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Show Augest 142005 DAILY NFL PRESEASON Detmer throws touchdown in Falcons’ win Holmgren sees breakout season ahead for Seattle . — first ruling Sape's blocked punt return was a safety. Even the scoreboard was wrong at ATLANTA Atlanta newcomer Todd Peterson made three field goals and Ty Detmer threwan 18-yard pass to Mark Anelli for the lone touchdown in the Falcons’ 16-3 exhibition vic- one point, reading Bron- Cos instead of Bills. The loudest came when a Pee Wee football player scored on a long touchdown run during ime. tory over the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday night ¥ Broncos 20, Texans 14: At MichaelVick played two leg in a preseason gameagainst the Ravens, costing him the thestar quarterback brokehis Houston, Todd Devoe broke free with a short pass from Matt Mauck,then 92 yards late in the fourth quarter tolift Denver past Houston. Devoe, who spent his rookie first 11 weeks of the regular year last year on Baltimore's series in the first quarter, then called it a night. Two years ago, season while Atlanta tumbled to 5-11 Vick directed a 78-yard drive onthe Falcons’ second possession. He completed two passes tor 32 yards and benefited from '2-yard pass-interference call on Chris McAlister. But Deion Sanders caught Vick ona blitz, knocking the ball loose and recoveringit himself at the Baltimore18 Peterson,a former Georgia kicker who signed with the Falconsduring the offseasonto re- place Jay Feely, connected from 29, 34 and 27 yards. He missed a 46-yarder. » Jaguars 27, Dolphins 17: At —_| Steve Wilstein THE ASSOCIATED PRESS They identified weaknesses and strengths, signed the free CHENEY, Wash — Funny how a coach goes from genius heading into this season with a sense of renewed optimism Joe Montana, Steve Young _his third straight season with In his seventh season asthe season,and signed for at least agents they wanted, and are to dummy and maybe back again, depending on his players and record. and Brett Favre made Mike Holmgren look positively brilliant — or was it vice versa? |" Either way, in San Francisco and Green Bay, they took regular trips to the Super Bowl. that they can be Super Bowl contenders. Hasselbeck is coming off more than 3,000 yards passing. Shaun Alexander got past his tiff with the coach over finishing 1 yard behind the New York Jets’ Curtis Martin for the NFL rushing title last practice squad, broke a tackle inside his own 20, then raced downthe sideline with 4:18 to go. The score came after quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt, Seattle Seahawks’ head coach, | and with Matt Hasselbeck at quarterback, Holmgren is still trying to nudgethis team past the first round of the playoffs. On talk shows and online one more year. They play behind one of the best offensive lines in the league, anchored _on the left side by Pro Bowlers Walter Jones and Steve Hut who played more than half the game, improved his chances to chats, some Seahawksfans wonder whether he’s the Free agents and draft picks were signed to plug huge secure a backupspot in Denver by leading the Broncos to a pair offield goals by Jason Elam. Van Pelt, who completed 10 of 17 passes for 107 yards, coach he was cracked up to be. “I don't think I'm dumber,” he says.“I believe in what I’m doing.I’m the same coach I holes in a defense that ranked 26th last season. That number haunts and drives stern, detailobsessed defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes. spentall of last season on the was in Green Bay andin San practice squad and hadn't appeared in a game sincelast preseason. Hetook overearly in the second quarter for Jake Plummer. Francisco, maybe evena little smarter, honestly.” The Seahawks got off to a winning start in preseason Friday night, beating New Orleans 34-15, though the game featured mostly second stringers in key positions. “It hurts you inyour gut,” said Rhodes, a ful man who goes back with Holmgren to the 49ers’ glory days _in the 1980s when they were both assistant coaches to Bill Walsh. Holmgren didn’t blame Rhodes. Rhodes still takes it person- Jacksonville, Fla., David Allen returned a punt 76 yards for » Panthers 28, Redskins 10: At Charlotte, N.C., Former Wash- caught a had a 21-yard touchdowncatch on Carolina’sfirst drive to help the Panthers extend their preseason winning streak to 10 games. Unhappywithhis role in Washington's offense, Gardner asked the