Alex Smiths accuracy wowing fans

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

http://www.kcchiefs.com/news/article...a-a4b423d11a12



Alex Smith's Accuracy Sparks Chiefs Practice
Posted 1 hour ago

Reid Ferrin
Chiefs Insider

KCChiefs.com

Email @KCChiefs_Reid
aaKansas City Chiefs QB Alex Smith wowed the crowd with pinpoint throws

Kansas City Chiefs QB Alex Smith didn't care that the skies were again overcast during practice on Monday; likely because his accurate throws would've outshined the sun, had it made an appearance.

Smith was on-point, nearly perfect, unofficially completing 17 of 20 passes for three TDs during the roughly two-and-a-half hour practice.

"It’s a reflection of the group,” Smith said. “O-line was great today; it starts with them. They did a good job communicating, especially in the blitz period, third down, everybody was on the same page and then there were guys making plays outside. We got off to a good start but really, I think the spark came from the guys up-front."

Among the many pass-catchers Smith connected with on Monday, Chiefs TE Anthony Fasano continues to play at a very-high level. Smith threw to Fasano three-straight times, late in practice, including one TD.

"He's such a dependable guy, so reliable," Smith said of Fasano. "He has such a great knowledge of the game, a great feel for it, defenses and how they’re playing him and he uses his body so well. He continues to make tough catches. He’s what you’re looking for in a TE, that reliable guy that continues to be open, time after time."

Another of Smith's targets was Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe, whose best catch on Monday was a one-handed grab in 7-on-7s.

"That’s just him making me look good," Smith said. "There’s not much to it. I threw it up there and let him do the rest."

Bowe described the play from a different perspective.

"No, man," Bowe said of Smith's pass. "He put the ball right on the outside; he saw the inside leverage, and our job is to catch the ball; it happened to be a one-handed catch, but it was a great pass by Alex."



Bowe also shared how he's feeling just days away from the team's first preseason game of the year.

"I’m feeling good,” Bowe said. "We’re going against the best every day at practice, so when we get to the games, we will be ready."

Following Smith, Chiefs QB Chase Daniel stepped in Monday and continues to move the ball effectively, highlighted by his completion to a determined Chiefs TE Tony Moeaki on a third-down play in the red zone.

"Chase did a great job of getting the ball out quick," Moeaki said. "I was just trying to get the ball vertical and it was a third-down play, so getting the first down in the red zone, that’s huge. We as a TE group feel that’s where our number should be called; we’re just trying to help the team score."

Later in 11-on-11s, Chiefs QB Ricky Stanzi closed out the drill with a beauty of a throw for a TD to Chiefs rookie WR Frankie Hammond Jr.

"It was a great throw by Ricky,” Hammond Jr. said. "I kind of pinned the guy inside and he just made a great throw and I went up and got it."

Like the other Chiefs rookies, Hammond Jr. is ready and waiting for his opportunity to shine on Friday night.

"Definitely,” Hammond Jr said. "It’s just ‘lay it out all on the table’; you’ll only get so many opportunities in these preseason games, so when we get out there, we have to make the most of them and go out there and play hard."

The team played hard yet again today, which caught the eye of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

"Good work today," coach Reid said.

"This is our fifth day in a row of full contact and going. This is our longest stretch; we’ll have another day tomorrow. So, the guys pushed through a big red zone day today, big 3RD-and-long day today. I thought they traded back and forth, challenging each other and working hard.”



Part of the hard work paid off for the defense in 11-on-11s, when Chiefs DB Otha Foster III was in the right place at the right time for his pick-six INT.

"I was playing free," Foster III said. "The guy dragged across and the QB threw it to him, bounced off his shoulder and landed in my hands. We were going full contact, all the way, tackling to the ground and that’s why I ran it all the way back."

Foster hopes to carry the defensive momentum with him into Friday's road game against the Saints.

"I feel good about that because it’s close to my hometown in Louisiana," he said. "I’m going to have a lot of family there and they love the Saints, except when I’m playing; they’ll be on my side (on) Friday.”

The Chiefs return to the practice field tomorrow, before a day off on Wednesday, travel day to New Orleans on Thursday and then, the real fun begins Friday night at 7:00 PM CDT, from the Mercedes-Benz

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

Seriously???? We all know how bad Crennel and his staff were, but i think we underestimate just how bad it was. He was godawful and so was his staff.


Reid is a proven winner. Crennel never was.

The good news is we should be able to throw the piss poor coaching excuse out the window with this team so if we have the talent some think we do, we should win some games.

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Alex Smith HATER

*shrug*

I don't think coaching can fix any of those guys.

Coaching AT THIS LEVEL, IS THE DIFFERENCE. The quicker you understand that, the quicker we can all move on.

All of the athletes at this level, are similar. Coaching always gets the best out of players. Or do you believe that without the coaching that Tom Brady would of been Tom Brady?

[Mav]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

The good news is we should be able to throw the piss poor coaching excuse out the window with this team so if we have the talent some think we do, we should win some games.

The coaching is not the issue anymore. Too many good coaches with Sutton, Reid, Reed, Biennemy, Al Harris. Too many guys who know the game and the way to coach the game the way its supposed to be played.

Time for players to step up.

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by Maverick91579

Coaching AT THIS LEVEL, IS THE DIFFERENCE. The quicker you understand that, the quicker we can all move on.

All of the athletes at this level, are similar. Coaching always gets the best out of players. Or do you believe that without the coaching that Tom Brady would of been Tom Brady?

