Jets Show Some Drive, Beat Eagles

Glenn Foley, who beat out Neil O’Donnell to be the New York Jets’ quarterback, and Vinny Testaverde, who wants to beat out Foley, each led two scoring drives in a 29-15 exhibition victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night at Philadelphia.

Curtis Martin, the star running back who has rejoined former New England coach Bill Parcells in New York, sat out with a hamstring injury and Foley didn’t play much, but it hardly mattered as the Jets opened a 20-3 lead.

Foley started slowly by completing only one of his first seven passes before finishing six of 13 for 67 yards in little more than a quarter.

Testaverde, signed after Parcells dumped O’Donnell and his $25-million contract, was seven of 11 for 94 yards and a 12-yard scoring pass to Blake Spence during two quarters against mostly reserves.

Eagle quarterback Bobby Hoying, given little protection by a rebuilt line that was missing first-round draft pick Tre Thomas, completed passes only to his running backs as he went three of eight for four yards in the first quarter. Former starter Rodney Peete wasn’t much sharper, finishing six of 12 for 65 yards.

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Alonzo Spellman, arrested on an outstanding weapons warrant earlier this week, worked out with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday, his first look from any team since being released by the Chicago Bears after several run-ins with authorities.

The Jaguars signed Spellman to a four-year, $12-million offer sheet in February 1996 as a transitional free agent, but the Bears matched the offer.

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Denver Bronco quarterback John Elway will miss his team’s opening exhibition game in St. Louis on Saturday night to be with his wife, Janet, who was scheduled to undergo colon surgery Thursday at the Mayo Clinic.

Elway went to Minnesota to be with her for surgery that Coach Mike Shanahan described as “non-cancerous.”

Elway did not speak with the media Thursday.

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The Broncos tore up wide receiver Rod Smith’s existing two-year contract, signing him to a six-year, $19.2-million deal that includes a $2.4-million signing bonus.

Smith, agreeing to the most lucrative contract ever given a Broncos wide receiver, will be paid $1 million in base salary this year. His salary increases to $4.4 million in 2003, and the deal includes various incentives.

In his first year as a full-time starter in 1997, Smith caught 70 passes for 1,180 yards and 12 touchdowns.

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Tackle Richmond Webb, the Miami Dolphins’ most durable player, underwent arthroscopic elbow surgery Thursday and will be out for the first two exhibition games.

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Rookie defensive end Jamal Williams, a supplemental draft choice who held out the first 12 days of training camp, agreed to a six-year contract with the San Diego Chargers.