Getty Former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith
The 36-35 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2 has some Kansas City Chiefs fans worrying about the defending AFC champions’ ability to appear in a third straight Super Bowl. While there are several reasons for fans to be concerned about how good this season’s Chiefs squad really is, there are just as many reasons — if not more — as to why Kansas City can turn things around after a rough outing against a banged-up Ravens squad on Sunday Night Football.
That’s why former Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith believes the “sky is falling” mentality some Kansas City fans have as the NFL enters Week 3 is “a bit crazy,” based on his conversation with the Arrowhead Addict Podcast.
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Smith, Basically: R-E-L-A-X
Smith tried to calm the nerves of Chiefs fans when told that some of them are worried that the sky is falling after a night in which Kansas City’s defense was gashed and a late-game fumble on offense put an end to an overall bad night for the Chiefs.
“[They’re] one fluke fumble away from being 2-0 against two playoff teams,” Smith told the FanSided podcast. “The second one was on the road last night in a hostile environment. Like I said, one play, one fluke play, and everybody being really happy at this point.”
Smith also reassured Chiefs Kingdom that he believes Kansas City has what it takes to turn things around on defense.
“I think knowing what kind of leader Spags is, knowing the kind of leader Tyrann Mathieu is on that side of the ball, I think they’re going to get it figured out,” Smith explained. “I think you do have to give a lot of credit to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. They lost opening week. It was a must-win game for them. I don’t know if you guys saw in the locker room post-game, John Harbaugh and his comments…that was about as big as a must-win game you get in Week 2 ever in the NFL. They really had their backs up against the wall, which is crazy to say two weeks in.”
Overall, Smith believes some fans are overreacting to what they saw against Baltimore.
“I don’t think it’s cause for overreaction in Kansas City,” he said. “I think Spags and that side of the ball are going to get it figured out. And I think the offense is so good that really the defensive side of the ball needs to be opportunistic. They need to make plays here and there. They need to make stops, create turnovers. I think you saw that last night. I don’t think that it wasn’t there.”
Is Smith Right?
Yes, Smith is right. But that doesn’t mean Kansas City fans shouldn’t be a bit disappointed by what they’ve seen so far from the Chiefs.
Heading into the season it looked like the Kansas City defense was in line to have a great season thanks to a bunch of talent and depth at each position. However, the talent, depth, and money spent on that side of the football haven’t quite translated to success on the field this season outside of a few turnovers, some of which came at opportune times in Week 1. Through two weeks of the regular season, the defense ranks last in the league in rushing yards allowed (404), rushing touchdowns allowed (seven), and most yards per rush allowed (6.0), per NFL on CBS.
The defense will have a chance to prove many of us wrong in Week 3 when the Chiefs host the divisional rival Los Angeles Chargers, who have an offense that ranks fifth in the league in total yards per game (416.0) through two weeks, per ESPN.
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Alex Smith Delivers Message to Chiefs Fans Worrying After Week 2 Loss