherspoon was there to tip it and knock it off route for the Decoud pick. Bess led all Miami receivers with four catches for 59 yards but it was not a particularly exceptional preseason night for the Miami offense.

The Dolphins now wrap up the preseason in Dallas against the Cowboys on Wednesday. The Falcons travel to Jacksonville on Thursday.

Read more on the Falcons at The Falcoholic and SB Nation Atlanta. For more on the Dolphins, check out the The Phinsider and SB Nation Tampa Bay.

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Patriots Vs. Buccaneers Final Score: Tampa Bay Holds Off New England, 30-28

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers held on to defeat the New England Patriots, 30-28, in an exhibition on Friday night.

The Bucs held a fairly comfortable 20-7 halftime lead over the Pats. Tampa Bay also led 30-14 in the final quarter, but New England stormed back, scoring two late touchdowns with less than five minutes left behind backup quarterback Ryan Mallett. Mallett threw two short touchdown passes to Jeremy Ebert and Jesse Holley to start the comeback. The Patriots' ensuing onside kick after the second score was unsuccessful, though, and the Buccaneers were able to run out the clock.

New England starter Tom Brady's performance was a bit of a mixed bag. He completed 13-20 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown, but also had an interception.

Tampa Bay was backed by Josh Freeman, who was 10-19 for 102 yards. The Buccaneers kickers also connected on three field goals.

New England suffered four injuries in the contest, including a back/side injury to starting cornerback, Kyle Arrington. The severity of his injury isn't yet known and the Patriots will hope to have him back soon.

For more on the New England Patriots, check out SB Nation’s blog Pats Pulpit. For the Bucs’ side, head over to Bucs Nation.

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Golden Tate Punt Return Piles On The Chiefs

The Seattle Seahawks turned a normal, everyday drubbing of the Kansas City Chiefs into a all-out comedy festival on Friday night, running up the score 44-7 with 10 minutes left to play in the fourth quarter.

Golden Tate got in on the action with a 92-yard punt return touchdown in the final quarter of the game. Watch the former Notre Dame receiver go all the way in the video below:

Tate's touchdown means that the Seattle offense, defense and special teams have all scored touchdowns. Tate also caught a pass for 14 yards in the game, with almost every Seattle receiver getting the chance to to cash in on the Chiefs' defensive ineptitude.

Of course, Russell Wilson walked away the real star of the game. The rookie quarterback who was considered too short to be drafted any higher than the third round was 13-for-19 for 185 yards and two touchdowns.

For more on the Seahawks, visit Field Gulls.

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Eagles Vs. Browns Game Recap: Foles Shines in 27-10 Victory

The Philadelphia Eagles are finding out quickly that Nick Foles will make a perfectly serviceable quarterback the next time Michael Vick goes down with an injury as Foles led the Eagles to a 27-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Foles went 12-for-19 for 146 yards, bouncing back from an interception to throw two early touchdowns. He would've had a third touchdown after hitting Damaris Johnson with a 23-yard pass, but upon review it was ruled an incomplete pass - even after the Eagles kicked an extra point.

Foles was the beneficiary of some good field position though. His first touchdown came after the Eagles recovered a Montario Hardesty fumble at the 15-yard line. The Eagles then blocked a punt and recovered it at the three yard line to set up Foles to Dion Lewis for his second touchdown to make it 14-0. The Eagles would never look back, going on to lead by as much as 21 points by the end of the third quarter.

Colt McCoy shined in his limited time on the field, going 7-for-9 for 72 yards and a touchdown to tight end Evan Moore. It was the closest the Browns would get at 24-10.

Brandon Jackson had a strong rushing night for the Browns, carrying the ball seven times for 39 yards. Hardesty was less than stellar with eight carries for only 12 yards and a fumble lost.

The Eagles running game struggled early on. Bryce Brown couldn't continue his strong preseason play, only running for 18 yards on seven carries. Chris Polk also struggled to find some holes at first but did have finish with a couple nice breakaway runs for eight and 20 yards. He finished with 39 yards on six carries.

For more on the Philadelphia Eagles, head to Bleeding Green Nation to join the discussion. If you are a Cleveland Browns fan, head to Dawgs By Nature.

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Rob Gronkowski In Midseason Form

Ladies and gentlemen, mostly ladies, Rob Gronkowski is back.

The man whose picture appears in the dictionary next to the word "bro" made one his trademark rough and tumble touchdown catches on Friday night against the Patriots. Tom Brady hit him streaking across the end zone, smothered by a Buccaneers defensive back.

He's so Gronk, he doesn't even a helmet.

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Prince Amukamara Injury: High Ankle Sprain For Giants CB

Giants cornerback Prince Amukamara was ruled out of New York's preseason game against the Bears with what the team revealed as a high ankle sprain. Amukamara was carted off the field with what initially looked like a serious injury after tackling Chicago's Brandon Marshall. The immediate fear was that he had re-injured the foot that kept him out for a majority of the 2011 season, but the team promptly reported that X-rays taken in the locker room came back negative.

