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.”

[Rasputin]

[QUOTE=DaneMcCloud;9774426]

Geno Smith was nearly the exact opposite. Mopey, dopey and lacking confidence and more importantly, charisma. His actions at the draft and post draft have proven that the red flags raised prior to the draft weren't far off the mark.

QUOTE]


Don't get me wrong, I can totally understand why his stock drop in the draft. Geno Smith didn't do himself any favors leading up to the draft and him not doing the senior bowl really hurt too. That said, the Chiefs wanted Alex Smith before the combine and they were up ready to make a deal so they didn't put stock into Geno Smith from evaluations because they had their quarterback or was getting him via trade with the 9ers. Chiefs were wanting Alex Smith before the combine. IMO they gave up too much to get him.

I do think some how Geno Smith got a bad rap & made himself look worse is just how it happened for him. He needed to do better against Kstate and other teams he struggled with. So I get why he drop in the draft. I still would have been happy with getting Geno Smith for his talent and ability as a quarterback that he shown in college. He is elusive with great pocket awareness and can make all the throws. His TD INT ratio was pretty damn good. I think he is a kid that can learn and find success by creating opportunity to prove himself. It's going take time for him.


Geno Smith would have been fun to watch as a Chief. It's not going be fun to watch Alex Smith but he is who we got.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by New World Order

Look, you can't be serious as to say it was a good trade for us to give up 2 second round picks for a game manager. Can you?

Why would you defend someone who isn't a franchise quarterback? Why not just admit he's average?

Well, in my defense, I thought it was insane the price tag that the Chiefs gave up to get alex smith. ONE second rounder, I would of been like, oh, okay, they over paid a little bit, but I guess you had to. But, a second, which just happened to be the second pick in the second round, and a conditional 3rd, that becomes a two if the chiefs win 8 games? So. essentially two seconds. Of course it was a good trade. The qbs on the Chiefs last year turned the ball over, 37 TIMES. that's not an exaggeration. 37. What is alex smiths one on the FIELD superiority to just about every other qb in the league? HE DOESNT TURN THE BALL OVER. Stats show that if you win the TURNOVER BATTLE, your chances of winning, increase to about 69%. That alone, is worth a second round pick. The other fact that makes this a good trade, is that the Chiefs, DIDNT EXTEND HIM. He has a very cap friendly contract, that if he sucks this year, and you cut him before the new league year starts, his cap hit, is nearly nothing, and you lose nothing but a 3rd rounder this next season. If he does well, but not well enough, you surrender the 2nd, draft a qb, sit him for a year behind alex smith, and chase Daniel, alex leaves the following season, with your qbotf ready to take over. Its a beautiful trade all the way around.......

Originally Posted by Alex Smith HATER

What's more likely?

Alex Smith leads this team to the Super Bowl

OR

One of those two second-round picks turns into an above average 10-year starter?

Neither. Only two qbs per year, lead their teams to the super bowl, meaning that 30 qbs go home with their dicks in their hand. It would be more logical to say something like this. Is it more logical, that in the next two seasons, that one of those seconds, if it even ends up being a 2nd, and not a 3rd, becomes a pro bowler, or does alex smith lead the chiefs to the playoffs. That's much more realistic. With that scenario, I would take Alex Smith. Who in their right mind would take the other.

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

We just don't believe in the same things. So I can say you are dumb too. Both of us are not wrong or right until they play the game. If Geno Smith can win with the Jets in the next 2 to 3 years and make his team playoff winners then Well **** you. If not then **** me.

Geno Smith would have been fun to watch in red uniforms with Arrowhead stickers on the helmets. A HELL of a lot more fun than Alex Smith.

How do you know? How do you know it wouldn't of been a train wreck from the word go. If you didn't trade for Alex Smith, you would of still had Matt Cassel, who probably would of gotten hurt, and forced Geno Smith in to early, and his career would of been over before it got started.

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

How the **** is that dumb, you asshat? It's the truth. Alex Smith isn't going to do a GODDAMN THING in terms of getting this franchise to a Super Bowl.
I swear, you live in a ****ing fantasy world where Alex Smith is a legit first-rounder and Reid is still a top coach in this league. It's ****ing embarrasing, Dane.

Please....STOP.

Ah, ah, ah......STOP.

Well, if you don't believe in your coach, then really, the players are irrelevant. At this level, it starts, and ends with coaching. But glad to know that a coach who has a proven track record, you know, of 5 straight nfccg;s and a super bowl appearance, and a proven track record of knowing how to build a franchise from the bottom to the top, has zero chance at success with your chiefs. That's OUTSTANDING LOGIC.

