Is Alex Smith Who We Thought He Is?

[oaklandhater]

http://kcpridesince99.sportsblog.com...ht-he-is-.html

Is Alex Smith Who We Thought He Is?
Jordan Foote , KC Sports Talk on November 16
0

Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Coming into the season, Chiefs fans were looking for a lot less of this:


And a LOT more of this:


Anyone that has watched Alex Smith play during his 3 and a half years in Kansas City knows that he is a mobile quarterback with playmaking ability. Those same people also know that Smith is not as good at stretching the field compared to other quarterbacks. The eye test gives pretty solid evidence for that. The GIF above shows you the playmaking ability, but also: Alex is stretching the field! With a revamped offensive line, developing receivers and a fantastic RB Core, Alex should be ready more than ever to push the ball down the field, right? Right? Right?

Sadly, statistics aren't on our side. Alex has averaged 6.7 YPA (Yards Per Attempt) this season. Compare this to last year's average (7.4) and you are saying to yourself "Wow! I had no clue he had regressed in the YPA department this season..." The famous eye test sure doesn't do it justice, but our reality is that Alex is throwing the ball shorter than he was last year, which we didn't know was truly possible.


This doesn't mean that "Captain Checkdown" is making a return. This doesn't mean that Alex Smith isn't capable of throwing the deep ball. This simply means that Alex Smith is throwing the ball a shorter distance down the field compared to last season. Now, many factors can contribute to that. Below is a table of Alex's opponent, attempts and yards per attempt.

Opponent
Attempts
YPA
San Diego Chargers
48
7.56
Houston Texans
37
5.03
New York Jets
33
7.18
Pittsburgh Steelers
50
5.74
Oakland Raiders
22
10.18
New Orleans Saints
24
8.92
Indianapolis Colts
19
6.68
Carolina Panthers
38
4.68
7.1 YPA is the NFL Median so far this season, meaning that 7.1 is the middle of the road in terms of YPA. Alex Smith has thrown for above 7.1 YPA in 4 out of 8 games this season, with 4/8 below the median as well. His average in a game OVER YPA is 2.72. When he performs under the median level, he does so at an average of 1.57 YPA. This data may seem meaningless, but there is actually a lot that can be interpreted from it.

2.72 is greater than 1.57. When Alex Smith is stretching the field, he is doing so very well. When he doesn't stretch the field, he does so at a bit better of a distance from the median. He has great moments and bad moments.

Good moment:


Bad moment:


To make a long story short, Alex Smith is what we thought he is. Coming into the season, we wanted him to stretch the field more and make more big plays. He has done so, but there has been no in between. This is just the tip of the iceberg. I am not going to go in depth about how many good defenses he's faced or how his progressions look, etc. but I am going to say this: Alex is who we thought he is, a QB that can make throws on occasion, but can not make them consistently. Stay tuned for more analysis. Until then, here's what we used to put up with:

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by RunKC

PFF just tweeted that Schwartz/Fisher did not give up 1 pressure today. They were perfect in pass pro.

Just more salt in the wound

More shit for you to eat bass.

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by rico

Man, you are gonna have to explain this one. I mean, I'm sure it's funny... But just can't think right now. I want to get this joke.

Telegraphed that endzone INT.

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Telegraphed that endzone INT.

You really could see the second he hiked it that he was going there no matter what.

[In58men]

Mellinger on Alex Smith


His underperformance is the single biggest thing holding the Chiefs back. He's always been a small-margin-for-error guy, and missing touchdown throws like he did last week in Carolina, throwing the pick at the goal line today, and allowing his running threat to evaporate without making up for it somewhere else has ruined his effectiveness.

I've always been higher than most on Smith, seeing him as good enough to win with if you have the right pieces around him. But he's regressed so far this season, which is troubling because this was always set up to be the best statistical season of his career.

The interception in the end zone was horrendous. The pass was tipped, but at least on first look it's not clear if that's what caused the interception. Either way, Smith never considered a different option, staring Conley down immediately after the play-action fake. The safety didn't bite, which Smith must not have seen, because that was too easy of an interception and return.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...#storylink=cpy

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

I am sick of Alex Smith and Alex Smith threads... Someday he will be gone and we can have hope and peace.

Well I'm tired of Alex Smith throwing passes for the KC Chiefs, because he sucks.

[Beef Supreme]

I was pissed we traded for him. I was pissed we extended him. I'm pissed they are still playing him. He's exactly what I thought he was.

[Chromatic]

His lack of speed this year is glaring. He no longer has that burst that made his scrambling so effective.

Week 16 2015 (Dec 27):


A few hours ago:

[In58men]

Originally Posted by BigChiefTablet

I was pissed we traded for him. I was pissed we extended him. I'm pissed they are still playing him. He's exactly what I thought he was.

Yep, I was burnt too. Another hand-me-down that everybody thought was the next Joe Montana.

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

Yep, I was burnt too. Another hand-me-down that everybody thought was the next Joe Montana.

I don't think the trade was the problem. Not having a replacement brewing has been the failure. I actually think Reid and Dorsey have intended to do so. They just haven't been aggressive enough.

[splatbass]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

Well I'm tired of Alex Smith throwing passes for the KC Chiefs, because he sucks.

So it isn't rigged?

[Beef Supreme]

Maybe it is rigged. It would explain why they keep that shitty mother****er on the field instead of the bench.

[In58men]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

I don't think the trade was the problem. Not having a replacement brewing has been the failure. I actually think Reid and Dorsey have intended to do so. They just haven't been aggressive enough.

I don't understand why people thought he was so ****ing good in the first place. The dude was bench by Shaun Hill and was traded away for a reason. Chiefs are frustrating.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by splatbass

So it isn't rigged?

If it's not, then Reid is ****ing stupid and is a liability as a head football coach.

You pick.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

I don't understand why people thought he was so ****ing good in the first place. The dude was bench by Shaun Hill and was traded away for a reason. Chiefs are frustrating.

To be fair, nothing looks good in SF.

He was right, the problem wasn't trading for Smith...it was in not preparing for this day, TODAY, when the entire team is stacked and ready for a playoff run...except the coaching is atrocious and there's no QB. All except that.

[splatbass]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

If it's not, then Reid is ****ing stupid and is a liability as a head football coach.

You pick.

There are legitimate criticisms of Reid. He doesn't manage the clock well, he doesn't run the ball when we have 1st and goal inside the 5, etc., but lets not forget we were 2-14 and flying banners above arrowhead before he came here. He has consistently fielded competitive teams for more than 15 years. We are better off with him than we have been in a long, long time.