Wilson, Fields lead TD drives for Steelers in 24-17

DETROIT — Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin still isn’t ready to say who his starting quarterback will be when the season begins.

Russell Wilson and Justin Fields led touchdown drives for the Steelers, who lost 24-17 to the Detroit Lions on Saturday in the preseason finale for both teams.

Jermar Jefferson rushed for two touchdowns for the Lions, including a go-ahead, 7-yard run in the fourth quarter.

“It didn’t start pretty, but we finished strong,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said.

Tomlin has said repeatedly that Wilson is in the “pole position” for the starting job, and the 35-year-old veteran didn’t do anything in Detroit that would suggest he won’t take the first snap when the season kicks off in two weeks. But Tomlin wouldn’t budge.

“We’ll make a decision at the end of our work week,” he said.

Wilson completed both of his pass attempts, including a 32-yard toss to George Pickens. Two plays later, Cordarrelle Patterson scored on a 31-yard, high-stepping run to cap the game-opening possession.

Wilson spent the rest of the game on the sideline while Fields was given three drives to show what he could do. His performance was uneven.

Fields converted a third down with a run and threw a 22-yard pass to MyCole Pruitt on consecutive plays, setting up La’Mical Perine’s 1-yard touchdown run.

PANTHERS 31 BILLS 26

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Bryce Young made Panthers coach Dave Canales’ decision easy in determining how long he was going to keep the Panthers’ starting offense on the field in their preseason finale at Buffalo on Saturday.

All it took to reassure the coach his quarterback was ready, was watching Young cap a 12-play, 85-yard opening drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jordan Matthews in Carolina’s 31-26 win.

“Oh, it was great, right? Couldn’t have dreamt it better,” Canales said, before referencing other key offensive players such as receivers Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen. “Bryce looked sharp. Diontae and Adam looked great. I don’t want to go through the whole list. But anyway, the first group, I loved seeing them out there today.”

Limited to just one series, and after the starters were held out of Carolina’s first two preseason games, Young finished 6 of 8 for 70 yards, which was 9 more than third- and fourth-stringers Jack Plummer and Jake Luton combined for in a 15-12 loss to the New York Jets last weekend.

Just as important, the 2023 top overall pick showed how much he’s grasped his first-year coach’s new offensive system while getting the opportunity to deal with various challenges in a competitive setting.

Young converted a fourth-and-3 by bolting to his left and completing a 17-yard pass to Johnson on the run. On the next snap, a play-action fake led to Young hitting Thielen over the middle for a 21-yard gain. And the touchdown pass came on third down following two incompletions, with Young waiting in the pocket before Matthews came open over the middle of the field.

PACKERS 30, RAVENS 7

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers’ kicking competition is going down to the wire.

Greg Joseph improved his chances of unseating incumbent Anders Carlson by making a 55-yard field goal and a 36-yarder Saturday and the Packers beat the Baltimore Ravens 30-7 in a preseason finale without most of the starters from either team.

Carlson made a 54-yarder in the first quarter but pushed a 32-yarder wide right in the final period.

“We’ll wait and see,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said about the kicking competition after the game.

After Carlson struggled as a rookie last season, the Packers brought in Joseph to compete with him. Joseph has played for the Cleveland Browns (2018), Tennessee Titans (2019) and Minnesota Vikings (2021-23).

“I’ve controlled what I can control,” Joseph said. “Anything further, it’s no point in losing sleep over because it’s out of my control.”

Both teams rested their top players to make sure they stayed as healthy as possible for the start of the regular season. The Ravens still got some bad luck with running back Owen Wright breaking his foot and center Nick Samac also getting carted off the field.

Samac, a rookie seventh-round pick from Michigan State, had been getting some first-team reps in camp while 2023 Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum deals with a neck issue.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh expressed confidence after the game that Linderbaum and tight end Mark Andrews, who got hurt in a car accident last week, will be ready for the start of the regular season.

VIKINGS 26, EAGLES 3

PHILADELPHIA — Minnesota’s Jaren Hall threw for 162 yards and two touchdowns in the first half against Philadelphia’s reserves, and the Vikings beat the Eagles 26-3 on Saturday in the preseason finale for both teams.

Hall completed 15 of 21 passes, highlighted by touchdowns of 8 yards to Trishton Jackson and 4 yards to Justin Hall. A fifth-round pick in 2023, Hall is slated to be the Vikings’ No. 3 quarterback, behind Sam Darnold and Nick Mullens.

“I thought he did a great job,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “He was efficient. He was playing fast. He’s put a lot of work in. Something he should be proud of, for sure.”