Michael Silver- Why no love for Alex Smith

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by scott free

I think much of the disrespect he gets is due to people not recognizing just how important not turning the ball over can be, turnovers demoralize the entire team and leave the defense with their dick in their hands.

In many ways, its every bit as important as huge scoring plays... don't give the enemy extra chances, its huge and its a huge reason for his record the last three years.

A QB whose primary asset is ball protection will win a LOT of regular season games when paired with a good or great defense. There's no doubt about that, and the 90s in KC are a great example of that.

I think the disrespect Alex Smith gets is because he avoids making a lot of plays that would be the difference between his teams being great regular season teams and great postseason teams. People respect - and covet - QBs who make plays in the postseason and lead their team in that regard.

Just protecting the ball and letting the D, ST and run game win the game is not enough against elite teams, and most NFL fans and writers realize that.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

A QB whose primary asset is ball protection will win a LOT of regular season games when paired with a good or great defense. There's no doubt about that, and the 90s in KC are a great example of that.

I think the disrespect Alex Smith gets is because he avoids making a lot of plays that would be the difference between his teams being great regular season teams and great postseason teams. People respect - and covet - QBs who make plays in the postseason and lead their team in that regard.

Just protecting the ball and letting the D, ST and run game win the game is not enough against elite teams, and most NFL fans and writers realize that.

Look, no one i've ever seen defend Smythe thinks he shouldn't be trying harder to hit bigger plays, trying harder to find the open man past 10 yards, but it becomes a chicken or the egg scenario... if he starts attempting too many passes he isn't sure of, that leads to turnovers, at that point he isn't the ball control QB he tries to be.

We have a guy who knows his limitations, he knows he cant thread the needle 20-30 yards downfield very often like a handful of other guys... so he doesn't try it that much... he tries to play within himself, play to his strengths.

That isn't usually very sexy, but it IS a winning formula when paired with a good defense, i just don't get why its so hard to accept it for what it is and enjoy it on its own merits... if i could have a MAD BOMBER who didn't make dumb decisions i'd take him in a heartbeat, but for now, we have a smart and athletic QB who can win games.

Is it easier for a guy like that in the regular season, of course, most of the defenses aren't playoff caliber, but saying its all doom, all day in the playoffs is pure baloney... don't **** your killer defense, lead just enough clutch drives, and you CAN win playoff games that way.

I realize this post changes no opinions, but it is true... 2-14 to 9-0... anyone who thinks the QB isn't a big part of that is biased beyond repair.

[Red Dawg]

Originally Posted by scott free

Look, no one i've ever seen defend Smythe thinks he shouldn't be trying harder to hit bigger plays, trying harder to find the open man past 10 yards, but it becomes a chicken or the egg scenario... if he starts attempting too many passes he isn't sure of, that leads to turnovers, at that point he isn't the ball control QB he tries to be.

We have a guy who knows his limitations, he knows he cant thread the needle 20-30 yards downfield very often like a handful of other guys... so he doesn't try it that much... he tries to play within himself, play to his strengths.

That isn't usually very sexy, but it IS a winning formula when paired with a good defense, i just don't get why its so hard to accept it for what it is and enjoy it on its own merits... if i could have a MAD BOMBER who didn't make dumb decisions i'd take him in a heartbeat, but for now, we have a smart and athletic QB who can win games.

Is it easier for a guy like that in the regular season, of course, most of the defenses aren't playoff caliber, but saying its all doom, all day in the playoffs is pure baloney... don't **** your killer defense, lead just enough clutch drives, and you CAN win playoff games that way.

I realize this post changes no opinions, but it is true... 2-14 to 9-0... anyone who thinks the QB isn't a big part of that is biased beyond repair.

You are correct but in the playoffs it is not realistic to lean on your defense to much. We have seen this before in the old days. Alex must get the ball in the end zone for us to get the one seed and win a playoff game.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Tuckdaddy

You are correct but in the playoffs it is not realistic to lean on your defense to much. We have seen this before in the old days. Alex must get the ball in the end zone for us to get the one seed and win a playoff game.

Win or lose this sunday, Axl will look sharp... betcha anything.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by scott free

Look, no one i've ever seen defend Smythe thinks he shouldn't be trying harder to hit bigger plays, trying harder to find the open man past 10 yards, but it becomes a chicken or the egg scenario... if he starts attempting too many passes he isn't sure of, that leads to turnovers, at that point he isn't the ball control QB he tries to be.

We have a guy who knows his limitations, he knows he cant thread the needle 20-30 yards downfield very often like a handful of other guys... so he doesn't try it that much... he tries to play within himself, play to his strengths.

That isn't usually very sexy, but it IS a winning formula when paired with a good defense, i just don't get why its so hard to accept it for what it is and enjoy it on its own merits... if i could have a MAD BOMBER who didn't make dumb decisions i'd take him in a heartbeat, but for now, we have a smart and athletic QB who can win games.

Is it easier for a guy like that in the regular season, of course, most of the defenses aren't playoff caliber, but saying its all doom, all day in the playoffs is pure baloney... don't **** your killer defense, lead just enough clutch drives, and you CAN win playoff games that way.

