Smith connects with WR as Chiefs down Seahawks

Alex Smith made a bit of personal history on Friday night as the Kansas City Chiefs downed the Seattle Seahawks 14-13 in each team's second preseason contest.

Of the 18 touchdowns Smith tossed last season, none of them landed in the mitts of a designated wide receiver. Not even in that exhibition campaign did Smith connect with a wide-out anywhere in the vicinity of pay dirt.

Not, indeed, since the fourth day of the 2014 calendar year had Smith achieved the feat, the Chiefs' 45-44 postseason defeat at the hands of Andrew Luck's persnickety Colts. 

That all ended at the 9:56 mark of the opening quarter at Arrowhead Stadium, after Smith found Jeremy Maclin for a 3 yard touchdown to open scoring on the night, capping off an 83 yard drive that gobbled up most of the period.

Smith spearheaded what was until then a lackluster offensive effort, the Chiefs compiling eight yards in as many plays to open the game, but finished a respectable 11-of-18 over the first half on 81 yards, his scoring toss for Maclin, and what became a pick-six in the hands of Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner. 

Wagner, the new beneficiary of a four-year, $43 million contract, swung out from man coverage over center field and stepped in front of tight end James O'Shaughnessy and easily outpaced whoever was left behind in the Chiefs' formation.

A jolt of gumption is in order for the Chiefs' passing scheme, last season a unit that overall lulled around the bottom third of the league in all offensive categories. Under Smith, Kansas City was one of only four other programs to net under 200 yards through the air every Sunday and were exactly average in points scored per game (22.1). 

The man on the other end of Smith's score hopes to be the elixir for their ills in that department this fall. Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, Missouri-born, Missouri-educated, is back where he came from, joining the club in free agency after the Chiefs outbid the Eagles, his former squad, to the tune of $55 million. 

Russell Wilson ventured 15 passes for Seattle (0-2), nine of which found somebody, but the Seahawks' crew were as anemic as their hosts in moving the football. Steven Hauschka booted through two from 39 and 27 yards to make it look good.