Mellinger: The Chiefs are a mess and Alex Smith is the messiest part

[Hammock Parties]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...186621438.html

The Chiefs stink and their quarterback stinks and at this point it’s hard to separate where one ends and the other begins. More and more, the quarterback is claiming more of the stink.

Andy Reid has been an NFL head coach since most of his players were in grade school. He is fond of saying they all have a piece in it, good and bad, and that’s true but so is this: some pieces are bigger than others.

Seven weeks ago, actual humans had actual conversations about Alex Smith being the frontrunner for NFL MVP, and the bat-spit craziest part — it was true.

Today, we live in a world in which the Chiefs lost 16-10 at home to the Bills, a team that gave up 101 points the last two games, so we could have a reasonable debate about whether this was worse than losing to the Giants last week. But here’s a point that’s beyond dispute:

Right now, Smith is the Chiefs’ worst player, and a season that was so promising not that long ago is free-falling until that changes.

“Certainly frustrated, for sure,” he said. “And a little shocked there, no doubt.”

He was talking more generally about the team, with five losses in their last six games and what should’ve been rock bottom last week followed immediately by more incompetence this week.

But he could’ve been talking about himself, too. Whatever order you want to put them in, Smith has played his four worst games of the season in the Chiefs’ last four games.

Through seven weeks: 72.4 completion percentage, 8.7 yards per attempt, 283 yards per game, 15 touchdowns, zero interceptions and a 120.5 passer rating. That’s higher than any quarterback in the league since 2011.

Last four games: 63.1 completion percentage, 6.3 yards per attempt, 224 yards per game, four touchdowns, four interceptions and a 78.7 passer rating. That’s basically Matt Cassel’s passer rating with the Chiefs (77.5).

What in the world.

“It wasn’t anything we haven’t seen or haven’t been successful against,” Reid said. “We were off. We’ve got to get through this, and get it turned around.”

The only way through this is for the quarterback to be better. That’s often an incomplete analysis, and it’s true that Smith is far from the only one playing poorly right now, but it’s impossible to watch this team and not be convinced his “piece of it” is disproportionally big and important.

He is missing basic throws, against no pressure, often in crucial spots. Once, a drive stalled after Smith threw an uncatchable pass to a wide-open Demarcus Robinson. Another drive ended when Robinson was again open, but Smith instead decided to run for it, eventually taking a shot to the spleen short of the sticks.

Travis Kelce was open for a potential touchdown — a truly nice call by Reid, to beat zone coverage — but Smith instead threw incomplete to Albert Wilson, who was covered, short of the first down.

This is just a sampling. Smith appears to have no confidence in his offensive line, sometimes dropping way too far back, which ruins his blockers’ angles. On other plays he breaks the pocket far too early, occasionally even when a simple step up would create more time and protection.

“Especially these last few weeks there’s been some plays you’d love to have back,” Smith said. “That’s football, though.”

The Chiefs were once the best team in football, and for more than a month now they’ve been one of the worst. This is a complicated sport, layered with adjustment on top of scheme on top of sight-read on top of human imperfection, but the most obvious difference between the awesome 2017 Chiefs and the horrendous 2017 Chiefs appears to be a lack of respect for their passing game.

Defenses are stacking toward the line of scrimmage, and moving aggressively and freely toward the backfield once there. It’s aggression beating aggression, because when the line is overwhelmed with defenders, some of the Chiefs’ downfield talent — particularly Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce — is negated.

This is, essentially, a bet that defenses are making that Smith can’t make the right adjustments in time to beat them.

That’s been a winning bet, over and over and over again.

Smith is extraordinarily intelligent. Not just “athlete” intelligent, either. He earned an economics degree in 2 1/2 years, and runs what’s been called a model charity. But there are times it appears he struggles to make blink-quick decisions. When he makes the right diagnosis before the snap, it works. When he’s surprised, it doesn’t.

Far too often over the last month, he’s been surprised.

Opposing defensive coordinators saw the Chiefs’ first five games and seem to have collectively resolved to stop the run and force Smith to beat them with quick decisions and downfield throws. He has been fundamentally unable to do this, and as long as that remains true the Chiefs aren’t getting any better.

You might be angry that it took me this long to mention Patrick Mahomes. Many of you want him in, and Smith benched. Reid addressed that after Sunday’s game, quickly dismissing the suggestion that he’s even considering a switch.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think Smith should be benched, even now. We’ve seen him be effective as recently as this season. Mahomes is less than four years removed from his high school prom. He was drafted as a raw prospect, thought by most to need at least a year to learn.

Mahomes is taking no snaps with the starters during practice. A switch from Smith to Mahomes would require major practice adjustments, which would signal the switch to a locker room that has always been reverential toward Smith.

There is a point when this could become a real thing. But there is no indication that at this point Mahomes is anything more than an option for 2018. If Smith keeps at this pace, and Mahomes does enough in practice to convince coaches and teammates, maybe this conversation changes. You can’t fool the guys in the room. But we’re not there yet.

