DENVER -- Often, when it comes to Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, the conversation begins with all the things he doesnt do.Doesnt make mistakes. Doesnt throw interceptions. Doesnt necessarily lose games for Kansas City, but doesnt really win them, either.For a difference-making hour Sunday night that could propel the Chiefs into the playoffs, Smith set all that aside and showed everyone what he does do.He drove the Chiefs 75 yards for the tying touchdown late in regulation. He took them another 46 yards to keep overtime going with a field goal. Then, finally, he moved them another 32 yards to put Kansas City in range of the winning field goal.When the kick clanked off the left upright and through, the Chiefs had a 30-27 victory over Denver and sole possession of second place in the rugged AFC West. Smiths pedestrian-looking, 220-yard, one-touchdown night? It became something to celebrate, not bemoan.People can talk, they can say what they want to say, Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston said. We believe in him in the locker room, thats all that matters.The lack of love for the 12th-year quarterback has been front and center in Kansas City virtually since the day he was traded by the 49ers to the Chiefs and landed in the same division with Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and, eventually, Derek Carr.Over his three-plus seasons in KC, Smith has compiled 37 victories and taken Kansas City (8-3) to the playoffs twice with a third trip looking likely, especially with road wins over Oakland and Denver already in the bank.There are wins, and then there are stats, and those who focus on the latter like to point out that despite Smiths 64 percent completion rate and passer rating in the 90s with Kansas City, his average yards-per-pass-play has never been over 7.4 yards, and hes at 6.6 after the Denver game. For comparisons sake, Manning averaged 6.8 yards last year, which was statistically his worst season as a pro.For more than three quarters against the Broncos, it was the Smith everyone had grown to know and tolerate in Kansas City -- not losing the game for the Chiefs, but certainly not doing anything to win it.At one point in the first half, ESPN Stats and Info tweeted that Smith had dropped back to pass 14 times and those dropbacks had netted a total of 17 yards.Over Kansas Citys first 12 possessions, Smith was 14 for 25 for 100 yards with no touchdowns -- but no interceptions, either.Over the last three, he went 12 for 19 for 120 yards. That included the game-tying touchdown and 2-point-conversion pass, a drive for a field goal to tie the game in overtime, then another for a 3-pointer to win it.Youre playing faster from the tempo and playing faster at the line, Smith said when asked to explain the desperation turnaround. With that, I think our rhythm comes.But about that first three or so quarters: Theres a lot to learn from that perspective.There have been questions -- still mostly whispers -- about Smiths long-term viability as Kansas Citys answer at quarterback. He has two years left on his contract and is scheduled to earn a $2 million roster bonus in 2017.Smith missed Kansas Citys Nov. 6 game with a concussion and since his return two weeks ago, nobody had been overwhelmed. He struggled to only 178 yards passing against the Panthers in a 20-17 win, then threw a costly interception in a 19-17 loss to Tampa Bay. He hasnt cracked the 300-yard mark since opening day against San Diego, when he engineered the biggest comeback in team history, from 21 points down for the win.But that felt like long, long ago, especially after two games that brought questions about whether Smith had fully recovered from the concussion. After the Denver win, the quarterback suggested his most recent performances may have had as much to do with the quality of the defenses he faced as his health.Neither of those defenses was as good as Denvers. Smith, who got sacked six times and hit eight more while throwing Sunday night, showed himself to be one of the few quarterbacks who could shrug off the punishment the Broncos deliver, then stand tall and pick them apart.Bottom line, says his coach: Forget the stats and focus on the scoreboard.I have respect for the guy, Andy Reid said. Very unappreciated outside these walls. ... Everybody is down on him but he comes through and he shows his mental toughness and pushes through. Cheap Liverpool Jerseys China . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. Cheap Barcelona Jerseys China . 