Redskins to trade him in January. It took them until late last 84-42 in Green Bay. They’re 50-49 in Seattle. Winning the franchise's first NFC West title last season and getting to the playoffs three times in six years are good things, but not upto the standards and expectations Holmgrenset. Last year wore him out. Holmgren,57, told owner players hard this summer, starting workat 6:30 a.m., going to meetings and practices, watching endless videotape _andfinishing sometimes close to2am. Holmgren still follows many of his mentor’s ways. The Seahawks’training camp outside Spokane,on the hot, dry, east- month to pull off a deal with the Paul Allen he needed to get ern side of Washington, mir- away, recharge himself. He let loose his frustrations by roaring on his motorcycle into the desert near his second home in Phoenix. “It took a while,” he said. “Some coaches who I admire heal faster than I do.” Somecoaches also burn out. Holmgren, in his 14th season as a head coach, emerged from “a time of mourning” in the desert to gothroughaperiod of self-examination with his assistants, new president Tim Ruskell and chief salary cap juggler Mike Reinfeldt. rors the climate, remoteness and clockworkdrills of the 49ersin the California desert when Holmgren was quarterbacks coach, then offensive coordinator, under Walsh. The players, more than 300 miles from the comforts of homein Seattle, stay in dorm rooms on the Eastern Washington University campus, _ride bicycles among thelow, gray concretebuildings and havelittle to distract them from the business of football. That’s just how Holmgren likes it. a score, and Ernest Wilford ington receiver Rod Gardner 19-yard touchdown. pass that ricocheted off a team- mate tohelp Jacksonville beat Miami. ByronLeftwich was 3-of-7 in little more than a quarter of work. Good thing, too. Had he played any longer, he might have gotten hurt. Leftwich was sacked four times on 1 pass plays, a bad sign fora unit that vowed to score morepoints after finishinglast in the AFC and 29th in the leaguein scoringlast season. Miamihadlimited success on offense, with Ricky Williams running six times for 39 yards and Chris Chambers making a 16-yard circus catch. Quarterbacks Gus Frerotte and A.J. Feeley did little to separate themselvesin the team’s most hype position battle. In addition, the offensiveline continued to look lost against stunts and blitzes, Panthers, who gaveupa sixthround pick for him just days beforetraining camp opened. Gardneropened the game with a 10-yardcatchto start Carolina's drive, then Steve Smith added twocatches for 18 Sape returned a blocked punt yards. for a scorein the Bills’ victory Gardnerput the Panthers on over the Colts, who used Peyton the boardontheir ninth play Manningforjust three snaps in whenhe raced into the end zone an ugly preseason game. as Jake Delhommewas under The teams combined for 26 pressure. penalties and four fumbles. The Gardner, who played just the first quarter took nearly an first quarter, caught both balls hour. The officials messed up thrownto him andfinished with the game's first touchdowncall 31 yards receiving. CHUCK BURTON/AssociatedPress Carolina Panthers’ Chris Gamble (20) intercepts a pass intended for Washington Redskins’ Santana Mossduringthefirst quarterin Charlotte, N.C., on Saturday. Frerotte was 6-of-14 for 51 yards, and Feeley was 6-of-13 for 60 yards with anintercep- tion. Sage Rosenfels and Brock Berlin each directed a fourthquarter TD drive. D Bills 17, Colts 10: At Indianapolis, J.P. Losman threw a TppassandBuffalo's Lauvale Holmgren’s teams were ally, pushing himself and his Owensnot only problem on Eagles’ hands this season Dan Gelston PRESS a great person,let's not forget that,” says quarterback Donovan McNabb,oneofthe targets of Owens’ venom.“If you're mad at everybody, hey, you have your space. Whenwe'reon this football field, we're working together.” Owens arrived in campbobbinghis head to the music on his headphones,held a Boepractice parking lot shootaround(again tuning out world with those headphones), hurt his ae and was later kicked out of camp by Reid after a heated dispute andtold not the return for a week. Witha soregroin,he lifted weights and shot baskets (yup, same headphones)at his New Jersey homebeforeripping his coach and his QB on twoseparatetelevised interviews. So far, the Eagles have said all the right things about winning without their best receiver. Of course,no oneelse is asking