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PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : AROUND THE NFL : Everett Sharp, but Saints Lose to Vikings, 21-17

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Associated Press

Former Ram quarterback Jim Everett completed 14 of 22 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns in the New Orleans Saints’ 21-17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in an exhibition at Minneapolis on Saturday. Everett was sacked only once.

Warren Moon completed only nine of 20 passes for 131 yards but drove the Vikings to a touchdown late in the second half, connecting with Cris Carter on a 22-yard pass play.

Scottie Graham scored the decisive touchdown for the Vikings on a five-yard run late in the third quarter.

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Dave Brown, surviving a shaky start, completed 15 of 21 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown and also ran nine yards for a score in his first start as the New York Giants defeated the San Diego Chargers, 28-20, at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

Brown, who beat out Kent Graham in the battle to replace Phil Simms, threw two near interceptions in the first quarter and his fumble set up the Chargers’ first touchdown. Graham was eight of nine for 93 yards and was three of three for 47 yards on the drive that gave the Giants the lead for good in the third quarter. He connected with Omar Douglas on a five-yard touchdown pass in the closing minutes.

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Quarterback Trent Dilfer and running back Errict Rhett were unproductive in their debuts for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a 29-6 loss to the Seahawks at Husky Stadium in Seattle.

Dilfer completed only four of eight passes for 40 yards and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Rhett was held to 20 yards in 11 carries.

For the Seahawks, Rick Mirer completed 10 of 18 passes for 141 yards and one touchdown.

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Lamont Warren replaced an injured Marshall Faulk and ran for 71 yards and scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 26-21, at Cincinnati.

Warren’s second touchdown came with 58 seconds left on a 62-yard pass play, with Warren running 50 yards. Faulk, the No. 2 pick in the draft, suffered a bruised lower back in the first quarter.

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Bengal backup quarterback Jay Schroeder led the Bengals to three second-half touchdowns and intensified the pressure on struggling David Klingler. Schroeder completed 15 of 21 for 192 yards with one interception, while Klingler completed 10 of 19 for 142 yards in the first half, but frequently missed receivers and failed on all three passes inside the 10-yard line.

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Irving Spikes, who was signed as a free agent after being ignored on draft day, rushed for a touchdown and set up two others with kickoff returns of 71 and 51 yards as the Miami Dolphins beat the Green Bay Packers, 31-24, at Milwaukee.

Spikes, who had the fourth-best rushing average in the nation, 149.5 yards, last year at Northeast Louisiana, provided Miami with the winning margin when he scored from three yards to give the Dolphins a 31-17 lead with 13:59 left.

Dan Marino, making his second appearance since suffering a ruptured Achilles’ tendon Oct. 10, led the Dolphins 84 yards on their first possession for an 8-0 lead. In his only series of the night, Marino completed six of seven passes for 60 yards, capping the drive with an 11-yarder to Mark Ingram. Marino also went to Ingram for the two-point conversion.

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Jim McMahon, playing only the first three series for the Arizona Cardinals, completed four of six passes for 35 yards, but Chicago Bear starter Eric Kramer, who completed one of seven passes, led his team to a 16-0 victory at Tempe, Ariz. The difference was penalties.

Phoenix cornerback James Williams twice helped Chicago drives to continue with pass interference calls. In the first quarter, Williams knocked down wide receiver Jeff Graham at the Arizona 16 before a pass got to him. That set up a field goal.

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Late in the second quarter, Williams again was called for interference, this time against Greg Primus at the Cardinal four. But the Bears had to settle for another field goal.

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Boomer Esiason threw one touchdown pass, left the game, then came back to throw another as the New York Jets defeated the Eagles, 34-24, at Philadelphia. Esiason finished seven of 13 for 128 yards.

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Rookie Derrick Alexander from Michigan returned a fourth-quarter punt 75 yards for a touchdown in the Browns’ 16-7 victory over the Detroit Lions at Cleveland.

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