Let's do the Alex Smith thing again.
 

Shall we.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-...a-game-manager

The Week in Overreactions: Alex Smith is more than a game manager
By Ryan Wilson | CBSSports.com
October 21, 2014 8:16 am ET

Alex Smith isn't a game manager

It's easy -- and, frankly, lazy -- to categorize Alex Smith as a game manager because that appeared to be his ceiling early in his career. Some of those growing pains can be attributed to youth (he came into the league as a fresh-faced 20-year-old), expectations that come with being the first-overall pick in the 2005 draft, and landing on a bad 49ers team that had six different offensive coordinators in Smith's first six seasons.

That's the definition of setting someone up to fail. And while the perception of Smith didn't change once coach Jim Harbaugh arrived in 2011, the reality was that he became a more complete player.

• In 54 games (50 starts) from 2005-2010, Smith completed 57 percent of his passes (6.2 YPA) with 51 touchdowns and 53 interceptions.

• In 2011-2012 under Harbaugh, Smith played in 26 games (25 starts) completed 64 percent of his passes (7.4 YPA) with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

• And in a season and a half with the Chiefs and Andy Reid, Smith has started all 21 games, completing 62 percent of his passes (6.6 YPA) with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

We've been as guilty as anyone as taking Smith's accomplishments for granted, even regularly referring to him as "a bridge quarterback" to whomever is pegged as the next face of the franchise in Kansas City. But he's proven to be much, much more than that. We saw it in last season's playoff loss to the Colts, when he was 30 of 46 for 378 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

We saw it again in Week 4 when Smith completed 20 of 26 passes for 248 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions as the Chiefs throttled the Patriots, 41-14. And we were reminded once again on Sunday in San Diego when Smith, who has long been criticized for his inability to play from behind, did just that.

He led the Chiefs on a late-fourth-quarter, eight-play, 62-yard drive that began on their 8-yard line, and included a nine-yard scramble and passes of 19, 16 and eight yards to set up Cairo Santos' 48-yard field goal.

It wasn't spectacular but that's not Smith's game. (And when did spectacular equate to franchise savior, anyway? Jay Cutler has plenty of "spectacular" plays on his highlight reel but he's regularly played some truly awful football.)

According to Football Outsiders, Smith ranks 15th among all quarterbacks this season, ahead of Tom Brady, Carson Palmer and Ben Roethlisberger, but his steady-as-she-goes approach fits nicely with what Reid wants to do offensively. And even if it means fewer big plays down the field, it's hard to argue with the results; the Chiefs started 9-0 last season before finishing 11-5. And after an 0-2 start this season, they have won three of four, their only loss an eminently winnable game in San Francisco in Week 5. And this all comes after the Chiefs, prior to Reid and Smith's arrival, won a grand total of two games in 2012.

When Smith signed a four-year, $68 million extension just before the season, our only reservation was that it would mean the Chiefs would put off finding their next young quarterback. But at 30 years old, he's entering his NFL prime; there's no reason to rush him off the field. In fact, he could be the key to helping the Chiefs to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2005-2006.

Let's not.

Ugh.

oh for all that is holy.....

:facepalm:

I see where it says to stop calling him a game manager. I couldn't find the statistics to back that claim up, especially when it takes him 21 games to put up Andy Dalton numbers.

Most of the time, I think the friction between people about Smith comes down to misunderstandings. Most agree that he is a good QB.. but the "sides" see criticism as extreme hate... and any applause as extreme adoration.

There is a large, grey area. Just about everyone is in this.. but somehow, get pushed further to one end or the other by the misunderstandings and overreactions from others.

I think Smith is every bit in that "2nd tier" of all QBs. Anywhere in the 7-15 range, and it fluctuates, as all QB's performances do each week. (except maybe Forehead)

Some feel he has hit his ceiling... that's fair enough.. but I don't agree. Another year in the system... an upgrade at OL here and there... and an upgrade at one WR spot... and I believe Smith can evolve even more.

He is NOT flawless... he is NOT without blame...
He is NOT a shitbag... he is NOT teh suxxorz...

Smith is simply a good, 2nd tier QB that can have a whole lot of success for a team that doesn't completely suck.

He's the very definition of a game manager. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

"Fire John Dorsey" - direck after game 1

You mean like Sunday's Dalton numbers?

Dalton is shit without Green.

Regular season hero nothing more. At the end of his career nobody will care about a playoff win lol.

I'm really hoping he settles in after the midway mark like he did last year and we open things up a little.

Love the comparison to Cutler. Many Alex-haters think arm strength is the most important thing to a good QB. Alex proves that it's the 6 inches between the ears that is even more important.