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CLEMSON, S.C. -- North Carolina State is seeking to turn the Atlantic Coast Conference from a runaway into a free-for-all this season.Halfway through the season, third-ranked Clemson (6-0, 3-0 ACC) is a heavy favorite to win its second straight ACC title and earn another berth in the College Football Playoffs.But the Tigers path is shrouded with potential speed bumps -- starting with North Carolina State (4-1, 1-0) on Saturday.- Florida State has Oct. 29 circled on its calendar; thats when the No. 14 Seminoles host the Tigers in Tallahassee. Clemson is just 1-11 in its past 12 visits to Florida State.- ACC newcomers Syracuse and Pittsburgh bring feisty attitudes in seeking their first victories at Death Valley next month.- Clemson wraps up its season at Wake Forest, which has been a house of horrors and crusher of Tiger dreams through the years.The Tigers are saying all the right things about the possible pitfalls.Its a long season and a lot of football left, Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson said.Clemson seized control of the ACC two weeks ago with its dramatic, 42-36 win against Louisville and Heisman Trophy favorite Lamar Jackson.Still, college football history is filled with sure bets that went bust in some of the unlikeliest ways.Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher, his teams ACC chances last year cut down on an unlikely kick-six TD by struggling Georgia Tech , isnt abandoning hope of a title run by his two-loss team.Fisher believes even the best teams in the conference must scratch and claw for victory most weeks.Thats what the ACC has become, the coach said.Nearly everyone has a chance.In the Atlantic Division, Wake Forest and Louisville are one-loss ACC teams hoping for a Clemson to get upset.In the Coastal, once a mish-mosh of middling teams -- at this point two years ago all seven teams in the division looked like they could finish 4-4 -- perennial powers Miami and Virginia Tech are scrapping for the top.The 17th-ranked Hokies (4-1, 2-0) and new coach Justin Fuente won a showdown game at North Carolina last week and will try and keep things going at Syracuse this week.Virginia and new coach Bronco Mendenhall, also without a league loss in the Coastal, shook off an 0-3 start to win two straight.We got to keep rolling, Virginia nose tackle Donte Wilkins said. We got two good ones back to back, trying to make it three, trying to take over the ACC.No. 16 Miaami, North Carolina and Pitt are right behind Virginia Tech and Virginia with one ACC loss -- and lots of optimism about their title hopes.dddddddddddd.We still have our dream of an ACC championship, Pitt quarterback Nathan Peterman said. It is not in our hands, exactly. But in a sense it is, because we have to go out there and win the rest.They face long odds: No Coastal Division team has won the ACC title since Georgia Tech in 2009.Clemsons road to the title game in Orlando, Florida continues Saturday with defensive minded North Carolina State, which slogged out a 10-3 win over Notre Dame last week in the midst of Hurricane Matthew.Were dealing with a 4-1 record right now and moving on to be 5-1, Wolfpack defensive end Kentavius Street said.If they are able to win their fifth game of the North Carolina State is eighth in the country in yards allowed -- and its group of all senior and junior starters wants to wipe away the odor of allowing 97 points and 1,116 yards the past two blowout losses to Clemson.I think were better than weve been, North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren said.Florida State knows something about that.The Seminoles (4-2, 1-2) looked finished after its 63-20 drubbing at Louisville last month, but have revived their ACC title hopes after a 20-19 win over Miami on Saturday night.We took a step forward, Seminoles tailback Dalvin Cook said of the Miami win, and well keep going from there.Theyll face the pesky Demon Deacons (5-1, 2-1) on Saturday before taking a week off to get ready for Clemson.The Tigers have had trouble at Wake Forest, where they are just 4-3 since 2003. Their last loss in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in 2008 led to the ouster of coach Tommy Bowden and elevation of young receivers coach Dabo Swinney to head coach.Swinney, who has won 23 of his last 24 wins, is mindful of the ACC minefield awaiting his program the next month and a half.The Clemson coach said he doesnt know if this is the strongest the ACC has been during his tenure, saying other people have to answer that.Swinney does know one thing about winning in the ACC these days: Its hard.---AP Sports Writers Jimmy Golen in Boston, Hank Kurz in Richmond, Virginia, and Joedy McCreary in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report. ' ' '