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 Sweet Daddy Hate

He should have hired YOU, Dane! Because you're a goddamned ****ing expert in ALL THINGS IMAGINABLE!

You chastise me for stating that Andy Reid and John Dorsey were the best possible hires the Chiefs could have made in 2013, yet when asked "Who you have hired instead?", you avoid answering and make a lame response.

You look more and more foolish with each post.

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

I've never considered myself an expert. I go with what my gut tells me. In the case of the Chiefs, I have history on my side as well. It is what it is.

So, Hank Stram was a poor hire? Marv Levy was a poor hire? Marty Schottenheimer was a poor hire? Dick Vermiel was a poor hire?

I would not have hired Herm, Haley or Crennel. But Herm did have usefulness, as he collaborated with others in the front office to assist in some of the best drafts in recent memory. Haley was an awful hire IMO and while I had "hope", based on Crennel's work with the team at the end of the 2011 season, he was even worse. I hated Pioli before he was even hired.

But regardless, Andy Reid and John Dorsey are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE to Pioli and Haley/Crennel. The Alex Smith trade was MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE to the Trent Green or Matt Cassel trade.

But thanks for admitting that you don't know anything about the NFL, its coaches and players because anyone with a brain that didn't know that before, certainly knows it now.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by milkman

As to the question of sitting, we'll never agree.

Owners, GM's, coaches and fans want results. It's impossible to develop a QB in a vacuum today. There are not only contractual issues but issue with players, whether it's a great running back or a receiver or even a safety. Everyone in the NFL wants to win now. Players are currently lobbying Sanchez over Smith in New York because they don't want to lose valuable years off of their careers in order to develop a guy.

The likelihood of an NFL team selecting a QB in the top five (and probably top three) and sitting him for a year is zero percent. Teams choosing in the Top Five are choosing there for a reason and they sure as hell don't have a year or two to develop a player when a player that can immediately step in and start is available.

With all due respect, it's "Old School" thinking and that game has passed by.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

With all due respect, you're entering GoChiefs territory in terms of creating a False Narrative.

1. Quarterback Rating is irrelevant.
2. Chiefs send six players to the Pro Bowl, you say "Worthless".
3. Alex Smith beat the Saints for a playoff win "Saints defense sucks".
4. Alex Smith led his team to the NFC Championship Game. "Why didn't he win it?".
5. Alex Smith was a fumble away from the Super Bowl: "He was terrible on 3rd downs".
6. Alex Smith was 18 of 19 in his last game: "QBR is worthless".
7. Alex Smith led his team to 18 victories in the past 18 months of play "Smith was along for the ride".

So, if QBR is worthless, Pro Bowls are worthless and wins are worthless, do you mind explaining how anyone can quantify a player's worthiness?

You've known me on this forum for how many years?
I've been consistent in my disdain for stats without the context of watching.

That QBR suggests that Alex Smith is more than he is.

The last two years he has been nothing more than an efficient game manager.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

But regardless, Andy Reid and John Dorsey are MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE to Pioli and Haley/Crennel. The Alex Smith trade was MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE to the Trent Green or Matt Cassel trade.

Sure it is. Keep telling yourself that.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Sure it is. Keep telling yourself that.

Why don't you tell us who they should have hired?

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Sure it is. Keep telling yourself that.

You act like the Chiefs are the only team who has ever done this.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by milkman

You've known me on this forum for how many years?
I've been consistent in my disdain for stats without the context of watching.

That QBR suggests that Alex Smith is more than he is.

The last two years he has been nothing more than an efficient game manager.

But Milk, with your disdain of QB rating and Pro Bowls (not to mention wins, in the case of Smith), how are we (or anyone, for that matter) supposed to quantify a player's worth?

Look, I'm not defending Alex Smith. I wish that a better option would have been available. I see him, numbers-wise, as probably a top 15 guy in terms of yardage and TD's. I think he's capable of providing a 10-12 win season and a playoff win. But if you put the game on his shoulders, it's likely that he won't be able to deliver.

But in that regard, how is he any different than most QB's in the NFL? Peyton Manning is an All-Time Great and how many times in the playoffs has he been able to deliver the goods?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

You act like the Chiefs are the only team who has ever done this.

He's just a whiny, dumb ****. He criticizes everyone, yet offers no alternatives. His primary reason for posting is to harass and "insult" anyone that believes the Chiefs are heading in the right direction.

In short, he's a worthless poster.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

You act like the Chiefs are the only team who has ever done this.

Are the Chiefs the only team dumb enough to keep repeating the same mistake over and over?

"Snakebit"!

[milkman]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

But Milk, with your disdain of QB rating and Pro Bowls (not to mention wins, in the case of Smith), how are we (or anyone, for that matter) supposed to quantify a player's worth?

Look, I'm not defending Alex Smith. I wish that a better option would have been available. I see him, numbers-wise, as probably a top 15 guy in terms of yardage and TD's. I think he's capable of providing a 10-12 win season and a playoff win. But if you put the game on his shoulders, it's likely that he won't be able to deliver.

But in that regard, how is he any different than most QB's in the NFL? Peyton Manning is an All-Time Great and how many times in the playoffs has he been able to deliver the goods?

You can not quantify with stats.

You can support certain arguments, but you can not quantify.

John Elway's numbers were somewhat pedestrian through most his careern but if you argued he was anything other than elite, you were either biased or an idiot, or both.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Are the Chiefs the only team dumb enough to keep repeating the same mistake over and over?

"Snakebit"!

The San Diego Chargers, for example, have drafted three quarterbacks since 1998. Ryan Leaf was a bust, Drew Brees never won a playoff game and Philip Rivers (who's on his last legs in that town).

That's two first round QB's in 16 years and another that would be considered a first rounder today (#32 overall). How many championships have they won?

There is more than one way to build a Super Bowl team.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by milkman

You can not quantify with stats.

You can support certain arguments, but you can not quantify.

John Elway's numbers were somewhat pedestrian through most his careern but if you argued he was anything other than elite, you were either biased or an idiot, or both.

I think that stats are only part of the equation. I do think that they're important but as you stated, they can be misleading.

So if we're just going to let our eyes be the judge, I'd say that Alex Smith has had a couple of really nice seasons recently and appears to have either put it all together or he's really close to putting it together.

But according to GoChiefs False Narrative (in which he admitted cherry-picking stats in order to promote his point of view), stats are everything. He's formed a narrative in which stats prove that Alex Smith is a bottom-tier QB and he'll continue to be a bottom tier QB, regardless of coaching or scheme.

Personally, I think the truth lies somewhere in between the stats and the eye test. But the quarterback rating, coupled with wins, does tell a pretty compelling story, especially if there are multiple seasons of data available.

[keg in kc]

There is no good argument in favor of a team not drafting a quarterback for 30 years.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

There is no good argument in favor of a team not drafting a quarterback for 30 years.

That blames has always lay squarely on the shoulders of the Hunt Family, although I do believe that Pioli, ever the salesman that he is, sold Clark a bad bill of goods.

And for the record, the Pittsburgh Steelers went 25 years between drafting a first round QB, so they weren't far behind.

[LiveSteam]

If only Matt could have been on of these/efficient game manager