Alexander Douglas Smith: 2016

[Mr. Flopnuts]

We wouldn't we want to roll out another Alex Smith thread?!?!? Listen, for the Clay haters, this will probably be the thread that gets him banned. He can't help himself, right? Let's go!!!

First off, as many of you know, I have been very critical of Alexander Douglas Smith. Wasn't happy with the trade, HATED the extension, and have burned him to the ground from the beginning. So ****ing sick of the retread QB's.

So, that said Alex Smith is my Daddy. I mean, I just have to own that at this point. Here's why. He's never had continuity in a system. That guy had a new offensive coordinator just about every year until Jim Harbaugh showed up. And he flashed a little bit. That said, it sure looks like San Fran traded their best QB to us in favor of some douche that's starting some thing all over the league, while riding the bench to a guy named Blaine Gabbert.

Alex is now in his 4th year of the same system and it's showing. He's getting better. Why is he my daddy now all of a sudden though? Because he proved that he's more than just a game manager. He made some ****ing incredible throws against the Chargers last week. The back shoulder Maclin throw, the Maclin throw where Jeremy was almost killed, The Spencer Ware throws. Twice he hit him downfield (like, way more than 8 yards!), and then finally the Kelce throws.

People can give Spencer Ware a lot of credit, he is deserving of it after the monster game he had. Make no mistake about it though, Alexander Douglas Smith personally put this team on his back and willed them to victory. 1 play at a time. 1 throw at a time. He's a leader, and it reflected in the locker room after that game. They trust Alex now. They trust that he has what it takes to will them to victory in any game.

Alex isn't just a game manager anymore. He's a game changer, and a leader. This team could go 6-10 this year and I'll say the same thing. He has the ability and he's proven it. Now let's see where they go with it. I'm officially a YUGE Alex fan. What do you think? I'll take your comments off air.

[threebag]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Seriously tho, which mod fulfilled Clay's make-a-wish to be reinstated into Chiefs planet?? This level of stupidity belongs over at the Orange Mane where he has an active account..

No shit. I dont know who's sorry excuse of a joke was letting this pillowbitergot **** back in.

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Drafting a QB is too risky.

And besides, the Chiefs won't be in position to draft a QB because they'll go 8-8 this year and all they need to do to get over the hump is use a 1st rounder on a left guard.

I'm more of a right guard kind of guy.

[New World Order]

Originally Posted by threebag02

No shit. I dont know who's sorry excuse of a joke was letting this pillowbitergot **** back in.

Alex Smith

[Chief Northman]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

How do you feel about Jake Browning for the Chiefs in 2018?

I like Rosen a lot more. Depending on who all declares will likely impact where Browning projects. Long ways away, but top 2/3 of 1st round might be where he gets picked. Not sure when/who/where Chiefs will go for their next QB.

For 2017, Chad Kelly intrigues me, but he is a total wild card at this point.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Chief Northman

I like Rosen a lot more. Depending on who all declares will likely impact where Browning projects. Long ways away, but top 2/3 of 1st round might be where he gets picked. Not sure when/who/where Chiefs will go for their next QB.

For 2017, Chad Kelly intrigues me, but he is a total wild card at this point.

Kelly is a hot head.

Bar fight, had to be restrained at his brothers high school game Friday night after running onto the field set a late hit to his brother and a brawl between some players from each team.

Seems like he's not too.bright

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

Kelly is a hot head.

Bar fight, had to be restrained at his brothers high school game Friday night after running onto the field set a late hit to his brother and a brawl between some players from each team.

Seems like he's not too.bright

Give me a hot head who can throw 80 yard TDs over a choir boy game manager 10 times out of 10.

This franchise needs some assholes.

Remember who's the biggest asshole on the team?

[kccrow]

I really like Kelly. He presses defenses by looking downfield first. The Chiefs need a QB willing to take chances and make plays instead of these "game manager" ****s they've trotted out there for years.

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by ASS11

Give me a hot head who can throw 80 yard TDs over a choir boy game manager 10 times out of 10.

This franchise needs some assholes.

Remember who's the biggest asshole on the team?

This guy was trying to fight high schoolers during their game Friday night.

He's a ****ing idiot obviously

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

This guy was trying to fight high schoolers during their game Friday night.

He's a ****ing idiot obviously

Good.

Crush the weak.

[Chief Northman]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

This guy was trying to fight high schoolers during their game Friday night.

He's a ****ing idiot obviously

No doubt he is a bit of a loose cannon.

So was Tyler Bray.

Tyreek Hill is on the roster.

Dorsey/Reid can get by the character concerns more so than the fanbase. If the brass believes Kelly can win, they will do their homework on him.

[Hammock Parties]

Alex Smith’s problems, and the solutions needed to make the Chiefs better

With the exception of Justin Houston’s knee — which is making progress — the biggest impediment to success for the Chiefs is standing in front of his locker to talk about what he knows is a personally rotten start to the season.

Alex Smith is asked to rate his play in the blowout loss to the Steelers and through the first four games, and it’s symbolic that the issues that stacked up in Pittsburgh took enough time that he didn’t get to the bigger picture.

“It was so hard,” he said. “Watching our film, you get to like play 12, and all of a sudden you’re down a bunch and that game gets lopsided. It all of a sudden kind of turns into a different game.”

We are far too early to call anything a must win, but coming off a bye week and considering the potential swing in the standings with Sunday’s game in Oakland, this is a particularly important moment in what may or may not still be the most promising Chiefs season in years.

