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.”

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by Alex Smith 4Ever

Tom Brady was once called a game manager

he also wasnt called a game manager for his first 7 seasons in the NFL like Noodle Dick Smith

[milkman]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

The Chiefs didn't invest two second round draft choices in order to win five games. With this coaching staff (the best since the Vermeil days and arguably the best since 1993) could win five games with Matt Cassel.

Barring catastrophic injury, this team's floor is eight wins with a ceiling of eleven.

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

IMO, there are less question marks on this team since 1997.

They're loaded defensively, they have an accurate WCO QB, the league's best running back, a solid if not spectacular offensive line, weapons at TE, a true franchise WR and so on. They have the best coaching staff since 1993, IMO.

I don't think they'll click on all cylinders from Day One but by Week Eight, barring catastrophic injuries, this team should be in sync and rolling.

The only position group that we can say with near certainty is loaded is the LB corps.

The D-Line is nothing but question marks and potential, and the 2nd corner and free safety are questionable at best.

On offense, the only positins that we clrearly have answers are Charles at RB, Bowe at WR, and Albert at LT.

The rest of the offense, including Eric Fisher at RT, are, like the D-line, question marks and potential.

The biggest question ark of all is whether Reid is going to ask more of Alex Smith than Harbaugh, and if so, how he will handle the added responsibility.

This team has the potential to win 10 or more games, but it also has the potential to lose 10 or more games.

I tend to believe that it will be a 5 win team, because I have little faith in Smith, and have always believed that Reid is overrated.

[milkman]

Oh, and further Dane, you keep talking about this staff like it's a certainty that it is going to be really good.

Doug Pedersen has never been an OC, so is a question mark, and Bob Sutton struggled in his previous stint as a DC, though he gets a pass because of who he worked for.

But at this point, he could be the next Gunther Cunningham, for all any of us know.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by milkman

The only position group that we can say with near certainty is loaded is the LB corps.

The D-Line is nothing but question marks and potential, and the 2nd corner and free safety are questionable at best.

On offense, the only positins that we clrearly have answers are Charles at RB, Bowe at WR, and Albert at LT.

The rest of the offense, including Eric Fisher at RT, are, like the D-line, question marks and potential.

The biggest question ark of all is whether Reid is going to ask more of Alex Smith than Harbaugh, and if so, how he will handle the added responsibility.

This team has the potential to win 10 or more games, but it also has the potential to lose 10 or more games.

I tend to believe that it will be a 5 win team, because I have little faith in Smith, and have always believed that Reid is overrated.

I generally agree with the pessimism included in this post, but I think the floor for this team will be 6 or 7 wins because of the schedule.

I also can see scenarios where Alex Smith is asked to throw 500-550 times and turns in a good year, leading the team to 11 or 12 wins because if he holds up his end of the deal, that should give the rest of the squad a big time infusion of newfound energy and hope.

Especially if they hold true to their words and truly run an attacking defensive scheme that allows Houston, DJ and Hali to turn the heat up on opposing passers.

Overall, I think Danes scenario of us winning an early game or two before going into a bit of a slump mid season and ending the year very strong being the closest to what actually happens.

I think the team goes 8-8 after starting out something like 2-6.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by milkman

Oh, and further Dane, you keep talking about this staff like it's a certainty that it is going to be really good.

Doug Pedersen has never been an OC, so is a question mark, and Bob Sutton struggled in his previous stint as a DC, though he gets a pass because of who he worked for.

But at this point, he could be the next Gunther Cunningham, for all any of us know.

Pederson may be a fresh OC, but with guys like Reid, Ault and Childress in house to help his development and his long term relationship with Reid...I kinda expect him to do well in that role.

I agree with the Sutton comments...when Ryan got to NY, the defense started playing much better because of increased aggressiveness...hopefully he learned from that and will bring that level of aggressiveness with him to the defensive gameplans in KC, but our expectations should be tempered.

I actually think Rex may well replace Sutton next year...at least I hope he does, or that Sutton finds a way to get 40 sacks out of this defense.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by unnecessary drama

the problem with posters like KC Tattoo is they just regurgitate what the intelligent posters post...

SNR is a pretty intelligent guy. He pined for Geno. He yearned for Geno. He cried about Alex. He made good points.

Now the idiot leaches like Tattoo and ROR who can't formulate their own thoughts or opinions leach onto guys like SNR and then all of the sudden football talk is unbearable because all of the illiterate leaches start blabbing on and on and on about regurgitated thoughts from OTWP or SNR.