Originally Posted by mcaj22

thats because he was never given the green light with his arm playing under Martyball with Cam Cameron as his OC

and he still was able to throw for 3000 yards and 20+ touchdowns


same with Flacco, Cam Cameron gets fired and Joe Flacco carries that team with his arm in the playoffs


Alex Smith doesnt have an arm like Brees or Flacco never has and never will

There is a shit ton of fail in this post. The reason that Drew Brees struggled initially in San Diego, is because they had NO TALENT AROUND HIM other than LT at the start. They didn't have Gates at the beginning, they were the WORST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE, they had a defensive head coach......Much like what alex smith went through in San Francisco. I do laugh at the notion that you put drew brees arm in the category of Joe Flacco. That's hilarious as hell. Truth be told, Alex Smith, and Drew Brees have very comparable arms. What sets them apart is Drew Brees, is a top 3 qb in the league, at creating time in the pocket, using his slight mobility to manipulate said pocket. he is also the master of the check down, has zero problems with checking the ball down to Darren Sproles or Pierre Thomas, but can also pin point the ball anywhere. But, he does NOT have superior arm strength.......

Originally Posted by BossChief

Let me say this about the Alex Smith trade...

Players arent signed or traded for based on what they have done rather what they can do for you in the future. Andy Reid knows more about QBs than ANYONE ON THIS SITE and sees SOMETHING in Alex that he thinks he can work with.

Alexs 2011 season was ok and last year he was on pace for over 25 touchdown passes before the concussion...while not turning the ball over and completing 70% of his passes.

If Andy can keep Alex progressing at a similar rate as he has the last two seasons, we may have gotten a steal.

If he cant, we will be in position to draft his replacement in the next two drafts.

Best post in the thread. It sums it up. The chiefs are in the drivers seat if alex succeeds, or fails....

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

If they brought in Alex Smith as a stop gap QB I wouldn't be near as upset. They gave up a second round and could give up a second round in next years draft. That is not a stop gap quarterback. I don't give a shit what Andy Reid sees in Alex Smith, he couldn't keep Mike Vick from being turnover machine or healthy & on the field. The only great success Andy Reid has had was with Donovan McNabb.

I can get over this Alex Smith shit if we draft a QB with our first pick in next years draft. Reality is that we wont.

At this point, how is Alex Smith, anything but a stop gap? He is on a two year contract, at 8 mil a year, which if you haven't noticed, is less than HALF of what Flacco, Romo, Rodgers, Brees, Tom Brady, and Peyton mannings contract are. In fact, its about average, where someone of his skill level should be. They didn't extend him. And there is a reason that he didn't try to trade for Mike Vick, there is a reason he didn't pick up Kevin Kolb, or trade for Carson Palmer, or get Matt Flynn, or just suck it up, and draft a qb. There are reasons for that. The chiefs clearly showed that they are serious about building the team. They were very aggressive in free agency, they were very cerebral in their draft. Everyone thought they were taking Joeckell, they didn't, they took the player with the higher upside. They filled just about every hole on the team, including upgrading the qb situation, which under the circumstances, and year, was the best they could do. And no, if Alex Smith plays well, and the chiefs are in the playoffs, of course they wont draft a qb in the first round. Why would they? Im sure that would just suck for chiefs fans everywhere. A season that isn't all but finished by the end of November. Pity.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Geno Smith isn't Drew Brees.

Brees fell because of his height and that he came from the spread (and if you'll recall, I was a very vocal proponent of Brees).

Smith had no such concerns. His questions stemmed from his lack of maturity and decision making on the field. To date, he hasn't done anything to squelch those concerns.

Who....

the ****...

ever said that Geno Smith was Drew mother****ing Brees? One thing and one thing ALONE is certain and true as we stand today:

Geno Smith = Unknown commodity.

Alex Smith = Well known and MEDIOCRE AS **** commodity.

So there's that.

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Alex Smith was the best QB available, period.

If you wanted a new turd to replace the old one, yes.

Oh, and Bray "was your guy for development all along"?

**gga' PLEASE.

Your sperm need Special Ed.

Yesterday.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Who....

the ****...

ever said that Geno Smith was Drew mother****ing Brees? One thing and one thing ALONE is certain and true as we stand today:

Geno Smith = Unknown commodity.

Alex Smith = Well known and MEDIOCRE AS **** commodity.

So there's that.



If you wanted a new turd to replace the old one, yes.

Oh, and Bray "was your guy for development all along"?

**gga' PLEASE.

Your sperm need Special Ed.

Yesterday.

You are an absolute moron. You know absolutely ZERO about the NFL and player personnel evaluations. The Bad Guy has frequently called out your dumb posts as well.

