Chiefs QB Matt Cassel‘s playing status will be a game-time decision for the second consecutive week, coach Todd Haley said.

Cassel didn’t play in the Chiefs’ season opener against the Ravens last week because of a sprained left knee suffered during the preseason. He has practiced this week, albeit in a limited fashion, and expressed optimism that he’d be good to go for Sunday’s home opener against the AFC West rival Raiders.

If Cassel can’t play, Brodie Croyle likely will start again for Kansas City.

The Chiefs also will make a game-time decision on CB Brandon Flowers, who injured his shoulder during the preseason and missed the opener.

“These are both good guys that play critical spots, and you have the game-day roster to worry about, that if the guy’s in there for one play and something goes wrong, quarterback or corner, now you’re really short a player for the whole day,” Haley said of Cassel and Flowers, who are listed as questionable on the Chiefs’ injury report. “So that’s what makes these decisions tough. It’s not so much about, ‘Hey, everyone wants to see Matt Cassel play,’ or, ‘Everyone wants to see Brandon Flowers,’ but if you risk it and put ‘em up and something happens early where they have a setback, now you’re short players.”

Haley did say that Cassel and Flowers are making progress.

“I think they’re both clearly ahead of where they were last week at this time, so that’s positive,” Haley said, “but again, this will be a deal where we have to make sure they’re good to go and make it (the decision to play or not to play) Sunday morning.”

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