The one short-coming Alex Smith has is the unwillingness to take chances. Solomon Wilcotts pointed out yesterday that he had a 1v1 matchup deep that he could've taken a shot on. He just refuses to do it.

That's my biggest problem with him. We know he can do it (see playoff game last season) but chooses not to. Is that because of the coaches, the WRs being shit, or just because of his personality???

Arm strength is vastly overrated.

Perfect example, Peyton Manning.

There was a good quote Whitlock's article on the Royals the other day.... if we're not making mistakes, we're not being aggressive enough.

Who gives a shit what you call him?

He's the same QB now as he was 3 years ago. Nothing has changed. Alex is going to Alex.

Game manager and franchise QB are nothing more than vague buzz words with subjective definitions. Arguing about it is stupid. If you don't know what kind of QB Alex Smith is by now, you're pretty dense.

Pfff... on the sideline Kelce had totally beaten 2 guys.

Jenkins sucks, and probably would not have caught it. I don't trust him 1 on 1. The DB probably wins the battle, because AJ is awful. Smith could have floated a ball to Kelce and it's a race to the endzone. Instead he got sacked.

Alex is gonna Alex.

Perfectly stated. Exactly this. Well done sandy.

This thread will surely turn out differently than all the other Smith threads.
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Hey, at least it's entertaining at work? :shrug:

Not really

this is like arguing the importance of winger in musical history and whether or not they were a second tier or a shit tier band or whether they were 12th or 18th best that week

they had their rockin moments but if you had a choice, you wouldnt sport a winger shirt or blast winger in your camaro

you would put on a zeppelin shirt or blast metallica out of the t-tops as you thunder down the road any day

theyre just not important, nor will they ever be

Finding arm strength in the draft is easy. Finding QBs is not.

"hes not a game manager"

"see he completed 62% of his passes and has way more TD's than INTS"

see

SEE?

The Andy dalton that had like 21 yards at halftime and got shut out without AJ green against the colts defense that Alex put 370+ yards and 4 tds on?

:facepalm:

Alex Smith is a Franchise QB!

http://www.kcchiefs.com/media-center...e-c8d3e116ecdd

Correct answer. I think as Kelce and Alex get to know each other more, this pass will be attempted. Alex knows his WR's suck.

That's not the same defense we played in the playoff game. If that unit keeps playing the way it is, that team will be a legit Super Bowl contender.

Dalton's been putting up 4,000 yard 30 TD seasons since he came in the league. He's not getting all that production out of one guy.

they have a good defense, you make it sound like they are the 2000 Ravens. Chiefs would put up 27+ on them. Dalton put up absolutely nothing. They are superbowl contenders because of Andrew luck, not their D

Yeah, not the same defense.

They lost their stud pass rusher that amassed 19.5 sacks last year.

So to suggest that their middling defense is somehow better now? Get real.

I don't condemn Dalton for one game... but making excuses like this for him is ironic and weak at best. Other than Corey Redding and CB Davis, that Colts defense has nothing for offenses to fear.

Dalton doesn't just get production out of Green. You are of course right about that. Thing is.. just having a talent like Green on the field opens up everyone else... so directly or indirectly... Green is a huge presence for Cincy.

LMAO Bullshit. It's one ****ing season.

That's what a game manager does. He won't lose many games for the Chiefs but he also win many for them either. A beat writers once said quarterbacks either play to not mistakes or play to make plays.

After the game Smith was interview and he said he just tries to put the ball in his playmakers hands and let them make plays. I've heard Kyle Orton say exactly the same thing.

Another thread with some very fresh takes...

this is why I love CP, they never rehash the same topics and ALWAYS have fresh facts and information when it comes to new topics...

What a great thread.

This will surely soon be the third Smith thread that goes on ignore.

Chiefs fans still singing the same song that the team wrote 40 years ago.

SHOCKING!!!!

I'm not making it sound like anything. I wrote what I wrote and you made your own assumptions from there.

Of course the heart and soul of the team is Luck. But they've had him for 2 seasons prior to this one and were never considered legit Super Bowl contenders. Now they are. Why? Because their defense is playing extremely ****ing well. Do you understand?


To act like a defense that is missing a player can't be somehow different and/or play better? Get real.

Shit changes from year to year..

Our defense looks better while missing 4 starters.

The Seahawks defense looks worse with basically the exact same squad as last year.

The Saints added Jairus Byrd and a healthy Vaccaro and they look like ass compared to last year.

The Lions didn't add anyone of note and they're playing like one of the best in the league. Last year they were horrible.


What's one season? Dalton's been putting up pretty good numbers in the regular season for quite some time.

He's put up one season of 4390/33TDs.

The rest is Alex-type numbers.

