Teddy Bridgewater, Melvin Gordon shine in Week 3

Ron Clements

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Teddy Bridgewater, Melvin Gordon shine in Week 3 image

The Minnesota Vikings christened U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday and Teddy Bridgewater did not disappoint the home crowd.

Bridgewater was 12 of 16 through the air for 161 yards and a touchdown in Minnesota's 23-10 win over the San Diego Chargers in the first football game at Minnesota's new stadium. His touchdown pass was a 27-yard strike to tight end Kyle Rudolph in the second quarter. Bridgewater also added 21 rushing yards on two carries. 

The Vikings defense played well, intercepting Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and getting two more picks off undrafted rookie Mike Bercovici. But the Chargers scored the game's first touchdown with Melvin Gordon darting untouched for a 39-yard score early in the second quarter.

Gordon, the team's first-round pick last year, did not score a touchdown as a rookie. He simply made one cut, then exploded past Vikings defenders to score Sunday. He finished with four carries for 51 yards, gaining more than San Diego's four other running backs combined. 

Another quarterback who played well Sunday was Houston's Brock Osweiler, who had just two incompletions in 13 pass attempts against the Arizona Cardinals. Osweiler, who left Denver to sign with the Texans in March, threw for 146 yards and a touchdown in the 34-24 victory. 

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Injury report

— Branden Oliver, a reserve running back for the Chargers, was carted off the field with a right Achilles injury in the first half of Sunday's 23-10 loss to the Vikings. Oliver is likely out for the season. San Diego's starting right tackle Joe Barksdale could also miss some time after leaving with an ankle injury. 

— The Vikings didn't get out of the game unscathed as third-year safety Antone Exum Jr. was taken to the locker room to get X-rays on his leg.

— The Cardinals saw veteran cornerback Mike Jenkins, signed in July, leave Sunday's 34-24 loss in Houston with a non-contact knee injury. Jenkins squared up while preparing to tackle Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins and his left foot remained planted in the NRG Stadium turf as Hopkins cut. He was carted off the field and slammed his hands in frustration, knowing the injury was likely season-ending. The Cardinals were already playing without safety Tyrann Mathieu (knee) and cornerback Patrick Peterson (ankle), who were held out of the game as a precaution. 

— Cincinnati Bengals receiver A.J. Green and cornerback Adam Jones both limped off the field in Jacksonville with minor leg injuries. Neither injury is considered serious. The Bengals also lost backup running back Cedric Peerman, a Pro Bowl special teams player last year, in the second quarter with a broken forearm. His left arm was placed into a cast on the sideline and the fear is he will be lost for the season. 

— Former Cleveland Browns safety Tashaun Gipson, who signed with the Jaguars in March, left Sunday's game with a bruised knee and did not return. 

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Impact rookies

Vikings safety Jayron Kearse, a seventh-round pick from Clemson, had a pair of tackles and a fourth-quarter interception of Bercovici to kill what had been a 10-play drive. 

Vikings cornerback Mackensie Alexander, a second-round pick from Clemson, also played well. He broke up a pass in the end zone in the fourth quarter before hauling in a pick on the very next play. He finished with two tackles to go with the pick, but did get a talking to by Vikings coach Mike Zimmer after he was flagged for taunting the Chargers sideline following his interception. 

Osweiler is developing a nice rapport with rookie receiver Will Fuller, who had three catches for 67 yards and a touchdown against the Cardinals. Fuller now has eight receptions for 145 yards and two touchdowns in three preseason games. The first-round pick from Notre Dame had just one 4-yard catch in the preseason opener.

A couple of young Bengals receivers helped the Bengals score early in the third quarter of Sunday night's 26-21 loss to the Jaguars. Cody Core, a sixth-round pick from Ole Miss, caught a 53-yard bomb from AJ McCarron that set up a 21-yard touchdown pass to Alec Erickson, who went undrafted out of Wisconsin and now has two preseason scores. Core finished with just the one catch, but now has seven receptions for 111 yards in the preseason. Erickson also added a 39-yard punt return and 8-yard run in the fourth quarter.  

Highlights

Melvin Gordon finally showing Chargers fans what they hoped to see during his rookie season. The second-year back from Wisconsin made one cut and was untouched as he sprinted away from Vikings defenders for a 39-yard touchdown. 

On just the third play of the game, Texans defensive tackle Vince Wilfork tipped a pass from Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer. The deflection at the line led to an interception by Texans safety Andre Hal. The Texans then converted the turnover into a 1-yard Lamar Miller touchdown run. 

Texans linebacker John Simon tipped Palmer's pass to himself, then galloped 59 yards the other way for a touchdown. 

The difference in Jacksonville's 26-21 win over the Bengals was a 62-yard interception return by Jaguars linebacker Hayes Pullard. 

NFL preseason scores Week 3

Thursday’s games

Dolphins 17, Falcons 6
Seahawks 27, Cowboys 17

Friday’s games 

Patriots 19, Panthers 17
Redskins 21, Bills 16
Steelers 27, Saints 14
Buccaneers 30, Browns 13
Packers 21, 49ers 10

Saturday’s games

Chiefs 23, Bears 7
Ravens 30, Lions 9
Eagles 33, Colts 23
Giants 21, Jets 20
Titans 27, Raiders 14
Broncos 17, Rams 9

Sunday's games

Vikings 23, Chargers 10
Texans 34, Cardinals 24
Jaguars 26, Bengals 21

Ron Clements