HERM EDWARDS: “This week is similar to what we’re going to face Thanksgiving Week (Thursday night game). I know Lamar (Hunt) was really excited about (getting that game). Hopefully, we’ll be able to handle it. It was important I thought to give our young guys a rest this week because they’re going to play a lot. The schedule the previous week when we went to the Giants may have been the cause of some of our problems. We had two hard practices (leading up to the game) that week.”

Q: Your cuts today. Among them was Craphonso Thorpe. Could you talk about it?

EDWARDS: “You know you’re going to cut some players who have some talent and talent alone gives you an opportunity, but you have to display it when you play and when you practice. One thing I can say is that all these players that we let go will have an opportunity at this point to go somewhere else. They all have enough talent to play in the league but when you have a chance you have to be productive. The camera doesn’t lie. It doesn’t care where you were drafted or how fast you ran. We have some young receivers we think who have a chance.

Q: You talked after the game the other night that you were talked into things during the game. What did you mean?

EDWARDS: “Situations in games that you look at as a coach and you know you can play a lot better. We could have played a lot better. We won the game and that was important. Our first unit played pretty good but we did some things on the field that get you. You have 10 fouls. That’s not good. You get down on the two yard line and don’t score. That’s not good. You take a chance to throw a touchdown pass and don’t make it and you make a foul. That’s not good. You don’t make that 50-yard field on the road.

“We had a chance to run the clock out at the end of the game and we don’t close them out. We’re throwing the ball. They shouldn’t get the ball back. There are some things that maybe in the past they did different, but I’m going to do some things that I see fit. I’m not going to try and take the air out of the ball, but…..”

Q: You said after the game that that was uncharacteristic of you? Were you referring to the end of the game?

EDWARDS: ‘When we took the shot in the endzone – two shots really before the end of the half – and we’re up 13-3 and we’re messing around trying to throw a touchdown pass. We got (offensive) pass interference when we have good field goal range and we have to now kick a 50-yarder.”

Q: Then why did you do it?

EDWARDS: “Because it’s pre-season. I knew in my right mind that we should have run the ball. We tried our shot and it didn’t work. The next play you know they’re going to blitz – that’s what you got to do when (the opponent’s) on the 20-yard line. We then had to run a draw to try (and attempt) a 50-yard field goal. If it’s December he’s not making a 50-yard field goal when it’s cold and we’re on the road.

“We try another pass at the end of the game when all we have to do is run it and take time off the clock. But it’s the pre-season and that’s ok. We can try it now.”

Q: Would you just as soon not play this game?

EDWARDS: “You’ve got to play it for a lot of reasons. You owe it to the fans and the players who have been here since the (off-season). You can still see some things and our starters are going to play a little bit. For me it’s a fun game to watch the young guys. Some are sitting on the fence.”

Q: Those things you were talking about earlier – the situations. Do you need to get them straight between the coaches and players?

EDWARDS: “It’s easy to get it corrected. All I have to say is no.”

\ Q: Then why didn’t you say no?

EDWARDS: “Because it’s the pre-season.”

Q: Don’t you have to practice it now?

EDWARDS: “No, because no is no, it’s not maybe. No means no.”

Q: Can you update us on Priest Holmes?

EDWARDS: “He’s not prepared to play at this point. He’s on PUP (physically unable to perform) and that’s where he’s at. You don’t know where his career is right now.”

Q: Does that mean it’s over?

EDWARDS: “I don’t know that. They counted him out before and the next time he came back and scored 27 touchdowns.”

Q: What happened on the goal-line play for the touchdown? Did Ronnie Cruz miss the block?

EDWARDS: “No. Had a chance on the other (TD attempt from the two-yard line) but (the runner) didn’t press the hole a little bit. He had a block. But we had a foul. We had too many penalties — way too many. That’s bad ball. We have to stay away from the fouls. What helped us were the turnovers. When this team is plus (in turnovers) at home…they were 5-0 last year. We had fouls with our offense in the first half and we had to settle for field goals.

“I expect them to play good. I don’t go into the game wishing they do. When we don’t do it I get upset about it. I’m a perfectionist and I am a detail guy. When we foul and when we don’t do things right I get concerned.”

Q: The competition between Kendrell Bell and Keyaron Fox at linebacker. Has anyone taken the lead there?

EDWARDS: “No one has said I’m the guy yet and that’s good. You have four starting linebackers and that’s good and if you play all four that’s fine.

“On defense you’re going to play 16 guys in rotation. The key for us is what is that rotation system and we did that in Tampa and in New York we had three corners and it didn’t bother anyone. We did it that way and it worked out very well for us. If you have to do it with linebackers that’s fine, too. With linebackers you’re going to have guys playing special teams and guys are going to need a blow.

“If you’re going to dress four receivers (the fourth has) to play special teams. The fourth guy has to be a special teams guy ‘cause you’re not going to take Tony Gonzalez off the field. You lose sight of that. Whether it be a flyer, cover guy or whatever.”