UNDATED (AP) — The two top picks in this year's NFL draft were under center for their teams' season opener, meeting with mixed results.
Jay Cutler outperformed No. 1 pick Andrew Luck and the Bears beat the Colts 41-21.
The Bears veteran quarterback threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns. Luck finished his first NFL game 23 of 45 for 309 yards with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Donnie Avery early in the fourth quarter. He also was intercepted three times
Brandon Marshall had nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown in his first game since being reunited with Cutler. And teammate Matt Forte (FOHR'-tay) ran for 80 yards and a score while picking up another 40 yards in the passing game.
Luck is trying to fill the shoes of Peyton Manning. The four-time league MVP missed last season with neck problems and signed with Denver after being released by Indianapolis.
It was Chuck Pagano's (puh-GAH'-nohz) first game as head coach of the Colts.
The second overall pick in this year's draft led the Washington Redskins past the Saints 40-32 in New Orleans.
Robert Griffin III completed 19 of 26 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns.
Griffin completed his first eight passes, including an 88-yard touchdown strike to Pierre Garcon (gahr-SOHN'), tying for the second-longest scoring toss by a quarterback making his NFL debut.
Rookie running back Alfred Morris rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Aldrick Robinson, making his NFL debut, had a touchdown catch among four receptions for 52 yards.
It was the Saints' first game since the bounty scandal that overshadowed New Orleans' offseason.
Drew Brees uncharacteristically struggled with accuracy, completing only 46 percent of his throws with two interceptions. But his 339 yards passing and three TDs kept the Saints in the game until his last desperate pass was picked off by Reed Doughty near the Redskins' goal line.
Michael Vick atoned for his four interceptions by tossing a late touchdown pass that lifted the Philadelphia Eagles to a 17-16 road win over the Cleveland Browns.
Vick capped a 91-yard scoring drive with a 4-yard TD pass to Clay Harbor. It was the last of the left-hander's career-high 56 passes.
Vick was limited to just 12 snaps during the exhibition season because of injuries.
Vick went 29 of 56 for 317 yards and two TDs.
Browns rookie quarterback Brandon Weeden threw four interceptions, the last to Kurt Coleman with 1:05 remaining.
There was a dramatic finish on Opening Day in Detroit. Matthew Stafford threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Smith with 10 seconds left, lifting the Lions to a 27-23 win over the visiting St. Louis Rams. It ruined Jeff Fisher's debut as coach of the Rams.
Stafford made up for a shaky outing by leading an 80-yard, nine-play game-winning possession that included three passes of at least 18 yards.
Stafford had three interceptions before halftime for the first time in his four seasons as a pro quarterback. The Rams scored 13 points off Stafford's turnovers, including Cortland Finnegan's 31-yard return for a TD.
The defending AFC champion Patriots rolled the Titans 34-13 for their ninth-straight season-opening win.
Tom Brady threw for 236 yards and two touchdowns, and Stevan Ridley ran for 125 yards and a TD.
New England's defense ruined Jake Locker's (LAH'-kurz) debut as Tennessee's starting quarterback. They sacked him twice and forced two turnovers. Rookie Dont'a Hightower returned Locker's fumble 6 yards for a TD in his own debut.
Locker left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured left shoulder.
After an anemic showing in the preseason, the New York Jets blasted the visiting Buffalo Bills 48-28 in their regular-season opener. Mark Sanchez threw three touchdown passes -- two of them to rookie Stephen Hill.
Jeremy Kerley had a touchdown catch and a punt return for a score. And Jets defensive back Antonio Cromartie took one of New York's three interceptions of Ryan Fitzpatrick to the end zone.
The Jets sprinkled in their wildcat package with Tim Tebow (TEE'-boh), who was mostly quiet but recovered a late onside kick by Buffalo.
Matt Ryan threw for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth score in Atlanta's 40-24 drubbing of a Kansas City Chiefs team that was missing four starters on defense due to injuries and suspension.
Ryan finished with 299 passing yards. Julio Jones caught six balls for 108 yards and two TDs.
Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez also caught a TD pass in his return to Kansas City.
The Chiefs trail just 20-17 at halftime. But a missed field goal by Ryan Succop early in the third quarter proved to be the turning point. Atlanta scored 20 unanswered points to put the game away.
Houston ruined Ryan Tannehill's debut with Miami by beating the Dolphins 30-10. The rookie quarterback threw three interceptions in a stunning 6-minute stretch late in the first half and Miami's gained just 275 yards on offense.
Texans defensive end J.J. Watt deflected two passes that resulted in interceptions and also had 1½ sacks.
Arian Foster ran for two touchdowns and Texans quarterback Matt Schaub threw for 266 yards and a TD in his first action since going down with a fractured foot in Week 10 of last season. Andre Johnson caught Schaub's scoring pass and accumulated 119 receiving yards.
Marcus Thigpen returned a punt 72 yards for Miami's touchdown.
Rookie Blair Walsh booted a 55-yard field goal as regulation time expired and another in overtime to lift Minnesota past Jacksonville 26-23. They were his third and fourth three-pointers of the game.
For the first time since the NFL's new overtime scoring rule was installed last season, the first team on the board didn't immediately run off the field a winner.
After Walsh's 38-yard kick, the Vikings had to play defense again while the Jaguars had their chance. But Blaine Gabbert was hurried into a fourth-down overthrow, spoiling the debut for new Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey.
Vikings star Adrian Peterson returned from a left knee injury, running 17 times for 84 yards and two touchdowns.
Minnesota led for most of the second half until Gabbert's 39-yard touchdown heave with 20 seconds left in the fourth quarter put the Jaguars back in front.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
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