The Sports Xchange

KANSAS CITY — One good night in the preseason does not an offense make, but after the Kansas City Chiefs threw four touchdown passes and picked up more than 400 yards in a 34-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans last Friday, the coaching staff was breathing easier.

Head coach Andy Reid’s No. 1 offense scored 17 points on its first three possessions, with Alex Smith throwing a pair of touchdown passes. Whether it was throwing the ball or running with Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis, the Chiefs’ offense took on a totally different look to what they showed in the preseason’s first two games.

“This was probably more of what we kind of do,” said Reid. “Those other two games, we were just trying to force the ball down the field; there were some things I wanted to look at there. In the second game, we forced the screen-game in and I wanted to make sure we got a look at that with the new linemen.

“What we needed to get better at was to get the offense rolling a little bit. This was a little bit more the kind of rhythm that we play in and the plays that we use.”

One of the major problems with the offense in the preseason has been the offensive line. Smith was under heavy pressure throwing the ball and there was little room for the running game to move the ball. Against the Titans, the Chiefs kept Smith’s jersey clean, not allowing a sack and giving him time to look over his potential receivers. That helped him complete 16 of 18 passes with touchdown passes of 29 yards to wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and eight yards to tight end Travis Kelce.

“(It) was a good look I think; it was what we are when we are playing good,” said Smith. “We got a lot of different playmakers on the field, distributed the football and we weren’t doing anything crazy. You know, just kind of getting the ball in the playmakers’ hands and they all made plays. Offensive line did great. We did a lot with them – we kept balance and spread the ball around. I think this was a good example of who we are.”

Going into the start of training camp, the spotlight was on the Chiefs’ offense, as it tried to bounce back from a poor performance last season. There have been changes and additions, but the constant is Smith taking the snaps and Reid calling the plays on game day and helping coordinator Doug Pederson develop the offensive plan.

“He just has such a good feel for everybody,” Smith said of his head coach. “We joke about it out here, but coach doesn’t miss anything on the practice field. He doesn’t need the tape. I think he has such a good feel for all of us, for what we do well, things we like, things that fit us and that fit the bigger picture as a whole.

“We all kind of have to fit together to make it work and he’s good at doing that. I think the thing that’s most impressive is that it’s not cookie-cutter. It’s always changing, always evolving, always coming up with new things. It is kind of custom-(built) for us.”

–The Chiefs settled on a new long snapper for the kicking game, keeping first-year snapper James Winchester out of the University of Oklahoma and releasing undrafted rookie Andrew East from Vanderbilt.

“I think they’re both really good,” said Reid. “I think what it came down to was just the velocity of Winchester. He was just a hair faster, but they came out so equal it was crazy. We would have been happy with either one of them … I think both of them are going to snap in this league.”

Notes: Tight end Demetrius Harris (foot surgery) was activated from the PUP list and took part in the team’s practice on Monday. … Wide receiver Albert Wilson (sprained AC, right shoulder) is unlikely to play in the finale against St. Louis. … Running back Charcandrick West (concussion in Friday night’s preseason game against Tennessee) is unlikely to play against the Rams. … Left tackle Eric Fisher continues to rehab his sprained MCL, an injury he suffered on Aug. 17 in practice.