Tom? yes.


I agree with the premise though and find it applicable to the majority of players. IMO, Tom isn't one of them. Neither is Barry Sanders, as another example.

Some people, just regardless of reason produce and turn into absolute freaks even when they shouldn't. It's the beauty of athletic competition.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Maverick91579

Coaching always gets the best out of players. Or do you believe that without the coaching that Tom Brady would of been Tom Brady?

I believe that no amount of coaching can fix bad football players.

And I'm not so sure this coaching staff is as wunderkind as homers want it to be.

[keg in kc]

Talent is what matters at this level. Players make coaches look good more often than the other way 'round. Teams are rarely 'coached up'. They're assembled by smart front offices.

On the flip side, bad coaches can have a detrimental impact, but even then, good players can overcome bad coaches.

Unfortunately what we've seen here for too long is the worst of both worlds.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Maverick91579

Coaching AT THIS LEVEL, IS THE DIFFERENCE. The quicker you understand that, the quicker we can all move on.

All of the athletes at this level, are similar. Coaching always gets the best out of players. Or do you believe that without the coaching that Tom Brady would of been Tom Brady?

Coordinating has taken on equal importance IMO. W/o Crennel/Weis, Haley would have gotten this team nowhere in 2010.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Talent is what matters at this level. Players make coaches look good more often than the other way 'round. Teams are rarely 'coached up'. They're assembled by smart front offices.

I don't know, I think it makes a big differencde

[Sorter]

Originally Posted by O.city

I don't know, I think it makes a big differencde

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Talent is what matters at this level. Players make coaches look good more often than the other way 'round. Teams are rarely 'coached up'. They're assembled by smart front offices.

On the flip side, bad coaches can have a detrimental impact, but even then, good players can overcome bad coaches.

Unfortunately what we've seen here for too long is the worst of both worlds.

I think it is both.

There are coaches who've produced with marginal talent and coaches who've earned reputations via the talent of players (cough, cough, Daboll).

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Sorter

Tom? yes.


I agree with the premise though and find it applicable to the majority of players. IMO, Tom isn't one of them. Neither is Barry Sanders, as another example.

Some people, just regardless of reason produce and turn into absolute freaks even when they shouldn't. It's the beauty of athletic competition.

Brady will retire a Pat which is kind of a shame. NE is so "system", I would love to see what Brady could or could not do with a team like Chicago or something.

[keg in kc]

Both is what you want, of course...

[Lex Luthor]

Originally Posted by SNR

If five years from now Eric Fisher were to become the next Tony Mandarich, and I posted a comment about how it was stupid of Reid and Dorsey to even consider him the top overall pick, a bunch of reeruns like you would say, "You're just butthurt the Chiefs didn't draft Geno."

And we would be right.

[Hammock Parties]

People always think coaching will fix this team.

It's been a theme since Gunther rode in on a white horse.

I don't know if there's a horse alive who could support Andy Reid.

[Jakemall]

Originally Posted by Kaepernick

But I don't think Alex was ever coached down. I think, there are times Alex has his back to the wall and quits thinking -- and suddenly he is a GREAT QB. But those times are fleeting. Most of the time he over-thinks, plays it safe, and the regresses back to Good Alex, the mediocre 15-20th ranked QB.

I don't think it is coaching down at all. I think it is just Alex's nature.

Maybe Andy will bring the will to attack out of Alex. If he does, Alex will be a very good QB indeed. I just wouldn't expect to see a dramatic mental change in Alex in year 9 of his career. A game or 2 sure, but not overall.

Last year, he grew a bit. He attacked well game 1 vs. the Packers. He really went after them. In the Bills game, he really attacked -- although I still maintain that the DBs were not in press coverge and played off his receivers. Alex has never had a problem launching it deep to isolated receivers -- it is when there is a DB in the proximity that he seems to balk and check down rather than challenge that DB deep. At least Flacco slightly overthrows his receivers so either they get it or nobody does. Alex doesn't even make the attempt on those -- well, at least, he didn't. We'll see going forward.

Anyway, vs. Packers & Lions, Alex attacked pretty good. Really attacked vs. Bills. Then he had a terrible game vs. Giants and what happened? Vs. Seattle, he just crawled back in his shell and played it safe, and still ended up screwing the pooch. I hate to use the "K" word, but Kaepernick has the good pitchers mentality. You give up a home run, but you come right back with heat right down the middle. You don't dwell on the home run or start walking guys.

Alex is like the pitcher that gets rattled every time he gives up a home run, so instead he paints the corners. On his good days he hits the plate. On his bad days, he walks in the winning run. But he doesn't have that mentality of attacking the batter -- just jamming fastballs down his throat down and in, make the batter accept the challenge.

That is just how I see Alex. A very good, VERY smart, mobile, competent passer who just lacks the killer instinct to get to the next level. He is a good, mid-pack QB who will win 12 games on a good team and give you some chance to navigate the playoffs. What he won't do is put the team on his back and raise the play of everyone around him.

You know what you are getting with Alex. Good luck with him! I really like the guy -- he is a solid QB and a stellar person. Jim would call him a "gold helmet" guy. Look how much class and grace he showed handled the benching.

Still, "show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser." Joe Montana wouldn't even talk to Steve Young and we all know how Joe Cool played the game.

Giants game...you don't remember the finger issue? He injured it against the Bills at the end.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Brainiac

And we would be right.