Yeah well **** you asshole. I haven't leached on to any one. I've formed my own opinion on the quarterbacks that Kansas City Chiefs get & very upset that we just don't draft quarterbacks to be our starter to build the team around. I call it the Todd Blackledge curse. Maybe one day we will take one early in the draft but until then I'm not going be happy with the direction this team takes. I will give SNR credit for bringing up Geno Smith to my attention that he is some one to look at and I was impressed with Geno Smith on the football field.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by Mac-NinersChiefs

Can't speak for everyone, but one 49erChiefAlexSMithfan here came in simply saying that I believe he will be a good addition for the Chiefs... despite the compensation given. The response to that opinion was surprisingly met with childish hostility and general dick-headedness.

For most on forums.. and I have been on forums a long time.. when a team acquires a new player and that player's former team fans stop in to applaud? The response is generally taken as an encouraging thing... or at worst, an eyeroll. So I ask myself.. why would the receiving fanbase act so belligerent when other team's fans come in and express a positive vibe? The only answer seems to be "oh, we heard this shit before, **** off!"

... but now, I am pleased to see other KC fans showing some maturity and accepting that your team just may find success. There's nothing wrong with skepticism, but some folks just take it too far and really need to develop some mature social skills. Most SF fans I have read here are really only suggesting that you give this new regime a chance before giving up.

... and why would people even continue to click into a thread when you must expect more nausea? People suggesting to you that Alex might be good for the Chiefs and that makes you... sick? Do you not find that a rather bizarre reaction?

This isn't our first rodeo with retread quarterbacks & we have seen all this before. We have traded more draft picks for 49er back up quarterbacks than we have drafting our own.

It's been it's been 20 years from the last time we won a playoff game using that formula. It's time to get our own quarterback from the draft for a change of how we do things, but no we don't do that & doesn't look like we will any time soon.

I have no reason to like or trust Alex Smith at this point. He has to earn that by winning and getting to the playoffs isn't good enough. Win big or gtfo.

[BossChief]

This team will ALWAYS look for the next "Len Dawson" and disregard the opportunity to draft our own quarterback.

ALWAYS.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BossChief

This team will ALWAYS look for the next "Len Dawson" and disregard the opportunity to draft our own quarterback.

ALWAYS.

Good grief. This years class obviously sucked prospect wise. Move on

[Chris Meck]

I would just about bet anyone any amount of money they'd like that this team will win more than 5 games.

Milkman, you're just wrong on this. That team's a lot better than it played last year, and they've clearly upgraded all of the gaping holes.

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

I would just about bet anyone any amount of money they'd like that this team will win more than 5 games.

Milkman, you're just wrong on this. That team's a lot better than it played last year, and they've clearly upgraded all of the gaping holes.

where is the upgrade at DL?
where is the upgrade at FS?
where is the upgrade at CB2? CB3?
where is the upgrade at WR2? WR3?

They upgraded the LBers, Oline, RB, QB, and TE. Some of those were already "strong points" of the team.

We still have holes is my point

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by O.city

Good grief. This years class obviously sucked prospect wise. Move on

In a vaccuum, you are right.

The trouble is that that statement isn't based solely on events this year...it's from 30 years of evidence.

Len Dawson and Todd Blackledge, combined, have ****ed this team.

[mcaj22]

No people like Matt Cassel and Alex Smith **** this team

and missing out on the Andy Daltons, Russel Wilsons, Colin Kapernicks and passing right over them for some 2nd/3rd string Olineman or WR bust

[O.city]

Originally Posted by BossChief

In a vaccuum, you are right.

The trouble is that that statement isn't based solely on events this year...it's from 30 years of evidence.

Len Dawson and Todd Blackledge, combined, have ****ed this team.

This current regime hasn't been here for 30 years, unless you're trying to say its the Hunts who are the problem.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by milkman

Oh, and further Dane, you keep talking about this staff like it's a certainty that it is going to be really good.

Doug Pedersen has never been an OC, so is a question mark, and Bob Sutton struggled in his previous stint as a DC, though he gets a pass because of who he worked for.

But at this point, he could be the next Gunther Cunningham, fo r all any of us know.

Doug Pedersen was a fine QB coach and a solid NFL backup for more than a decade. He knows the system and if Reid didn't feel he was ready for the job, he wouldn't have hired him for it. He'd have hired Childress

Reid, Chilly, Pedersen, Sutton, etc. versus Romeo Crennel, Romeo Crennel, Mo Carthon, Brian Daboll. You may not see a massive upgrade by I certainly do.

Reid is one of the best coaches in the NFL, period. You don't get to five NFC champoinships by being a slouch.