Jaworski rates Chiefs QB at No. 20 among NFL starters
 

Jaworski rates Chiefs QB at No. 20 among NFL starters

The Kansas City Star
Former NFL quarterback-turned-broadcaster Ron Jaworski ranks new Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith No. 20 among the NFL's 32 starting quarterbacks.

That's according to Jaworski's ratings on ESPN's MediaZone site, transcribed from his three-minute daily segments dubbed "Jaws' QB Countdown" on SportsCenter and NFL Live.

Smith, of course, was acquired in a trade from San Francisco this offseason, and has yet to throw a pass in Kansas City (aside from OTAs, that is).

Here are some excerpts from Jaworski's evaluation of Smith:

“A year ago, Smith was coming off his best season in the NFL, having led the 49ers to the NFC Championship. This year, he’s the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. It was a great move by (Chiefs coach) Andy Reid to acquire Smith.

“The defining element of Smith’s play is efficiency. He executes the offense the way it’s designed, and he makes very few mistakes. Last season – for the second year in a row – he was exceptional on first down. In 2012 he led the NFL in first-down passing, with a quarterback rating of 119. Much of it came off play-action, or in the case of the 49ers, hard run-action out of base personnel. There was no better play-action quarterback last season than Smith. He had a quarterback rating of over 132.

“Smith has been outstanding out of multiple tight end personnel over the last couple of seasons. No quarterback has thrown the ball more with three tight ends on the field. You don’t see that very often in today’s NFL.

“This play was beautifully designed with all three tight ends to the same side. First, look at the impact of the run-action on the two linebackers and the safety. This was hard run-action. Then you see that Delanie Walker’s vertical route occupied the corner. That left Vernon Davis matched on a safety, a safety that initially reacted to run. He had no chance on Davis’ wheel route.

“One area Smith improved in 2012 was in the pre-snap phase of the game. He was much better at the line of scrimmage checking and audibling.

“It will be interesting to see what Andy Reid does in Kansas City. Don’t be surprised if he turns Smith loose a little bit and features an up-tempo offense with an emphasis on quick throws. Remember, Alex Smith played for Urban Meyer at Utah.”

Other QB's that Jaworski has analyzed so far:

No. 32 Matt Flynn

No. 31 Jake Locker

No. 30 Kevin Kolb

No. 29 Chad Henne

No. 28 Mark Sanchez

No. 27 Christian Ponder

No. 26 Brandon Weeden

No. 25 Michael Vick

No. 24 Ryan Tannehill

No. 23 Carson Palmer

No. 22 Sam Bradford

No. 21 Josh Freeman

IF all the other QB's left under him on this list play better, which means they all score more points than the Chiefs....KC will have a really poor season.

I think they will be better than this.

It's about right. Its better than having 32 and 33 last year in Cassel and Quinn.

Except for Freeman and maybe Bradford that's a depressing list.

Where is gabbert?

I'll say it first:

If Smith stays healthy, he'll break into the top ten, or close, in Reid's offense.

Henne is starting in this league still?

Haha, Alex Smith. I have a hard time caring with him as our leader....already wanting this era to end...

This is a pivotal year for Bradford. The Rams have compiled the necessities he needs to be successful. No excuses if he sux teh penis this year.

Homer.

Couldn't crack the 32

He was at home, studying for his Wonderlic test.

He fell into a bottomless pit

Jaws used Henne as the Jaguars starter.

I still like Sam Bradford in this league. Austin and Bailey are going to help a LOT.

There is probably more pressure on that kid to succeed this year than anyone.

For some reason...I haven't given up on Jake Locker yet. I don't know if I've just caught him on his "good days," but I've watched a little bit of him here and there because he was my fantasy backup QB... I dunno, from what I've seen, he's shown flashes of being someone who shouldn't 100% be disregarded.

I think it's actually spelt 'Jacksonville'.

he went to Jared.

Hurry Alex Smith white knights! Defend your king!

Nothing like having a c+ grade quarterback to lead your team to a wild card playoff game for a loss.

What was the other option again?

Drafting a qb

Who?

Lets trade the highest draft picks we will ever have for a bottom feeder QB. That should get us at least a 6 and 10 record. We also have the added benefit of kicking our fans in the nuts one more time.

