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.”

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

How so? We have seen this same action time and time from Carl Peterson. Why would should we think this time is going be better or different results?

Because they are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE

[bevischief]

The butthurt is strong in this thread.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Because they are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE

You are wasting your breath trying to explain that Alex Smith's success or failure is in no way tied to Cassel, Bono, Grbac, or any other QB to ever put on a KC uniform.

Just like Reid and Dorsey don't care about the past failings of the franchise nor should they. Their job is to build the best team THEY believe they can.

They looked at what their options and made decisions on what they think is best for this team at this moment.

That happened to be Alex Smith.

Had this been last years draft we would have RGII or Luck in a KC uniform right now. It wasn't close to last years draft class.

Its not complicated.

[Mr. Arrowhead]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

I see the problem here.

and its true until they get proven otherwise

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Know ? Maybe, maybe not. Understand what will probably happen..? Yeah.

I mean Vegas doesn't have any confidence in AS doing anything more than he's done in his best years at SF.

And IF that's the case, the Chiefs are looking at 11-12 victories and the playoffs in 2013, right?

Contrary to the haters, led by GoChiefs and his false narrative, I've made no such predictions. There are a ton of new pieces on this team, which will take time to gel and come into focus. Think back to the 2001 season with Green and Priest Holmes: It took weeks for Saunders to figure out how to best use Priest Holmes and once he did, the offense began to explode.

I think it will take time but all that matters is consistent improvement from week to week. Anyone that watches the NFL knows that it's how a team finishes that's important, not how they start.

How many 9-7 Wildcard teams have won the Super Bowl recently?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Pussy, pussy, pussy, pussy = YOU.

This from a guy who gets his player evaluations from Madden 2010.

No one cares what you think, least of all, me.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by BossChief

From what I've been told from people with first hand knowledge, Baldwin was held back by himself. If he ever wants to be a real pro, he needs to step up his work habits and eat a whole humble pie.

It's disappointing because I'm probably his biggest fan on here.

Boy, don't I know this one. One, with Michael Crabtree. People in here, want to give Kaep all the success for Michael Crabtree. That couldn't be further from the truth. The truth was, that this last season was the first season that he actually acted like a professional. He was at the OTA's, he was in training camp for the first time in his career. Yes, his CAREER. He came in to camp in shape, and actually developed some chemistry with Alex Smith, who between the two, had 3 tds,, in their last 4 quarters together. And then on the other side of that, the Browns are dealing with Josh Gordon. All the talent in the world. saw dust for brains.

Originally Posted by Mr. Arrowhead

I agree the negatively is overwhelming, but put yourself in our shoes. We havent experience a playoff win in almost 20 years and over half the fan base has never experienced a super bowl. Sooner or later people will tend to get feed up with it, until this franchise proves otherwise.

Well, If I were a smart man, which I do not claim to be, I would look at what happened in the offseason, as a reason for optimism. Does anyone know who the coach was of the eagles before Andy Reid in philly that actually got the eagles to a super bowl? Not that its relevant, but most of the posters in here weren't born when that super bowl took place. Andy Reid knows exactly how to build a franchise from the ground up. People need to at least give him a chance to prove that he knows what he is doing as far as Alex Smith goes. I look at the options he really had at qb. Kevin Kolb, Matt Flynn, Carson Palmer, Ryan Fitzpatrick, MATT HASSELBECK, Mike Vick, trading for Nick Foles, and any qb in the draft he could of had. And yet, he wanted, ALEX SMITH, and gave up a hefty price to get him. That should say something to the people of ChiefsPlanet.

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

They made sweeping changes only to do the same thing Carl Peterson would do to address the quarterback.

Well, there is your first problem. Maybe that is the PROBLEM all together. Carl Peterson, had ZERO to do with Alex Smith. That would be John Dorsey, and Andy Reid. Carl Peterson from what it sounds like is doing what every Dallas fan wishes they would do, and what Jed York did in San Francisco. He is leaving football decisions, to FOOTBALL PEOPLE.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

And IF that's the case, the Chiefs are looking at 11-12 victories and the playoffs in 2013, right?

Contrary to the haters, led by GoChiefs and his false narrative, I've made no such predictions. There are a ton of new pieces on this team, which will take time to gel and come into focus. Think back to the 2001 season with Green and Priest Holmes: It took weeks for Saunders to figure out how to best use Priest Holmes and once he did, the offense began to explode.

I think it will take time but all that matters is consistent improvement from week to week. Anyone that watches the NFL knows that it's how a team finishes that's important, not how they start.

How many 9-7 Wildcard teams have won the Super Bowl recently?

It wont take Doug Pedersen, and Alex Smith any time at all to figure out how to use Jamaal Charles. Alex Smith knows what runs to switch into, and he has zero problems handing off, or checking down to him. It will take the defense a little bit of time to get together, a secondary, is a trust thing, so they have to learn to trust each other, but as far as the offense goes, that to me, is the least of the problem....

