Teicher: New Chiefs QB Alex Smith appears to be good fit for Reid’s system

[Tribal Warfare]

New Chiefs QB Smith appears to be good fit for Reid’s system
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
Even before the Super Bowl, during Andy Reid’s first days in Kansas City, Trent Dilfer predicted the Chiefs’ new head coach would make a strong push to acquire quarterback Alex Smith from San Francisco.

Dilfer, a former NFL quarterback and now an ESPN analyst, had no inside information, though he was a teammate of Smith with the 49ers in 2006 and 2007 and is now a friend.

It just made sense. Dilfer knew what Reid was looking for and that it played to Smith’s strengths.

“Andy’s a pass-first guy and he’s all about mental toughness, decision-making, getting the ball out quickly, executing the plan,” Dilfer said. “He’s wanted to expand what he does at the line of scrimmage, and Alex gives you great versatility at the line of scrimmage. He’s as good as anyone in the league at seeing things before the snap and digesting the information and getting his offense into the right mode, whatever that might be.

“Alex is very efficient in the shorter and intermediate passing game, and that’s kind of what Andy’s offense lives by — but he also has the ability to push the ball down the field.”

The Chiefs eventually made the trade with the 49ers to acquire Smith. Their new era at quarterback starts in earnest on Monday, when their offseason program begins. The Chiefs won’t get on the field for full-team practice for another couple of weeks, but Smith can throw to receivers and begin to learn Reid’s offensive system.

The Chiefs have high expectations for Smith, who was the first overall pick in the draft in 2005. They’ve held similar hopes for other backup quarterbacks they’ve acquired to be starters — Elvis Grbac and Matt Cassel immediately spring to mind — and those usually didn’t work out as they planned.

The Chiefs always moved on to the next best thing. There’s no telling yet whether the same fate awaits Smith — whether he’s destined to eventually be piled onto the quarterback scrap heap, following Grbac, Cassel and many others.

But Dilfer isn’t the only NFL observer who believes this particular union of quarterback, head coach and system will work out better than most of the others.

“Andy’s really a coach that likes to throw the ball on first down to give the quarterback some easy throws and to move the chains,” former Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards said. “His offense isn’t the deep vertical pass. He’ll throw some of those, but he’s more about implementing the offensive personnel and getting guys involved.

“Alex Smith will do a good job with that. He’s smart. He can change the protections and change the routes or whatever he wants to do from the line of scrimmage. So I think he has a good chance of being the guy for the Chiefs for a long time.”

Reid has displayed a deft touch with quarterbacks during his NFL coaching career. He worked with Brett Favre as quarterbacks coach with Green Bay, though Favre by that time was well on his way to becoming an eventual Hall of Fame player.

With the Eagles, Reid worked with, among others, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick. Those guys and others who played quarterback for Philadelphia were better players for the Eagles than they were before joining the team ... or after they left.

After coming to the Chiefs, Reid was rumored to be interested in trading for one of his Philadelphia quarterbacks, Nick Foles. But Reid said recently, after the trade with San Francisco was completed, that Smith was the only starting quarterback the Chiefs were serious about acquiring.

“That was really never part of the discussion,” Reid said of Foles. “I had my eyes on Alex really when I took the job there.”

The veteran quarterback market, whether through trade or free agency, was thin this season. The Chiefs also have the first pick in the April 25-27 NFL Draft but obviously felt more strongly about Smith than the top available college quarterback, Geno Smith of West Virginia.

Reid indicated that Alex Smith’s football IQ, among other things, helped him stand out.

“Everybody is given a different load according to how many gigabytes they can handle,” Reid said. “He seemed to handle everything. They’re all different. He does it very well.

“He’s won a lot of games and his QB rating has been off the charts. I would tell you that he has the intangibles, the leadership and the work ethic and the smarts that you need to do well.”

During the early years of his career, Smith looked as if he would be one of the NFL Draft’s notorious busts. The 49ers repeatedly changed offensive coaches and systems, which the Chiefs also did with Cassel.

Once Jim Harbaugh joined the 49ers as head coach in 2011 and provided some stability, Smith persevered and eventually flourished. But Reid saw something in Smith even during those ragged seasons with the 49ers. Reid more than once tried to interest the 49ers in trading Smith to the Eagles.

