Head Coach Brian Daboll

DABOLL: Just relative to the injured guys, particularly (tackle) Andrew (Thomas), another good day he had yesterday. And this is probably going to go all the way up until game time. So, we'll see where he's at today and then ultimately make a decision. The other guys kind of all fall in the same boat. Back off on (defensive lineman Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Sr.) Nacho today and everybody else is kind of in the same boat relative to going out there today and seeing where we're at.

Q: If Andrew can play, do you try to find a spot somewhere for (offensive lineman Marcus) Mbow, considering how good he played, or he just becomes a backup?

DABOLL: Yeah, if Andrew could go, he would go. He would be the guy.

Q: Mbow doesn't rotate in somewhere?

DABOLL: No, let's see where we're at. Again, where AT is at. If he can go, we'll have a plan for that. So again, he's had two good days. He's done more than he's done the last few weeks leading up to it. We'll get him out here today, see how he feels after those two days of, I'd say, a number of reps that he's had.

Q: Could that plan include a rotation?

DABOLL: Something we'll talk about.

Q: Do you consider at all getting Mbow in as a tackle, maybe (offensive lineman) Jermaine (Eluemunor) in at guard, anything like that to try to get the five best on the field, based on how Mbow looked?

DABOLL: Yeah, I feel good about the guys that we have playing right now. So again, Mbow, it's good to see him do the things he did out there. Again, all this will sort itself out after today and we'll do what we think is best.

Q: Did Mbow jump to the next tackle up? Is he ahead of (offensive lineman) James (Hudson III)?

DABOLL: We'll go through all that stuff. But again, I thought he did a nice job when he was out there.

Q: I don't know if it took, I know we're hammering Mbow at this point, but the overall even back in the spring you guys made the point and said we're going to work him at tackle, and you kept him at tackle throughout. It didn't matter even though on draft night you guys had talked about he might have some guard potential, might have some center potential. Was that challenging to do with a young offensive lineman to kind of test the patience and say whether he's second, third, fourth, we're going to keep him at tackle and let him grow into a tackle?

DABOLL: Yeah, I'd say that, again, he was having a good camp. He's done a good job since he's been here. So, for a young player that was kind of playing on both sides, he was progressing nicely for a young player. We're going to leave him at that spot and let him continue to do that.

Q: I know you're going to have discussions, you always have discussions, but with Andrew, at the end of the day, is it up to the player in the circumstance or can you say you're ready to go, we need you? How does that work?

DABOLL: That's a good question. I listen to the doctors, I listen to the trainers, and I listen to the player. Ultimately, whether it's AT or another player, trainers, the doctors, the medical staff, the strength staff, everybody's involved in those discussions and then come to a general consensus of, this is what's best for whoever it may be. Certainly, don't want to put somebody out there that isn't ready to go. I'd say that definitely the player has input as to how they feel, how they're progressing, and then there's the medical diagnosis of it and the conversations that take place with whatever injury it may be.

Q: Is the biggest challenge with Andrew right now, is it recovering from the injury or is it a stamina thing right now that he hasn't had those full days?

DABOLL: I'd probably say it's a collection of everything when a guy hasn't played for that long. Again, I think our medical department, I think Andrew, they've done everything they can do each and every day, each and every week to continue to improve. Again, he's gone two days where he's taken a lot of reps. Take a look at him out here today, see how that feels on the third day. Again, we'll see how it goes today.

Q: What has (running back) Cam (Skattebo) brought energy wise to this team?

DABOLL: He's like that pretty much all the time. Loves the game of football. I think he plays it the right way. He's been a good addition for a young player and to our team with his mindset, his energy, his toughness.

Q: Why are you backing off Nacho (Rakeem Nunez-Roches)? Is it a setback?

DABOLL: Again, a guy that's a little bit older. We'll back off and see where he's at. Again, there's a number of guys today, tomorrow, it's good to have a game a little bit later on Sunday night and let it go all the way to the end.

Q: What have you seen from (inside linebacker) Bobby (Okereke) so far in the first two games, and how do you feel about what's behind him at this point, depth-wise?

DABOLL: I think he's played well. He's had a lot of tackles. He's been productive for us. I think he feels good. He had a good camp. He's been a good leader for us, but he's been productive out on the field for us as well. Next man up. (Linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles) Flann will be out here again today. He did some stuff yesterday that was encouraging. Again, where that's at, we've got a whole other day to look at it. Those guys have got to be ready to go.

Q: Do you have to be more creative in that position with other guys with some flexibility? We saw (outside linebacker Brian) Burns there for a snap or two. Same thing with (outside linebacker) Abdul (Carter).

DABOLL: Yeah, I'd say it's a delicate balance of moving guys around and playing new positions that maybe they haven't played. Certainly, you can do different things personnel package-wise. Again, we've got to get these other guys ready to play and make sure they're ready to go.

Q: How do you look at home games? By that, what I mean is do you look at them as just one of 17 games? When you look at the better teams, they have generally a better record at home over a significant stretch. How do you view as a whole the home games?

DABOLL: It's always good to get back and be able to operate offensively communication-wise without the noise. You love the support of the fans. You've got to give the fans... It can be an advantage. You've got to play well at home to create home field advantage and create that energy within the stadium. I think everybody's excited to have our first one in the regular season.

Q: How much do you need a result for a win to validate the way you guys feel like you are making progress?

DABOLL: That's what it's for, winning the games. Put everything into it. Go out there and produce. Obviously, the result is what's most important. Doing everything we can do to get that result.

