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.”

[Tribal Warfare]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Lil' Chiefy's are a sad, sad reality and a way of life. It is what it is.

Who started the "Lil' Chiefy" tag, and why?

[Sorter]

Who else confuses SDW for mcajj due to their avatars now?

[J Diddy]

Originally Posted by Tribal Warfare

Who started the "Lil' Chiefy" tag, and why?

There's a thread where sdh claims the invention.

As to the why, only God knows.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Sorter

Who else confuses SDW for mcajj due to their avatars now?

I was, but then I realized mcaj isn't a ****ing dumbass like sweet daddy cockgobbler.

[Sandy Vagina]

Originally Posted by qbsacker93

Pretty easy to have a high qbr when you rank in the bottom on the league in passing attempts at 28 per game (2011) and 22 per game (2012). But lets not let facts get in the way.

Passer rating really isn't about throwing the ball 50x a game or 20x a game. It's a formula balanced from important stats.

Whether conservative or not, Alex was top 10 in passer rating in 2011, and top 5 in passer rating in 2012. Should he be regarded as an elite QB? No. He needs to put up such ratings for a longer period of time, IMO.

.. but to state that "the QB we got sucks" ??? That's just being an ignorant anustart. You must think your GM and HC are the dumbest **** on Earth.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by qbsacker93

It's the skeptics who are out researching and coming up with valid points, and having real debate and discussions about every detail on their team. The true fans could give a shit less, half of them are there just for the beer and bbq. A great fanbase needs a healthy dose of both. Too far one way, and you are the Chiefs fanbase. Too far the other way, and you suddenly become the Jets. I like being right, so I go with what my research tells me. Same thing with Matt Cassel, when he was sacked a ton of times in NE and his receivers lead the league in YAC, I knew he would be exposed with a less talented team. I foresee the same with Smith.

again. A less talented team? This will be the most talented offense that alex smith has ever been apart of. Can anyone truthfully debate that with me? I mean, for sure, ill gladly debate that point.

Originally Posted by mcaj22

what have the skeptics been wrong about so far?

Scooter?
Cassel?
Haley?
Romeo?
Bill Muir?
Brian Daboll?
Stanford Routt?
Zach Thomas?
Peyton Hillis?


literally pick someone. Anyone. Baldwin? Tony Moeaki? the list goes on and on.

And yet, not a single person on that list, is on this team, nor had any affiliation with the current regiment, which in fact invalidates anybodies assumption that this is the same old same old.

Originally Posted by mcaj22

the Treen Green/Rich Gannon comparisons are literally what you hope and pray Alex Smith is for a ceiling. Some 30-37 year old window where he plays lights out and has a career resurgence.

I mean, it's really rare for that to happen to a QB. How many can you name? Gannon? Green? Who else had a good late career. Kurt Warner probably counts in there too.

You are basically saying Alex Smith might compare to 3 guys that are such a rare case at the QB position, and if he ends up being as good as them, probability states he should carry us to a Super Bowl, like Gannon and Warner did.

That's just way too much hypothetical with such a rare percentage of it panning out.

Well sure. I mean absolutely, because Alex Smith was unimpressive the past 20 starts of his career. He proved with proven coaching that at the very least, he will always give your team a chance to win. He had less turnovers in the past two years than the chiefs qbs had last season alone. He had success, he has had proven success over the past two years. Things that people don't want to acknowledge, or give him credit for at the very least, being a part of, which, he was. He was an integral part of the success the 49ers had, if you don't want to say in 2012, fine, but in 2011, he was a huge part of that.

Originally Posted by qbsacker93

Won't happen. Alexsexuals need a place to defend their golden boy. Haters need a place to trash Smith. I think it's a healthy outlet.

What is there to defend? Over the last two seasons he proved that he is ultra precise, ultra conservative, and a true leader, on and off the field. That REALLY needs defending. Mean while, the qb who won the last super bowl, didn't throw 30 tds, he threw 28, and he didn't have 4000 yards. If anything the argument that conservative offense that relies on the running game, and occasional big play, solid defense and special teams is actually the formula that has won the past two super bowls. yet, people think that this is a plan for MEDIOCRITY, while teams like the packers, saints, pats, have either not made the playoffs, or lost to one of those two teams the past two years while having qbs that threw for over 5000 yards.

Like I said. What exactly do Alexsexuals need to defend?

Originally Posted by ptlyon

He's got a better chance at getting pregnant

Lol, yes, because more throws, will amount to more ints, but DEFINTELY NOT MORE TOUCHDOWNS........Do people realize that his season high for TDS, was 18 in 2009, and yet, he didn't start the first 7 games of the season, but for sure, him getting to 25, IMPOSSIBLE. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[Mav]

Originally Posted by qbsacker93

Pretty easy to have a high qbr when you rank in the bottom on the league in passing attempts at 28 per game (2011) and 22 per game (2012). But lets not let facts get in the way.