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

And IF that's the case, the Chiefs are looking at 11-12 victories and the playoffs in 2013, right?

Contrary to the haters, led by GoChiefs and his false narrative, I've made no such predictions. There are a ton of new pieces on this team, which will take time to gel and come into focus. Think back to the 2001 season with Green and Priest Holmes: It took weeks for Saunders to figure out how to best use Priest Holmes and once he did, the offense began to explode.

I think it will take time but all that matters is consistent improvement from week to week. Anyone that watches the NFL knows that it's how a team finishes that's important, not how they start.

How many 9-7 Wildcard teams have won the Super Bowl recently?

This is such a cop out for when the team goes 6-10, 7-9, 8-8 you can use this excuse all the way into year 2 and still have faith that it's a "process"

Oh it took Alex Smith until Week 10 to figure out how to throw to Bowe, and Doug Pederson week 11 to figure out how to use McCluster and Bob Sutton week 15 to figure out how to bench Dunta Robinson for anyone else and the DL to get a pass rush, this will all carry over into next season for year 2 playoff hopes! woooo!

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The franchise made sweeping changes this off season. No one will know the results of those changes for seven months, yet there are some that claim to already know the end result.

It's nonsense.

What's the difference between the reaction from this offseason and the 2009 offseason?

Most like the changes and a select few see it as Deja vu of the replayed Chiefs outlook of the last 30 years.

"build a team around a quarterback that other teams didn't see as a starter.

The strangest part of that...you were on the other side of the debate in 2009
and this year Have shitted on posters that question the teams current strategy...that very much appears the same as what we've done for decades.

[BossChief]

Maverick, you must have missed Crabtrees comments about how Kaepernick trusted his players more than Alex did and that's why his production got a boost when the change was made.

[mcaj22]

Listen this reaction is because of what it is,

we were led to believe after 2008 and into 2009 we would have a 4 year rebuild

we are now on an 8 year rebuild plan. A rebuild of a rebuild that should have been a rebuild. While other better ran franchises are turning over losing seasons into winning seasons in the span of 1 year, we are on an 8 year plan to find some winning consistency.

That's why people are tired. Four years ago people were saying, by 2013 this will be a winning Chiefs team and formula. Guess what, still losing. So now by 2016/2017 this Chiefs team will be winning if we are lucky. By then that will be far too late for some of our best players and we will need, you guessed it, another rebuild.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

This is such a cop out for when the team goes 6-10, 7-9, 8-8 you can use this excuse all the way into year 2 and still have faith that it's a "process"

Oh it took Alex Smith until Week 10 to figure out how to throw to Bowe, and Doug Pederson week 11 to figure out how to use McCluster and Bob Sutton week 15 to figure out how to bench Dunta Robinson for anyone else and the DL to get a pass rush, this will all carry over into next season for year 2 playoff hopes! woooo!

I find myself agreeing with you a lot this offseason.

It's strange.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by BossChief

What's the difference between the reaction from this offseason and the 2009 offseason?

Most like the changes and a select few see it as Deja vu of the replayed Chiefs outlook of the last 30 years.

"build a team around a quarterback that other teams didn't see as a starter.

The strangest part of that...you were on the other side of the debate in 2009
and this year Have shitted on posters that question the teams current strategy...that very much appears the same as what we've done for decades.

I don't see how this is similar to 2009, not in the very least. Todd Haley was a guy that was best known for having a screaming match with Anquan Boldin of all people, and had never been a head coach before. I can see the comparison with Dorsey, and Pioli, but, Cassel and Alex smith, there is nothing to compare. Cassel took over for Tom Brady, threw all season to Welker, Moss, and Ben Watson, and the Patriots capitalized on that and raped the Chiefs. Alex Smith came from a team that has limited receiver weapons to a team that has a phenomenal offensive cast, including a very good oline. The situations are the same in how they were brought together, but the independent pieces, are NOTHING like what it was.......

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

Listen this reaction is because of what it is,

we were led to believe after 2008 and into 2009 we would have a 4 year rebuild

we are now on an 8 year rebuild plan. A rebuild of a rebuild that should have been a rebuild. While other better ran franchises are turning over losing seasons into winning seasons in the span of 1 year, we are on an 8 year plan to find some winning consistency.

That's why people are tired. Four years ago people were saying, by 2013 this will be a winning Chiefs team and formula. Guess what, still losing. So now by 2016/2017 this Chiefs team will be winning if we are lucky. By then that will be far too late for some of our best players and we will need, you guessed it, another rebuild.

Again, I agree.

This teams fortunes won't change until they draft a quarterback that can inject some life into this stale franchise.

Successful rebuilds always start with drafting quarterbacks.