The NFL preseason moved through its final weekend Friday, August 28, with 10 games played across the league. Much of the attention was on backup quarterbacks, rookies and players fighting for the final spots on 53-man rosters, but the night still produced several memorable performances.
Baltimore overwhelmed Washington 41-3, Denver routed Minnesota 34-6 and Jacksonville shut out Tampa Bay 19-0. The highest-scoring game came at Lambeau Field, where Green Bay erased an 11-point deficit in the final four minutes to beat Arizona 42-38. Cincinnati also completed an undefeated preseason with a convincing victory over Philadelphia.
Baltimore Ravens 41, Washington Commanders 3
Baltimore ended its preseason with its most dominant performance, defeating Washington 41-3 at M&T Bank Stadium.
Tyler Huntley completed all four of his passes for 61 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown to Chris Moore. Joe Fagnano added a touchdown pass and scored on a 1-yard run as Baltimore built a 24-0 halftime advantage.
The Ravens outgained Washington 456-177 and held the Commanders to only one successful conversion on 12 third-down attempts. The 38-point margin was the largest preseason victory in Ravens history. Baltimore completed an undefeated preseason in which it outscored opponents 78-13.
Green Bay Packers 42, Arizona Cardinals 38
Green Bay produced Friday's most dramatic finish.
Green Bay’s 42-38 victory over Arizona also highlighted the value of depth at quarterback and receiver as the Packers closed out the preseason. Kyle McCord’s poise in the final minutes stood out most, particularly as Green Bay continued attacking despite trailing by double digits late in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals had generated enough offense to win comfortably, but their inability to close out the game exposed problems in late-game defense and special-teams coverage. For Green Bay, the comeback gave several young offensive players a memorable final audition before roster decisions, while Arizona left Lambeau Field knowing that a strong offensive night had been overshadowed by a costly collapse.
The Packers trailed Arizona by 11 points with less than four minutes remaining before quarterback Kyle McCord led an extraordinary comeback. McCord threw a 28-yard touchdown to Kisean Johnson with 3:19 remaining and then found Johnson again for a 10-yard game-winning touchdown with only 20 seconds left.
McCord finished 22-of-35 for 226 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. J. Michael Sturdivant caught six passes for 112 yards and a touchdown, while Will Sheppard contributed an 81-yard punt-return touchdown.
Arizona generated 492 yards of offense in the loss. Evan Hull rushed for 107 yards and two touchdowns, while Simi Fehoko caught five passes for 94 yards and two scores. Green Bay finished its preseason 2-1.
Denver Broncos 34, Minnesota Vikings 6
Sam Ehlinger made a strong final preseason statement as Denver rolled past Minnesota 34-6.
Ehlinger completed 15 of 20 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. His biggest play was an 88-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Justin Joly in the fourth quarter.
Cody Schrader also played a significant role, contributing 132 yards from scrimmage and a receiving touchdown. Minnesota never reached the end zone and managed only two field goals.
Max Brosmer threw for 165 yards for the Vikings, while Jermar Jefferson rushed for 59 yards on six carries. Minnesota quarterback J.J. McCarthy did not play because of an ankle injury.
Cincinnati Bengals 30, Philadelphia Eagles 13
Cincinnati completed a perfect 3-0 preseason by pulling away from Philadelphia in the fourth quarter.
Josh Johnson threw for 156 yards in the first half, while Sean Clifford took over after halftime and threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Ke'Shawn Williams.
The Bengals put the game away with two fourth-quarter rushing touchdowns. Kentrell Bullock scored from six yards before Jamal Haynes broke loose for a 39-yard touchdown little more than a minute later.
Cincinnati accumulated 420 total yards compared with Philadelphia's 210. The Eagles finished their preseason 0-3.
New Orleans Saints 27, Dallas Cowboys 24
New Orleans survived a furious Dallas comeback to earn a 27-24 victory at AT&T Stadium.
The Saints carried a 24-9 lead into the fourth quarter, but Dallas scored 15 unanswered points to tie the game. Sam Howell threw two touchdown passes during the rally and finished 12-of-18 for 155 yards.
New Orleans responded when Zach Wilson directed an eight-play, 44-yard drive that set up Daniel Carlson's 53-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining.
Spencer Rattler, Barion Brown and Zamir White scored touchdowns for New Orleans. Dallas receiver Jordan Hudson caught four passes for 97 yards and a touchdown.
The Saints' victory also offered a useful look at how both teams handled situational football late in the preseason. New Orleans was able to regain control after allowing Dallas to erase a double-digit deficit, an encouraging sign for a roster that included several players competing for backup and special-teams roles. Dallas, meanwhile, showed resilience by turning what had looked like a comfortable Saints win into a one-possession game in the fourth quarter. For coaches on both sidelines, the final minutes likely carried more value than the final score because they provided one last opportunity to evaluate decision-making, composure and execution under pressure before regular-season rosters are finalized.
New York Giants 23, New York Jets 6
The Giants controlled the New York preseason rivalry, beating the Jets 23-6 at MetLife Stadium.
