Associated Press
CHICAGO — Peyton Manning’s first appearance with the Denver Broncos was a brief one.
Manning played one possession in the preseason opener against the Chicago Bears on Thursday and got intercepted near the end zone.
In his first appearance since the Pro Bowl following the 2010 season while with Indianapolis, Manning completed 4 of 7 passes for 44 yards.
On the game’s first play from scrimmage, his pass was broken up by Lance Briggs. Then Chicago’s Geno Hayes tipped the ball near midfield, but Jacob Tamme hauled it in for a 12-yard gain.
After a short run by Willis McGahee, Manning found Eric Decker on the left for 10 yards. A 19-yarder to Decker put the ball at the 14. But on third down at the 12, Manning was picked off when Denver’s Brandon Stokley deflected a pass and Major Wright dived to grab it.
REDSKINS 7, BILLS 6
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Three was the key for Robert Griffin III.
The Washington Redskins rookie quarterback needed only three passes on his third and final drive to show glimpses of stardom in his much-anticipated NFL preseason debut Thursday night.
After a muffed handoff and no first downs in his first two series, RG3 found his rhythm by completing his final three passes for 58 yards, capped by a 20-yard touchdown to Pierre Garcon in a 7-6 win over the Buffalo Bills.
PATRIOTS 7, SAINTS 6
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Will Smith crunched Tom Brady from behind, forcing a fumble in the first quarter. It may be the Saints’ defensive end’s biggest play for a while.
One of four players punished in the New Orleans bounty scandal, Smith was suspended for the first four regular-season games. So Thursday night’s sack of New England’s star quarterback was a highlight in the Patriots’ lackluster 7-6 win in their exhibition opener.
EAGLES 24, STEELERS 23
PHILADELPHIA — Andy Reid was welcomed back to the sideline with a standing ovation and chants of “Andy! Andy! Andy!”
Then the Philadelphia Eagles gave their grieving coach a small reason to smile.
Alex Henery kicked a 51-yard field goal with 12 seconds left to lift the Eagles to a 24-23 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in their preseason opener Thursday night.
GOLF
KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. — The breakthrough moment Thursday wasn’t just the sun shining over Kiawah Island. It was Carl Pettersson breaking 70 for the first time in 21 tries at the PGA Championship to take the lead, Rory McIlroy flashing that boyish smile and bashing tee shots.
And yes, even John Daly showing there might be another cycle left in that up-and-down career.
Pettersson, a winner earlier this year in South Carolina down the coast at Hilton Head, got the best of the weather on a steamy day on the Ocean Course and didn’t waste the opportunity. He made three birdies in four holes, never dropped a shot and wound up with a 6-under 66 for a one-shot lead.
McIlroy, Gary Woodland, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain and Alex Noren of Sweden each had 67.
It was a good day for Tiger Woods, nothing more.
Despite having to get up-and-down for bogey on three holes, he made enough birdie putts for a 69, a reasonable start as he tries to end the longest drought of his career in the majors.
RACING
LONG POND, Pa. — All nine race fans injured by lightning strikes in the parking lot at Pocono Raceway have been released from local hospitals, track officials say.
One bolt hit the grandstand parking area around 5 p.m. last Sunday, killing 41-year-old Brian Zimmerman of nearby Moosic, who died as he stood near his car with the back hatch open. Eight others were injured and a second strike came around 6:35 p.m., sending a ninth person to a hospital.
NBA
BEIJING — NBA star Jeremy Lin says he hopes to boost young players’ enthusiasm for basketball at a four-day camp he plans to host this month in southern China.
Lin said Thursday at a news conference in Beijing that he expected 80 kids to attend. His Asian heritage makes him a huge draw in the homeland of former Houston Rockets star Yao Ming.
Lin says “I want every kid to leave the camp feeling like they had really fun time” and “they can’t wait to go back home and continue to play.”