I realize this post changes no opinions, but it is true... 2-14 to 9-0... anyone who thinks the QB isn't a big part of that is biased beyond repair.

You're leaving out two key things:

1) "In the regular season..." The QB you're describing can be successful in the regular season, but there is an expiration date on the effectiveness of this approach.

2) Alex Smith's problem isn't that he avoids passes he isn't sure of... it's that he isn't sure of FAR too many passes. When everyone who watches All-22 (or is watching receivers downfield live, from up top) comments that Alex Smith is leaving a LOT of open plays and throws out there for no reason, that's a legitimate problem. It's not just a matter of protecting the ball. It's a matter of focusing SO much on protecting the football you neglect easy chances.

And it's not like he can't physically make the plays or throws. He can. He's just, to put it frankly, chicken shit, when it comes to throwing the ball.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

You're leaving out two key things:

1) "In the regular season..." The QB you're describing can be successful in the regular season, but there is an expiration date on the effectiveness of this approach.

2) Alex Smith's problem isn't that he avoids passes he isn't sure of... it's that he isn't sure of FAR too many passes. When everyone who watches All-22 (or is watching receivers downfield live, from up top) comments that Alex Smith is leaving a LOT of open plays and throws out there for no reason, that's a legitimate problem. It's not just a matter of protecting the ball. It's a matter of focusing SO much on protecting the football you neglect easy chances.

And it's not like he can't physically make the plays or throws. He can. He's just, to put it frankly, chicken shit, when it comes to throwing the ball.

If he sucks out loud in these last seven games and into the playoffs, i'll listen... until then, i'm behind the QB who's help was pivotal in turning around a historic shitshow.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by scott free

If he sucks out loud in these last seven games and into the playoffs, i'll listen... until then, i'm behind the QB who's help was pivotal in turning around a historic shitshow.

What if he just does the same thing and the offense remains inept throughout the rest of the season, culminating in a 20-9 playoff loss in which the offense again fails to consistently move the ball, with a horrible third down conversion rate and several missed big play opportunities in the passing game?

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

What if he just does the same thing and the offense remains inept throughout the rest of the season, culminating in a 20-9 playoff loss in which the offense again fails to consistently move the ball, with a horrible third down conversion rate and several missed big play opportunities in the passing game?

What If scenarios are the Planets bread and butter, i get that... but what if we mostly get the guy from the second half of the NY game, or the guy who's led two 98 yard scoring drives and kept his defense outta the crapper?

All either of us can say right now is... we'll see... anything beyond that is pointless.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by scott free

What If scenarios are the Planets bread and butter, i get that... but what if we mostly get the guy from the second half of the NY game, or the guy who's led two 98 yard scoring drives and kept his defense outta the crapper?

All either of us can say right now is... we'll see... anything beyond that is pointless.

If we get that guy? And he plays like that for the rest of the season?

I'll be: 1) relieved/happy; 2) excited; 3) on board with the trade.

[trndobrd]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

What if he just does the same thing and the offense remains inept throughout the rest of the season, culminating in a 20-9 playoff loss in which the offense again fails to consistently move the ball, with a horrible third down conversion rate and several missed big play opportunities in the passing game?

The Smith will still be the best FA available when Reid/Dorsey took the reins, was able to stabilize the franchise, and got the Chiefs to the 8-8 season we were all hoping for.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by trndobrd

The Smith will still be the best FA available when Reid/Dorsey took the reins, was able to stabilize the franchise, and got the Chiefs to the 8-8 season we were all hoping for.

To the bolded: I - and many other hardcore Chiefs fans - couldn't care less about 8-8 or 10-6 or respectability unless it either includes playoff wins or is building towards them in some way.

To the best available statement... had Alex Smith been a FA and they'd signed him, I wouldn't bitch one iota about him. They traded a price for him that says they expected more than they were getting. Spent a bunch of time talking about having their "1.1." quarterback and franchise guy. Propping him up.

Turns out, at least so far, they could have done just as well signing Jason Campbell (or another vet QB who can avoid mistakes) and using those picks to build the team's roster even more (QB, young rush end, WR, etc).

[O.city]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

What if he just does the same thing and the offense remains inept throughout the rest of the season, culminating in a 20-9 playoff loss in which the offense again fails to consistently move the ball, with a horrible third down conversion rate and several missed big play opportunities in the passing game?

Then we move on. Just like our front office and head coach have always done with any other QB they've had.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

A QB whose primary asset is ball protection will win a LOT of regular season games when paired with a good or great defense. There's no doubt about that, and the 90s in KC are a great example of that.

I think the disrespect Alex Smith gets is because he avoids making a lot of plays that would be the difference between his teams being great regular season teams and great postseason teams. People respect - and covet - QBs who make plays in the postseason and lead their team in that regard.

Just protecting the ball and letting the D, ST and run game win the game is not enough against elite teams, and most NFL fans and writers realize that.

What the Chiefs did in the 90's has no bearing on what's going on this season. The NFL has changed in multiple ways compared to then.