"Left at home in Kansas City to watch on TV the Chiefs' miserable performance in San Diego, Matt Cassel had that sinking feeling he said he never wanted to experience again.

Toward that end, Cassel said he would prepare this week as if he would quarterback the Chiefs in Sunday's game against the Rams in St. Louis.

"That's why I'm here," said Cassel, who was with his teammates at the Chiefs' practice facility Monday as they reviewed the San Diego game. "I'll do what I normally do. It will be a normal week of preparation. It will be a better week for me."

That doesn't necessarily mean Cassel, who had an appendectomy last Wednesday, will play against the Rams. The Chiefs don't hold their first practice of the week until Wednesday, and the first public indication of whether Cassel will play would probably come then.

Until then, all Cassel can do is remain hopeful.

"I honestly can't say," he said about his recovery process. "They just said day-to-day. It's all about reviewing it each and every day, seeing my progress and how I feel, everything like that. I don't think it's anything set in stone."

The Chiefs left Cassel behind when they went to San Diego. They didn't want to subject him to the rigors of travel since he wasn't going to play.

They suffered one of the most lopsided losses in franchise history in their 31-0 loss to the Chargers. With Brodie Croyle playing quarterback, the Chiefs didn't convert on any of their 11 third-down tries and neared team-record lows with 67 yards and five first downs.

"That was more of a medical staff/coaching staff/training staff decision," Cassel said. "I would have loved to go and been on the plane, but they made the decision very clear that they wanted me to stay and rest and be off my feet as much as possible.""