NFL EXHIBITION ROUNDUP : After Gannon Signs, Salisbury Leads Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Rich Gannon on Saturday. A few hours later, they got a solid performance from backup Sean Salisbury.

Salisbury completed 19 of 33 passes for 251 yards in a 24-3 exhibition victory over the Buffalo Bills at Minneapolis.

The Bills used mostly backups. Quarterback Jim Kelly played three series, running back Thurman Thomas only two.

Salisbury, a former USC quarterback who been with Minnesota since 1990, played 3 1/2 quarters. He had one touchdown pass, a four-yarder to Anthony Carter, but twice overthrew a wide-open Carter on potential long scoring plays.

Gannon watched from the sideline after signing a contract for one year, plus another at the club’s option. The base is reportedly more than $2.5 million over the two seasons, plus incentives.

Philadelphia 35, Pittsburgh 33--This game at Pittsburgh marked the return of Eagle quarterback Randall Cunningham, but backup David Archer was the star, throwing three touchdown passes.

Cunningham, who missed almost all of last season with a knee injury, played the first two series. He completed one of three passes and scrambled for gains of 13 and five yards. He was sacked once.

The Eagles charged to a 35-6 lead, then watched their backups nearly give up 27 points in a row behind Neil O’Donnell’s three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.

Denver 31, Tampa Bay 10--John Elway threw two first-half touchdown passes to Mark Jackson, and Shawn Moore directed the Broncos to two more scores as they romped over the Buccaneers at Denver.

In a game featuring long scoring passes, the Broncos used a 49-yarder from Elway to Jackson and a 65-yarder from Moore to Shannon Sharpe to offset the 79-yard completion from rookie Craig Erickson to Lawrence Dawsey that accounted for the lone touchdown for the Buccaneers.

Elway completed seven of nine passes for 146 yards before retiring early in the second quarter.

“It’s the first time I’ve thrown the ball this well in an opening preseason game,” he said. “My shoulder is fine, 100%.”

Cleveland 7, Atlanta 0--Wide receiver Michael Jackson caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Todd Philcox for the lone touchdown in the Browns’ victory at Cleveland.

The Browns need Jackson, because Brian Brennan was cut, Reggie Langhorne was lost to Plan B and Webster Slaughter is holding out.

Houston 17, Detroit 7--Rookie quarterback Bucky Richardson, an eighth-round draft pick from Texas A&M;, ran one yard on a fourth-quarter keeper to give the Oilers’ their first lead in a victory over the Lions at Pontiac, Mich.

The Oilers got another touchdown when Mike Elkins, their third quarterback, passed six yards to Gary Wellman, a second-year player from USC.

Quarterback Rodney Peete, who missed the second half of the 1991 season after an Achilles’ tendon injury, led Detroit in the first quarter and one series of the second. Peete, who was out of camp until Monday because of a contract dispute, completed six of nine passes for 56 yards.

Indianapolis 34, New England 14--Jeff George completed 15 of 19 passes for 215 yards and had scoring throws of 41 yards and 38 yards to Bill Brooks as the Colts built a 20-7 halftime lead and went on to win at Indianapolis.

The Colts’ Mark Herrmann completed all seven of his passes in the third quarter, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Thornton. Herrmann finished 12 of 15 for 141 yards.

New York Jets 14, Washington 13--Rookie Keo Coleman’s interception set up a 13-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run by A.B. Brown as the Jets rallied from a 13-0 deficit to beat the Redskins at East Rutherford, N.J.

Green Bay 21, Kansas City 13--Brett Favre tossed a go-ahead, fourth-quarter touchdown pass of five yards to Jerry Evans after an interception by rookie linebacker Brett Collins as the Packers beat the Chiefs at Green Bay in Mike Holmgren’s coaching debut with the Packers.

Phoenix 35, San Diego 14--Timm Rosenbach passed for three first-half touchdowns to lead the Cardinals at Phoenix. He hit Eric Hill for a 68-yarder and Ricky Proehl for nine in the first quarter and Butch Rolle for a two-yard score in the second.