Quote:
Originally Posted by milkman
If it was just this one game, I would agree with you here.
As I watched Smith under Harbaugh, I saw a mediocre, albeit efficient game manager, whose conservative approach could best described as playing scared.
He showed a flash of what he was capable of in that Saints playoff game, which I said at time might be the spark to him playing to his franchise potential.
But that was his only flash in those 2 years.
Through the first half of this season, I saw the same guy.
However, over the latter stages of this season, he flashed more.
There were 4 or 5 games after the bye where I, and others who shared my same opinion of Smith, said that this Smith is a QB we can win.
What we saw on Saturday, I believe, the evolution process of Smith from the scared, risk averse game manager to the confident passer with playmaking ability that Reid envisioned when they traded for him.
I just don't believe that Reid allows him to regress.
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Having Reid to coach him at the QB position is probably one of the biggest reasons why I have such optimism that his play on Saturday won't be just an aberration. Sure, he'll probably still have inconsistent games, and I don't think anyone is setting the bar at 4 tds a game, but the ability to make plays all over the field including taking his shots down field.