The nonsense you've posted has NOTHING to do with the conversation at hand. It's just more moronic babbling from a dumb person that fails to realize he's clueless.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

You are an absolute moron. You know absolutely ZERO about the NFL and player personnel evaluations. The Bad Guy has frequently called out your dumb posts as well.

The nonsense you've posted has NOTHING to do with the conversation at hand. It's just more moronic babbling from a dumb person that fails to realize he's clueless.

Great response, dipshit. Now, tell me how I have failed to answer your ludicrous bullshit, Mr. Homer?

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

You are an absolute moron. You know absolutely ZERO about the NFL and player personnel evaluations. The Bad Guy has frequently called out your dumb posts as well.

The nonsense you've posted has NOTHING to do with the conversation at hand. It's just more moronic babbling from a dumb person that fails to realize he's clueless.

Who gives a **** how much I may or may not know about what makes an NFL scout wet? I know you well enough, and I know you are WRONG.

That works for me just fine.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Believe? Are you incapable of admitting that you were WRONG?

You were WRONG. He wasn't a first rounder, let alone worth 1.1.

Wake up. Stop with the nonsense.

The NFL and all of its GM's, coaches and scouts disagreed with your and your "Mafia's" evaluation.

If you can call it that.

I'm having a hard time believing the geeeno smiff hype is still present on this board. They have to be trolling you at this point. There is just no sane reason to stand behind the pick at 1.1 or even 2.2. We got better value and just as much upside with an undrafted QB this year.

[crazycoffey]

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

Who did you want the Chiefs to get for our QBotf?

matt stafford, Andrew Luck, other impossible options of course.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Who gives a **** how much I may or may not know about what makes an NFL scout wet? I know you well enough, and I know you are WRONG.

That works for me just fine.

How am I wrong? Aren't I the guy that's said, all along, that Geno Smith was not a first rounder QB, not a Franchise QB and was not worthy of 1.1?

Yes, I am that guy.

You, on the other hand, are a loudmouthed follower. You don't have a single opinion of your own; you just hop on whatever bandwagon around here is the loudest.

You're a disgrace. You're a liar, you're a cheater and Doomy3 owns your ass.

Oh, and my sperm are smarter than you.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

I'm having a hard time believing the geeeno smiff hype is still present on this board. They have to be trolling you at this point. There is just no sane reason to stand behind the pick at 1.1 or even 2.2. We got better value and just as much upside with an undrafted QB this year.

ROR didn't get the memo from GoChiefs. He must have forgot to C.C. him.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Great response, dipshit. Now, tell me how I have failed to answer your ludicrous bullshit, Mr. Homer?

Homer?

First off, please link me to ANY post I've made advocating Alex Smith. Here's a hint for your drug-riddled brain: It doesn't exist.

Secondly, you and everyone of your "kind" were absolutely and ridiculously WRONG about how the NFL scouts, GM's, owners and even media prognosticators viewed Geno Smith.

WRONG.

But then again, being wrong is a way of life for you.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

How am I wrong? Aren't I the guy that's said, all along, that Geno Smith was not a first rounder QB, not a Franchise QB and was not worthy of 1.1?

Yes, I am that guy.

You, on the other hand, are a loudmouthed follower. You don't have a single opinion of your own; you just hop on whatever bandwagon around here is the loudest.

You're a disgrace. You're a liar, you're a cheater and Doomy3 owns your ass.

Oh, and my sperm are smarter than you.

Are you this dumb in real-life too?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Who....

the ****...

ever said that Geno Smith was Drew mother****ing Brees? One thing and one thing ALONE is certain and true as we stand today:

Geno Smith = Unknown commodity.

Alex Smith = Well known and MEDIOCRE AS **** commodity.

So there's that.

That's YOUR opinion, which has proven time and time again, to be wrong.

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

If you wanted a new turd to replace the old one, yes.

Oh, and Bray "was your guy for development all along"?

**gga' PLEASE.

Your sperm need Special Ed.

Yesterday.

Um, please perform a search, Drugstore Cowboy. Even as far back as August 2012, I thought Bray had potential as a QB of the future in the NFL. Now, I didn't feel he was worthy of 1.1 or even a first rounder due to his maturity issues and age (although Claynus or whatever his moniker at the time disagreed), that's how I felt.

I've mentioned several times this year that Bray in the third-fifth round would be a nice acquisition but I also didn't believe he'd be available that late. So in that regard, I was wrong because he went undrafted.

Why?

The same maturity and age issues that I had about him back in August 2012.

Moron.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

I roam the board like a Lion on the hunt while Dummy3 cowers in the shadows; who owns who, mother****er?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Are you this dumb in real-life too?

Dumb? Please point out where what I said was "dumb".

You live in a drug-addled fantasy world.