Colts’ Many Happy Returns Spark Win Over Bengals

The Indianapolis Colts did little right Friday night. With the Cincinnati Bengals in town, it wasn’t necessary.

The Colts scored touchdowns on a kickoff return, interception return and a fumble recovery to beat the Bengals, 21-20, in their exhibition finale.

Rookie Brad Pyatt returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown. Cornerback David Macklin returned an interception of a pass by Carson Palmer 93 yards early in the third quarter to tie the score at 14-14. Josh Mallard hit Palmer from behind, jarred the ball loose, and defensive end Raheem Brock raced 70 yards to make it 21-14 with 8:42 left in the game.

It was the first time since a regular-season game in 1968 that the Colts scored three touchdowns on returns.

After Brock’s fumble return, the Bengals rallied with a 68-yard touchdown pass from Palmer to Lawrence Hamilton. But T.J. Houshmandzadeh dropped a two-point conversion pass and the Bengals didn’t get another scoring chance.

*

The Carolina Panthers took a long look at their backup quarterbacks, but probably didn’t see enough to take the starting job away from Rodney Peete.

Jake Delhomme directed all three of the Panthers’ scoring drives in a 21-14 home victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in their exhibition finale, and Chris Weinke played well in his first shot against a legitimate defense.

*

Rookie Drayton Florence returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter to highlight the San Diego Chargers’ 24-3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers at San Diego.

San Diego’s two biggest stars, LaDainian Tomlinson and David Boston, didn’t play, and quarterback Drew Brees was in for only one series. Jeff Garcia, the 49ers’ starting quarterback, also played only one series.

Fullback Lorenzo Neal and defensive tackle Dequincy Scott of the Chargers were hospitalized Thursday night due to a bacterial infection.

Hospitalizing the players was precautionary because of the possible contagious nature of the infection, the team said in a statement.

*

Jarious Jackson and Danny Kanell didn’t do anything special to distinguish themselves in their battle to be Denver’s third quarterback. Neither did the Seattle Seahawks at Denver.

Mike Anderson and Cecil Sapp scored on one-yard runs as the Denver Broncos beat the Seahawks, 20-3.

*

Sam Mills, an assistant coach with Carolina, was diagnosed with cancer of the small intestine Friday, hours before he coached the Panthers’ linebackers in their exhibition game against Pittsburgh.

Mills, 44, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, spent the final three seasons of his 12-year NFL career with the Panthers beginning in 1995. He spent his first nine years with the New Orleans Saints.

General Manager Marty Hurney said Mills had an upset stomach for several days before seeing a doctor on Wednesday. A series of tests detected the cancer earlier Friday.

*

Linebacker Derrick Rodgers of the New Orleans Saints will be suspended for the first game of the season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Team officials did not provide further details. In January, Rodgers pleaded no contest to charges he attacked his wife and a man at a South Beach restaurant in Miami. He was put on three years’ probation and the NFL’s security department investigated the case.... Ross Verba, the Cleveland Browns’ starting left tackle most of the last two seasons, tore his right biceps during Thursday night’s exhibition game against the Atlanta Falcons. He will need surgery and his rehabilitation will take five to six months, the team said.... Running back James Stewart could be out six weeks after dislocating his right shoulder during Detroit’s final exhibition game. He was hurt six minutes into Thursday night’s game against Buffalo.... The Miami Dolphins put rookie outside linebacker Eddie Moore on the injured reserve list. Moore, who had season-ending surgery on Aug. 11 to stabilize a left foot injury, is not eligible to return this season.