Teicher:Prodded by Andy Reid, Chiefs QB Alex Smith learning to be more aggressive

[Tribal Warfare]

Prodded by Andy Reid, Chiefs QB Alex Smith learning to be more aggressive
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star
One of the qualities the Chiefs like in new quarterback Alex Smith is his recent history with few turnovers. Smith threw just 10 interceptions in his last 25 games for the San Francisco 49ers, a stat that looks extremely pretty in Kansas City after Chiefs quarterbacks committed 27 turnovers last season.

Smith’s low turnover rate was due at least in part by his reluctance to throw the ball down the field. He was referred to by frustrated 49ers fans as Captain Checkdown for his habit of throwing shorter patterns to receivers for shorter gains.

Smith is in the process of being reprogrammed by Andy Reid, his new coach. Reid doesn’t want to turn Smith into a turnover machine but wants him to be more aggressive, particularly during offseason practice.

“You want to get a feel for the offense now, particularly when you’re new at it (and) if there are close throws, challenge it, see what you can get away with,” Reid said. “If it ends up being an interception, OK, it’s an interception. You learn from it. These are smart guys so they learn from it and once they get into the season, they’re not experimenting with it on game day and they know what they can get away with and know what they can’t.

“It’s a new offense. I would tell any quarterback that comes in new that that’s what you need to do. I’ve told them all that. Go ahead and take your shots and see what you can get away with, within reason. But if it’s a close throw, there are going to be a few of those in the National Football League on game day so you need to know what you can get away with on each route.”

Smith and the other Chiefs quarterbacks were rewarded with several long completions in Wednesday’s practice. Smith had three such plays, including two to Jon Baldwin, while Tyler Bray and Ricky Stanzi had one apiece.

Wednesday’s barrage of big passing plays isn’t necessarily an indication the deep ball is back in the Chiefs’ offense. But since such plays have been scarce for the Chiefs in each of the past two seasons, they’re taking it as an encouraging sign.

“We’re just kind of continuing to press to see what we can do … finding out what we’re capable of,” Smith said. “You’ve got to find that out at some point. This is what the practice field is for.”

Smith was the NFL’s highest-rated passer last season before he was injured, missed a start and then replaced by Colin Kaepernick as San Francisco’s starting quarterback. Smith was completing more than 70 percent of his passes, a high rate, and had just five interceptions.

Still, he had just 30 touchdown passes in his final 25 starts for the 49ers. While that’s a good number as a ratio with his 10 interceptions, it still represents a shortage of big plays.

Smith won’t turn into a mad bomber overnight, if he ever does.

“You want to stay aggressive,” Smith said. “But in the end I’m always trying to make the right read and throw where the defense is telling me to throw. You don’t come out here and predetermine anything, like ‘Oh, I’m going to chuck it deep on this play.’ I’m constantly trying to just trust my eyes and what I’m seeing out there, trust my reads and what I’ve prepared for and then come out here and throw good balls.”

For his part, Reid might be OK with that. But for now, when an interception costs the Chiefs nothing, he would prefer Smith be more of a gambler.

“Everybody is all on board (with Smith),” Reid said. “He’s a good football player. He’s showing that (along with) good leadership. I’m asking him to do a ton of things. He’s handling it. We’ve had an interception here or there but that’s all part of this thing. You’ve got to find out about the offense and you can’t do it with your hands in your pocket. You’ve got to go out and try things and experiment. That’s what he’s doing now.

“It’s just good stuff. He’s staying aggressive with the ball, and I appreciate that.”

The final offseason practice is today. The Chiefs won’t get together again as a group until training camp begins in July at Missouri Western State University.

Smith indicated he may try to throw to some Chiefs receivers during their downtime in an effort to stay sharp.

“We’re heads and shoulder above where we were a couple of months ago,” he said. “But that’s a never-ending thing. I don’t think it’s something like, ‘We’ve got a good feel for each other so we don’t need to work anymore.’ You’re constantly working at it. This is our job, this is our craft. Every single day, it’s coming out here and pushing to get better.”