They are 2-2, which is where they probably should be considering the schedule and other factors, but their path here is such that the losses have been far more convincing than the wins.

Nobody has been a bigger part of that than Smith, who was given every reason for this to be the best season of his career, but instead has regressed in certain areas (pocket feel), has missed far too many plays (more on that in a bit), and is on pace for his worst season in years in touchdowns, yards per attempt, yards per completions, passer rating, and rushing.

Particularly with Houston’s injury and the reliance on inexperienced cornerbacks, the Chiefs’ defense was always positioned to regress a bit in 2016. That was supposed to be manageable, because with an improved offensive line, better skill position talent than Smith has ever had and a fourth season in this system, Smith should be able to push the offense forward.

Instead, he has too often held it back.

“We all could do better,” coach Andy Reid said. “I’d tell you that. He’s had some good downs. That’s kind of where we’re at.”

Reid is always as positive as possible when talking about his players publicly, so we can all see what he’s saying here.

Look, this is not a rip job. Smith was part of the problem when the Chiefs fell behind by three touchdowns to the Chargers, but was also the single biggest part of the solution in the biggest comeback in franchise history. Any talk about Nick Foles playing is premature at best, and self-defeating at worst.

Smith has had “some good downs.” He was adequate against the Jets, particularly considering how the game played out, and if anyone wants to go hyperbolic and say Smith stinks, then Ryan Fitzpatrick served as an unwitting reminder of what “stinks” really looks like.

But the point here is that the Chiefs are supporting Smith more than ever before, need him to push them forward, and are instead finding themselves talking around his deficiencies.

At times, he has missed potential plays by breaking the pocket too early or unnecessarily. Against the Texans, he played one of his worst games with the Chiefs, including inaccurate throws, miscommunications and regrettable decisions. On the first drive against the Jets, he took the Chiefs out of field-goal range by taking an entirely avoidable sack when a relatively easy throw was right in front of him.

Against the Steelers, he was again terrible. Not as bad as in Houston, and he certainly wasn’t the only reason the Chiefs were blown out, but still. Part of Smith’s appeal, in theory, is his consistency. He won’t make Aaron Rodgers throws, but he also won’t make Tyler Palko throws.

Except, well, there’s been far too much Palko.

Smith pulled the escape chute too early on numerous plays, including a few where receivers were open. That’s always been a tendency of his, but he has a track record of saving something positive from those plays. Last year, during the season-turning win streak, Smith was extending drives with his feet.

That isn’t happening now, in part because teams are game planning for it, but that means other paths should be open. Smith isn’t taking those, either.

The interception against Pittsburgh was the worst kind of football play — a bad idea executed poorly. Smith should’ve seen his intended receiver wasn’t breaking open, but even if he missed that, he should’ve been able to get the ball past the defensive line. He did neither, the ball was picked, and it was a huge moment in putting the Chiefs in a hole they could not get out of.

At least three other times against the Steelers, Smith broke the pocket and was comfortably behind the line of scrimmage with open receivers downfield that he either didn’t see or chose not to throw to. Twice, Travis Kelce was alone with his arms up to get Smith’s attention. Another time, Jeremy Maclin was wide open down the sideline for what would’ve been an easy touchdown. All three of these plays came on drives that ended in punts.

There is no way to know for sure if Smith is dealing with anything physically. He has said no, but would say that no matter the truth. Something is off, though — accuracy, consistency, movement, none of it is what he’s shown in Kansas City the last three years.

In many ways, the Chiefs entered this season in better position for postseason success than any point in a decade. The roster is close to complete, major weaknesses like the offensive line were addressed, and the team has had enough stability to create the good kind of comfort.

But this was still a team that, like most in the NFL, operates with a relatively small margin for error. The defense has some stars, but weak points for opponents to attack. The offense has some playmakers, but not enough to expect a lot of blowouts.

Particularly in this early part of the season, before Houston’s return, the Chiefs need Smith to be the quarterback the coaches have always envisioned — solid, dependable, good enough to make some plays and smart enough to avoid big mistakes.

The Chiefs remain in position to fulfill even their most optimistic hopes of 2016. This game in Oakland sets up as a pivotal moment. They need their quarterback to be better.

[notorious]

This is the best offensive talent he has ever had around him, yet it is the worst he's played.



Urge to kill....rising.....

[BossChief]

What Alex needs to do to improve:

Get the ball out ON TIME
trust his receivers to make the play
Trust himself to make the deeper throws that opposing defenses are gifting him to overcompensate to take away the short passing game and his ability to run for first downs.
Trust the pocket and step up into throws...if he doesn't start doing this, the OL is at a huge disadvantage.

Get it done, Alex.

The Chiefs are paying you to step up.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by BossChief

What Alex needs to do to improve:

Get the ball out ON TIME
trust his receivers to make the play
Trust himself to make the deeper throws that opposing defenses are gifting him to overcompensate to take away the short passing game and his ability to run for first downs.
Trust the pocket and step up into throws...if he doesn't start doing this, the OL is at a huge disadvantage.

Get it done, Alex.

The Chiefs are paying you to step up.

Good luck with that.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by BossChief

What Alex needs to do to improve:

Get the ball out ON TIME
trust his receivers to make the play
Trust himself to make the deeper throws that opposing defenses are gifting him to overcompensate to take away the short passing game and his ability to run for first downs.
Trust the pocket and step up into throws...if he doesn't start doing this, the OL is at a huge disadvantage.

Get it done, Alex.

The Chiefs are paying you to step up.

Will you ever trust another game manager ever again?