them about any other topic. After taking the brunt of Owens'criticism on twotelevised rants, McNabblaughed off the BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Terrell Owens’discontent with his contract, his groin injury, and his banishmentfrom camp by coach AndyReid has overshadowedotherdilemmas forthe Philadelphia Eagles. While Owens drewattention, with his front yard bicep curls, the NFC champions have con- cernsthat could derail another run at the Super Bowl. Corey Simon refused to sign his franchise tenderand failed to report. Brian Westbrook held out a week with his own contract dispute. Todd Pinkston waslost for the season with a torn Achilles’ tendon. Correll Buckhalter’s tricky knee is putting his season in doubt And Jerome McDouglewas shotin the stom- ach by armed robbersandthe dateof his return 1s uncertain. But no matter whatelse is going on in camp wide receiver. After booting Owens from camp, Reid was as stone-faced as usual while insisting the Eagles will be fine. “They don’t allow distractions to bother them,” Reid said. “These guysare out here cranking and that’s what they’re focusing on. They're not focusing ondistractions.” Owens also said he had an antagonistic exchange with offensive coordinator Brad Chil- in this sleepy college town, everything seems to comeback to Owens. It’s not just a job,it's an adventure,”said defensive end Hollis Thomas. “It goes with the territory. You're going to have somecontroversy hereand there. You've gotto learn how to deal withit.” HowtheEaglesdeal with the tempestwill go a long waytoward determiningif they can make it back to the Super Bowl. Recenthistory has shownit’s difficult for Super Bowl losersto return the next season. Since 1999, Atlanta, the New York Giants,St. COKE WHITWORTH/Associated Press Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid speaks to the media after the morningpractice at Eagles training campin Bethlehem,Pa., on Wednesday.Reid andthe Eagles organization have lots of problemsthis preseason, other than having to dealwith malcontent wide receiverTerrell Owens. Louis, Oakland and Carolinaall dipped below .500 the yearafter losing the Super Bowl. Injuries, age andone-year wonders wereall factors in the hangover The Eagles, with or without Owens, seem built to last They've had fourstraight NFCtitle game appearances. have been smart with the salary cap, and are so confident (some would say smug) in their systemthat players are plugged in and out withlittle dropoff. The questionof thefire, the motivation, the discipline. it’s all there,” ownerJeffrey Lurie said. “Whatyou can't account for is what happened in Carolinalast year.” Last year, the Pantherslost 14 players to season-ending injuries and started 1-7. The Eagles haven't lost any superstarsto injury, but Pinkston and Buckhalter’s absence leave the Eagles thin at wideout and running back. Andthey also are without kick returner J.R. Reed (nerve damage) and Pro Bowltackle Tra Thomas (blood clot), Westbrook wants a long-term contract and skipped the first week of camp. Simonis the dress, telling ESPN the offending words were repeated greetingsof “Hey,Terrell.” “It's important that you understand,if a daily ‘hi’ is antagonistic or spiteful then I must be on the wrong planet,” Childress said Saturday. “I've always treated people with dignity and team’s franchise player and has no-showed camp respect.” after he refused to sign the one-year tender. Owens must talk with Reid before returning to After missing twoofthe last three seasons practice Wednesday. withinjuries, Buckhalter's return from a knee But he has mad i case ar He wants a injury is no guarantee. new deal or he won't be hapj No one knows when McDouglewill be back. The Eagles won't budgeof fttheir hardline But the T.O. Show has overshadowed everystance: T.O. can play for the Eagles or he won't t play atall. Since arriving in camp,theninjuring his groin, “The train's going to keep moving,but any it sometimes seems as if Owens doesn’t seem to time you take awaya talentlike that, it's going careif he evertalks to his teammates again. to affect you some,” linebacker Jeremiah Trotter “Understandthat he’s a great player. He can be said. ¢“TALON-TEDI” Cah ee 3 7 iz sas L Vs. Great Falls @7:05 PM www. oremowiz. COM jr. Knight Owlz Night or any eg location Sponsored by PSCIPCO & McKay Events Center AUGUST 11 AUGUST 12 Vs. Great Falls Vs. 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