Covitz:Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith has another tough game

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith has another tough game
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star
Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith was as frustrated as anyone in Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday.

Completing fewer than 50 percent of his passes is not acceptable. Failing to throw a touchdown pass for the second straight week is unsatisfactory.

But Smith knows the statistic by which all quarterbacks are measured:

Winning.

The Chiefs are 6-0 after Sunday’s 24-7 victory over the Oakland Raiders, and Smith, acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason, is 26-5-1 since 2011 for an 82.8 winning percentage.

Only Peyton Manning (19-3, 86.4 percent), who missed the 2011 season, has a better mark among quarterbacks with at least 10 starts in the last three seasons.

“It’s been kind of a little bit ugly the last two weeks, that’s for sure,” said Smith, who completed just 14 of 31 passes for a season-low 128 yards against the Raiders and a season-worst passer rating of just 56.9.

“We have to get better and we will. We have to, and the great thing is we got the win. We’re 6-0 and the way we played on offense can certainly get a lot better. Frustrating a little bit, but encouraging at the same time. This is the first year, and some of these things we’re going through for the first time. We have to continue to take steps.”

One explanation for Smith’s lack of production was that the Chiefs were constantly facing third-and-forever.

The Chiefs faced third and 8-or-more six times in the first half and converted just twice. Smith was sacked three times in the game, and in one possession in the second quarter, after a first-down pass went through tight end Sean McGrath’s hands, Smith had to throw consecutive passes out of bounds when he either didn’t have the time or an open receiver.

“It’s so easy to get caught up in the stats and the QB rating and all that stuff … for me, throwing it away is still the smart play,” Smith said. “We struggled getting into a rhythm, just continued to put ourselves in a hole on first and second down. We have to be better on first and second downs, and then you get into better third downs.

“They did a great job mixing it up. I felt like we never could get a read on it, on what they were doing defensively. They caught us off guard a few times. They caught me off guard.”

It’s a lot easier to throw the ball away and punt when the defense is playing as well as it has this season.

“If you’re losing, you need to start forcing the ball sometimes,” Smith said. “You saw that with (the Raiders), losing and the pressure coming and the passes went up and our defense made plays. That changed the game. A little bit of it is the battle of patience as the quarterback.

“As frustrating as it can be … yeah, I want to go out there and be perfect and throw for a bunch of yards and touchdowns, but that’s not always what it’s going to be.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid isn’t alarmed by Smith’s lack of productivity.

“He’s taking care of the football,” Reid said of Smith, who did not throw an interception Sunday. “When it counts, he makes the play. We’re winning football games, and he’s doing a nice job managing it.”

[Tribal Warfare]

Damn Alex Smith is making Alexcuses.

[AlexSmithDynasty]

Smith looked horrible, but he did not turnover the ball. Pryor's stupid backfoot throw into coverage for an easy pick was the turn of the game. Minimize mistakes and you win games.

[Iconic]

“We’re winning football games, and he’s doing a nice job managing it.”

a nice job managing it.

managing it

managing

lel.

[Mav]

Andy Reid has to stop being so stubborn. If he wants this to be more than a "Happy to be here." playoff trip, he better get Anthony Sherman in front of Jamaal Charles, establish the run, and supplement the PA passes with Alex Smith.

This style of play is not sustainable......

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Mavericks Ace

Andy Reid has to stop being so stubborn. If he wants this to be more than a "Happy to be here." playoff trip, he better get Anthony Sherman in front of Jamaal Charles, establish the run, and supplement the PA passes with Alex Smith.

This style of play is not sustainable......

It has to work two ways. To establish the run, Alex Smith has to do something to loosen up those safeties instead of forcing the entire defense to contain only the short middle of the field.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

It has to work two ways. To establish the run, Alex Smith has to do something to loosen up those safeties instead of forcing the entire defense to contain only the short middle of the field.

hmmm. its an interesting theory, but I have seen it work the other way.

You might be right though. The Chiefs oline is not the 49ers. But. I just don't know if its possible. The Chiefs passing options, are really limited outside of Bowe, and Avery. Defenses are keying on Charles.....

[HemiEd]

I like the fact that Smith didn't throw Eric Fisher under the bus.

[Down4Chiefs]

I don't mind him throwing it away,but its the bad passes that have agitated me the past couple of weeks. Over peoples heads and behind them,up until the last two games I thought he's been just fine for what we need. What I don't get is if your okay throwing it away and punting because you trust the defense. How come in certain situations you can't throw the long ball down the middle of the field and take a risk for the interception? Its not that likely a defense will return those for a pick 6,if you can move the ball into enemy territory it doesn't matter if u turn it over.Our D will either hold or probaly hold them to a field goal. Those little short passes to charles and Avery who's hands are sketchy that bounce off are in more danger of being returned after a pick. I trust the defense so much at this point id rather them open it up one game and risk the turnovers just to get the offense confidence Up.

[the Talking Can]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Damn Alex Smith is making Alexcuses.

seriously...

he basically excused himself...."well, our defense is awesome, so it's ok if I suck"

it's a bizarro world "I graded out perfectly"

[tmax63]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't the announcers say that one of the Raiders coaches had been with AS for 7 years at the 49's. If that's true then he probably knows AS better than AS does and game planned accordingly. The O had a bad game but they still beat the Raiders.

[Rasputin]

Alex Smith mad a couple great plays with his feet and got out of a sack that was dead to right he go down, but made a first down out of it. Some things he does is pretty good but he wreaks mediocrity all the way and is a dump off queen.


Need to play to his and the teams strengths. Hand the ball off to JC and do playaction pass. Limit the number of passes for Alex to about 25. Also spare JC & get some of the other running backs involved.


Until we find a passing quarterback Andy Reid passing attack is left at ground zero.

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

Until we find a passing quarterback Andy Reid passing attack is left at ground zero.

Who knows, Bray could be the answer

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Damn Alex Smith is making Alexcuses.

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

seriously...

he basically excused himself...."well, our defense is awesome, so it's ok if I suck"

it's a bizarro world "I graded out perfectly"

reading comprehension fail.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Who knows, Bray could be the answer

I thought of Bray when I typed that but he needs opportunity to show his stuff this next year preseason. Chiefs are in no obligation to give him that opportunity but I think he will do well enough in OTAs that he can earn that opportunity.


I'm not an Alex Smith fan but I don't want Chase Daniels under center for any reason.