We didn't trade the highest draft pick.

You got to be kidding me right. It doesn't matter who just drafting a QB in the 1st or better yet 1st overall is the only way to solve our QB problem. It doesn't matter about quality. The Chiefs need to be Nike and "Just do it"

Maybe Glennon or Barkley in the 3rd
I wasnt a Geno fan so I get not taking him high

I would put Freeman, Bradford, and Tannehill ahead of Smith. But, it's about right.

That's not a plan. Just drafting a QB at one regardless of who isn't a plan.

Frankly, I like Bray more than Glennon.

The irony is Smith is rated higher than several QB's that has we drafted CP would be super happy with.

For example most of CP believes we would be better off with Josh Freeman who is ranked lower than Smith, but hey it would still be better because you know, we would have drafted him.

Worse QB that you daft > better QB you trade for/ CP

The reality is in the end it doesn't matter as long as you have the best possible option available to you as your QB and that's what Smith is at this time.

Had we drafted Smith CP would think he was good enough.

Jaws: Alex Smith Sucks

I like how Jaws ranks him 20th, then proceeds to describe him as if he were the second coming for the entire article.

That's a pretty fair ranking and one I agree with completely.

The issue with Alex Smith is not just the Chiefs not drafting a QB this year... it's the price they paid making it difficult to draft a QB next year as well. And that's assuming they don't tether themselves to Alex Smith for more than just the two years they have him.

The Chiefs gave up a LOT to be mediocre/respectable this season. Yes, it's nice that Andy Reid won't tie himself to Smith if he is just OK and will move on after two seasons if necessary... but if that ends up being the case, the Chiefs surrendered FAR too much compensation for him.

He talks about Smith & 9ers using 3 TE formations. Are the Chiefs going duct tape bubble wrap around Tony Moeaki this year so he can play?

The genie will help with that...

http://cdn.ispot.tv/image/ad/7oad~8~620.jpg

Also, I imagine 3 TE formations are a lot more effective/viable when you have a freak like Vernon Davis at one of those spots. Last I checked, the Chiefs were missing that type of guy.

Alright, so Joe Flacco should be next on this list since some of our resident CP geniuses think Flacco = Smith.

I'm interested to see what we have in Demetrius Harris.

Even at 20, he's a huge improvement over Cassel.

Yes, the two undrafted FAs will save the Chiefs! Chances are excellent.

Step 1: Sign Tyler Bray
Step 2: Sign Demtrius Harris
Step 3: Profit (Win Super Bowl!)

I agree. Jaws heaps alot of praise for a 20. I have my hopes up, too. The rating sounds right ,IMO.

I don't care where they come from. You'd have been more behind them if we took Bray in the 3rd and Harris in the 5th or something. Dumb.

Who said anything about them saving the Chiefs? I think the have potential. But I'm crazy, right? Undrafted players just can't make it in the NFL.

Not at all the case.

I just think it's funny how many hopes so many are pinning on a couple of UDFA, whose rate of success/impact in the NFL is incredibly low.

19. Andy Dalton
18. Cam Newton

I am not a Freeman fan, and would not have been happy with a trade to acquire him either.

That said, I would be less unhappy with that trade.
He is still young, and if he started to really grow and became a top 10-12 Q, he would open an 8 year realistic window for this team.

As I've mentioned before, only 4 SBs have been won by QBs over the age of 33.

I am not entirely against the idea of trading for a QB, but trading for a 29 year old QB reaa

To finish the thought, trading for a 29 year old QB limits you to about a 4 year window realisticly.

lets hope to ****ing **** we dont go a mediocre 7-9 or 8-8 and they consider that "improvement" and give him an extension passed next year

I hope they let his contract run out, that's a quick and painless 2 years and we can move on to anything else

He should be #200

There aren't 17 QBs better than Cam Newton.

Oh yes there are.

The 17 he has left NFC first:

Brees
Ryan

Wilson
Kaep

Cutler
Rodgers
Stafford

Romo
RG III
E. Manning

AFC:

Luck
Schaub

Rivers
P. Manning

Big Ben
Flacco

Brady

No way I take Flacco, Stafford, Schaub, Cutler or Eli over Cam thats crazy.

