PRO FOOTBALL / DAILY REPORT : Kelly Well Rested as Bills Beat Cowboys

The Buffalo Bills didn’t get to see much of Jim Kelly, but at least they finally beat the Dallas Cowboys in a bowl game.

Kelly, playing in his first game since undergoing knee surgery during the off-season, played only two series over the first 18 minutes before Buffalo’s reserves took over and beat Dallas, 9-7, on Saturday night in the American Bowl at Toronto.

“The knee feels great,” Kelly said. “It was very refreshing to know I wasn’t worried about it. But I was in there for only two series and, boom, I was out.”

Kelly took only nine snaps and completed one of three passes for one yard before heading to the sidelines. He was expected to play only a quarter, but Dallas controlled the ball for 12:10 of the opening period.

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Distance is supposed to be the biggest restraint to filling the temporary home of the Carolina Panthers, but some long-distance fans found their way into team history.

Carolina, spending its first season away from Charlotte, N.C., attracted a crowd of only 57,107 for Saturday night’s 19-10 victory over Denver in the Panthers’ home exhibition opener on the Clemson University campus.

The 2 1/2-hour trip from Charlotte to Memorial Stadium is expected to keep Carolina from reaching capacity crowds of 76,000 at “Death Valley” during the team’s inaugural campaign.

“No, that wasn’t a big factor. The heat didn’t bother us either,” said Robert Thompson of Kershaw, S.C. “We just wanted to get down here and be a part of history at the first game.”

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Hassan Graham and Scott Zolak connected on a 67-yard touchdown pass play with 2:40 left in the fourth quarter as the New England Patriots beat the Minnesota Vikings, 21-14, at Foxboro, Mass. Jay Kirchoff’s 43-yard field goal 26 seconds earlier had given the Vikings a 14-13 lead, capping a comeback from a 13-3 deficit.

Third-string quarterback Jay Fiedler led Philadelphia to a field goal in his only series as the Eagles beat the New York Jets, 13-10, at Jackson, Miss. Fiedler drove the Eagles 91 yards, primarily against the Jets’ third-team defense, on the opening drive of the fourth quarter. He completed a 37-yard pass to Derrick Witherspoon and Charlie Garner had a 34-yard carry to set up Gary Anderson’s 28-yard field goal. The drive was set up by Bobby Taylor’s interception of former Eagle quarterback Bubby Brister. Ricky Watters had a 17-yard touchdown run and Anderson kicked a 42-yard field goal at the end of the first half for the Eagles, 2-0 under new Coach Ray Rhodes after beating their former coach, Rich Kotite.

Eddie Murray kicked three field goals in his debut with the Washington Redskins, including a 53-yarder to tie the score and a 34-yarder to beat Houston, 16-13, in overtime at Knoxville, Tenn. Murray was signed earlier this week after Chip Lohmiller was cut. Murray, known more for accuracy than distance, edged the 53-yarder just over the crossbar to tie it 13-13 in the fourth quarter. He also made a 24-yarder on the Redskins’ first possession, and had a 47-yarder called back by penalty. Quarterback Heath Shuler marked his return to the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium with a touchdown pass, but he threw it to Houston defensive back Cris Dishman. Shuler completed his first two passes for 63 yards, but finished three for 11 for 74 yards, no scores and the interception.

Jim Harbaugh threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Marshall with 45 seconds to play, giving the Indianapolis Colts a 20-17 victory over the Seahawks at Seattle.

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Cleveland Brown quarterback Vinny Testaverde will remain hospitalized until at least Tuesday after undergoing surgery for a staph infection in his leg. Rookie quarterback Eric Zeier, who made a good showing against the New York Giants last week, will start for the Browns in their Monday night exhibition game against the Chicago Bears. . . . Cincinnati Bengal receiver Tim McGee still had some numbness in his hands and feet Saturday, a day after he was knocked unconscious in an exhibition game, and he’s unsure whether the injury will cut short his 10th NFL season. “Medically, I don’t know if I’ll be able to come back,” he said.