“He was the product of a lot of different information during those years,” Dilfer said. “When you don’t have coaching stability and system stability, you get a lot of input — and sometimes it’s hard to filter it all. I’ll say this about Alex: He needs structure and he needs routine and he needs clarity and he needs big answers. He’s smart, so smart, off-the-charts smart. Because of that, his mind works a certain way. He doesn’t do well with a lack of direction.

“When you’re switching coaches all the time and each coach has a different message, he wasn’t supplied all the things that he needs. It’s not like Jim came in and sprinkled pixie dust on Alex. But he gave Alex structure and (49ers offensive coordinator) Greg Roman gave him structure. There was a tight plan, and when Alex has that, he’s going to execute it as well as anybody.”

Dilfer played for five NFL teams during his career, but never the Eagles. While he never played for Reid, he did play in Seattle under Mike Holmgren, who gave Reid his first NFL coaching job as an assistant with the Green Bay Packers.

In Green Bay, Reid adopted much of Holmgren’s methods and offensive system. Having hired Doug Pederson as a first-time offensive coordinator, and Matt Nagy as a rookie quarterbacks coach, Reid will call the Chiefs’ offensive plays and retain considerable influence over the offense ... and, by extension, Smith.

“Alex will embrace Andy’s way of doing things,” Dilfer said. “He’ll do well there. Andy has a way of making simple what to other people can be very complex. His messages to the quarterback are very clean. You need to have a system that complements the skill sets of his players. Andy provides a system that complements anyone’s skill set. It’s hard not to be successful in Andy’s system. You have 10 completions before the game even starts.”

Asked to elaborate, Dilfer said, “Andy is really good with his offense at utilizing space on the football field. When you use the space wisely, especially horizontally, it’s hard (for opponents) to defend the short passing game. It’s very hard, especially with today’s rules, where you can’t really jam a receiver and you can’t hit anybody. So short, in-breaking routes are virtually unstoppable against certain defensive looks.

“Then Andy does as good a job in the screen game as anybody. He does a great job of finding matchups where his guy is better than the other guys. His teams do such a good job training the rhythm-and-timing part of it. There’s synergy between the quarterback’s drops and the receiver’s depth. That’s just a little nuance of a good passing team. You add all that up and throw in the way Andy calls a game — he calls passes on first down, when he gets more balanced looks from the defense, and he likes to throw it more than run it — there are 10 gimmes out there every game.”

[DTLB58]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I agree. He's really good as an analyst and his career is definitely on the rise.

The problem I have with Dilfer is that he's unable to separate himself from friends he made while in the league. Whether it's Alex Smith or Matt Hasselbeck or anyone else he ever shared a locker room, his biggest weakness is the ability to be objective and call out players when they've under-performed.

I like him, I think he's great for football viewers because he's smart, sharp and personable, and believe he'll benefit from another five years of separation from his playing days.

[Rasputin]

"During the early years of his career, Smith looked as if he would be one of the NFL Draft’s notorious busts. The 49ers repeatedly changed offensive coaches and systems, which the Chiefs also did with Cassel."




Just a thought, maybe if the quarterbacks didn't play so shitty over the years they wouldn't needed new offensive coaches? Seems to me the theme is that shitty QBs get coaches fired so then they get excuses that they had to have new coaches to work with every year.

[BryanBusby]

My main problem with Dilfer is more of a problem with ESPN's "QBR" system and the fact he had a large hand in it. 'Clutch factor' is such a ****ing ridiculous thing.

He's also a sub par announcer.

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

Just a thought, maybe if the quarterbacks didn't play so shitty over the years they wouldn't needed new offensive coaches?

Eh, Jimmy Raye really is shitty though.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by BossChief

I dont think he writes the headline or title.

Editors handle that as I recall.

[RedDread]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I agree. He's really good as an analyst and his career is definitely on the rise.

The problem I have with Dilfer is that he's unable to separate himself from friends he made while in the league. Whether it's Alex Smith or Matt Hasselbeck or anyone else he ever shared a locker room, his biggest weakness is the ability to be objective and call out players when they've under-performed.

I like him, I think he's great for football viewers because he's smart, sharp and personable, and believe he'll benefit from another five years of separation from his playing days.

