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.”

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by crazycoffey

He was a disappointment but I still agree

Gunther's biggest mistake was signing Jon Baker. Had he signed Joe Nedney, he would coached a playoff team.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Joe Montana did more the Chiefs franchise in his brief tenure than anyone in two decades. Their visibility was raised when Marty Schottenheimer took over but it's never been higher than it was in 1993.

If you consider the QB's available that year (Billie Joe Hobert, Trent Green in the 8th, etc. and so on) and the fact that Bledsoe and Mirer (Bust) went 1-2, I think it was most certainly worth the #25 overall pick, even with risk associated with Montana's back.

I was not in favor of the Trent Green trade. He was too old, coming off of major surgery and was unable to plant his foot properly and throw in 2001. I was a HUGE Drew Brees fan and wanted him at #12 overall. I even posted a thread (before polls) asking people if they wanted Duece McCallister and Trent Dilfer or Trent Green and Priest Holmes or Drew Brees and Priest Holmes (I was a huge fan of Priest as well, watching him rack up a 1,000 season in Baltimore two year prior).

The Green and Montana trades were not risk free. Montana was unable to play at the same level the following year of the trade and Trent Green, while leading the offense to the #1 overall spot for several years, was unable to lead the team to a playoff victory.

The Trent Green trade (and the subsequent draft choices given up for Vermeil) set this franchise back for a decade.

Green was the best QB this team has had. That trade was ok. Where Vermiel and Co. Went wrong was not grooming a guy behind Green.

[ChiefGator]

Originally Posted by Bo's Pelini

Green was the best QB this team has had. That trade was ok. Where Vermiel and Co. Went wrong was not grooming a guy behind Green.

Their drafts were god awful in general though. They were always better off trading picks for players then they were drafting.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by RunKC

The plan of trading for a backup QB worked out well twice. Montana and Green were not failures.
Montana made us SB worthy. It was just bad luck that he got hurt. He was old though.

Trent was absolutely worth 2 1st round picks. Our offense was elite for a good 4 years with him. The reason the DV years were failures was because of King Carl and DV drafting horrible players most of the time.

Anyone remember the offseason when all we did was bring back Gunter and not sign any FA's to fix the defense? Enough said.

I know every single one of you would love it if Alex Smith turned out to be like Trent was in the early 2000's.

I find it funny people think trading for Green was a failure. He did exactly what he was supposed to do, the defense wasn't good enough

Teams draft QB's all the time and dont win a SB with them but that's a success according to CP.

You trade for a QB and have a chance to win and its failure/CP.

We have done this before it didnt work/CP

I wonder what Brown's fans think about drafting QBs, they seem to have drafted about 5 first rounders and haven't done shit, by CP logic they need to trade for a QB because what they have done hasn't worked.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Trent was absolutely worth 2 1st round picks. Our offense was elite for a good 4 years with him. The reason the DV years were failures was because of King Carl and DV drafting horrible players most of the time.



I know every single one of you would love it if Alex Smith turned out to be like Trent was in the early 2000's.

Originally Posted by Marcellus

I find it funny people think trading for Green was a failure. He did exactly what he was supposed to do, the defense wasn't good enough



I wonder what Brown's fans think about drafting QBs, they seem to have drafted about 5 first rounders and haven't done shit, by CP logic they need to trade for a QB because what they have done hasn't worked.

Son of a...bitch. If I ever become like you two, I authorize Bugeater and Frazod to take me to the nearest landfill, put a bullet in my mother****ing head, and stuff me in an old refrigerator.

And I would imagine that most intelligent Browns fans feel like that they are least putting an effort forth, though probably not getting the best pick possible from the FO.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

I find it funny people think trading for Green was a failure. He did exactly what he was supposed to do, the defense wasn't good enough

Teams draft QB's all the time and dont win a SB with them but that's a success according to CP.

You trade for a QB and have a chance to win and its failure/CP.

We have done this before it didnt work/CP

I wonder what Brown's fans think about drafting QBs, they seem to have drafted about 5 first rounders and haven't done shit, by CP logic they need to trade for a QB because what they have done hasn't worked.

Trading that high of a first rounder for 5 years at quarterback is only deemed a good or bad trade in playoff wins.

That's nothing against Trent Green at all, it's gauging the trade and how it effected the teams success.

Sorry, but some of us still think the Chiefs should win playoff games...Green played in 1 playoff game in 5 years.

The right decision (as it almost always is) would have been to draft Drew Brees with that pick.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Son of a...bitch. If I ever become like you two, I authorize Bugeater and Frazod to take me to the nearest landfill, put a bullet in my mother****ing head, and stuff me in an old refrigerator.

And I would imagine that most intelligent Browns fans feel like that they are least putting an effort forth, though probably not getting the best pick possible from the FO.

****ing dumbass

Trent Green DID work out as planned.

Unfortunately, DV and Carl forgot that you need at least some semblance of a defense to win a championship.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Trading that high of a first rounder for 5 years at quarterback is only deemed a good or bad trade in playoff wins.

That's nothing against Trent Green at all, it's gauging the trade and how it effected the teams success.

Sorry, but some of us still think the Chiefs should win playoff games...Green played in 1 playoff game in 5 years.

The right decision (as it almost always is) would have been to draft Drew Brees with that pick.

You know what they say about hindsight.

Also, you know damn well that the Chiefs not winning in the post season had nothing to do with Green. 3 consecutive 4000 yrd seasons.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Son of a...bitch. If I ever become like you two, I authorize Bugeater and Frazod to take me to the nearest landfill, put a bullet in my mother****ing head, and stuff me in an old refrigerator.

And I would imagine that most intelligent Browns fans feel like that they are least putting an effort forth, though probably not getting the best pick possible from the FO.

