Rookie Drew Allar throws 2 TDs,
runs for 1 as Steelers beat Packers 28-9
[August 14, 2026]
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie Drew Allar threw for a pair of
touchdowns and ran for another during an impressive debut as the
Pittsburgh Steelers surged past the Green Bay Packers 28-9 in the
preseason opener on Thursday night.
Allar, a third-round pick from Penn State, was 10 of 13 for 154
yards, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Wetjen and a 4-yard
flip to Riley Nowkowski. Allar, who entered the game to calls of “Drewwww!”
also sprinted into the end zone for a 3-yard score as the Steelers
made coach Mike McCarthy’s debut leading his hometown team a
successful one.
The 22-year-old Allar wasn’t the only Pittsburgh quarterback who
seemed to have a handle on McCarthy’s offense. Will Howard, a
sixth-round pick last year, guided the Steelers to a touchdown while
deftly operating the 2-minute offense. Howard was 7 of 9 for 86
yards, including a handful to former Packers tight end Robert Tonyan,
who caught four passes for 61 yards.
Green Bay starter Jordan Love was 3 of 5 passing during one series
of work while leading the Packers on an opening drive that ended
with the first of rookie Trey Smack’s three field goals. Love wasn’t
hit during his cameo, a welcome development after he injured his
left (non-throwing) hand against the New York Jets during the
preseason last year.
Pittsburgh star Aaron Rodgers, who said this week he doesn’t think
he needs to play during his 22nd and final training camp, caught up
with Love and other Green Bay players and staff and then watched
from the sideline with a headset on as his last NFL team faced his
first.
The 42-year-old’s roster spot is secure. What happens behind him is
anyone’s guess as Howard, Allar and veteran Mason Rudolph compete
for a spot on the depth chart that will likely last until rosters
are trimmed to 53 on Aug. 30.
Rudolph started and completed 10 of 11 passes for 93 yards and had a
lengthy drive of his own end with Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth
tackled at the Green Bay 1 on fourth down.
BENGALS 16, LIONS 14
CINCINNATI (AP) — Joe Flacco threw a touchdown pass in relief of Joe
Burrow, Evan McPherson kicked three field goals and Cincinnati beat
Detroit.
Cincinnati coach Zac Taylor got his starters at least three plays.
Burrow and the first-string offensive line played two series, with
the franchise quarterback going 5 of 6 for 39 yards.
Detroit’s Dan Campbell didn’t play most of his starters, including
quarterback Jared Goff, running back Jahmyr Gibbs and edge rusher
Aidan Hutchinson. Offensive tackle Blake Miller, taken with the 17th
overall pick in the NFL draft, was in for 33 snaps, all in the first
half.
Luke Altmyer played most of the game and went 13 of 22 for 130 yards
with a touchdown and two interceptions. The undrafted rookie
directed a 12-play, 80-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth
quarter, capped by his 24-yard pass to Tarik Black with 1:35
remaining. Altmyer’s 2-point conversion on a keeper got the Lions
within 16-14.
Cincinnati recovered the onside kick but went three-and-out and
punted. Russ Yeast then picked off Altmyer at the Lions 35.
Detroit got a pair of first-half field goals from Jake Bates on a
sloppy night for the offense. The Lions committed two turnovers and
also turned it over on downs at the Cincinnati 29 late in the first
quarter.
The Lions drove to the Bengals 33 on the first series before Jordan
Battle picked off Altmyer at the 25 after the pass went off the
hands of wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa.
The Bengals turned a Lions turnover into a touchdown in the second
quarter. A bad handoff between Altmyer and Jacob Saylors was
recovered by defensive end Cashius Howell, Cincinnati’s second-round
pick, at the Lions 7.
Two plays later, Flacco connected with rookie tight end Jack Endries
on a 4-yard screen pass to make it 10-0. Flacco finished 5 of 8 for
51 yards.
CARDINALS 27, RAIDERS 14
LAS VEGAS (AP) — No. 1 draft pick Fernando Mendoza threw a touchdown
pass in his preseason debut for Las Vegas in a loss to Arizona.
The Heisman Trophy winner led one touchdown drive for the Raiders
(1-0) in four series — not including a kneel-down at the end of the
first half — and finished 10 of 16 for 97 yards and a 6-yard TD pass
to Jack Bech.
Mendoza became the first top overall draft selection to throw a
touchdown pass in his first preseason game since 2018 when
Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield had two against the New York Giants.
Mendoza barely missed a second touchdown pass in the fourth quarter,
throwing beyond the reach of Deven Thompkins. But Mendoza also was
sharp at times, threading a 19-yard pass in the second quarter
between three defenders to fellow rookie Malik Benson.