[Mav]

Originally Posted by milkman

Here, let me help you out.

Harbaugh saw that CK is a much more dynamic playmaker than Smith, and that gives the team a better chance to win, short and long term.

He wants to win.

or what was more than likely, knew what he had Kaep from the moment he met him when him and greg roman went out to personally work him out in Nevada. And Kaep was more when, than if he was going to take over, and Alex Smith was a decent stop gap to give Kaep the time he needed.


That's actually how it happened....He was always married to Kaep, that's why they traded up for him. Alex was a lame duck from the word go..

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Chiefshrink

It's the high ceiling in Kaep and how players are motivated around him. And Kaep only gets better because of his elite athleticism over Smith where Smith had reached his ceiling and Harbs knew it.

They are actually pretty close in athleticism...

Kaep:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2011/profil...ick?id=2495186

Smith:

http://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=7256

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Coogs

They are actually pretty close in athleticism...

Kaep:

http://www.nfl.com/draft/2011/profil...ick?id=2495186

Smith:

http://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?i=7256

Okay, I am a huge Alex Smith guy. Love Alex Smith. Tape don't lie. Their athleticism, is no where close. Kaep in every way shape and form is heads and shoulders above Alex Smith athletically.

Kaep has a bigger arm, Kaep has natural scrambling ability, home run speed, size, quickness, agility, is built more like a truck, where alex is on the skinnier side.

I love Alex, I think fundamentally, hes far better as a pure qb than Kaep is at this point, but, the athleticism thing, no matter how close their times were, in football speed, its no where close.

Kaep hands down.

[Sandy Vagina]

^ Kaep does get a larger amount of separation from rushers when he drops back... but hey, the same can be said about Kaep vs almost all (maybe all) other QBs in that respect. It isn't a knock on those QBs as much as it's just a freakish ability for Kaep.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Mac-NinersChiefs

^ Kaep does get a larger amount of separation from rushers when he drops back... but hey, the same can be said about Kaep vs almost all (maybe all) other QBs in that respect. It isn't a knock on those QBs as much as it's just a freakish ability for Kaep.

exactly. I am pro alex from the word go. The only two qbs that I think that can even come close to having athleticism comparable to Kaep, are Newton, and Vick, but neither one of them use it like Kaep does. Cam is close, but I have yet to see Cam role to his left and put the velocity, and accuracy on balls that Kaep does, or use his athleticism to extend plays like Kaep. Rodgers is the closest I can think of, but hes not any more athletic than Alex Smith measurable wise, but tape wise, miles ahead.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Maverick91579

Okay, I am a huge Alex Smith guy. Love Alex Smith. Tape don't lie. Their athleticism, is no where close. Kaep in every way shape and form is heads and shoulders above Alex Smith athletically.

Kaep has a bigger arm, Kaep has natural scrambling ability, home run speed, size, quickness, agility, is built more like a truck, where alex is on the skinnier side.

I love Alex, I think fundamentally, hes far better as a pure qb than Kaep is at this point, but, the athleticism thing, no matter how close their times were, in football speed, its no where close.

Kaep hands down.

I'll buy that.

I'm just down on the line of thinking around here that we bought something that can't be pretty special here.

I've started using the Houston Texans model of the West Coast offense as to what we could be. When you look at it, we match up damn close all over the board. And FWIW, if I could have Schaub or Smith to QB that offense, I would go with Smith in a heartbeat.

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by Coogs

I'll buy that.

I'm just down on the line of thinking around here that we bought something that can't be pretty special here.

I've started using the Houston Texans model of the West Coast offense as to what we could be. When you look at it, we match up damn close all over the board. And FWIW, if I could have Schaub or Smith to QB that offense, I would go with Smith in a heartbeat.