This and whoever came up with Dilfer's dimes needs to be shot in the ****ing head. Not sure if that was his brainchild or ESPN's but it needs to go away.

[jimw51]

I hope it works but I have my doubts

[whoman69]

pass first coach ... game manager QB

what can go wrong?

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Originally Posted by Go to Hell

I actually enjoyed this Teicher article for a change. Good insight from the interviews.

I do appreciate having a pass-first, pass on first down coach.

Just hope Alex can do that.

Was this sarcasm...?

I was not expecting this kind of response from you on a Teicher/Smith article.

[Chiefnj2]

Chiefs should take Tavon Austin with the #1. Get a playmaker that Reid can try to get favorable matchups with.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Mr_Tomahawk

Was this sarcasm...?

I was not expecting this kind of response from you on a Teicher/Smith article.

Teicher's writing is fine when he does legwork on interviews nobody else has.

[CaliforniaChief]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Chiefs should take Tavon Austin with the #1. Get a playmaker that Reid can try to get favorable matchups with.

Completely agree with this. In a spread type offense Austin would be lethal.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Go to Hell

Teicher's writing is fine when he does legwork on interviews nobody else has.

I'd bet that Teicher is just recording shit that Dilfer has said on ESPN and writing it down.

[FloridaMan88]

Holy shit, Adam Teicher has written the same article over and over again the past two months.

Get quotes from Herm? Check
Write about how a new player will succeed/is excited to play in Andy Reid's system? Check

[cdcox]

Originally Posted by ADAM TEICHER

“Andy’s a pass-first guy and he’s all about mental toughness, decision-making, getting the ball out quickly, executing the plan....

So how is this a good match when Smith has only succeeded when he's been in a protected offense that doesn't ask much of the QB? And Smith doesn't get the ball out quickly. That's one of his weaknesses, not a strength.

Originally Posted by ADAM TEICHER

“Alex is very efficient in the shorter and intermediate passing game, and that’s kind of what Andy’s offense lives by — but he also has the ability to push the ball down the field.”

Distribution of completions (I used 2011 because it was easier to isolate Alex Smith):

SF

WR = 52%
TE = 32%
RB = 16%

Average air yards per completion = 6.2

PHI

WR = 61%
TE = 23%
RB = 16%

Average air yards per completion = 7.5

Reid's passing attack is more downfield-oriented than Smith has delivered.

Originally Posted by ADAM TEICHER

Asked to elaborate, Dilfer said, “Andy is really good with his offense at utilizing space on the football field. When you use the space wisely, especially horizontally, it’s hard (for opponents) to defend the short passing game. It’s very hard, especially with today’s rules, where you can’t really jam a receiver and you can’t hit anybody. So short, in-breaking routes are virtually unstoppable against certain defensive looks.

As illustrated above, Reid is more downfield oriented than Dilfer is implying. And rightly so, since if you dink and dunk too much, it makes it easy to defend if you don't have to respect the whole field. Smith is going to have more on his shoulders in Reid's offense then he ever has had before. More throwing and more of them downfield.

And if Reid is so magic with QBs, why did we have to have this particular guy? Let him be magic with someone with a higher upside.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by cdcox

So how is this a good match when Smith has only succeeded when he's been in a protected offense that doesn't ask much of the QB? And Smith doesn't get the ball out quickly. That's one of his weaknesses, not a strength.



Distribution of completions (I used 2011 because it was easier to isolate Alex Smith):

SF

WR = 52%
TE = 32%
RB = 16%

Average air yards per completion = 6.2

PHI

WR = 61%
TE = 23%
RB = 16%

Average air yards per completion = 7.5

Reid's passing attack is more downfield-oriented than Smith has delivered.



As illustrated above, Reid is more downfield oriented than Dilfer is implying. And rightly so, since if you dink and dunk too much, it makes it easy to defend if you don't have to respect the whole field. Smith is going to have more on his shoulders in Reid's offense then he ever has had before. More throwing and more of them downfield.

And if Reid is so magic with QBs, why did we have to have this particular guy? Let him be magic with someone with a higher upside.

Yes and no. Reid also saw success with Jeff Garcia, who was as noodle armed as you can get. Reid is good enough that he can adjust the offense to the QB.

That being said, I bet he prefers to throw downfield, which is what makes this choice a little confusing.