Visitor:  Kansas City Chiefs

Home:  Atlanta Falcons

Date:  August 13, 2010

Preseason Week 1

 

Scoring:

Team               1          2          3          4          Final

KC                  0          3          0          7            10

ATL                3          0          7          10          20

 

Visitor playmakers:

QB Tyler Palko

 

Home playmakers:

RB Dmitri Nance, DB Shann Schillinger, CB Chevis Jackson, DT Kroy Biermann, LB Curtis Lofton

 

Network:  Chiefs Television Network (KCTV Kansas City)

Announcers:  Mike Kelly, Trent Green

 

Pregame:  Yes – Chiefs Pregame Show

Halftime:  Yes

Postgame:  Yes – local news coverage

Commercials:  Yes

 

Grade:  9.5/10

 

Notes:  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.

 

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.

 

Running time:  3:27 (3 DVDs)