While it's not the same foot injury that kept him out last year, a high ankle sprain is not the type of injury to simply shrug off. It typically takes an extended period of time to recover from the injury, with the Giants being the beneficiary of the most recent and notorious high ankle sprain -- New England's Rob Gronkowski's which badly hobbled him during last year's Super Bowl.

The Giants start the regular season early in less than two weeks against the Cowboys, and it will be tough for Amukamara to rush back in time for the opener. New York is already playing without cornerback Terrell Thomas, who re-injured his knee and rookie corner Jayron Hosley is also injured.

Stick with this StoryStream for injury updates, scores and more from the Giants' preseason game against Bears. For all things Giants, head over to Big Blue View. For Chicago's perspective, check out Windy City Gridiron. And for complete coverage of all 32 teams across the National Football League, head to SB Nation's NFL hub.

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Kyle Arrington Injury: Patriots CB Has Back Worked On

The New England Patriots’ starting cornerback Kyle Arrington suffered a bit of an unknown injury in the team’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Trainers appeared to be working on his back and side. Arrington left the game and didn’t finish the first half of the contest. His status for the rest of the game is also not yet known, though, he hasn't been seen in the second half on the sidelines.

He was replaced by Ras-I Dowling in the game.

The fourth-year cornerback out of Hofstra is a starter for the team and has been incredibly reliable over the past few seasons. He played in all 16 games for New England in 2010 and 2011. Last season, he was one of the team’s best defensive players with seven interceptions.

The Patriots currently trail the Buccaneers 20-7 in the third quarter and have looked sluggish against Tampa Bay. For more on the game and Arrington’s injury, stay tuned to this Storystream.

For more on the New England Patriots, check out SB Nation’s blog Pats Pulpit. For the Bucs’ side, head over to Bucs Nation.

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Mathias Kiwanuka Injury: Giants LB Strains Groin, Will Not Return For 2nd Half

Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka injured his groin on the final play of the first half during New York's preseason game against the Bears on Friday. Kiwanuka remained down and shaken up for an extended period of time before walking off under his own power. He was surrounded by a cadre of Giants training staff as he walked to the locker room well behind the rest of his team.

Kiwanuka did not return for the second half with what the Giants called a sprained groin. He had a very impressive first 30 minutes, wreaking havoc in the backfield and applying consistent pressure on Jay Cutler. He was credited with two tackles for loss in the first half.

Stick with this StoryStream for injury updates, scores and more from the Giants' preseason game against Bears. For all things Giants, head over to Big Blue View. For Chicago's perspective, check out Windy City Gridiron. And for complete coverage of all 32 teams across the National Football League, head to SB Nation's NFL hub.

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Davin Joseph Injury: Bucs Guard Carted Off The Field

Tampa Bay Buccaneers guard Davin Joseph left the game with knee injury in the final minutes of the first half of the team's preseason game against the New England Patriots.

Donald Penn was losing his block, and he shoved a Patriot pass rusher into Joseph, whose leg got twisted up in the resulting pileup. The injury appeared serious and Joseph was carted off the field.

Tampa Bay's offense posted 138 yards in the first half, with Josh Freeman going 9-for-17 for 89 yards. Ted Larsen entered the game to replace Joseph, and an emotional Penn had to be calmed down by head coach Greg Schiano.

Stick with this StoryStream for injury updates, scores and more from the Tampa Bay's preseason game against New England. For all things Bucs, head over to Bucs Nation. For a New England perspective, check out Pats Pulpit. And for complete coverage of all 32 teams across the National Football League, head to SB Nation's NFL hub. And be sure not to miss SB Nation's football coverage on YouTube:

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Anthony Toribio Injury: Chiefs NT Hurts His Ankle

Kansas City Chiefs nose tackle Anthony Toribio suffered an ankle injury in their third preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on Friday night. Toribio suffered the injury late in the first half and his return to the game is questionable. His status will not be known until later on in the game as he is getting evaluated in the locker room.

Toribio is expected to make an impact this year with the Chiefs as he is near the top of the depth chart after beating out first round draft pick Dontari Poe, who has been slow to pick up the system.

The Chiefs do not need this to be a major injury as they want to have depth at that nose tackle position, and while they drafted Poe in the first round, they do not want to rely on him as the starting nose tackle for an extended period of time.

Stick with this StoryStream for injury updates, scores and more from Week 3 of the 2012 NFL preseason. For all things on the Chiefs head over to Arrowhead Pride. And for complete coverage of all 32 teams across the National Football League, head to SB Nation's NFL hub.

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David Wilson Is Lighting Things Up For The Giants

New York Giants rookie running back David Wilson is putting on quite the show at the Meadowlands on Friday night. The first-round pick out of Virginia Tech got the start in place of Ahmad Bradshaw, who is out with a hand injury.

Wilson has five carries for a total of 49 rushing yards, including a 20-yard breakaway run around the right side on just his second carry of the game. He also caught a pair of passes for 26 yards. The man is doing it all, except putting the Giants in the end zone. The Giants had to settle for a field goal on their first and only trip into the red zone so far.