The bigger problem for the Chiefs is that this whole thing was built around Smith, to bring out his best, and we’re going on a month of seeing his worst. The reasons for staying with him are more about the backup not being ready, which is a bad enough sign.

The worse sign is that the only ways out of this include Smith playing a lot better. Reid is right. They all have a piece in it. But the defense has consistently done its part, the line can only do so much, and the receivers aren’t being given much of a chance.

This is what a free-fall looks like. Smith is the one man best positioned to stop it. He was a crucial part of their success early, and he’s an undeniable part of their failures lately. At this point, believing anything will change is based more on faith and hope than logic and reason.

Of all the ways the Chiefs have let their fans down over the years, this one is new, at least.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

If Reid won’t bench him....then I hope they continue to lose every game for the rest of the season. Which isn’t hard to fathom because we just lost to the ****ing Giants and Bills.

I hope the Chargers take the division.

I don't want to go to playoffs to lose with Alex Smith.

I do want beat Raiders and Broncos because **** Raiders and Broncos.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by hitchief

Its true Alex has played like crap the last 4 games. Happy feet, missed open wr's and has thrown more picks than in the 1st 5 games.

But its just emotional and silly to say he's playing the worst football on this team.

If one's a rational evaluator of this team its clear that the oline is the main reason for the lack of production on O. We cannot run the football under any circumstance, period and that my friends is the end of the story. If a team cannot run the ball or I should say averages a yard a carry it cannot move the ball on a consistent basis. Hunt has not become a piece of s**t rb all of a sudden. No, the defense is literally in our backfield by the time he gets the ball. Same on at least half of the passing downs. We cannot get into a rhythm without better oline play.

Patrick is going to be the starter next year and looks to be a really good one but to put him in now is stupid. He would have no running game to rely on. He would be under constant pressure and sure he'd make some plays that Alex cant or wont but he would also start to accumulate bad habits as well.

Plus Andy's playcalling has been abysmal as of late. Wtf with the running on first down all the time and no motion or miss direction anymore.

WOW what a bunch of ridiculous homer bullshit in this post.
Our OL was not put together to run the ball 1st and pass protect second, it is just the opposite. Our OL would do better and we would be able to run the ball if we could pass the ball making the opposing defenses stop stacking the box. They have been daring Smith to beat them with the pass and he is not capable of doing so.
He is our worst player. His position is responsible for setting everything else up and he is not capable of doing that now and maybe never again.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Kelce is an open book factoring in his body language

Yep! Alex has lost the team. You actually could see that in the preseason games if you wanted too. Beating NE was probably the worst thing that could have happened in hindsight, but that was our Super Bowl the way we approached it.

But Alex losing the team is one thing. Andy appears to be losing the team too! That's not good!

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by kcxiv

becuase teams caught on to that! Them trick plays only worked becuase they were new at first. The Chiefs did them over and over until teams adjusted, once they did, this is all Alex can do. There is no more trickery left.

Trick plays are mostly effective when your offense is clicking on all cylinders. But when your offense is not clicking and you continue to call trick plays in hopes to spark the offense that’s when they will fail most of the time and that is the position Andy has put himself in unfortunately.

[Black Bob]

At this point I'd like to see Marshall part deux. Hope the whole team goes down in a plane crash and we start over with our badass safety. Seriously, **** all these guys.

[Randallflagg]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

If Reid won’t bench him....then I hope they continue to lose every game for the rest of the season. Which isn’t hard to fathom because we just lost to the ****ing Giants and Bills.

I hope the Chargers take the division.

Well, hang on to your hat, you'll most likely get your wish.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Black Bob

At this point I'd like to see Marshall part deux. Hope the whole team goes down in a plane crash and we start over with our badass safety. Seriously, **** all these guys.

You’re a ****ing moron and should be banned

[Black Bob]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

You’re a ****ing moron and should be banned

Coming from a guy who has never been a moron or been banned.

It was obviously a joke.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Black Bob

Coming from a guy who has never been a moron or been banned.

It was obviously a joke.

Let me know when I’ve been banned

Calling for the death of players, coaches and team personnel is classless.

Just like you.

And you’re obviously a butt****ing moron.

[MMXcalibur]

Originally Posted by Black Bob

Coming from a guy who has never been a moron or been banned.

It was obviously a joke.

Well, take it from someone else then: you're a ****ing moron and should be banned.

[Black Bob]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Let me know when I’ve been banned

Calling for the death of players, coaches and team personnel is classless.

Just like you.

And you’re obviously a butt****ing moron.

I apologize. You are just the whiney bitch who cries about other posters and easily gets his feelings hurt.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Black Bob

I apologize. You are just the whiney bitch who cries about other posters and easily gets his feelings hurt.

You’re a flaming ****.

Nice try, ****tard

[Bearcat]

Black Bob's been booted from the thread for the time being.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Black Bob's been booted from the thread for the time being.

[Fish]