Quote:
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut
Indeed there is.
Why do you believe Alex Smith is the latter?
We've seen Smith's mentality through college and his early years in SF - he's not terrified of the downfield pass. In college he was quite the bomber, actually.
He's been coached very heavily to work underneath now. Now that's arguably because of his downfield passing limitations, but it is what it is.
Smith's not a turtling little bitch that looks to check-down first. He's a guy that runs an offense where it's primary passing game is built around 2 big, strong guys that run short routes all day.
Smith's absolutely "a QB running an offense where the short yardage guy is the primary option"
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this is why Alex Smith is the king of checkdowns
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/players/9274/gamelog
Look at Michael Crabtree's production after the bye week when Colin Kaepernick came in, more targets, receptions, Yards Per Reception ****ing sky rocketed, touchdowns, etc
Colin is not afraid to sling into the WR1 and Alex Smith absolutely is gunshy on his first read, that the best WR on the team suffered a lack of targets and production because ole Alex needs his WR to be wide open for him to make that gamble, so he would rather just go right to his Frank Gore blanket or Vernon Davis working the middle zone. And teams give him that, because Vernon Davis at 6-10 yards and Frank Gore in the flats is easier for a defense to give/cover and thus, harder for the 49ers to convert 3rd downs into first downs. Colin Kaepernick was pushing the ball to the best WR on the team down field with his arm strength, something Alex Smith can not, and will not be able to do.
So enjoy those 8 yard passes to Dwayne Bowe and 400 dump offs to Dexter McCluster for 2 yards when a LBer looks at him and he falls down