New York surprised everyone when they selected Wilson with the last pick in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Wilson graded well, and most had him ranked as the third running back on their big board. He was thought to be a second-round pick, though. Never a good idea to question Jerry Reese when it comes to draft picks.

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Richard Sherman Owns Dwayne Bowe

Dwayne Bowe returned to action for the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday night. It was the veteran receiver's first preseason game after an extended holdout over the franchise tender. He got quite the welcome from the Arrowhead faithful, as well as the Seattle defensive backs.

Seahawks corner Richard Sherman picked up where he left off last season when he had 17 passes defensed. Check out how he goes up with Bowe and knocks the ball out.

From that angle it looks more like a dropped pass. Check it out from the front.

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Prince Amukamara Injury: Giants CB Carted Off

Prince Amukamara went down with a foot injury in the first quarter of the New York Giants preseason game against the Chicago Bears. The injury initially appeared serious, and Amukamara had to be removed from the field by cart and was taken into the locker room for X-rays. It was the same foot that Amukamara injured in 2011, which lead to him missing the majority of the 2011 NFL season.

Amukamara was filling in for injured Terrell Thomas, so his injury leaves the Giants even thinner at defensive back. Amukamara had registered one tackle in the game and was tackling Brandon Marshall when the injury occurred. The second-year pro had yet to impress in the preseason, and had been criticized for not showing an edge of the field.

Stick with this StoryStream for injury updates, scores and more from the Giants' preseason game against Bears. For all things Giants, head over to Big Blue View. For Chicago's perspective, check out Windy City Gridiron. And for complete coverage of all 32 teams across the National Football League, head to SB Nation's NFL hub.

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Nick Foles Has A Pair Of Touchdowns Filling In For Michael Vick

Nick Foles got the chance to the start on Friday night, filling in on behalf of an injured Michael Vick. The rookie quarterback, so far, is making the most of his opportunity with a pair of touchdowns in a 17-0 lead over the Cleveland Browns.

Field position has worked in Foles' favor. His first touchdown, a seven-yard pass to tight end Brent Celek, came after the Eagles recovered a Monterio Hardesty fumble at the Cleveland 15-yard line.

His second touchdown came after the Eagles blocked a Browns punt, getting the ball back on the three-yard line. He hit Dion Lewis for a two-yard score.

Foles almost had another touchdown in the second quarter. Following a 30-yard punt return, the Eagles went from the Browns' 40-yard line to the 23. He hit Damaris Johnson in the end zone. The Eagles kicked the extra point and everything, but upon review it was ruled an incomplete pass. Philadelphia settled for a field goal instead.

The rookie quarterback is 7-for-11 with 49 yards, two touchdowns and an interception on a rookie mistake.

For more on the Eagles, check out Bleeding Green Nation.

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Tom Brady Is Having A Bad Night

Tom Brady, professional quarterback, is having a rough night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. First, he gets sacked by Michael Bennett doing his best Jason Pierre-Paul impression.

Bennett races around the edge and nails Brady from the side.

On the very next play, 3rd-and-14, he threw deep. The pass was tipped and rookie safety Mark Barron picked off and ran it in for a touchdown.

Many more games like this and Brady will be thinking more and more about that modeling career.

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Brandon Weeden Is Dealing, Until He Is Not

Cleveland Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden got out to great start on Friday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. On the first drive of the game, the grand old man of rookie quarterbacks was dealing. He marched the Browns down to the Eagles four-yard line a perfect 4-for-4 for 66 yards.

And then the Browns remembered something about Pat Shurmur's offense in the red zone. Left guard Todd Pinkston drew two consecutive flags, putting the Browns at 1st-and-12. The Eagles sent their defensive linemen to pressure, and they slipped right through. Weeden never saw the guy coming.

Trent Cole grabbed the ball, sullying Weeden's drive.

Nick Foles threw a pick two plays later, and Joe Haden got the ball back for Cleveland. The Browns responded with a three-and-out. Preseason football, y'all!

Weeden's passes looked sharp. He was hitting his receivers in tight windows. Mohamed Massaquoi caught two beauties on the sideline for a total of 18 yards.

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Gerald McCoy Injury: Bucs DT Goes Down Holding Knee

Gerald McCoy went down with an injury to the left knee after getting cut blocked in the opening quarter of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers preseason game against the New England Patriots.

The injury occurred on McCoy's first touch in the game. After being helped off the field, McCoy was examined by trainers and was able to walk around on the sideline, indicating that the injury may not have been as severe as initially feared. It certainly seemed like it could have been nasty, take a look:

via assets.sbnation.com

Buccaneers fans have reason to be concerned, given McCoy's history of injury. The first-round draft pick spent time on IR in each of his first two seasons.

Stick with this StoryStream for injury updates, scores and more from Week 3 of the 2012 NFL preseason. For all things Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head over to Bucs Nation. For New England's perspective, check out Pats Pulpit. And for complete coverage of all 32 teams across the National Football League, head to SB Nation's NFL hub.