Highlights

Q: Are you anxious, ready to go for Thursday?

HERM EDWARDS: “Well, I think these guys have put in a lot of work. They’ve improved and now we’ve got to go play and that’s the next step for these guys: to actually play in a game and see how we react.

“But I like what they’ve done so far. I like our camaraderie and our energy. So, now we’ve got to go do that on the football field. There will be a lot of good things that will happen and they’ll be some things that we don’t like. But the big thing about these guys is they come to work every day wanting to be coached.”

Q: What are you specifically looking for?

EDWARDS: “First of all, when you get in the pre-season there are a couple of things you try to stress to your team. One is for us to play smart. Play physical and then play fast. Those are three traits I believe in. Those three things have to happen. That kind of covers the whole gamut.

“Offensively, our ability to move the ball and put some points on the board. And, we’re playing against a good defense and it’s going to be a good test. Our ability to not turn the ball over and to take the ball away. Our coverage teams to cover; I think that’s important. It’ll take the pre-season to determine who will be our return guy. We’re looking at some of our young offensive linemen and how they play.

“Defensively, improving on the run and trying to take the ball away. Those type of things. That and tackling. How are we going to tackle because we haven’t tackled somebody since the last game of the season, so it’s been a long time since last tackle? Those things are the key.”

Q: You’re not going to have some of your rookies up there, but in talking to Brandon Flowers he will be available. He said that you said for him to take some oxygen because he’s going to play for a while. What do you expect out of him?

EDWARDS: “Well, right now he’s penciled in to be a starter unless something happens. Any time he plays he’s going to get better, I think. He’s a very competitive player. Now, all of a sudden he’s playing in a league where he’s going to play against a lot of veteran wideouts. He’s going to have to learn the tricks of the trade – not on the bench but on the job.

“I think every time he plays in a game he’s going to improve. There are a lot of young guys who are going to play and going to improve.”

Q: Have you determined quarterback snaps for Thursday? Brodie will start, but how long?

EDWARDS: “Could be all the way into the second quarter. It’s what they do offensively. They’ll all play. All the quarterbacks will play. Probably Brodie and Tyler will play more than Damon.”

Q: What about Larry Johnson?

EDWARDS: “Yeah, he’s going to play. He’s going to be somewhere around 20 or so (snaps) and we’re going to give him the ball about five or six times. That’s fine for the first game.”

Q: Is it important for Brodie to have Larry out there at the same time?

EDWARDS: “It’s important to have the whole offensive line out there. We’re just missing one guy right now but the rest have been out there. Herb (Taylor) played last year so it’s going to be good for him. Just to keep the same guys in there at the same time is how you grow as an offense.”

Q: Are you going to have to tell them to not get so amped up?

EDWARDS: “No, because they’re so young you can’t stop that. No matter what you tell them it doesn’t work. That’s why I say we’re going to have oxygen on the sideline because after about the third play they’re going to think they’re not in great shape. Because of anxiety it takes up so much oxygen.

“After that they’ll be okay. These guys will have fun. I have the feeling that these guys will have a lot of fun.”

Q: Normal guys who haven’t worked…like Donnie and Kolby aren’t going to play?

EDWARDS: “Yeah, they’ll be six guys that don’t go. Those are two of them and along with the two first round picks won’t go, and Trevor (Johnson) and Kevin Robinson. There are six of them that will stay home.”