NFL EXHIBITION ROUNDUP : Miller’s Half Is a Whole Game for Falcons

Chris Miller passed for 267 yards and three touchdowns, including a pair to Andre Rison Saturday night as the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 34-17, at Atlanta.

Miller, who played the first half, completed 14 of 20 passes to lead the Falcons (2-0) to a 31-10 lead.

Rison, who also played in the first half, had four catches for 147 yards, including touchdown plays of 82 and 27 yards.

The Bengals (0-2) did not use starting quarterback Boomer Esiason or running back James Brooks.

Cincinnati took a 10-7 lead in the first quarter on a 32-yard field goal by Jim Breech and Erik Wilhelm’s 60-yard touchdown pass to Eddie Brown. The Falcons scored on a five-yard run by Steve Broussard, their No. 1 draft pick.

Miller then took charge as Atlanta scored 24 consecutive points.

Philadelphia 23, Miami 14--Randall Cunningham completed 13 of 19 passes for 144 yards and directed two long touchdown drives in a first-half appearance as the Eagles beat the Dolphins at Philadelphia.

The Dolphins (0-2) kept quarterback Dan Marino on the sidelines so Coach Don Shula could get a look at Scott Secules and rookie Scott Mitchell from Utah.

Secules completed six of nine passes for 133 yards and connected on a 70-yard pass play to Mark Duper for a touchdown. Mitchell was four for six for 41 yards and also threw a touchdown pass.

The Eagles are now 2-0.

Green Bay 27, New Orleans 13--Jeff Query scored on a 32-yard reverse for the go-ahead touchdown and Burnell Dent returned a fumble 50 yards for another score to lead the Packers at Madison, Wis.

The Packers (1-1) led, 14-13, at halftime after Query’s run and increased it to 17-13 on Chris Jacke’s 52-yard field goal with 7:41 left in the third quarter.

Saint quarterback Dave Wilson fumbled the snap on the second play of the next series and Dent scooped it up and ran in for the touchdown with 6:41 to play.

New Orleans is 2-1.

N.Y. Jets 20, Kansas City 0--Tony Eason and Ken O’Brien each threw a touchdown pass and the Chiefs failed to score a touchdown for the second consecutive game at Kansas City.

Eason threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Rob Moore with 8:21 to go in the second quarter and O’Brien connected with Al Toon with less than a minute to play before halftime.

Eason started and played until about five minutes were left in the second quarter, completing eight of 12 passes for 73 yards. O’Brien played the rest of the quarter and the first series of the second half, completing five of eight passes for 61 yards.

Kansas City quarterback Steve DeBerg sat out the game because of strained stomach muscles. Steve Pelluer and Mike Elkins each played a half for the Chiefs (0-2), who have just a field goal to show in two games. The Jets are 2-0.

Tampa Bay 44, Patriots 10--Eric Everett scored on a 33-yard interception and Broderick Thomas ran back a fumble 56 yards for another score to lead the Buccaneers at Jacksonville, Fla.

The defensive touchdowns highlighted a 21-point third-quarter in which the Patriots also lost a fumble that set up Chris Chandler’s 21-yard touchdown pass to Willie Drewrey. New England also lost three first-half fumbles and finished with seven turnovers and a botched punt that led to yet another Buccaneer touchdown.

Tampa Bay (2-0) gained only 199 yards on offense. New England (0-2) led 10-0 before removing most of its offensive starters before a crowd of 51,066 at the Gator Bowl.

N.Y. Giants 13, Houston 10--Phil Simms directed an 80-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that lifted the Giants to the victory at Houston.

Joe Morris went the final yard for the winning touchdown with 6:53 left after Simms got the drive going with a 42-yard pass to Mark Ingram from the Giant 22.

In the first quarter, a 49-yard punt return by Dave Meggett put New York (2-0) at the Houston 37. Five plays later, Matt Stover’s 25-yard field goal made it 3-0.

Houston backup quarterback Cody Carlson fumbled and was intercepted in the second quarter before recovering to drive the Oilers (0-2) 68 yards to a touchdown in the last 36 seconds of the first half.

Chicago 17, Phoenix 9--Rookie running back Johnny Bailey scored two third-quarter touchdowns to lead the Bears, who remained unbeaten, at Tempe, Ariz.

Bailey, college football’s all-time leading rusher, broke a 3-3 tie on a 55-yard scoring run early in the third quarter.

Phoenix (0-2) was limited to three field goals by Al Del Greco.