Stafford solid in debut for Lions; Rodgers powers Packers
Matthew Stafford threw a touchdown, an interception and had some passes dropped in his debut with the Detroit Lions.
Jason Hanson's 47-yard field goal as time expired lifted host Detroit to a 27-26 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason opener for both teams.
Stafford, the No. 1 pick of the NFL's first 0-16 team, completed half of his 14 passes for 114 yards, with a 25-yard TD to fellow rookie Derrick Williams and an interception that Tony Gilbert returned for a score. Keary Colbert dropped Stafford's first pass and two more.
Daunte Culpepper started and completed 5 of 6 passes for 41 yards for Detroit.
Atlanta's Michael Turner ran for a 40-yard TD and Matt Ryan was 5-of-7 for 33 yards.
Culpepper and Stafford didn't have any of their top three receivers, including Calvin Johnson.
Packers 17, Browns 0: Aaron Rodgers directed 2 long touchdown drives before departing, and host Green Bay's new 3-4 defense gave Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson fits.
Quinn and Anderson got their first game action under new Browns coach Eric Mangini. Both could take some pointers from Rodgers, who went 5 of 10 for 102 yards and completed a 53-yard TD pass to Donald Driver on the opening drive.
Quinn was better than Anderson, though both threw interceptions as Cleveland looked far away from improving on last year's 4-12 mark, committing 4 turnovers and 7 penalties.
Titans 27, Buccaneers 20: The Tennessee Titans spent the off-season adding pieces to boost their passing game. Kerry Collins is spending the preseason trying to get in synch with his new receivers.
Kerry Collins was intercepted twice, but backup Vince Young threw for 131 yards and a touchdown, rallying the Titans past the visiting Buccaneers on Saturday night.
Tennessee's win spoiled the debut of new Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris.
Luke McCown got the start for Tampa Bay and struggled in a quarter against Tennessee's stingy defense.
The game started with a moment of silence for the late Steve McNair, the winningest quarterback in franchise history who was murdered July 4.
Texans 16, Chiefs 10: While beating the host Chiefs in the teams' first preseason game, Houston's starters looked sharp and quick, like the team that won five of its last six games in 2008. The Chiefs, for much of the night, sloshed around like the bunch who finished a franchise-worst 2-14 last season and created a job opening for new head coach Todd Haley.
Chris Brown scored Houston's only touchdown of the soggy night on a 2-yard run in the first quarter, capping a 94-yard drive behind Matt Schaub, who 7 of 7 for 70 yards and looked impressive in a 94-yard touchdown drive.
Matt Cassel, acquired in a winter trade with New England and locked up with a six-year, $63 million contract, played only three series. He completed 2 of 5 passes for 15 yards.