Arrowheadlines: Kansas City Chiefs News 8/9

Chiefs vs. Bengals: Game Takeaways, Top Plays from The Mothership

There wasn't a shortage of big plays from the Kansas City Chiefs in their victory over the Bengals on Thursday night.

Two defensive touchdowns on interception returns, an electric De'Anthony Thomas touchdown on a punt return and a long touchdown reception from Travis Kelce, kept the crowd on its feet throughout the night at Arrowhead Stadium.

In addition to all of those plays, there was also a nice 65-yard return from rookie Albert Wilson, not to mention Dustin Colquitt's booming 71-yard punt that pinned the Bengals offense deep in their own territory.

Let's take a look at the three top plays of the game on defense, offense and special teams.

Derrick Johnson's Defend The Dream Foundation from The Mothership

Earlier this week, Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson helped students get ready to head back to school through the event, Gearing Up, which provides school supplies and backpacks to local students.

"This is a program called Gearing Up, it's a way to bring awareness to children's education," Johnson said. "It's important for these kids to understand how vital education is. It's a program that is very dear to my heart; my mom was a school teacher for 40 years and she emphasized the important of an education."

KCChiefs.com Photo Gallery: Cheerleaders

Chiefs' Andy Reid Praises Effort During Preseason Win from Chiefs Spin

The Chiefs return to training camp Saturday in St. Joseph, Mo., and should find coach Andy Reid in a good mood.

Reid addressed reporters during a Friday afternoon conference call and complimented performances from Thursday night's 41-39 preseason opening win against the Cincinnati Bengals.

"Guys I thought played well," Reid said, "we really had (tight end Travis) Kelce, (running back) De'Anthony (Thomas), (wide receiver) Albert Wilson and (running back) Cyrus (Gray) on the offensive side. I thought they put together a pretty good game."

Chiefs TE Kelce Has Speed To Burn -- And Lost Time He's Desperate To Make Up from FS Kansas City

If you're button-mashing on the PlayStation back home, the sequence goes R2, R2, R2, more R2, yet more R2, then square into the end zone.

After all, if you're going to find pay dirt for the first time in an NFL game -- preseason or otherwise -- might as well do it with style, baby.

"I wanted to make sure I was in there," Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said with a grin when recounting a 69-yard catch-then-run-then-rolling-dive-for-a-score late in the second quarter of Thursday's 41-39 exhibition win over the Cincinnati Bengals. "I (didn't) know who was on my back or anything."

Can Thomas Be More Than McCluster? from ESPN

The prudent thing at that point for Kansas City Chiefs rookie De'Anthony Thomas would have been to call for a fair catch. Thomas was getting his first chance in an NFL game to return a punt, but he had to roam a fair distance just to make the catch. So Thomas was being advised by at least one teammate from the sideline to wave his raised hand and surrender this one.

"I know I was screaming 'fair catch' from the sideline," quarterback Alex Smith said. "Then I was like, 'OK.'"

S Daniel Sorensen Starts Preseason Opener, CB Phillip Gaines Has Fun from Chiefs Spin

Chiefs rookie Daniel Sorensen drew the start at strong safety in place of Eric Berry during Thursday night's preseason 41-39 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Chiefs rested Berry, who did not dress after recently returning from a right heel injury. Seeing Berry not playing wasn't shocking, as the Chiefs won't expose the All-Pro to a setback if not required in preseason action.

But Sorensen getting the nod over Jerron McMillian or Steve Gregory may have surprised. That is, to everybody but the former Brigham Young University star.

Sean Smith Proves His Value To Chiefs from ESPN

Sean Smith couldn't wait to start his touchdown dance and, really, could you blame him? The Kansas City Chiefs' most accomplished cornerback, Smith had been demoted during spring practice to second team.

But here he was, on his first play of Thursday night's preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals after replacing starter Ron Parker, making an interception. Smith then ran alone down the sideline and began the festivities well before he got to the end zone, which he eventually did to complete his 36-yard touchdown.

Chiefs Unsteady, Uneven In Preseason Opener from The Associated Press via The Houston Chronicle

Depending on which part of the Chiefs' preseason opener Andy Reid chose to watch, he could have come away thrilled about the prospects for the season or deeply depressed.

On defense, there were the interceptions that Sean Smith and Malcolm Bronson returned for touchdowns, and the impressive sack made by newcomer Joe Mays. But there was also blown coverage by cornerback Ron Parker, a slew of penalties and several breakdowns on the defensive front.

On offense, there was the 69-yard touchdown catch by tight end Travis Kelce and a couple of dazzling runs by second-year back Knile Davis. But there was also a three-and-out and a strip-sack of quarterback Alex Smith on the first two series the starters were in the game.

De'Anthony Thomas Has Impressive Touchdown Return In Chiefs Debut from The Los Angeles Times

Kansas City Chiefs running back De'Anthony Thomas, the former L.A. Crenshaw High and University of Oregon star, had an impressive NFL debut Thursday night.

The 5-foot-9, 174-pound Thomas, a fourth-round pick this spring, showed why he'll get a big chance to be part of the offense and special teams for Kansas City with an electrifying 80-yard punt return against the Cincinnati Bengals in a preseason opener at Arrowhead Stadium.

Chiefs Seek Alliance With Native American Groups from ProFootballTalk

It's an opportunity for fans to learn about and to honor Native American traditions, and it seems to be a lot more genuine and potentially effective than Washington's effort to clumsily stomp out a blaze that has emerged because the franchise initially tried to put out a much smaller fire by pouring gasoline on it.

The Chiefs Are Buddying Up To Native American Groups from Deadspin

Whether it be for self-preservation or just out of an admirable instinct to do the right thing, the Kansas City Chiefs are making a concerted effort to solicit local Native groups' input into their pageantry and traditions. What a concept.

Day Trippin': Is This The Year For The Chiefs? from The Lake News Online

Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, on a game day is an experience that should be had at least once in your life. For some lake residents, however, finding tickets at an affordable price proves to be an obstacle. There is a way that you can many components of the Arrowhead experience without having to spend much, however.

Going on right now on the campus of Missouri Western University in St. Joseph is the team's annual training camp. Here you can get up close to the Kansas City coaches and players and experience, on a smaller but still boisterous scale, the Arrowhead crowd. What's better is that aside from a $5 parking charge, it's absolutely free.

Alex Smith Disappointed In First Effort By Chiefs Offense from KC Star via The Wichita Eagle

Even if it was just a preseason game, Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith was hoping for a lot better performance from his unit against Cincinnati on Thursday night.

Instead, the first-team offense mustered 33 yards in three possessions. Two first downs. One turnover. Three points.

"Not what we were looking for, especially for the first-team offense," Smith said of a 41-39 victory buttressed by 21 points from the defense and special teams. "We couldn't convert on the third-and-1, couldn't convert on the third-and-2...."

Fan Tased At Bengals vs. Chiefs Game from Sporting News

According to a tweet sent by a fan at the game, the arrestee was smoking in the stadium, had been unruly with a security guard and been physical with one of the deputies. An Instagram video of the incident shows the fan being tased right at the beginning as he is surrounded by four officers. Even as the device was being applied, he continued to struggle and resist arrest from the officers.