What

are you nuts? I know Matt Schaub is a good seasonal QB and a choker in the playoffs but Alex Smith has NO credentials that make him better than Schaub in the regular season or the playoffs really.

Matt Schaub has thrown for 4000 yards in that offense THREE SEASONS in his career.

Alex Smith has reached 3000 yards once in like 8 years. And you'd take him over the guy that threw over 4000 yards @ 250 per game last year? Are you nuts?

[Mav]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

What

are you nuts? I know Matt Schaub is a good seasonal QB and a choker in the playoffs but Alex Smith has NO credentials that make him better than Schaub in the regular season or the playoffs really.

Matt Schaub has thrown for 4000 yards in that offense THREE SEASONS in his career.

Alex Smith has reached 3000 yards once in like 8 years. And you'd take him over the guy that threw over 4000 yards @ 250 per game last year? Are you nuts?

That's because, you are simple. Matt Schaub has had the coaching, a qb friendly HC, his entire career in Houston. He has also had Andre Johnson, his entire time in Houston. Where had that been for Alex Smith, EVER, in San Francisco. I say ever, because as I have stated with Bowe being Alex Smiths best receiver he has ever played with up to now, he for sure never had a receiver the caliber of Andre Johnson, nor a head coach that had his back the way that Kubiak has Schaubs. Don't let those little things like details get in your way of your blind reeruned hatred of Alex Smith.

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by Maverick91579

That's because, you are simple. Matt Schaub has had the coaching, a qb friendly HC, his entire career in Houston. He has also had Andre Johnson, his entire time in Houston. Where had that been for Alex Smith, EVER, in San Francisco. I say ever, because as I have stated with Bowe being Alex Smiths best receiver he has ever played with up to now, he for sure never had a receiver the caliber of Andre Johnson, nor a head coach that had his back the way that Kubiak has Schaubs. Don't let those little things like details get in your way of your blind reeruned hatred of Alex Smith.

You homers act like Alex Smith has had nothing his whole career in San Fran

hes had worked with some of the best offensive coaching minds, has had a top 10 defense for the last 5 years there and had a year and half of Harbaugh who is better than GARY ****ING KUBIAK

That fact that you think Schaub excelled caused of Gary Kubiak is hilarious.

Here's what Matt Schaub can throw for 4000 yards in a 16 game season: He doesnt have a ****ing broke dick shoulder and can actually throw the ball farther than 10 yards without it losing velocity.

Here's who cant do that: Noodle Arm Alex

which is why, he will never, ever have a lot of passing yards in a 16 game sample

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Coogs

I'll buy that.

I'm just down on the line of thinking around here that we bought something that can't be pretty special here.

I've started using the Houston Texans model of the West Coast offense as to what we could be. When you look at it, we match up damn close all over the board. And FWIW, if I could have Schaub or Smith to QB that offense, I would go with Smith in a heartbeat.

No matter how many times I have tried to show the parallels between the situation Alex Smith is in now, compared to his first year with Jim Harbaugh, down to the very minute details of how eerily similar they are, the people who are gloom and doom, and feel they have seen this story before, are just going to be that way, until wins follow. The excuses have already started even if for some strange reason things do go well. "Matt Cassel had one good season too!", here is another of my favorites, "If the Chiefs do well, its because the defense and run game drug him along.", and that one is just hilarious to me. Who cares HOW you get there, as long as you get there. Even for me last year, with Alex Smith as the starter in SF, I knew that the defense and running game was going to carry the team and anything Alex Smith did to help get them there, was a bonus. Because that is what the team was built around. The running game, and defense. No different than the Chiefs at the moment honestly. So, don't even worry about it. People want the 5000 yard passer, but fail to realize that the two qbs who were in the super bowl last year, neither one, or either team as it were, had 4000 passing yards, nor either broke 30 passing tds. So I just let it run off my back....

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

You homers act like Alex Smith has had nothing his whole career in San Fran

hes had worked with some of the best offensive coaching minds, has had a top 10 defense for the last 5 years there and had a year and half of Harbaugh who is better than GARY ****ING KUBIAK

That fact that you think Schaub excelled caused of Gary Kubiak is hilarious.

