NFL

Deshaun Watson debuts for Browns; Jets' Zach Wilson injures right knee

Tom Withers
Associated Press

Deshaun Watson apologized before his preseason debut with the Cleveland Browns and then got an earful from opposing fans.

Watson apologized Friday “to all the women I have impacted” after being accused by two dozen women of sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions.

Potentially facing a year-long suspension, Watson publicly expressed remorse and contrition for the first time since he was accused of sexually harassing or assaulting the women during therapy sessions in 2020 and 2021.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) looks for a receiver as he is pressured by Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Josh Allen (41) during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, in Jacksonville, Fla.

He spoke before the team’s exhibition opener, a 24-13 victory at Jacksonville (0-2) in which Watson was roundly booed during three series of work. Fans in one end zone could be heard chanting vulgarities at Watson during his first drive.

The three-time Pro Bowler completed 1 of 5 passes for 7 yards in his first game action since Jan. 3, 2021, with Houston.

Jacksonville played most of its starters and looked considerably better than it did in the Hall of Fame game last week in Canton, Ohio.

Trevor Lawrence completed 6 of 12 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown, a 9-yarder to Evan Engram on a fourth-down play.

Jaguars running back Travis Etienne played for the first time since suffering a foot injury last preseason and ran for 23 yards. He also had a 10-yard reception that set up a field goal.

The Jaguars scored on each of their first three possessions.

New York Jets 24, (at) Philadelphia 21: New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson injured his right knee in the first quarter of a preseason victory over Philadelphia.

After going back to pass with 4:29 left in the period, Wilson was flushed out of the pocket and scrambled to his right for 7 yards, but went down after the play. He appeared to injure his knee when planting to cut on Philadelphia’s grass field.

After being checked by trainers, Wilson limped to the sideline on his own power before heading to the locker room.

After the game, Jets coach Robert Saleh said the initial tests on Wilson showed the ACL “is supposed to be intact,” but the team is waiting for the MRI on Saturday.

Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts looked sharp, completing all six of his pass attempts for 80 yards and a touchdown while playing just one series.

Jets fourth-stringer Chris Streveler, a 2019 Grey Cup champion with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers, threw two TD passes, including a go-ahead 5-yard toss to Calvin Jackson Jr. with 16 seconds left. Streveler, who previously spent time in the NFL with Arizona, Baltimore and Miami, had not taken a snap in offensive team drills in camp this summer before playing against Philadelphia.

Hurts came out firing on all cylinders in his first opportunity to show his progress in a live games after an offseason full of work, hitting wide receiver Quez Watkins for 28 yards down the right sideline on the game’s first play. He connected with his next four passes before finishing a perfect passing drive with a 22-yard touchdown strike to tight end Dallas Goedert.

(At) San Francisco 28, Green Bay 21: Trey Lance flashed his big arm in a brief preseason stint for San Francisco with a 76-yard touchdown pass to speedy rookie Danny Gray that helped the 49ers beat Green Bay.

Lance played just two series in the game but that was enough to show why the Niners made the decision to transition from Jimmy Garoppolo to Lance at quarterback.

Lance delivered a perfect deep strike to Gray on San Francisco’s second possession and Gray raced the rest of the way for the score.

Lance finished 4 for 5 for 92 yards, a TD and a perfect 158.3 rating. He ran it once for 7 yards.

Green Bay’s young quarterback wasn’t as sharp on a night when both teams played only a handful of starters.

Jordan Love threw three interceptions to go along with two TD passes in one half of action with starter Aaron Rodgers sitting out the exhibition game.

Love found rookie Romeo Doubs on a 33-yard TD on Green Bay’s second drive and then connected on another 33-yarder to Danny Davis at the end of the half.

But he had three interceptions in between those TDs, including one that went off tight end Tyler Davis’ hands. Love, who has thrown just 61 passes since being drafted in the first round in 2020, went 13 for 24 for 176 yards.

The teams then traded TD passes in the fourth quarter, with Danny Etling throwing a 22-yarder to Amari Rodgers to give Green Bay a 21-20 lead and San Francisco answering with Brock Purdy’s 5-yard TD to Tanner Hudson.

Arizona 36, (at) Cincinnati 23: Jonathan Ward, trying to win a spot in a crowded Arizona backfield, ran for two touchdowns and the Cardinals beat Cincinnati in a preseason opener that saw starters for both teams watching from the sideline in street clothes.

Ward plunged in for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns in the second quarter.

Trace McSorley and Jarrett Guarantano, in competition to be the third-string quarterback, shared the snaps for the Cardinals. McSorley, who was signed midway through the 2021 season, threw for 163 yards and a touchdown to Andre Baccellia.

Guarantano, an undrafted free agent, was 7 for 10 for 54 yards and tossed a short touchdown pass to Jontre Kirklin.

The Bengals lost Brandon Allen, who backed up Joe Burrow last season, early in the game with a concussion.

Evan McPherson picked up where he left off in his terrific rookie season, booting field goals of 23, 58 and 56 yards for Cincinnati.