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Bush Makes Splash in Debut

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From the Associated Press

Reggie Bush looks every bit as good in the NFL as he did at USC.

Vince Young is a fan favorite but needs to learn when to throw the ball away.

Todd Bouman tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Lance Moore with 3:30 left, and the New Orleans Saints rallied for a 19-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Sean Payton’s coaching debut.

Bush needed all of two carries to show why New Orleans took him with the second pick in the NFL draft.

Stopped behind the line while going to his left, the Heisman Trophy winner bounced out, turned right and zoomed past two Titans up the sideline for 44 yards to the Tennessee 24. He finished with 59 yards in six carries.

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“He can bring big plays, and he had a couple of nice runs,” Payton said.

Young, the No. 3 pick, completed four of 11 passes for 56 yards and ran four times for 28 yards. He had one long pass dropped by a receiver.

Young also failed to throw away the ball as he scrambled and was tackled from behind in the fourth quarter. He walked gingerly to the bench and was examined by a team doctor. He watched the rest of the game from the bench.

“T-Rac,” the Titans’ raccoon-like mascot, hit fourth-string Saints quarterback Adrian McPherson with a golf cart as he walked onto the field for the second half, bruising him and knocking him out of the game.

Payton said McPherson, who was attended by a trainer on the sideline before walking off to the locker room, had a bruise. He did not say where the quarterback was hurt.

Former USC running back LenDale White watched in street clothes from the sideline. That was part of his discipline for spitting on a teammate Thursday

Titans Coach Jeff Fisher said White will return to practice Monday.

“I respect Coach Fisher’s decision for not playing tonight. I don’t like it just because I like competing ... I understand what’s going on,” White said after the game.

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New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees looked rusty early but completed five of nine passes for 60 yards.

“I like what I saw, and it was important for Drew to get back on the field,” Payton said.

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Arizona 21, Pittsburgh 13 -- The Cardinals, in their debut in the new $455-million stadium in Glendale, Ariz., rode two touchdown passes by Kurt Warner to the victory.

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Dallas 13, Seattle 3 -- Dallas backup quarterback Tony Romo completed 19 of 25 passes for 235 yards and one touchdown in the Cowboys’ sloppy victory at Seattle.

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San Diego 17, Green Bay 3 -- Philip Rivers threw for 169 yards and led the Chargers on two early scoring drives at San Diego.

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Houston 24, Kansas City 14 -- Mario Williams, the No. 1 pick in the draft, assisted on one tackle in a quarter of play in the Texans’ win at Houston.

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Jacksonville 31, Miami 26 -- Daunte Culpepper settled for one two-yard completion in his debut for the Dolphins at Miami.

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Carolina 14, Buffalo 13 -- Keyshawn Johnson, in his first game with the Panthers, caught an 18-yard pass from Jake Delhomme on the first play from scrimmage, the beginning of a game-opening touchdown drive in a victory at Charlotte, N.C.

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