In the cheerful moments following the Chiefs’ 27-21 win over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, quarterback Alex Smith was sure to thank his defense in the locker room.
“The two turnovers were the difference maker,” he told his teammates.
Smith played an efficient-enough game, to be sure. His statline of 17 of 24 for 214 yards and two touchdowns was nothing to sneeze at. But to beat the league’s top-ranked passing offense, one guided by a future Hall of Famer at quarterback and a well-stocked assortment of weapons, Smith also knew that the Chiefs, who improved to 4-2, had to win the turnover battle.