KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Alex Smith looked down at his phone in the middle of the Chiefs locker room, moments after leading his team to its franchise-record 10th straight victory.
“Just checking messages,” he said with a grin.
Not checking scores.
Turns out, Smith already knew that Denver had knocked off San Diego to deny Kansas City the AFC West title.
But with their 23-17 victory over the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, the Chiefs managed to keep their unprecedented roll going into their playoff opener in Houston next weekend.
“This week it would have been easy, clinch last week on that emotional high, to have a lull,” said Smith, who threw two TD passes against the Raiders.