The expected rematch of college football national championship
quarterbacks didn’t happen because the Cardinals (1-1) decided not
to play Carson Beck, who has sore ribs. Mendoza led Indiana to a
27-21 victory over Beck and Miami in the title game in January.
Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby also did not play, which wasn’t
completely unexpected after coach Klint Kubiak said Tuesday that his
playing status was to be determined. Crosby, who underwent knee
surgery in January, has participated in training camp.
Teammate Jermod McCoy, who hasn’t played in nearly two years because
of a torn ACL, played with the second-team defense at cornerback. He
was the primary defender on two Cardinals touchdowns.
Each team’s starting quarterback played one series, both resulting
in touchdowns.
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Green Bay Packers quarterback Kyle McCord (18) and Pittsburgh
Steelers quarterback Drew Allar (16) talk on the field after their
team's preseason NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, Aug. 13,
2026. (AP Photo/David Dermer)
COLTS 13, PATRIOTS 13
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Anthony Richardson ran for a touchdown but
had two turnovers in his first action since early last season as
Indianapolis played to a tie with New England.
New England backup quarterback Tommy DeVito threw a 12-yard
touchdown pass to Kyle Williams. Kindle Vildor and John Saunders Jr.
each had interceptions for the Patriots, who rested Drake Maye and
the majority of their starters.
Richardson scored on a 1-yard sneak for Indianapolis. He finished 11
of 14 for 145 yards but lost a fumble and had a pass tipped by
receiver Coleman Owen and intercepted by Vildor.
With quarterback Daniel Jones among the host of Colts starters who
got the night off, Richardson — who appeared in only two games last
season — got the start.
Indy’s No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 draft is hoping to solidify
the backup job behind Jones. In 2024, Richardson had the lowest
completion rate of any starter in the NFL.
The Colts had four turnovers and trailed most of the night before
tying the game with 1:16 left on a 61-yard field goal by Spencer
Shrader.
CHARGERS 27, TEXANS 7
HOUSTON (AP) — Amar Johnson ran for two touchdowns and had a 55-yard
reception to lead Los Angeles to a win over Houston.
Most of the starters for both teams, including the quarterbacks —
Houston’s C.J. Stroud and Los Angeles’ Justin Herbert — sat out.
Johnson scored on a 7-yard run that put the Chargers on top 10-7 in
the second quarter on a drive led by backup quarterback Trey Lance.
Johnson, an undrafted free agent entering his second season, scored
again on a 1-yard scamper early in the fourth quarter and ran in the
2-point conversion that pushed the lead to 21-7.
He put the team in scoring position with his 55-yard reception from
D.J. Uiagalelei on the previous play.
Davis Mills started for the Texans and threw a 5-yard touchdown pass
to Jared Wayne on the first series, during which he played with the
starting offensive line before being replaced by Graham Mertz.
But he was forced back into action to start the second half after
Mertz was injured with 2 seconds left in the second quarter. There
was no immediate word on the nature of his injury.
Mills finished the game and was 9 of 15 for 82 yards.
Lance, the third overall pick in the 2021 draft, was 12 of 20 for
164 yards with an interception.
TITANS 19, 49ERS 13
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Cam Ward struggled in three drives for
Tennessee against San Francisco’s backup defense and the Titans went
on to beat the 49ers.
Tony Pollard ran for a touchdown and Joey Slye kicked four field
goals for the Titans, with three coming from at least 50 yards out.
First-year Tennessee coach Robert Saleh played most of his starters
in his debut game, while 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan opted to hold out
his top-line players after most of them got work during a joint
practice on Tuesday.
The Titans drove 95 yards on their opening possession with Ward
completing two passes and Tennessee doing most of the work on the
ground by controlling the line of scrimmage. Pollard capped it with
a 5-yard TD run.
Ward, the No. 1 overall pick last season, then went 3 for 8 for 23
yards on the next two possessions as the Titans netted just 15 yards
total on those drives. He was unable to connect with No. 4 overall
pick Carnell Tate, who was targeted three times. All fell
incomplete, including a pass near the goal line that was broken up
by San Francisco rookie Ephesians Prysock.
Kurtis Rourke, a seventh-round pick in Ward’s draft in 2025, looked
much sharper in his professional debut after missing all of last
season recovering from knee surgery. He went 12 for 14 for 101 yards
with three rushes for 14 yards on three drives. His final possession
ended in a 1-yard TD run by Patrick Taylor Jr., and he left the game
after that with a rib injury.
Rourke had a good rhythm with Niners rookie receiver De’Zhaun
Stribling. The first pick of the second round caught seven passes
for 63 yards on his three drives, including two impressive catches
on the TD drive. He caught a 32-yard deep pass on the sideline and
then had an 11-yard catch with a broken tackle to convert a
third-and-6.
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