Preseason Game #1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Total

Arizona

0

3

7

7

17

Kansas City

14

3

3

7

27

Chiefs Beat Cardinals, 27-17

Preseason Game #1

NFL.com l Video Highlights

Chiefs RB Peyton Hillis celebrated after scoring a 1st quarter touchdown.

Aug. 10- Michael Adams caused a big chunk of Kansas City to catch its breath Friday night.

Jamaal Charles, on his first carry since ACL surgery on his left knee last September, took a solid shot from the Arizona cornerback right where the scar is. But he jumped up and hustled back to the huddle, helping KC score touchdowns on its first two possessions en route to a 27-17 victory over the Cardinals in a very satisfying preseason opener.

"That was a relief," said coach Romero Crennel. "For him to take that hit, I think that helped clear his mind about where he is with that injury. Until you get hit on it, you just never know. You're always wondering about it. Now he's been hit in a game and I think that will help him going forward."

Charles, the NFL's second-leading rusher in 2010, had 12 yards on three carries and caught one pass for 11 yards. Two other key starters who also sat out last season with ACL surgery -- safety Eric Berry and tight end Tony Moeaki -- also played with no apparent problem, lifting the spirits of coaches and fans alike.

Charles insisted he "wasn't even paying attention" to the hit to the left knee. "It was good just to be on the field again and running the ball again in a real live game," he said. "It was great to be out there with my teammates."

Did he feel like the old Jamaal, the one whose 6.4 yards per carry in 2010 was just under Jim Brown's NFL record?

"I don't know. You tell me," he said with a grin. "I feel fresh. My body feels real good. I feel ready to go."

Matt Cassel found Peyton Hillis on a 12-yard scoring strike to cap the first possession, marking the second straight game the defense for Arizona yielded a touchdown on the opening drive.

In their second possession, the Chiefs romped 72 yards in just four plays, capped by Shaun Draughn's 4-yard run.

"It's disappointing that we didn't play better," said Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt. "I don't accept that. I just don't think it was a good effort by our team and I'm glad we've got three (preseason) games left to clear that up."

Little was decided in the battle between John Skelton and Kevin Kolb for Arizona's starting quarterback job. But William Powell, a second-year running back from Kansas State, had a big game, rushing for 92 yards on nine carries. He scored the Cardinals' first touchdown on a 2-yard run on fourth down after exploding for 67 yards a moment before.

Skelton started and was 3 for 6 for 35 yards and one interception. Kolb, who started in the Hall of Fame Game against New Orleans, came off the bench and was one for 5 for 21 yards.

"I thought John looked comfortable," Whisenhunt said. "He made a mistake when he called a run the wrong way. But he made some good, accurate throws. Kevin looked good early, but we continue to have protection issues when he's in there. I thought they did OK."

Cassel, who missed most of the second half last season with a hand injury, looked sharp. He connected with a wide-open Hillis to finish a 12-play, 72-yard march for a 7-0 lead the first time the Chiefs had the ball and was 5 for 6 for 67 yards. He rifled a 29-yard completion to Dexter McCluster to set up Draughn's TD run with 4:13 left in the first quarter.

Hillis, an offseason free-agent signing, had 41 yards on four carries. He broke through a big hole on the right side of the line for a 28-yard run in the second TD drive, helping the first-teamers to touchdowns on the only two possessions they played.

The replacement officials were not shy about throwing flags, calling six penalties on each team for a total of 149 yards.

Individual Statistics

Kansas City Passing:

Brady Quinn 7 of 13 for 81 yards and 1 interception

Matt Cassel 5 of 6 for 67 yards and 1 touchdown

Ricky Stanzi 2 of 7 for 42 yards

Arizona Passing:

Richard Bartel 5 of 6 for 69 yards and 1 touchdown

Ryan Lindley 6 of 11 for 48 yards

John Skelton 3 of 6 for 35 yards and 1 interception

Kevin Kolb 1 of 5 for 21 yards

Kansas City Rushing:

Cyrus Gray 15 carries for 65 yards and 1 touchdown

Peyton Hillis 4 carries for 41 yards

Shaun Draughn 12 carries for 26 yards and 1 touchdown

Brady Quinn 3 carries for 13 yards

Jamaal Charles 3 carries for 12 yards

Ricky Stanzi 3 carries for 7 yards

Matt Cassel 1 carry for 2 yards

Arizona Rushing:

William Powell 9 carries for 92 yards and 1 touchdown

Alfonso Smith 9 carries for 40 yards

Thomas Clayton 3 carries for 14 yards

Richard Bartel 1 carry for 3 yards

Ryan Lindley 1 carry for 3 yards

LaRod Stephens-Howling 1 carry for 1 yard

Kansas City Receiving:

Steve Maneri 3 receptions for 69 yards

Dexter McCluster 3 receptions for 45 yards

Terrance Copper 2 receptions for 16 yards

Jamar Newsome 2 receptions for 16 yards

Jake O'Connell 1 reception for 15 yards

Peyton Hillis 1 reception for 11 yards and 1 touchdown

Jamaal Charles 1 reception for 11 yards

Devon Wylie 1 reception for 7 yards

Arizona Receiving:

LaRon Byrd 3 receptions for 33 yards

DeMarco Sampson 1 reception for 21 yards

Isaiah Williams 1 reception for 21 yards

Jaymar Johnson 1 reception for 18 yards and 1 touchdown

Andre Roberts 2 receptions for 18 yards

Larry Fitzgerald 1 reception for 17 yards

Steve Skelton 1 reception for 12 yards

Gino Crump 1 reception for 9 yards

William Powell 1 reception for 9 yards

Jim Dray 1 reception for 6 yards

Todd Heap 1 reception for 6 yards

Michael Floyd 1 reception for 3 yards

Kansas City Tackles-Assists-Sacks:

Dominique Ellis 3-0-0, Tysyn Hartman 3-0-0, Derrick Johnson 3-0-0, Cameron Sheffield 3-0-1, Leon Williams 3-0-0, Brandon Bair 2-0-1, Cory Greenwood 2-0-0, Edgar Jones 2-0-1, DeQuan Menzie 2-0-0, Jacques Reeves 2-0-0, Anthony Toribio 2-0-0, Jovan Belcher 1-0-0, Eric Berry 1-0-0, Caleb Campbell 1-0-1, Abram Elam 1-0-0, Jean Fanor 1-0-0, Chandler Fenner 1-0-0, Amon Gordon 1-0-0, Justin Houston 1-0-1, Jerome Long 1-0-1, Gabe Miller 1-0-0, Jerrell Powe 1-0-1, Stanford Routt 1-0-0, Brandon Siler 1-0-0, Andy Studebaker 1-0-0, Donald Washington 1-0-0

Arizona Tackles-Assists-Sacks:

Michael Adams 4-0-0, Calais Campbell 3-0-0, Jamell Fleming 3-0-0, Rashad Johnson 3-0-0, James Sanders 3-0-0, Justin Bethel 2-0-0, Stewart Bradley 2-1-0, Antonio Coleman 2-0-0, Eddie Elder 2-1-0, William Gay 2-0-0, A. J. Jefferson 2-0-0, Ricky Lumpkin 2-0-0, Colin Parker 2-1-0, Quan Sturdivant 2-0-0, Daryl Washington 2-0-0, Sam Acho 1-0-0, Blake Gideon 1-1-0, Quentin Groves 1-0-0, Marcus McGraw 1-1-0, James Nixon 1-0-0, Patrick Peterson 1-0-0, Ronald Talley 1-0-0, Reggie Walker 1-0-0, Brandon Williams 1-1-0, Dan Williams 1-0-0, Adrian Wilson 1-1-0, Vonnie Holliday 0-1-0

Kansas City Fumble Recoveries:

Donald Washington 1 for 0 yards

Arizona Fumble Recoveries:

None

Kansas City Interceptions:

Abram Elam 1 for 37 yards

Arizona Interceptions:

Rashad Johnson 1 for 5 yards