Here's what Matt Schaub can throw for 4000 yards in a 16 game season: He doesnt have a ****ing broke dick shoulder and can actually throw the ball farther than 10 yards without it losing velocity.

Here's who cant do that: Noodle Arm Alex

which is why, he will never, ever have a lot of passing yards in a 16 game sample

LOL Homers. What shall we call you? Oh, right. Bleeding vagina.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

You homers act like Alex Smith has had nothing his whole career in San Fran

hes had worked with some of the best offensive coaching minds, has had a top 10 defense for the last 5 years there and had a year and half of Harbaugh who is better than GARY ****ING KUBIAK

That fact that you think Schaub excelled caused of Gary Kubiak is hilarious.

Here's what Matt Schaub can throw for 4000 yards in a 16 game season: He doesnt have a ****ing broke dick shoulder and can actually throw the ball farther than 10 yards without it losing velocity.

Here's who cant do that: Noodle Arm Alex

which is why, he will never, ever have a lot of passing yards in a 16 game sample

ahhhhhh, Yes, because Gary Kubiaks system, you know the same one that is run by Mike Shanahan, and is founded on the bootleg, and misdirection passing plays certainly doesn't help. Oh, and Matt Schaub playing a minimum of 9 games a year in a DOME doesn't help him either. The irony that you actually think that Schaub has a stronger arm than Alex Smith one shows what a lunatic you are, and please, PLEASE, tell me about these stud weapons alex smith has had to work with at receiver over the years,, and please, outside of Mike McCarthy in year one, and Norv Turner in year two, what GREAT OFFENSIVE MINDS has he played under?

This should be great. Let me save you the trouble. The Mike Martz year, was the year that Alex Smith was on the IR, because Mike Nolan got him killed. But please. Do tell.......

It is really tough to lob the ball 40 yards in the air for andre Johnson by the way. REALLY TOUGH....

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

LOL Homers. What shall we call you? Oh, right. Bleeding vagina.

Bleeding Vagina because I hate a 30 year old broke dick injury prone noodle arm game manager QB we gave up two draft picks for?

by all means.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

Bleeding Vagina because I hate a 30 year old broke dick injury prone noodle arm game manager QB we gave up two draft picks for?

by all means.

This is who we are and what we do.

At this point I don't even know why I let myself get angry about it...

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by Maverick91579

ahhhhhh, Yes, because Gary Kubiaks system, you know the same one that is run by Mike Shanahan, and is founded on the bootleg, and misdirection passing plays certainly doesn't help. Oh, and Matt Schaub playing a minimum of 9 games a year in a DOME doesn't help him either. The irony that you actually think that Schaub has a stronger arm than Alex Smith one shows what a lunatic you are, and please, PLEASE, tell me about these stud weapons alex smith has had to work with at receiver over the years,, and please, outside of Mike McCarthy in year one, and Norv Turner in year two, what GREAT OFFENSIVE MINDS has he played under?

This should be great. Let me save you the trouble. The Mike Martz year, was the year that Alex Smith was on the IR, because Mike Nolan got him killed. But please. Do tell.......

It is really tough to lob the ball 40 yards in the air for andre Johnson by the way. REALLY TOUGH....

Your argument is, let me get this straight:

That 8 years, it has never been the #1 overall draft picks fault, it was every single circumstance around him. Owners, coaches, players, schemes. Everything. 8 years that a franchise spent on a #1 overall pick to rely on carrying them, and it was NEVER his fault. So that nice inflated #1 draft slot contract he had and everything else. Not him.

So hes not a bust in your eyes? Cause everything around him for his career has held poor Alex back

that's your argument then? The coaches, systems and players around him sucked and he couldnt turn the franchise around being a #1 overall pick playing the most important position in the sport.

That's your defense of him.