Per MLive-
Former Michigan State team captain Max Bullough had another strong outing for Houston on Saturday night, picking off a pass and making three tackles as the Texans as the scored a 32-7 home victory over the Atlanta Falcons in an NFL preseason game.
Bullough's interception came with 5:42 left in the game against Atlanta quarterback T.J. Yates. Bullough ran the ball back 16 yards to the Falcons' 16-yard line.
"Max has come in here and really picked up the system well for a rookie,'' Houston coach Bill O'Brien said in a Texans' team website report Sunday. "You've got to be able to come in here and communicate the way he does. He's put himself in a position to earn playing time and get on film and that's a good thing for him.''
It also was a good night for former Michigan State receiver Keshawn Martin, who led Houston with three catches for 39 yards.
"He's one of the most improved players on our team from the time we arrived here until now,'' O'Brien said of Martin. "He's a guy that we've, obviously he's a special teams kick returner, punt returner, and then we've played him at all the spots offensively in the receiver position.
"We've played him on the outside, we've played him on the inside, and he's improved a great deal and (Saturday) night I thought he played a good football game and he just needs to keep getting better and better because he can help us."
In Cincinnati, first-round draft pick Darqueze Dennard left the game with a hip injury, but Bengals coach Marvin Lewis did not classify it as a significant injury and Dennard is not expected to miss next week's game.
Rookie safety Isaiah Lewis recorded his first tackle in preseason action in the Bengals' 25-17 loss to the New York Jets on Saturday.
Former Spartans' defensive tackle Domata Peko was credited with a tackle assist for Cincinnati.
In Charlotte, N.C., Denicos Allen made two tackles as the Carolina Panthers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 28-16 on Sunday night.
In Minneapolis, quarterback Drew Stanton was 6-of-8 passing for 81 yards and had Arizona's only touchdown pass of the night in the Cardinals' 30-28 loss to the Vikings.
"Drew put together a nice drive for the touchdown,'' Arizona coach Bruce Arians said after the game.
In Tampa, Fla., tight end Dion Sims had his first catch of the preseason, an 8-yarder, and former Spartans' punter Brandon Fields averaged 41.3 yards on seven punts as the Dolphins beat the Buccaneers 20-14 on Saturday.
Former Michigan State defense end Will Gholston had a tackle for Tampa Bay.
In Pittsburgh, former Big Ten rushing champ Le'Veon Bell had four carries for 11 yards in the Steelers' 19-16 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Saturday.
Bell split reps with LeGarrette Blount, and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin indicated that's how it will go for the foreseeable future.
"We're trying to work both guys, but at the same time we want to get them enough extended action that we know them as fatigue sets in and so playing consecutive plays is a big part of that,'' Tomlin said. "Both guys are going to get their share but I want both guys to have the lead dog mentality. And in order to have that and do that you have to see them in spurts or extended period of time.
"I like both guys and both guys are going to be big components for our success.''
In San Francisco, former Spartan Bennie Fowler had two catches for 19 yards as the Broncos routed the 49ers 34-0 Sunday.
In Indianapolis, cornerback Johnny Adams had four tackles for the Colts in their 27-26 loss to the New York Giants on Saturday.
In Foxborough, Mass., receiver B.J. Cunningham had one catch for 18 yards as the Eagles defeated the Patriots, 42-35 on Friday night.
Defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, a former second-round pick of the Green Bay Packers who was traded to New England on Tuesday, did not appear in the box score.
Worthy had not practiced for Green Bay leading up to the trade on account of a lower back injury that led him to be placed on the Packers' non-football injury list.
The Packers will receive a future draft pick for Worthy, provided Worthy makes the Patriots' team, according to an ESPN.com report.
Worthy suffered a knee injury in the final game of the 2012 season.