You mean to tell me the guy didn't explode onto the scene until his 3rd NFL season? That's incredibly flabbergasting. I can't think of any reason why it might take a guy more than a season or two to grasp the subtle nuances of the game..

Dalton's ROOKIE season matched Alex Smith numbers in his 9th season. He threw for 3,400 yards with 20 TDs and 13 INTs.

From the ESPN Power Rankings - San Diego Chargers:

"The Rivers-Gates connection is alive and well, but the defense didn't do its part in its first test against a legit QB in four games."

My work is done. :)

This is your standard MO, Sandy. Downplay everything else in the NFL in a feeble attempt to prop Alex up.

By every measurable statistic or standard, the Colts defense is one of the best in the NFL so far this season. Last year, the Colts defense was not very good.

But keep twisting things around to make your boy look better than he is.

Yeah, this guys MO is the same as Sandy's. Listen to how he twists his words just to make KC's QB look better…

http://www.kcchiefs.com/media-center...e-c8d3e116ecdd

He's a game manager.

Unless the D shows up we're ****ed 90 percent of the time.

Did you even watch the game or that video I posted?

I agree but only for offenses like Andy's. Put him in Green Bay and Cobb and Nelson would hate him.

BOOM!

3-33-1

This video has nothing to do with what I was talking about. Even if you were just trying to be a smartass, it still didn't apply.

they run a WCO too except with a legitimate rotation of receivers year in and out, I think he'd be okay

Just because we run a wco doesn't mean you can't throw it down field

Never said it doesn't, watching his 2011-2012 highlight vids they ran the WCO in SF and he didn't look like he had trouble chucking it to Vernon Davis who is 6'3 and runs a 4.3 and he led the league in yards per attempt in 2012. Who is he supposed to throw to here? Dwayne Bowe? Avery? ROFL (okay okay they did hit on a few nice deep passes to Avery last season but he can't catch and is a broke dick)

3 more

He did not have that matchup. Wilcox was wrong.

Pocket collapsed before the receiver made his break and got inside of the defender.

See, you read shit like this and you should just be laughing.

This guy didn't even watch that game. Alex Smith was game managering that shit all over the field. He made like one or two throws the whole night that were anything remotely special.

Alex Smith is, was and will always be a game manager.

Why is it important for more throws than one or two, or any for that matter, to be special? If he surveys the field and finds open guys all night long making good decisions and winning the game, who cares how special the throws are?

Also, if what he does is so average and so easy, why don't more qbs do it? Dude just GOT PAID for doing what you claim any broke dick can do, why don't they all do it then? I would, take less risk, make the easy throws and cash my checks. Why don't they just all do that?

There are more ways to play the position effectively than just the Brett Farve guide to quarterbacking.

Andy Dalton's first 54 games: 12,735 yards, 86 touchdowns
Alex Smith's first 54 games: 8,397 yards, 51 touchdowns

So less yards and less touchdowns and less playoff appearances but, yeah, if you need someone to handoff and checkdown and maybe get you in field goal range then Alex is your boy.

Alex Smith: handing off like an MVP!

Doesn't matter when you win.

But to label him as anything but a game manager is inaccurate.

And the Chiefs will never win anything with him because of that.

Good day, sir.

weren't you the guy-sir-who guaranteed a chargers rout -

way to go nostradumbass

Yes he did. He just passed it up for a safer play one nearly cost the Chiefs a chance to win the game.

And no pocket didn't collapse before the receiver was open. He was flushed out to his right after the fact.

So ridiculous that this one missed play goes on and on. Smith didn't make many special plays that make your eyes pop open.. but he did have a near flawless game of spreading the ball around and dominating TOP. He did put together an excellent 2 minute drive.. from the 8 yard line... to win the game.

This isn't Madden.. where you (as QB) drop back and can see every perfect target route just as they come out of their break, and have the option to hit the any one of the targets with a push of a button. I can see some criticism, if AJJ was wide open or had a couple steps on the defender... he wasn't and didn't. I can see more criticism if this was a 4th down play on some final drive of the game...it wasn't.

The GREAT Phyllis Rivers.. in his own house.. had many crap throws.. some of which he got bailed out on by great receiver catches... but many off target throws.

... but no. Let's focus all attention on one play where Smith elected not to force a deep, low percentage throw on great CB coverage vs a below average WR.

... and this comes after a huge road win.. in which Smith had a higher avr. and rating.. against a division opponent on a 5 game win streak.


just wow, people... No one is anointing Smith as the "greatest evar" over this or any game... but being this petty as to grumble on and on over this one play? :facepalm:

LMAO

I certainly won't. The Chiefs winning a ****ing wild card means nothing. Absolutely nothing.

