Preseason Game #1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Total

Kansas City

0

3

0

7

10

Atlanta

3

0

7

10

20

Rookies' Big Plays Spark Falcons' Preseason-Opening Win Over Chiefs

Preseason Game #1

NFL.com l Video Highlights

Chiefs CB Kendrick Lewis applied a hit to Falcons QB Chris Redman.

Aug. 13- Matt Ryan played two decent series. Matt Cassel played four average ones.

Both quarterbacks lacked solid protection during the preseason opener, but Ryan's Atlanta Falcons got better play from their rookie reserves in a 20-10 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday night.

Dexter McCluster, a second-round draft pick, made a few dazzling moves as a tailback and a slot receiver for the Chiefs. But Dimitri Nance and Shann Schillinger helped put the Falcons ahead to stay early in the third quarter.

Nance, an undrafted rookie free agent from Arizona State, ran for a 3-yard touchdown to make it 10-3. Schillinger, a sixth-round cornerback, set up the score by picking off Brodie Croyle's throw and returning it 29 yards.

Kansas City safety Eric Berry, the No. 5 overall pick in the April draft, was credited with one tackle.

The Chiefs had a winless preseason in 2009, then no victories in the first five weeks of the regular season. They finished 4-12 under first-year coach Todd Haley.

Atlanta is coming off a 9-7 season that ended a 44-year franchise history of never achieving consecutive winning records.

The first half was a dud despite McCluster's speedy bursts and a few timely defensive plays by the Falcons.

Five of the first eight drives ended with field-goal attempts. Matt Bryant's 30-yarder on Atlanta's first possession made it 3-0, but the next four tries all missed from 50 yards or more.

Falcons running back Michael Turner, a 2008 Pro Bowl selection who's trying to come back from an ankle injury last year, gained 29 yards on four carries.

Ryan, whose final month of '09 was affected by a turf toe injury, connected on two third-and-long completions to tight end Tony Gonzalez, for 16 and 12 yards. Ryan otherwise went 1-of-4 passing for 6 yards.

Cassel, who completed 6 of 8 passes for 25 yards, suffered from worse protection. After a three-and-out, Cassel's second drive ended with Kroy Biermann's sack and John Abraham's fumble recovery. Nine plays into his third drive, Cassel was sacked by Falcons middle linebacker Curtis Lofton for a 6-yard loss.

Lofton, the heart of Atlanta's defense, limped off the field before halftime, but Falcons officials said he only had a leg cramp.

McCluster, a second-round pick from Mississippi, ran five times for 25 yards and caught three passes for 22. He needed only limited space to run past the first level of Atlanta's defense and into the open field.

Chiefs kicker Ryan Succop twice tried field goals from 53 yards, but he hit the left upright on one and missed wide right on the other. His 20-yard field goal with 2 seconds left before halftime made it 3-3.

Haley started Thomas Jones ahead of Jamaal Charles at running back. Jones played one series, gaining 2 yards, before Charles played the rest of the first quarter and into the second, running five times for 33 yards.

Croyle was 8-of-16 passing for 65 yards. Third-string Chiefs quarterback Tyler Palko completed 7 of 10 passes for 62 yards, but Falcons cornerback Chevis Jackson picked off one of his throws and ran the ball back 26 yards to set up Steve Hauschka's 37-yard field goal and a 20-3 Atlanta lead.

Palko ran for a 1-yard TD in the final minute.