Jake Haener completed six of seven passes for 101 yards and connected with Xavier Gipson on a 37-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. Tyrone Tracy Jr. added a rushing touchdown.
Undrafted kicker Dominic Zvada also strengthened his roster case by making three field goals, including kicks from 53 and 46 yards.
The Giants finished with 401 total yards while holding the Jets to only 139. Rookie Jets quarterback Cade Klubnik completed six of 13 passes for 59 yards and threw an interception.
Jacksonville Jaguars 19, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0
Jacksonville's defense and special teams controlled the game in a 19-0 shutout of Tampa Bay.
The Jaguars held the Buccaneers to only 87 total yards. Bryan Thomas Jr. led a pass rush that combined for five sacks, while Thomas accounted for 2.5 sacks himself.
Cam Little supplied the game's first points with an impressive 61-yard field goal. Carter Bradley later threw a touchdown pass to DeeJay Dallas, and Michael Wortham returned a punt 63 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Tampa Bay rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels completed eight of 15 passes for 57 yards as the Buccaneers struggled to generate sustained offense.
Carolina Panthers 16, Houston Texans 13
Carolina used four takeaways and a late rushing touchdown to defeat Houston 16-13.
Neither team used its primary starters, giving roster hopefuls an extended opportunity to make an impression. Houston committed three turnovers in the first half, helping Carolina overcome an offense that struggled to finish drives.
Ryan Fitzgerald made three field goals for the Panthers before undrafted rookie Miles Davis scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Houston cut the deficit to three when Brett Rypien connected with Zay Jones for a 6-yard touchdown, but Carolina's defense forced another fumble on Houston's final possession to preserve the win.
The Panthers completed the preseason with a 3-1 record.
Carolina’s 16-13 win over Houston was shaped by defense and ball security more than offensive production. The Panthers forced four turnovers and repeatedly prevented the Texans from turning drives into points, giving Carolina enough opportunities to stay in control despite an inconsistent attack. Houston still had a chance late after pulling within three points, but another turnover ended its final possession. For Carolina, the game was a strong final preseason test for defensive reserves and special-teams contributors trying to secure roster spots, while Houston was left with a clear reminder of how costly turnovers can be even in an exhibition game.
Atlanta Falcons 17, Miami Dolphins 12
Atlanta defeated Miami 17-12 in a game that carried added importance for the Falcons' quarterback situation.
Tua Tagovailoa completed seven of eight passes for 95 yards against his former team. His 37-yard completion to Kyle Pitts helped set up a 3-yard Brian Robinson touchdown run on Atlanta's opening possession.
Cooper Rush later threw a touchdown pass to Jack Velling as Atlanta built a 17-6 halftime advantage.
Miami scored entirely through field goals, with Riley Patterson making four kicks. The Dolphins finished the preseason without a victory.
Seattle Seahawks 9, Kansas City Chiefs 9
Seattle and Kansas City produced Friday's only tie, finishing 9-9 at Arrowhead Stadium.
Seattle had a chance to win on the final play, but Jason Myers missed a 52-yard field-goal attempt wide right.
Second-year quarterback Jalen Milroe completed 16 of 26 passes for 223 yards and threw Seattle's only touchdown, a 4-yard pass to Nick Vannett in the third quarter.
Kansas City's points came from three Harrison Butker field goals. Brashard Smith led the Chiefs' rushing attack with 72 yards on 16 carries.
Both teams finished the preseason 0-2-1.
Seattle and Kansas City finished in a 9-9 tie after a defensive, low-scoring game in which neither offense was able to consistently finish drives. The Seahawks had the best chance to break the deadlock at the end, but Jason Myers missed a 52-yard field-goal attempt on the final play. Jalen Milroe gave Seattle its only touchdown with a short scoring pass to Nick Vannett and also showed flashes as a passer with more than 200 yards through the air. Kansas City relied entirely on Harrison Butker, who made three field goals, while the Chiefs' defense did enough to keep Seattle from pulling away. For both teams, the game offered one last extended look at backups and roster hopefuls before final cuts.
Friday's NFL Preseason Scores
The complete Friday slate finished with Baltimore beating Washington 41-3, Carolina defeating Houston 16-13, Atlanta beating Miami 17-12, the Giants defeating the Jets 23-6 and Jacksonville shutting out Tampa Bay 19-0.
Cincinnati beat Philadelphia 30-13, Seattle and Kansas City tied 9-9, New Orleans edged Dallas 27-24, Green Bay beat Arizona 42-38 and Denver defeated Minnesota 34-6.
For many of the players on the field Friday, the final score was secondary to what happens next. Teams are approaching their final roster decisions, meaning the performances of backup quarterbacks, special-teams players, young receivers and defensive reserves could determine who remains on an NFL roster when the regular season begins.
Friday nevertheless produced several performances that should be remembered beyond the preseason. McCord's four-touchdown night and late Green Bay comeback stood out, Baltimore's defense completed an exceptionally dominant exhibition schedule, and Cincinnati finished its preseason without a loss.