NFL Exhibition Roundup : Jets Rally to Defeat Giants, 30-23

Ken O’Brien threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Kurt Sohn and Johnny Hector ran one yard for a touchdown in a 3:15 span of the third quarter Saturday night, lifting the New York Jets to a 30-23 exhibition victory over the New York Giants at East Rutherford, N.J.

The touchdowns completed a string of 24 straight points that gave the Jets, who trailed, 16-3, early in the second quarter, a 27-16 lead.

The victory was the first for the Jets (2-1) in six exhibition games against their rivals.

The Giants (2-1) lost for the first time in 16 games at Giants Stadium.

Indianapolis 17, Houston 6--Willie Tullis scored on a 76-yard punt return and Matt Bouza scored on a 46-yard pass play less than two minutes later as the Colts beat the Oilers at Indianapolis.

Gary Hogeboom, the Colts’ starting quarterback, suffered torn ligaments in his left thumb on the Colts’ first series. Hogeboom, who suffered a separated right shoulder last season and missed 11 games, will be out indefinitely.

Cincinnati 28, Green Bay 20--Boomer Esiason threw two second-half touchdown passes to spark the Bengals to a victory over the Packers at Green Bay.

Esiason connected with wide receiver Eddie Brown on a 12-yard scoring pass to cap an 80-yard drive that opened the second half, giving the Bengals a 21-10 lead. The left-hander hit wide receiver Cris Collinsworth on a 35-yard pass play in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring.

New England 38, Minnesota 27--Steve Grogan completed 17 of 22 passes for 277 yards and 3 touchdowns, including an 80-yard pass to Stanley Morgan on the Patriots’ first play from scrimmage, in a victory over the Vikings at Minneapolis.

Viking quarterback Tommy Kramer had problems in his 1987 debut after spending 28 days in treatment for alcohol abuse. He was 3 for 10 for 53 yards and fumbled 4 times, losing 2 in the second quarter when the Patriots rallied from a 14-10 deficit. Kramer left the game with 7:11 remaining in the third quarter with a pinched nerve in his neck.

Cleveland 23, Atlanta 3--Bernie Kosar completed 13 of 18 passes in the first half, and Jeff Jaeger kicked three field goals as the Browns beat the Falcons at Atlanta.

Kosar completed 10 of his first 13 passes to help the Browns (2-1) build a 17-0 halftime lead. Kosar threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Webster Slaughter, and Earnest Byner scored the other first-half touchdown on a five-yard run.

Kansas City 34, Buffalo 14--Chas Fox returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, and Todd Blackledge threw two touchdown passes to lead the Chiefs past the Bills at Kansas City.

Blackledge hit Darrell Colbert with a 20-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and found Stephone Paige with a 17-yard strike in the second quarter as the Chiefs (3-1) built a 20-7 halftime lead.

New Orleans 31, Pittsburgh 28--Rookie wide receiver Lonzell Hill caught two touchdown passes, one from Bobby Hebert and the other from Dave Wilson, as the Saints outlasted the Steelers at New Orleans.

Hill scored on plays of 76 and 22 yards, the second one putting the Saints (2-1) ahead to stay. Wilson and Hebert each threw two touchdown passes.

Tampa Bay 17, Washington 10--James Wilder caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Steve DeBerg with 1:43 left, and the Buccaneers defeated the Redskins at Tampa. Fla.

The Buccaneers (2-1) took possession on the Washington 22-yard line with 2:52 left when nose tackle Bob Nelson recovered a fumbled snap by Redskin quarterback Mark Rypien. Washington had tied the score with 6:19 remaining on a 33-yard run by rookie Timmy Smith from Texas Tech.

Miami 35, Philadelphia 3--Don Strock threw three touchdown passes in a 28-point second period as the Dolphins routed the Eagles at Philadelphia.

Strock completed 10 of 19 for 203 yards in the first half, with James Pruitt catching two scoring passes.