PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Everett Has Off Night in Saints’ Loss

Jim Everett completed only four of 10 passes for 35 yards and was intercepted once on a badly overthrown ball as the New Orleans Saints lost to the New England Patriots, 24-6, in an exhibition game on a rainy Friday night in Foxboro, Mass. Everett, who was traded by the Rams this spring, was also sacked twice. He started and played until midway through the second quarter, was also sacked twice. New England’s top draft choice, USC linebacker Willie McGinest, had three sacks before being sidelined in the second half with a right hamstring strain. . . . Scott Mitchell completed 10 of 19 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in his debut as the Detroit Lions’ quarterback in a 26-13 victory over the New York Jets at Pontiac, Mich. The loss spoiled the debut of Jet Coach Pete Carroll. Jet quarterback Boomer Esiason was intercepted twice and completed only five of nine passes for 36 yards before being replaced by Jack Trudeau in the second quarter.

Rookie running back Marshall Faulk from San Diego State rushed 15 times for 38 yards and set up two first-half field goals in the Indianapolis Colts’ 13-9 victory over the Seattle Seahawks at Indianapolis. Faulk, the second player taken in the NFL draft, sat out the second half. Six of Faulk’s carries were for first downs, including a 12-yard run that took Indianapolis to the Seahawks’ seven late in the first quarter. Leonard Humphries returned a pass interception 52 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter for the Colts. . . . Newcomers Erik Kramer and Merril Hoge hooked up on an early 13-yard touchdown pass play as the Bears beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 12-6, at Chicago. Kramer was nine of 17 for 79 yards while playing most of the first half before giving way to Steve Walsh. . . . Defensive lineman Clyde Simmons, who played for new Phoenix Coach Buddy Ryan in Philadelphia, had two interceptions and returned one for a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 17-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at Phoenix. The Cardinals had four interceptions in the game played in 102-degree temperatures and wind gusts of up to 32 m.p.h. Steve Young played the first quarter for the 49ers and completed six of nine passes for 63 yards before giving way to Elvis Grbac, who completed 14 of 23 passes for 117 yards. Cardinal starter Steve Beuerlein was five of eight for 71 yards and Jim McMahon was eight of nine for 70 yards.

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Unrestricted free agent Tony Casillas said he hopes to return to the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys, now led by his old college coach, Barry Switzer.

The defensive lineman, whose contract was terminated by the Kansas City Chiefs for failing to report to training camp, said he has overcome medical problems and plans to play this season. He was being treated for hypertension and declined to report to Kansas City.

“I’m fine to play football,” he was quoted as saying by the Dallas Morning News. “I’m looking for somebody to play for. I’ll definitely play this season, and you’d have to be stupid not to play for Dallas if you had the opportunity.”

Casillas was diagnosed with borderline hypertension and has been on medication since he was treated by an internist and cardiologist, according to a statement from his agent, Tom Condon. “We understand the reasons the Chiefs could not wait for Tony to make a full recovery and why they gave him his release,” Condon said. “As a result, he returned his signing bonus, and now is an unrestricted free agent.”