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 Marcellus

Speaking of wasting time, since you know whats going to happen already this season don't waste your time watching the Chiefs this year.

I'd rather he stop posting complete and utter nonsense.

[ShortRoundChief]

Go with Dane McDuck. He likes that name.

[ptlyon]

Dane, you're right, and I'm wrong. So very wrong.

And Marcellus, no, that's not an option. I've been watching this train wreck, epic fail, abortion of a team all my life. Can't change that.

So toddle loo, I'll check I'm from time to time.

[Chris Meck]

The only reasonable expectation of any front office is that they take advantage of whatever opportunities are available to improve the team as much as possible.

ANY front office, for ANY team.

You take what is available to you. It's stupid to be mad that there weren't better options.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

You take what is available to you. It's stupid to be mad that there weren't better options.

People said this about Matt Cassel.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Alex Smith HATER

People said this about Matt Cassel.

That's irrelevant. They're mutually exclusive circumstances.

This is just an another example of the false narrative you've created.

[Hammock Parties]

I created all those missed third downs, eh?

Ok.

This franchise would have been better off with Josh Freeman in 2009, and we'll look back on 2013 and wish we had another one of the QBs from the draft in 4 years.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Alex Smith HATER

This franchise would have been better off with Josh Freeman in 2009, and we'll look back on 2013 and wish we had another one of the QBs from the draft in 4 years.

Wrong.

This draft class sucks. And Freeman has been extremely bad at times, just as many people in this forum predicted.

He would have sucked even worse under Haley and Crennel.

[RunKC]

Josh Freeman is about to be replaced in Tampa. Writing's on the wall.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Wrong.

This draft class sucks. And Freeman has been extremely bad at times, just as many people in this forum predicted.

He would have sucked even worse under Haley and Crennel.

And still would have been a far better option than Cassel.

Shit, at least we'd have a down the field passing game.

It was wrong then, it's wrong now.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Alex Smith HATER

People said this about Matt Cassel.

I know you don't have the capacity to process this but not every decision has a definitively correct action.

You can have 5 options in front of you and after all is said and done they can all end in the same result regardless of which one you choose.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Alex Smith HATER

And still would have been a far better option than Cassel. Shit, at least we'd have a down the field passing game.

I doubt it. Haley doesn't throw the ball down field and the Chiefs have had no one to stretch the filed.

Did you watch Pittsburgh last year? Read Ben's quotes? He was pissed about the short passing game and even more pissed that his best downfield target walked this off season.

Originally Posted by Alex Smith Hater

It was wrong then, it's wrong now.

This is ludicrous.

There wasn't a Franchise QB in this draft, period. There wasn't a Franchise QB in free agency. The Chiefs made the best move possible given the lack of options.

Furthermore, you were the guy JUST LAST AUGUST, telling me that Tyler Bray would be a Top Ten draft choice and if the Chiefs could, they should take him. You said he was a Franchise QB.

Just eight months later, he went undratfed and signed with the Chiefs.

How's that for personnel evaluation?

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Rausch

**** I hope not.

Quick decisions are NOT his thing.



I can see him protecting the 3...

Incorrect. Actually, that is his thing. He does fine when a play goes exactly as planned. Where he struggled was when things got extended and he was asked to go off script.

Originally Posted by Alex Smith HATER

I didn't say they were the same guy.

The similarities are scary as **** though.

The stats are similar, mostly due to his much over inflated seasons in 07, and 09. Where as Alex Smith has been consistently getting better since 2009. Those are just facts.

Originally Posted by Alex Smith HATER

No, I'm not.

I'm merely pointing out that Alex Smith doesn't help defenses like a top tier QB would.

He's not doing shit for our defense that Matt Cassel couldn't do in 2010.

That's all Matt did in 2010. He didn't turn it over. If that's all Alex is going to do, that's not enough. You want to help the defense? Own third down and extend drives.

That is something Alex Smith has shown time and time again that he can't do.

Wow. So, in your mind, the packers, saints, patriots, all have the BEST defenses in the league? That's essentially what you just said. By the way, the saints just gave up the most PASSING YARDS IN HISTORY!!!!!

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Passing shot here, but isn't the trend in competitive avenues is to be naturally aggressive and then learn to be more guarded than the reverse?

It usually is. True, but, Alex Smith was under the thumbs of Mike Nolan, and Mike Singletary, where they wanted no mistakes, and wanted to run the ball at all costs....

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I doubt it. Haley doesn't throw the ball down field and the Chiefs have had no one to stretch the filed.

Did you watch Pittsburgh last year? Read Ben's quotes? He was pissed about the short passing game and even more pissed that his best downfield target walked this off season.



This is ludicrous.

There wasn't a Franchise QB in this draft, period. There wasn't a Franchise QB in free agency. The Chiefs made the best move possible given the lack of options.

Furthermore, you were the guy JUST LAST AUGUST, telling me that Tyler Bray would be Top Ten draft choice and if the Chiefs could, they should take him.

Just eight months later, he went undratfed and signed with the Chiefs.

How's that for personnel evaluation?

It still makes me laugh my ass off, that people are so obsessed with the DOWN THE FIELD PASSING GAME. That just makes me laugh my ass off. Who is going to go long to get those passes? The chiefs don't have one single down the field target to even worry about. Alex Smith's skill set, fits the skill set of the personnel on this team.....

[Hammock Parties]

people are so obsessed with the DOWN THE FIELD PASSING GAME.

It wins games in the NFL.

Period.

Here is a guy on our team who would benefit from a QB who can go deep.



You won't see Alex Smith hit Avery deep once this year.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Alex Smith HATER

It wins games in the NFL.

Period.

Here is a guy on our team who would benefit from a QB who can go deep.



You won't see Alex Smith hit Avery deep once this year.

You know whats funny Clay. In the other thread, you made gifs of Alex Smiths bad throws, but, yet, didn't include the one of his 55 yard bomb to Moss.