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.”

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

If being considered an asshole means never apologizing for shitty QB's picked by the shitty FO's of this franchise; so be it.

Just change this moron's user name to 'Lil Chiefy already. He's the idiot who is so anxious for it to become part of the Planet lexicon.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

You're a ****ing infant.

Originally Posted by Marcellus

I dont know that being an asshole is the worst thing, being an asshole that as an IQ of about 3 is really bad though.

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis

Just change this moron's user name to 'Lil Chiefy already. He's the idiot who is so anxious for it to become part of the Planet lexicon.

Ah, the Three of Homererotic Lil' Chiefydom.

[Coogs]

Just for the heck of it, I went back through Smith's stats for every game for the past 2 years that he started. 25 games regular season, and 2 post season.

In the regular season, Smith threw for a total of 30 TD's and 10 INT's. There were 11 games out of the 25 where Smith threw more than 30 times. In 10 of those games he threw for 11 TD's and 4 INT's... which is roughly right at the same ratio. In the other game... against the G-men... he threw 0 TD's and 3 INT's which skews makes for 11 TD's and 7 INT's which skews the overall ratio.

On his biggest stage of his career at the time... playoff game against the Saints... he was taking on Drew Brees who had thrown for just under 5500 yards, was completing 71% of his passes, and had thrown for 46 TD's. The game got into a shootout in the 4th quarter, and Smith answered Brees not only once, but twice with the game on the line. 42 passes for Smith. 3 TD's and 0 INT's. And the win.

The next week, on his now biggest stage of his career... playoff game against the Giants... he had his team in position to win by leading a TD drive late in the 3rd quarter to take a 14-10 lead. Then the first of the two turnovers on the punts. The Giants take the lead 17-10 midway through the 4th. Smith responds by leading the 49ers to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 15. A 5 yard pass has them at 2nd and 5 on the 10 with 6 minutes plus to go in the game.

Now at this point, Smith threw an incompletion on 2nd down, and completed a short pass for 3 yards to set up a 4th and 2. The 49ers kicked the FG to tie the game at 17.

Did Smith shit his pants on 2nd and 3rd down? Were the play calls conservative to make sure the 49ers were tied at worst? Did the Giants defense just rise to the occasion? I really can't comment without seeing the plays.

But bottom line is this. It appears Smith can throw the ball 35 times a game and still take care of the ball. Outside of 1 game, his TD/INT ratio is the same. And his 5 TD - 0 INT performance in the playoffs indicate the stage may not be too big for him to handle.

[BigMeatballDave]

Originally Posted by Sweet Daddy Hate

Ah, the Three of Homererotic Lil' Chiefydom.

Your mother should have just swallowed instead.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by TrueFanDave

Your mother should have just swallowed instead.

That's great, Curly.

[Sandy Vagina]

Originally Posted by Coogs

But bottom line is this. It appears Smith can throw the ball 35 times a game and still take care of the ball. Outside of 1 game, his TD/INT ratio is the same. And his 5 TD - 0 INT performance in the playoffs indicate the stage may not be too big for him to handle.

thanks for the work put in!

Just adding that in that first NYG game, Alex was coming off a finger injury that occurred the week prior. Did it factor into his poor NYG performance? Eh... hard to really say. From memory, one INT was due to the WR/QB not being on the same page. WR ran a route one way.. QB expected a different route.. it was a timing route. On another, Alex got baited well by the DB.. that's on him. The other, yeah, the desperation was upon us, and he had to force one in.

Either way, what you posted is interesting. I hope he doesn't need to put the ball up 30+ times... something in the 20-30 works for me.

[Mav]

The good news is. We are in july. Less than a month until we are full steam ahead to the regular season. Then we can actually bitch about something that matters, instead of the useless bitching we have been doing since march 12th. For those who don't remember, that's the day the trade was made official....

I cant wait......Then we can do some actual bitching and fighting that is worth something.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Mac-NinersChiefs

thanks for the work put in!

Just adding that in that first NYG game, Alex was coming off a finger injury that occurred the week prior. Did it factor into his poor NYG performance? Eh... hard to really say. From memory, one INT was due to the WR/QB not being on the same page. WR ran a route one way.. QB expected a different route.. it was a timing route. On another, Alex got baited well by the DB.. that's on him. The other, yeah, the desperation was upon us, and he had to force one in.