Individual Statistics

Kansas City Passing:

Tyler Palko 8 of 13 for 55 yards and 1 interception

Brodie Croyle 8 of 15 for 65 yards and 1 interception

Matt Cassel 6 of 8 for 25 yards

Atlanta Passing:

John Parker Wilson 8 of 16 for 80 yards

Matt Ryan 3 of 6 for 34 yards

Chris Redman 4 of 7 for 30 yards

Kansas City Rushing:

Javarris Williams 7 carries for 38 yards

Jamaal Charles 4 carries for 37 yards

Dexter McCluster 5 carries for 25 yards

Tyler Palko 2 carries for 12 yards and 1 touchdown

Kestahn Moore 2 carries for 6 yards

Jackie Battle 4 carries for 5 yards

Brodie Croyle 2 carries for 5 yards

Thomas Jones 2 carries for 2 yards

Atlanta Rushing:

Antone Smith 12 carries for 36 yards

Michael Turner 4 carries for 29 yards

Jason Snelling 11 carries for 24 yards

Dimitri Nance 7 carries for 6 yards and 2 touchdowns

Matt Ryan 1 carry for 5 yards

John Parker Wilson 2 carries for 0 yards

Kansas City Receiving:

Dexter McCluster 3 receptions for 23 yards

Kestahn Moore 2 receptions for 21 yards

Leroy Banks 2 receptions for 18 yards

Javarris Williams 2 receptions for 16 yards

Verran Tucker 1 reception for 13 yards

Leonard Pope 2 receptions for 12 yards

Cody Slate 1 reception for 12 yards

Rich Gunnell 2 receptions for 7 yards

Jerheme Urban 1 reception for 7 yards

Tim Castille 1 reception for 6 yards

Chris Chambers 1 reception for 6 yards

Jamaal Charles 2 receptions for 6 yards

Mike Cox 1 reception for 5 yards

Jackie Battle 1 reception for 4 yards

Atlanta Receiving:

Tony Gonzalez 2 receptions for 28 yards

Kerry Meier 2 receptions for 27 yards

Dimitri Nance 2 receptions for 26 yards

Roddy White 1 reception for 22 yards

Troy Bergeron 2 receptions for 13 yards

Michael Palmer 2 receptions for 12 yards

Justin Peelle 1 reception for 6 yards

Andy Strickland 1 reception for 6 yards

Michael Turner 1 reception for 6 yards

Antone Smith 1 reception for -2 yards

Kansas City Tackles-Assists-Sacks:

Jovan Belcher 5-1-0, Pierre Walters 5-0-0, Reshard Langford 4-0-0, Corey Mays 4-0-0, Javier Arenas 3-0-0, Glenn Dorsey 3-0-0, Brandon Flowers 2-0-0, Bobby Greenwood 2-0-0, Maurice Leggett 2-0-0, Cameron Sheffield 2-0-0, Mike Vrabel 2-0-0, Eric Berry 1-0-0, Brandon Carr 1-0-0, Travis Daniels 1-0-0, Jeffrey Fitzgerald 1-0-0, Wallace Gilberry 1-0-0, Cory Greenwood 1-0-0, Tyson Jackson 1-0-0, Derrick Johnson 1-0-0, Alex Magee 1-0-0, Jon McGraw 1-1-0, DaJuan Morgan 1-0-0, Andy Studebaker 1-2-0, Justin Cole 0-1-0, Demorrio Williams 0-2-0

Atlanta Tackles-Assists-Sacks:

Spencer Adkins 6-0-0, Curtis Lofton 5-0-1, Erik Coleman 4-0-0, Chris Owens 4-0-0, Sean Weatherspoon 4-0-0, Dominique Franks 3-0-0, Chevis Jackson 3-0-0, Stephen Nicholas 3-1-0, Bear Woods 3-1-0, Kroy Biermann 2-0-1, Brent Grimes 2-0-0, Thomas DeCoud 1-2-0, Trey Lewis 1-1-0, Corey Peters 1-1-0, Shann Schillinger 1-0-0, Lawrence Sidbury 1-0-0, Emmanuel Stephens 1-0-0, Jonathan Babineaux 0-2-0

Kansas City Fumble Recoveries:

None

Atlanta Fumble Recoveries:

John Abraham 1 for 0 yards

Kansas City Interceptions:

None

Atlanta Interceptions:

Shann Schillinger 1 for 29 yards

Chevis Jackson 1 for 26 yards

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