With Alex Smith as the qb the 49ers led the league in turnover differential, starting field position, and was usually leading in the second half which led to him not having to throw as much. is there a part of this that is that hard to understand?

When you are leading in the 4th quarter, you aren't going to be throwing the ball as much. When you lead the league in turnover differential, and starting field position, that means your kicking game is elite, (andy lee, top 3 punter in the league) and you don't turn the ball over, 5 ints in 2011 for alex smith, means that you aren't throwing the ball as much. Oh, and before you say its because Alex Smith was the qb. Kaepernick, when qb, the 49ers still ran more than they threw. Why? It must be because Kaepernick sucks, orrrrr, its because that's who Jim HARBAUGH is, seeing as when he was in college, when the BEST QB IN THE COUNTRY, he still ran the ball 58 percent of the time.

Who knew? People are so busy dissecting the valid points, and stats, how the hell is that not mentioned?

[Sandy Vagina]

Oh, and to those that are giving me + rep? Thanks, but don't bother. I couldn't care less about the same dozen kids that keep loading up the - rep. The rep bar is manipulated to the point where it lacks any accurate or credible reason for existing. I don't mind the pretty red bar... RED >>> GREEN.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Mac-NinersChiefs

Oh, and to those that are giving me + rep? Thanks, but don't bother. I couldn't care less about the same dozen kids that keep loading up the - rep. The rep bar is manipulated to the point where it lacks any accurate or credible reason for existing. I don't mind the pretty red bar... RED >>> GREEN.

I use rep more for the comment section, than for the rep itself, so just get over it okay lol, ill just rep you red with a positive comment from now on hahahaha

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

You are beyond stupid.

Says the dumbass still gobbling down the shit-sandwich...

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

While I do think Smith will be a significant upgrade over Cassel, I don't think the Chiefs are winning any SBs anytime soon. Wildcard game? Sure.

The odds are stacked pretty heavily against every QB winning anytime soon. Sure, one QB is going to win every single year, but you could really name any team and say they are not going to win a Super Bowl anytime soon, and probably be right more than wrong.

JMO, but we have a pretty good team. Built it the way damn neare everyone here wanted to do it too. Build it first... then add the QB. Well, that is what we just did. We built it, and added the best QB that was out there. I like our chances just as much as the next team.

We have pass rushers. We have OT's. We have legit CB's. We have a legit RB and WR. We have other key role players as well. I like our chances.

Will we win it? Most likely not. But the 31 other teams can make that same assumption. Odds are stacked against every single team. Even the best one's as we have seen in recent Super Bowls.

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by Coogs

The odds are stacked pretty heavily against every QB winning anytime soon. Sure, one QB is going to win every single year, but you could really name any team and say they are not going to win a Super Bowl anytime soon, and probably be right more than wrong.

JMO, but we have a pretty good team. Built it the way damn neare everyone here wanted to do it too. Build it first... then add the QB. Well, that is what we just did. We built it, and added the best QB that was out there. I like our chances just as much as the next team.

We have pass rushers. We have OT's. We have legit CB's. We have a legit RB and WR. We have other key role players as well. I like our chances.

Will we win it? Most likely not. But the 31 other teams can make that same assumption. Odds are stacked against every single team. Even the best one's as we have seen in recent Super Bowls.

Really?

Because I like the Pats, Giants, Packers, Saints, Falcons, Seahawks, Colts, Ravens, 49ers, and Steelers chances more.

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by Coogs

The odds are stacked pretty heavily against every QB winning anytime soon. Sure, one QB is going to win every single year, but you could really name any team and say they are not going to win a Super Bowl anytime soon, and probably be right more than wrong.

JMO, but we have a pretty good team. Built it the way damn neare everyone here wanted to do it too. Build it first... then add the QB. Well, that is what we just did. We built it, and added the best QB that was out there. I like our chances just as much as the next team.

We have pass rushers. We have OT's. We have legit CB's. We have a legit RB and WR. We have other key role players as well. I like our chances.

Will we win it? Most likely not. But the 31 other teams can make that same assumption. Odds are stacked against every single team. Even the best one's as we have seen in recent Super Bowls.

Really?

Because I like the Pats, Giants, Packers, Saints, Falcons, Seahawks, Colts, Ravens, 49ers, and Steelers chances more.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Sorter

Really?

Because I like the Pats, Giants, Packers, Saints, Falcons, Seahawks, Colts, Ravens, 49ers, and Steelers chances more.

And you could be wrong on every single one of them. Might be the Bronco's or Texans instead. Maybe even another team. Like us.

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by Coogs

And you could be wrong on every single one of them. Might be the Bronco's or Texans instead. Maybe even another team. Like us.

Forgot them. I'd add them to my list as well.


Given our schedule, I really don't see this team doing better than 6-10.