Either way, what you posted is interesting. I hope he doesn't need to put the ball up 30+ times... something in the 20-30 works for me.

The truth is, that his finger injury affected him until the cards game. It affected him in the giants game, he couldn't put any oomf on the ball, and everything was a lob, that's why the pass down the left side to delanie on the wheel route, was a floater, instead of the normal straight line he put on it, and it affected him in the seattle game. He over threw Williams who was open twice on streak routes horribly. I for one though, will make no excuses. Alex didn't, he just said he sucked, and moved on, because that's what real men do. They own it, and move on. They don't make mistakes, and they don't need their linemen to defend them to the media. They own it, keep their head up, and move on.

[Ace Gunner]

Originally Posted by Coogs

Just for the heck of it, I went back through Smith's stats for every game for the past 2 years that he started. 25 games regular season, and 2 post season.

In the regular season, Smith threw for a total of 30 TD's and 10 INT's. There were 11 games out of the 25 where Smith threw more than 30 times. In 10 of those games he threw for 11 TD's and 4 INT's... which is roughly right at the same ratio. In the other game... against the G-men... he threw 0 TD's and 3 INT's which skews makes for 11 TD's and 7 INT's which skews the overall ratio.

On his biggest stage of his career at the time... playoff game against the Saints... he was taking on Drew Brees who had thrown for just under 5500 yards, was completing 71% of his passes, and had thrown for 46 TD's. The game got into a shootout in the 4th quarter, and Smith answered Brees not only once, but twice with the game on the line. 42 passes for Smith. 3 TD's and 0 INT's. And the win.

The next week, on his now biggest stage of his career... playoff game against the Giants... he had his team in position to win by leading a TD drive late in the 3rd quarter to take a 14-10 lead. Then the first of the two turnovers on the punts. The Giants take the lead 17-10 midway through the 4th. Smith responds by leading the 49ers to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 15. A 5 yard pass has them at 2nd and 5 on the 10 with 6 minutes plus to go in the game.

Now at this point, Smith threw an incompletion on 2nd down, and completed a short pass for 3 yards to set up a 4th and 2. The 49ers kicked the FG to tie the game at 17.

Did Smith shit his pants on 2nd and 3rd down? Were the play calls conservative to make sure the 49ers were tied at worst? Did the Giants defense just rise to the occasion? I really can't comment without seeing the plays.

But bottom line is this. It appears Smith can throw the ball 35 times a game and still take care of the ball. Outside of 1 game, his TD/INT ratio is the same. And his 5 TD - 0 INT performance in the playoffs indicate the stage may not be too big for him to handle.

from the very beginning of the trade I have said Alex Smith is playing some decent ball these past few seasons and what I like is how he came back after the playoff loss and was even more crisp in the way he ran the offense and his play was much more focused, he played faster and looked better doing it.

I expect more of that. in fact, I expect much better passing stats with Bowe and Charles going YAC mania.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Playoff team folks

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Mac-NinersChiefs

I hope he doesn't need to put the ball up 30+ times... something in the 20-30 works for me.

I agree. It's just hard to see where the "if he has to put it up 35 times that bad things are going to happen" logic is coming from. And from the two playoff games, it appears the team could rely of Smith to carry the team if need be... even if being a "game manager" is more his strength.

[Sandy Vagina]

Originally Posted by Coogs

I agree. It's just hard to see where the "if he has to put it up 35 times that bad things are going to happen" logic is coming from. And from the two playoff games, it appears the team could rely of Smith to carry the team if need be... even if being a "game manager" is more his strength.

May as well post what I have been reading here... good, long article worth checking out.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2013/7...ndency-breaker

Andy Reid's passing game: The ultimate tendency Breaker

[Ace Gunner]

Originally Posted by PGM

Playoff team folks

this team is in the upper half of NFL teams in terms of talent at the right positions. But, they play in the "Manning Division" so, there's that. They need to set their goals at securing a wild card spot, at very least. As they say, once you'r in, it's anybody's move to the big game.

[ChiefsCountry]

I'm so glad we traded for Dave Kreig Part II.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Mac-NinersChiefs

May as well post what I have been reading here... good, long article worth checking out.

http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2013/7...ndency-breaker

Andy Reid's passing game: The ultimate tendency Breaker

Good read! I can't wait for this to get started. This is the most excitement I have had going into a season in quite some time!