Q: What's the coaching point on (Kansas City Chiefs' quarterback Patrick) Mahomes? The way he scrambles where he's very good at the sideline of baiting guys or putting the shoulder down?

DABOLL: He's excellent at it. Being smart at the end of plays so we're not getting those personal fouls. There's a delicate balance between the effort and the style and the attacking style that you need to play with. It's a split-second decision that our guys are going to have to do a good job with of defending him, particularly when he's in those scrambles. Is he sliding? Is he going out of bounds? Is he not going out of bounds? That's certainly challenging for a guy that's running full speed. We're going to have to make good decisions there at the point of contact or not contact.

Q: They're 0-2 also. Do you feel like you're going to get a desperate, we have to win, Chiefs team?

DABOLL: You've done this a long time too. Every game is like that in the NFL. It's hard to get the results you want. Every game is a competitive, tough game. Records don't matter. It's going to be a competitive, tough game against a good football team that's been a good football team for a long time. Those guys have set a standard in this league for many years. I think their mental toughness, what they play with, the players that they have, the coaches that they have, I've got a lot of respect for them.

Offensive Tackle Andrew Thomas

Q: How are you feeling right now?

THOMAS: Feeling good. Three days in a row practicing. First time doing that. Starting to build a volume, get my confidence back, so it's exciting for sure.

Q: How are you feeling for Sunday?

THOMAS: Don't know. We're going to make a game-time decision, but I'm feeling a lot better than I did last week.

Q: How much is this making way back from the injury compared to building up stamina to be able to play a game?

THOMAS: It's a little bit of both and that's what we've been working with, with the trainers and strength staff, just trying to build volume. You don't want to do too much on the foot because you don't want it to be sore, but I have to build my cardio base and things like that. So, we've been getting creative, trying to do different things to build that.

Q: Do you feel like right now you could go out there and play a full game? Is that something you're confident in?

THOMAS: I think so, but we haven't decided on snap counts or rotation. We haven't decided that yet, so we'll see.

Q: Do you think a rotation could be a possibility?

THOMAS: I think it's a possibility, but like I said, we haven't had anything finite yet.

Q: Is it just a matter at this point of whether you feel pain or how it bounces back at this point? If it stayed the way it is, you would play now?

THOMAS: So, it's fluid. I think the biggest thing as far as rep counts or if I'm playing or not is how I respond the next week. That's what we're trying to base it, and it's hard to tell, but we'll see. Like I said, I've been three days consecutive doing more, so that's a good sign.

Q: You're basically saying you're basing it off how you're figuring, okay, if I do play 30, 40, 50, 60 snaps, how I'm going to feel next week and whether we can then match it long term.

THOMAS: Yeah, the focus is longevity, right? Being out there consecutive weeks and being out there for the rest of the season. So, we'll decide on that on Sunday.

Q: Does the team being 0-2 create any more urgency or a different decision for you?

THOMAS: I don't think so. If I'm speaking as a competitor, I wanted to be out there for week one. But the best thing for the team and for myself is for me to be 100% out there. I think I can help the team out when I'm at my best, so I'm trying to get back to that.

Q: Do you believe it's possible for you to get into a rhythm out there if you are rotating? Or is it, you think as long as you're out there, you feel confident in, out, in, out?

THOMAS: I haven't personally done the rotating thing before. Years previous, we've done that with different positions and it's not the easiest thing because you want camaraderie up front. But I think we have a good group of guys and veteran experience, and I think we can make it work.

Q: You're obviously a competitor; you talk about it all the time. The idea that you're weighing where you guys are at as a team, where you're at personally, when you see (offensive lineman) Marcus (Mbow) play the way he did last week, I know in theory it doesn't factor at all, but as a teammate, do you feel confident that you make the right call for yourself, but also you know you have a guy behind you that has played well as well? You're not leaving the team in a lurch, per se?

THOMAS: Yeah, Mbow has done a good job for us, but I'm confident in everybody in the room. Like I said, we brought in some guys that are veterans that are contributing, doing a good job for us, and that, it doesn't really affect my decision, if that makes sense.

Q: So between now and Sunday, what is going to make the final decision for you?

THOMAS: I guess just how I recover. Like I said, first time doing three days in a row. We'll see how I'm feeling tomorrow, and obviously Sunday morning, and go from there.

Q: Fair to say you feel a lot different this Friday than last Friday and the Friday before?

THOMAS: A lot better, yeah.

Q: You don't feel like you need a full padded practice before going back into the games?

THOMAS: I mean, you want all the padded reps you can get, and missing training camp is tough, but I get the reality. The guys had a lot of snaps, so I'm not frustrated at that. I'm confident in my ability and if I feel good health-wise, I think I can do my job.

Q: Usually when a guy is injured, they give their feedback, but they're not the ultimate, decision-makers. Do you feel like you're driving this by like you need to really feel like, hey, I need to be 100%, or I need to be X percent, maybe have more input than most guys, given this situation?

THOMAS: When you say most guys, you mean?

Q: Just guys coming back from injury. You're a veteran, you've been through this before, you know how you're feeling and you kind of seem to be playing it very cautiously.

THOMAS: Yeah, it's a conversation. We go back and forth. I think we're all on the same page, and communication is the biggest thing. I've been doing a good job making sure that they understand where I'm coming from. They're doing the same thing, and we're meeting in the middle to find the best thing for me and the team.