Two top 5 offenses is FAIL?...

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

You know what they say about hindsight.

Also, you know damn well that the Chiefs not winning in the post season had nothing to do with Green. 3 consecutive 4000 yrd seasons.

1st No-punt playoff game in NFL history = QB's fault...

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Trading that high of a first rounder for 5 years at quarterback is only deemed a good or bad trade in playoff wins.

That's nothing against Trent Green at all, it's gauging the trade and how it effected the teams success.

Sorry, but some of us still think the Chiefs should win playoff games...Green played in 1 playoff game in 5 years.

The right decision (as it almost always is) would have been to draft Drew Brees with that pick.

Trent Green is not the reason we didn't win any playoff games so that argument is not valid.

You are using the assumption that we draft Brees and then draft enough good players so that 3- 5 years later we have a contending team.

Knowing what you know now, yea that would have been the thing to do, at that time it ended up as a 4 year window where we had one of the best offenses in the league if not the best. We failed to win PO games because of Greg Robinson and Vermiel being too loyal to his guys.

The big mistake was not developing a guy behind Green. They were in win now mode and mortgage the future. It had nothing to do with being "scared" to draft a QB as people here like to imply.

[Rasputin]

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

****ing dumbass

Trent Green DID work out as planned.

Unfortunately, DV and Carl forgot that you need at least some semblance of a defense to win a championship.

The problem I had with Trent Green was the short window of opportunity he gave us. With the piss poor defense we had we never could get the pieces in place and then Trent Green went down and was never the same.

That is why I want to draft a quarterback so we can open up a long term duration of opportunity and build a team around that quarterback. Not build the team and squeeze life out of players on a two year chance the retread is who they say he is.

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

People are most definitely saying that, including the person I quoted and GoChiefs, among others.

Look, I'm not predicting that they're going to win a championship with this roster (although it would be nice!). But they've upgraded nearly every position nicely and added solid depth, which is something they've been lacking, in what seems like, forever.

Unlike Milkman, I'm positive that this coaching staff is the best we've seen seen Vermeil and it's likely to be the best since Marty's heyday. It won't take much to improve this defense and using an attacking scheme with the athletes on this roster should provide huge dividends.

This team had a 1,500 yard running back last year on a team that couldn't pass. The offensive line is a year older and the additions of Schwartz and Fisher should be serious upgrades (and if Stephenson or Allen beats out Schwartz, it's likely to help long term stability on the line).

The bottom line is that this team's roster has been upgraded and the coaching staff is a complete 180 in terms of past success. I believe in the old 10 year rule set by John Madden, so the only knock I have on Reid is that he stayed too long in Philly.

I think Alex Smith will really help to improve our defensive numbers, yet the defense will get the credit for bailing him out in games. It is really amazing what a "game manager" QB will do for defensive stats. The bottom line is that a "game manager" QB keeps your defense off the field--which in turn automatically helps your defensive stats. Our defense will be dramatically improved for four reasons: 1) Better coaching, 2) Better scheme, 3) Better players, 4) Better play by the QB.

I think the Chiefs will do really pretty well this year, but people will bitch and moan about ASmith saying, "Uh, well, just imagine what we could of done if we had drafted and groomed our own QB."

People don't seem to understand that this is a TEAM sport. Reid and Dorsey are finding the parts/players that fit their concept of how they want their team to play. QB is the most important position on the team but some QBs fit a team scheme better than others-- and yes, that means in certain schemes a dink and dunk game managing QB will be more effective than a sexy cannon armed QB in other schemes.

I think Reid's scheme will be methodical, surgical and time consuming--and Alex Smith is the perfect QB for that type of scheme. I don't think Reid and Dorsey were blowing smoke when they said they believe that ASmith can be a future Hall of Famer--in their particular scheme he may very well wind up with a bust in Canton. Is it a guarentee? No. Far from it. However, if there is one scheme where he has any chance at all, it will be under Reid.

Between our revamped O-line, our upgraded TEs, Bowe, and the ever dangerous Charles, our offense will be a force to be reckoned with over the next few years. ASmith is a cerebral QB; he understands the game and he knows how to get the ball to his playmakers and how to put them in a position to make plays. He doesn't have to do everything himself. There is nothing wrong with being a good manager; a good manager in business knows how to get the most out of the strengths of those people he hires and surrounds himself with-- in football, it is the same thing. A good game managing QB not only increases the productivity of those players on offense, but those on defense as well by keeping them rested, ready to attack and forcing the other team into a one dimensional offense because they are playing catch up both in time and points.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by KC Tattoo

The problem I had with Trent Green was the short window of opportunity he gave us. With the piss poor defense we had we never could get the pieces in place and then Trent Green went down and was never the same.

That is why I want to draft a quarterback so we can open up a long term duration of opportunity and build a team around that quarterback. Not build the team and squeeze life out of players on a two year chance the retread is who they say he is.

My anger in this area is directed, intensely, at Carl and DV. They made NO legit attempts to improve the defense.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

I think Alex Smith will really help to improve our defensive numbers, yet the defense will get the credit for bailing him out in games. It is really amazing what a "game manager" QB will do for defensive stats. The bottom line is that a "game manager" QB keeps your defense off the field--which in turn automatically helps your defensive stats. Our defense will be dramatically improved for four reasons: 1) Better coaching, 2) Better scheme, 3) Better players, 4) Better play by the QB.

I think the Chiefs will do really pretty well this year, but people will bitch and moan about ASmith saying, "Uh, well, just imagine what we could of done if we had drafted and groomed our own QB."

I agree with the defense comments.

And as far as "game managers" they're called that not because of what they add but because of what they don't take away. It's because they're first job is to not **** up.

Smith is excellent at that...