<table class="gc-team-leaders-table" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr class="thd2"><td>Passing</td> <td>Cmp</td> <td>Att</td> <td>Yds</td> <td>TDs</td> </tr> <tr class="tbdy1"> <td>A. Dalton</td> <td>18</td> <td>38</td> <td>126</td> <td>0</td></tr></tbody></table>
:spock:

Geno Smith say hello.

You know less about evaluating football talent than I do astrophysics.

He makes that play the Chiefs are in position to score a touchdown. Great quarterbacks play to make plays and journeyman quarterbacks do not.

like I said....

He also made other passes that would have extended drives that were in scoring range. The passes were dropped.

Yet you and others wish to harp on one play that had a very low % chance of being positive. Have fun with that, I guess.. but it's still ridiculous.. all things considered.

Uh, no.

You take the higher percentage pass and have a better chance at moving the chains, eat more of the clock and keep the opposing offense off the field.

Don't get me wrong, I'd have liked to see him take that shot as well, but I understand the logic of not doing so.

If he was going to take the higher percentage pass, he needed to do it when the wr or TE was actually open. He waited and threw it late, making it a riskier throw as it could have been intercepted.

It's third down. Take the throw down the field. Worst case scenario it's intercepted.

Again... this is not Madden, where the QB has an advantage in seeing every route unfold at the same time.

If he fires off a quick pass underneath, people bitch that he didn't take the time to look deep downfield.

When he waits to see if a deep target gets open and misses his window underneath.. people bitch about that too.

It's a no win situation with some folks.

I'm not even saying I know with certainty when and where he went through his progressions... doesn't much matter... as it was just ONE inconsequential play. I'd understand it more if AJJ was running wild and free... but his CB was up his ass to the point that even in a still picture... can't see but one body.

I agree... the hesitation to throw it deep fubar'ed the underneath route as well. That play was absolutely on Smith, no doubt. But I can understand the thought process. If it were second down, I think he let's it fly. On third, the "game manager" in him required that he pull it back and look for a higher percentage pass to move the chains. But it was too late.

Of course he has to be wild and free for smith to throw it anyway. It's one inconsequential play that led to a punt and the opponent to tie the score.

Jesus.

The corner is right behind him sure, but it's a post. He, the wr, has all the leverage to the post and is on top of the co4ner

Guys... What are the Chiefs good at? Short to Mid range passes. What are they not good at? Deep passes. Be it because Smith is supposedly a pussy, be it because the WR's suck, be it because the oline can't pass pro long enough, be it because Smith supposedly has a noodle arm, etc etc etc. Going deep there had a low percentage of success for one or all of the reasons above - depending on your individual perspective. Smith saw the deep opportunity present itself, pulled the arm back to throw it and then the statistic of success flashed in his head and he looked for the underneath route instead to move the chains. The hesitation meant that the underneath route was no longer available. It didn't work out but it's tough to argue the logic of the decision. Again, I personally think he lets it fly there if it were 1st or 2nd down.

I would have liked to see him chuck it personally, but think I understand why he did not.

I'm so tired of Alex Smith and all he brings to the world.

You must long for the days of 2-14 again. I hate quarterbacks who win also.

I long for the days of 13+, not "7-9, feelin' fine, back that ass up in to a wild card and lose". Again.

At some point you've got to take chances though. That was a chance to effectively end the game

Like I said, I'd have liked the trigger to have been pulled. But Smith I guess didn't think that THAT was the point at which to take chances. And seeing as how even his most bitter detractors think that he is nothing more than a good game manager, I'm willing to give Smith the benefit of the doubt on that decision.

That's what I'm arguing. That's exactly THE point to take a chance on that throe. At worst you throw a deep pick that ends up being basically a punt. Atleast it gives you a chance to put the game away

If this is the play we are still talking about, I still think Smith made the right decision. The next... and maybe better choice would have been Bowe(?)... coming back towards the ball at the 38.

We are winning the game at this point by keeping the ball nearly the entire game. That is the way we are winning games all of our games. It's the way we should keep winning games.

The three options at the top of the picture are the worst three options from what I see (including the circled Kelcey... who is nearly triple covered).

Look at all the things that have happened this year. OL struggling in pass pro, receiver not making catches they should, his worst game being when he forced it downfield.

I can understand why he doesn't want to try those throws with the surrounding cast at this time.

Why in the hell is AJJ highlighted in this picture? Does the OP not realize that there is a dude literally inserted into his anus right there? How in the hell is that "NFL open", if you knew a god damn thing about AJJ it's that he doesn't fight well for the ball and tends to give up on routes. If I am AS11 in this situation I run the ball and punt on 4th. Good decision