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Originally Posted by Jakemall
Partly true. Remember when he earned his job back from Hill? He was throwing it down field and everyone was talking about "wow, where'd this Alex come from?" and then it vanished again..probably coached down as they went back to up the middle 3 times and a cloud of dust.
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But I don't think Alex was ever coached down. I think, there are times Alex has his back to the wall and quits thinking -- and suddenly he is a GREAT QB. But those times are fleeting. Most of the time he over-thinks, plays it safe, and the regresses back to Good Alex, the mediocre 15-20th ranked QB.
I don't think it is coaching down at all. I think it is just Alex's nature.
Maybe Andy will bring the will to attack out of Alex. If he does, Alex will be a very good QB indeed. I just wouldn't expect to see a dramatic mental change in Alex in year 9 of his career. A game or 2 sure, but not overall.
Last year, he grew a bit. He attacked well game 1 vs. the Packers. He really went after them. In the Bills game, he really attacked -- although I still maintain that the DBs were not in press coverge and played off his receivers. Alex has never had a problem launching it deep to isolated receivers -- it is when there is a DB in the proximity that he seems to balk and check down rather than challenge that DB deep. At least Flacco slightly overthrows his receivers so either they get it or nobody does. Alex doesn't even make the attempt on those -- well, at least, he didn't. We'll see going forward.
Anyway, vs. Packers & Lions, Alex attacked pretty good. Really attacked vs. Bills. Then he had a terrible game vs. Giants and what happened? Vs. Seattle, he just crawled back in his shell and played it safe, and still ended up screwing the pooch. I hate to use the "K" word, but Kaepernick has the good pitchers mentality. You give up a home run, but you come right back with heat right down the middle. You don't dwell on the home run or start walking guys.
Alex is like the pitcher that gets rattled every time he gives up a home run, so instead he paints the corners. On his good days he hits the plate. On his bad days, he walks in the winning run. But he doesn't have that mentality of attacking the batter -- just jamming fastballs down his throat down and in, make the batter accept the challenge.
That is just how I see Alex. A very good, VERY smart, mobile, competent passer who just lacks the killer instinct to get to the next level. He is a good, mid-pack QB who will win 12 games on a good team and give you some chance to navigate the playoffs. What he won't do is put the team on his back and raise the play of everyone around him.
You know what you are getting with Alex. Good luck with him! I really like the guy -- he is a solid QB and a stellar person. Jim would call him a "gold helmet" guy. Look how much class and grace he showed handled the benching.
Still, "show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser." Joe Montana wouldn't even talk to Steve Young and we all know how Joe Cool played the game.