I wouldn't take Stafford or Cutler over Cam. I certainly would take Flacco and Eli in a minute. Schaub I'm undecided on.

So you want a QB who lives off of jump balls.

Not me, go back and watch Flacco and Eli in the playoffs and tell me LUCK wasn't the reason they won.

Eli is so ****ing overrated it's amazing, but you know what they say "sometimes its better to be lucky than good."

Every one of them is better than Newton's been, to date.

Way too low

yea Flaccos efficient playoff run of 11 touchdowns and no picks

pure luck

lol

ROFL

neither is randomly grabbing a semi-available QB because nothing else is available

it's like taking home a 3 because the bar is closing and you admit you are too desperate to wait until tomorrow to have a chance at an 8

I despise the idea of having Smith as our QB but I would LOVE to hear how those 3 are better.

I understand and I am not saying that is what we should do. But it is what most on here think we should do every year.

Jaws is a dumbass

So Flacco's Efficiency is good, but Smith is a Game Manger is BAD.

Got super duper logic there Dude, nice work.

it took Flacco like 4 games to throw 11 touchdowns

it takes Alex Smith 16 games to throw 18 touchdowns

....

stupid post is stupid

Alex Smith. 2 playoff games. 5 TD passes. 0 INT's.


:hmmm:

So you are really saying that there is a significant difference there?

Player Att Comp Yds Comp TD INT
Joe F 531 317 3,817 59.7 7.2 22 10
2011
Alex S 445 273 3,144 61.3 7.1 17 5

I was being a smartass. You know all of those whinny little pussies that think we should have taken a mid to late round QB with the #1 overall. That is what those stupid ****s have been saying for years.
They don't care about who or how good. They just want us to draft one. **** it is their attitude. That is what is stupid Laz!

Jaws should know full well about mediocre Chiefs QB's.

I think most of the reasonable guys who are anti-Alex Smith trade have a stance that is different than this.

Basically, that a shot a mediocrity with Alex Smith in 2013 and 2014 is less desirable than taking a shot with a QB who can potentially be better than 15-22nd best in the NFL.

Disliking the price given up for Alex Smith is not just about passing on a QB in Rnds. 1, 2, 3 in this year's draft. It's also about how much more difficult it will make it to acquire a QB early in next year's draft.

Not in position to take the guy you want because your team went 7-9 or 8-8, Andy Reid? Good luck moving up for that QB without your 2nd/3rd round pick.

That's not to mention the fear the Chiefs will commit to Alex Smith long-term before he proves he can be more than an average game manager that can't win playoff games (unless he's playing the 31st D in the NFL).

Jaws never cared for Alex. Last year he had him ranked at 15th?

Top 4 not sure which order:

Brady
Brees
Manning
Rodgers

15 or 16, yeah.

Cam has 8000 yards, 1400 yards rushing, 62 total touchdowns and 29 INTs.

His first two years are better than just about every QB in the league.

Those are the only QBs I'd take over Cam.

15 or 16 sounds right.

Says in this link that his ranking was 16 last season.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2013/7...ion-chris-ault

[Sounds alarm to cue something important] Play-action! Keep that in mind. Smith is excellent at play-action. The Chiefs hired Chris Ault, the grandfather of the pistol, a formation in which the play-action pass could be very effective. Think play-action with Chris Ault. It's not all about the pistol. The play-action will only work with a guy like Jamaal Charles back there. Think how effective that could be.

Interesting note that Smith has been "outstanding" with multiple tight end personnel. The Chiefs have multiple tight ends who will see the field. If those tight ends can block AND catch, it helps sell that play-action.

I'm to the point, as a Chiefs fan, where I just want to see them not screw it up. Don't care so much about going for the jugular or things like that. I just want them to not screw it up. Don't look bad. Don't go 2-14. Just look like a normal dang team. Is it bad that my expectations have lowered like that?

I would LOVE to see an up-tempo offense that excels at short throws. Efficiency is the name of the game and that's where Smith makes his money. The Chiefs traded for him partially because he was so accurate, so you may as well put him in the best position possible to highlight that accuracy. An up tempo offense, focusing on quick throws and our guy Jamaal Charles ... I'm getting excited.

woo hoo ... our QB is bottom 3rd!!



PBJ

This team is going to surprise some folks this year