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Derrick Johnson: "It's always great to be healthy and back playing at Arrowhead"

Johnson and several of his teammates spoke with the media Friday after the game

RB SPENCER WARE

How would you sum up this game for your offense, especially the first team?"We just have to keep making our plays. We moved the ball well, in the first quarter, with the ones. Got to get the running game started. Got to get in sync with the O-line now. I think we did pretty good today, but there is still work to be done. A lot of work to be done."

What were you expecting to get out of today's game? "Getting back to the field, beating up on a different opponent instead of ourselves all day at camp. So that was pretty good."

What can you do as a team to get rid of some of the mistakes you made?"We just have to stick to what we do and stay fundamentally sound. Trust our technique. The coaches have been doing a great job of teaching us and putting us in the right position for us to make plays. So you just have to trust it and then stay focused."

S DANIEL SORENSEN

What did you guys think of how you played defensively?"I thought we made some good plays, some good stops early on in the first two series."

Where do you go from here as a team?"We will go back, watch the film, make the corrections and come out and try and fix them."

Can you do those things and get those things done this week at training camp? "That's the purpose, to review the film, get back to practice, fix the mistakes."

DL ALLEN BAILEY

Physically, how did you feel? "I felt good. Shoulder felt good, body felt good."

How do you breakdown your performance individually?"Run was good. Pass rush, I'm still tweaking. But yeah, I am getting my run game back up to par and then go from there."

When were you back at 100 percent? "I got cleared at the six month mark. I got back to 100 percent probably around June, something like that."

The tackle for a loss, can you walk us through that play?"I saw the formation leaning more to the left, so I just kind of widen out and prepare for that and, bam. I was able to shed and come back in."

QB TYLER BRAY

What did you see on that interception? "It was my check down. I was stepping up into the pocket and just threw it a little too far outside."

How exciting was it to see Coach dial up a long play that went for a touchdown but was called back for pass interference? "He beat the guy off the ball. They were kind of fighting back and forth and he made a great catch."

LB DERRICK JOHNSON

*How did it feel to get some live game action? *"It felt great.  It's been a while since I've been out there.  It's always great to be healthy and back playing at Arrowhead.  The more I am out at practice, the more I am out at these preseason games, even though I am an older guy coming off an injury, it is vital for me."

*Was this time any different from the first time you came back from an Achilles tear? *"It was a little different.  I am still a little rusty physically.  Mentally, I still have it all.  Like I said, I am blessed to come back healthy.  Tonight, I didn't really make a lot of plays but I was moving and did my job really well.  That's what you look for."

*What did you see from the first team defense? *"We played a little, bend but don't break.  We played great red zone defense.  When you don't let them score touchdowns, that's what you want.  At the same time, it's the NFL, things happen.  It's the first preseason game so always go into it that's, it's not always as bad as it looks and it's not as good as it looks.  Just keep trying to get better."

RB KAREEM HUNT

Comments on his first NFL game: *"It was very exciting.  It was very fast, I have to say that.  It was a great experience."  Comments on the blocked punt, fumble recovery:  *"Honestly, I was just trying to make a play and get some points on the board.  I was trying to scoop and score it, but honestly, I recovered it and that was the most important thing." 

*What did this game do for your confidence going forward? *"It helps my confidence.  I got the first game out of the way.  I can only go up from here.  Honestly, just keep getting better."

QB ALEX SMITH

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*How did you feel about the first drive? *"I think the challenge is knowing that you have limited reps but don't let that be the focus.  Just try to go out and take advantage of the reps you do have.  Don't think about when you are coming out or anything like that.  Starting out the game we wanted to set the tone, go out and have success.  The nice thing was we got some good situational football in.  Some third down and some red zone.  We were able to cap it off."

*Would you have liked to have played more than one series? *"It is a long preseason.  I feel like we got good work in tonight.  It is a fine line.  That is coach's decision.  We've got to keep going until you are told you are done.  I certainly felt good with it.  We've got three more left.  I think we can get plenty of work in."

Did you game plan the first pass play to Tyreek?  "I just got a good look at it.  They came up and challenged both of those guys.  I felt good about it, taking a shot downfield.  This was not a game plan.  We were just running base stuff and trying to execute our fundamentals."

*How much were you able to watch the other three quarterbacks and see what they did? *"I'm right there.  I'm watching intently.  We are a group.  We are a team. I'm certainly watching those guys.  For sure, right?  The situations they get, if there is anything I can offer, I'll try to help out anyway I can."

QB PATRICK MAHOMES

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*Comments on the game: *"We wanted to win the game.  That would have been the biggest thing.  I went in and tried to move the chains. It could have been a little bit better.  We had one touchdown.  Hopefully we can build upon that next week."

*How much input did you have on the plays called when you were playing? *"Yeah, definitely, it was the game plan we went over the last few days.  We tried to see what we can do in that short amount of time, what they did.  I feel like Coach Reid and Coach Nagy had a great game plan.  I put in my input as well.  I went out there and just tried to make things happen."

Did you call that first play?  "No, Coach Reid asked me if I liked what I had seen from the other quarterbacks.  They both completed theirs so I thought it was a good idea.  We went out there and completed it, then just tried to build upon that every time."

*What did you think of the speed of the game? *"Adrenaline was pumping excitement.  You are living out a dream.  You are doing something you were imagining in back yards since you were a little kid.  You definitely were excited.  There were a lot of fast players, fast guys out there.  I feel like with the defense I've been going against, our defense, we've had those guys out there too."

*Was Marcus Kemp the third or fourth receiver on your touchdown throw? *"He was the third read.  I rolled out so they had covered up the first two. I tried to make something happen.  He adjusted really well.  I threw it back to him and he went up and got it." 

*Any throws tonight that you would want back? *"I don't know if I could specifically think of one just right now.  I wish we could have completed more so we could get some more first downs.  I feel like we got behind the chains. You want to keep moving forward and I feel like we could have done a little bit better of that."

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