For both KeAndre Lambert-Smith and Amar Johnson, the outcome of watching the tape back from the preseason opener was a similar one.

It's time to get back to work for the next one.

"Me personally, I felt like I played good," Lambert-Smith said on Saturday. "I'm a hard critique on myself … going to try and build on that and take it into the next week."

Johnson added: "I just try not to ride the high too long. It's super easy to do that. I have a short-term memory about it and coming up against the Niners this Thursday. Just focus on that."

The pair of young Chargers took the podium following their pair of strong showings in Week 1 of the preseason.

The second-year receiver set the tone early and often in Houston, reeling in four receptions for 58 yards. All four catches went for first downs.

Johnson, on the other hand, racked up 85 yards from scrimmage — 68 receiving and 17 rushing — and a pair of touchdowns in Thursday's win.

With Lambert-Smith in particular, his performance was a glimpse of the growth he's had from his rookie season to now.

A full offseason later, the game seems to have slowed down a bit more.

"Mentally, things the outside can't see. Me and my mind, slowing the game down, understanding the offense better," Lambert-Smith said. "It's a new offense for everybody, but being in the playbook, understanding it, understanding defense more. Just slowing everything down.

"For some reason, when you're a rookie everything is a little faster," he added. "In Year 2, I feel like I've been here five years or something now. I feel pretty comfortable, like I'm back in college."

A Chargers 2025 fifth-round pick, the receiver played 10 games as a rookie and contributed in the kick return game as well.

And he enjoyed his first full offseason greatly, adding that he was able to gain confidence amid a scheme change under Offensive Coordinator Mike McDaniel, who he called "as good as advertised."

Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh praised Lambert-Smith after getting a chance to watch the tape, adding his biggest takeaway from his performance.

"He was our most productive receiver. Probably the thing that stood out the most was separation," Harbaugh said. "Even the ones he didn't catch he had a couple of steps on the defender.

"Across the middle, down field, working the sideline, blocking," Harbaugh added. "There was a lot of good."

The separation aspect shined on multiple occasions as he continuously found himself open during his reps.

But that was just step one, as he believes he can take even further with more opportunities.

"I feel like it's an area of improvement that I feel like I can play even faster," Lambert-Smith said. "That's something me and Sanjay [Lal] have been harping on since last year.

"Play speed, attacking the defense so I can put more separation on tape," Lambert-Smith added.

Johnson's comfort was also on display in his own way.

The running back was a standout last preseason when he was a member of the Packers and joined the Chargers practice squad in the regular season.

And heading into this year's preseason, the undrafted free agent took the lessons and confidence he's gained onto the field with his big performance.

"I think being a rookie, especially an undrafted guy, you are already in the bottom tier of the NFL," Johnson said. "I think the biggest takeaway of that is be where your feet are. I feel like I didn't enjoy it as much as I probably do now. Being able to be blessed and still be playing football.

"Coming in there and having fun with it made me comfortable," Johnson added. "I feel like that showed Thursday, I was comfortable back there, trusted my reads and see what I see."

It was noticeable from the jump as well taking his first two carries inside the redzone, scoring a touchdown on his second one.

Then later in the game, the running back took a short pass from DJ Uiagalelei for 55 yards on a catch and run, punching it in for the touchdown on the next play before adding the 2-point conversion for good measure.

"With Amar, we've been seeing the real speed," Harbaugh said. "We knew he had it in him. I don't know what's turned on, but the play speed, the game speed has really taken an inflection point, visible, noticeable.

"Probably confidence, probably coaching, probably a couple different things, experience," Harbaugh added. "It's going in a good direction for him."

Johnson credited that in a big way to running backs coach Max McCaffrey and the rest of the talented running back group, who have been pushing each other all year.

"I think Max McCaffrey has done a great job bonding with all of us," Johnson said. "You can go in that running back room and see all this laughing, giggling. We always treat each other like brothers."

He later added: "The reps they get, I mentally get those reps, the reps I get, they mentally get those reps. It's competing against each other like that and at the end of the day, it can only benefit all of us."

Johnson is ready to put that performance behind him, however, as his eyes are now set on next Thursday against the 49ers.

"Continue to stack days every single time," Johnson said. "Continue to stack on this game I had Thursday and going into next Thursday forget about it and be like, 'Hey, it's a new game. Nobody really cares what you did last week.'

"Especially being an undrafted guy, you have to be able to prove it every single day," Johnson added.

For more info on camp, check out the Chargers Training Camp Hub.