Dan Pompei: Will Alex Smith play as well for Andy Reid as he did for Jim Harbaugh?

[FringeNC]

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/...litz-7336.html

It is fair to wonder how Alex Smith will perform without Jim Harbaugh on the other end of his strings.

After all, the new Chiefs quarterback had a 95.1 passer rating with Harbaugh as his coach compared to 72.1 for the previous six years of his career, according to STATS.

And it also is fair to wonder why Smith cannot continue to perform under Andy Reid as he did under Harbaugh. The first thing to be understood about Smith is he is gifted. Very gifted.

So gifted in fact that most of the NFL agreed he should be picked ahead of Aaron Rodgers in 2004. So gifted that he was the first pick of the draft that year. So gifted that new Chiefs general manager John Dorsey had no qualms about giving up two second round picks in a trade with the 49ers to acquire him.

“He has the physical skill to push the ball down the field, the accuracy and ability to drive the medium routes and at times the ability to drive the long routes with accuracy,” Dorsey told me. “He minimizes mistakes. He understands he can’t turn the ball over.”

So why haven’t we always seen the talent with Smith? Why did the Niners try to replace him? There may be a ceiling in terms of how good he can be, but it also is possible, maybe even probable, that he has not yet reached it.

His development likely was slowed by the fact that he faced enormous expectations and pressure as the No. 1 pick of the draft. And he wasn’t exactly surrounded by all pros for most of his career. He never had a Pro Bowl wide receiver or a receiver who gained 1,000 yards in a season. Among his leading wide receivers during his time in San Francisco were Brandon Lloyd, Antonio Bryant and Arnez Battle.

And then there was the coordinator issue. Before Harbaugh arrived, Smith played for six coordinators in five years—from Mike McCarthy to Norv Turner to Jim Hostler to Mike Martz to Jimmy Raye to Mike Johnson to Greg Roman. Every season for his first six seasons, he had to learn a new offense. He has had the same offensive coordinator in place for two full seasons only once in his NFL career.

“I think stability is an important thing for quarterbacks,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid told me. “If you look at all the change that took place in that kid’s NFL life early, that’s a wild ride. Look at how many quarterbacks have been ruined going through that situation. He came out on top. That’s a tribute to him.”

When Smith was paired with Harbaugh, there were immediate results. Harbaugh refutes the notion it was about him though.

“These guys do it themselves or they don’t do it themselves,” Harbaugh told me. “Players in general, quarterbacks specifically. Standing here saying, ‘Here is what I told them,’ is shameless self promotion. It’s such a small part of why they were really good. It’s a little phony.

“He improved at playing his game, knowing how to be successful, going out every week and playing that ace of spades. He’s a one of a kind guy, one of a kind person. He’s extremely talented, extremely smart. He did the best job of just playing his game.”

Dorsey sees it similarly. “It’s far to say San Francisco has begun to have a lot of success the last couple of years,” he said. “But in the beginning, Alex Smith had a lot to do with it. Jim Harbaugh is a good coach. That doesn’t take anything away from what Alex did when he got on the field, or from what his teammates did.”

There is another factor in this story too. It’s not like Smith now is being coached by some meathead straight out of the Pee Wee League. When it comes to quarterback coaching, Andy Reid has some chops. Remember his work with Brett Favre? Donovan McNabb? Reid also was responsible for helping to turn backups A.J. Feeley and Kevin Kolb into tradable commodities.

“Andy does a great job of getting guy son board and coaching them up,” Dorsey said.

Reid has studied what Harbaugh did with Smith. He’ll do some of the same things. He said his system is not that much different from Harbaugh’s.

“One of the keys as a coach is you play to a player’s strength,” he said. “You continue to try to improve things that he needs improving on, but heck, if they are good at something, you cut him loose and let him do it. We’ll do that.”

“The bottom line is you can’t hide the fact that he’s won games and he has a great quarterback rating, he’s consistent.”

It’s up to Smith to prove he was more than the product of a great coach in San Francisco. The Chiefs are betting he’ll do that.

[BlackHelicopters]

Alex Smith had one good playoff game. Stanzi>A Smith

[PRIEST]

Mark castle 2.0


What a way to tie a anchor around your feet Andy . All this crap is pissholy all over again. 4years from now Andy Reid will be a cuss word on the planet .

[suds79]

well unfortunately that's the hand we've been dealt. we have to hope Alex Smith can have a Rich Gannon type of career.

it's my hope that they don't play him like a game manager and tell him not to lose games. I'd like to see them run a full quarterback friendly spread system and have him sink or swim.

[Ace Gunner]

Originally Posted by theelusiveeightrop

Alex Smith had one good playoff game. Stanzi>A Smith

Originally Posted by PRIEST

Mark castle 2.0


What a way to tie a anchor around your feet Andy . All this crap is pissholy all over again. 4years from now Andy Reid will be a cuss word on the planet .

WHATISTHISIDONTEVEN

[milkman]

Originally Posted by suds79

well unfortunately that's the hand we've been dealt. we have to hope Alex Smith can have a Rich Gannon type of career.

it's my hope that they don't play him like a game manager and tell him not to lose games. I'd like to see them run a full quarterback friendly spread system and have him sink or swim.

I don't believe, like some do, that Brad Childress was brought in and named "Spread game analyst" to incorporate elements of the spread to Reid's offense to maximize Geno's talents and potential.

I believe that move was made to maximize Alex Smith's chances to grow and succeed.
He became the first overall pick in '05 playing in the spread in college.

Childress is going to work with Reid and Pederson to incorporate spread concepts in Reid's offense in the hopes of getting Alex Smith to grow into more than an efficient game manager.

I personally don't believe it will work, but who knows?

[Rasputin]

The more they try to pass with Alex Smith the more opportunity he has to blunder and show case his inapt passing skills.

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

The more they try to pass with Alex Smith the more opportunity he has to blunder and show case his inapt passing skills.

He could be the next Trent Dilfer!!!!!!

[OrtonsPiercedTaint]

I would like to believe this time it will work with you Alex Smith. But this franchise marries badly(QBs), and often. They usually smell like a freshly emptied wide mouth quart jar of stink bait. And fit just as poorly.

[Ace Gunner]

Y R U TARTED

[threebag]

Godspeed

[crossbow]

Short answer... No

Stupid move. Just stupid to trade for that guy. I really can't get over how much this pisses me off.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

He'll have better numbers for the fantasy geeks. This won't be RRPP.

[hometeam]

I didnt read this article.

But the answer is; No way in hell does Alex Cassel repeat his 'performance under Harbaugh.

The only thing he will repeat is giving the kicker a workout and having terrible red zone and 3rd down play.

[FloridaMan88]

Alex Smith looked good under Jim Harbaugh handing the ball off to Frank Gore 30 times a game and allowing the 49ers strong defense to win most games.

That isn't a formula for winning a Super Bowl in today's NFL... something Harbaugh recognized by going with a QB with more playmaking ability than Alex Smith (Colin Kaepernick).