Chiefs film room: Alex Smith, let it fly

In our final play, this is an example of Smith going deep but needing to be more accurate in a big spot. The Chiefs have Wilson wide left and Conley in the slot with Kelce tight left. Ware is in the backfield while Maclin is fairly tight right. First offensive drive of the game.

Houston is playing a zone/man combo. It’s third and 14, so the Texans are looking to keep everything underneath. Instead, they failed miserably.

The offensive line does a great job and Wilson puts on a sweet double move at the top of his route. He’s won, and he has won significantly. To Smith’s credit, he sees that and goes for broke. If Smith’s throw is good, this is an easy touchdown and a 14-0 lead on the road in a playoff game.

That close. If the ball is another foot toward Wilson, it is perfect. Wilson has his man beaten by a solid 3-4 yards and could jog into the end zone. Instead, Smith misses a target that in this league, could not be more open.

Ultimately, Smith did a better job of stretching the field last season. He took some shots, even ones into very tight coverage. It was a huge step for the 32-year-old, who has long been painted as a game manager.

If the Chiefs want to win the Super Bowl this season, he will have to keep slinging.