AND we need him to show continues growth.

Why? Franchise tag him for two years after this year. No reason to give him a new contract right now. Call it good.

If anybody should be in talks for a new contract, it should be Jamaal Charles.

That's the truth. A "what the ****?!?" moment to be sure.

You want to pay him 16 million for a year? Brilliant.

That would be a mega-expensive franchise tag.

Flip side:

If he regresses at all or can't sustain his play from the second half of the season over a full year, and the contract is done before then, it is a costly mistake (if there is not an easy out).

I continue to be amazed that people praise Alex Smith so much for this play.

He did his job on this play and delivered the throw ... but you SHOULD expect ANY NFL QB to make that throw when his WR has toasted the defender by 5-6 steps.

The great part of this play was Avery toasting the DB, not the delivery of the ball.

That's a throw ANY competent NFL QB makes (and before you reference Matt Cassel, remember I said COMPETENT).

You want to pay him for Five years for just as much?

That was just one of many great plays that game, just say you don't like him and probably never will... that way atleast people know where you're always going to be coming from when discussing Smith.

Hey...wait a minute...

I thought Alex Smith sucks and always will. WTH is going on here? :p

I thought it was an absolute perfect throw. How many times throughout the years have we seen Chiefs QB's either under-throw or over-throw that exact play? Yeah Avery burnt the DB but Alex hooked it up.

More shcked Avery caught it...

Chiefs should see how he plays the first half of the year-if he is sucking then let him move on.

Hopefully we draft a QB this year.

He made a lot of great plays in that game. And a lot of plays he was criticized (by me, by others, by people in san Francisco) for NOT trying to make in the past. The nice TD throw to Knile Davis, the Favre-esque flip to Sherman, stand out in that regard.

I just think it's odd that people look at that throw and think it's a "great play" ... when the guy he's throwing to is SO wide open, any QB in the NFL should be able to hit him for a TD. Making throws to guys with 2-3+ steps downfield and no safety help behind them has never been a criticism of Alex.

I've got no problem with extending Alex Smith. It makes sense. I think the money, years, and structure of the contract are important, because the Chiefs have to UPGRADE the talent on both sides of the ball around him to get where we all want to see them go.

I'm optimistic about his growth and future here, but still cautiously optimistic in that regard. His play from the Chargers game on was solidly top half of the NFL QB play. Still not elite, but in that next range.

Would love to see that play out over a full season, because it's good for my team. Just not completely sold on a 6-game sample size.

This.