David Carr " Chiefs have higher upside with Mahomes"
 

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Yet, here we are looking at the same Kansas City Chiefs offense we've seen year after year.



The Chiefs have made three playoff appearances since Reid took over as head coach in 2013, losing once in the wild-card game (2013) and twice in the divisional round (2015, 2016). I'm a fan of Reid and quarterback Alex Smith, but with the way things are right now, they'll be sitting at home while Pittsburgh and New England duke it out on Championship Sunday.

I was Smith's teammate in San Francisco for one year (2010) and I got to know him well. When the weather starts playing a bigger factor in games late in the season, he's not a guy who can make tough throws in tough conditions. He's particular and wants the football a certain way. The colder the weather the firmer the ball and other conditions make the ball slippery. It's really hard to play in inclement weather as a quarterback, yet there are some guys -- like Brett Favre -- who could grab a ball out of a bucket of water or pile of mud and hurl it downfield. But everybody's not like that, including Smith. The conditions have to be right and the running game has to be there. As we've witnessed throughout his career, Smith isn't often going to transcend an offense and win a game on huge throws -- a frequent critique. He's just not that type of quarterback.

Early in the season, we saw Smith make those big plays and the Chiefs were rolling. We've seen downfield shots slowly digress as the season's gone on, a trend that goes back to at least the past two seasons. Since 2015, Smith has been far more effective throwing the ball down field (20-pus air yards) through the Chiefs' first eight games than he has in their final eight, completing more passes (42.1 percent vs. 36.7 percent) with a better TD-to-INT ratio (8:0 vs. 2:4) and a significantly higher passer rating (124.3 vs. 63.1).

Furthermore, since Smith's first year with the Chiefs in 2013, his passer rating on pass attempts of more than 20 yards has fallen off in the second half of the season.

September: 92.0
October: 111.1
November: 63.5
Dec.-Jan.: 68.8

The Chiefs' high-flying offense started to stall after the Steelers exposed a weakness in Week 6. Pittsburgh played more zone coverage and allowed them to throw the ball underneath by respecting the ability of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce to make things happen downfield. In addition, the run game hasn't been as effective the last five games (the Chiefs are 1-4 in that stretch), averaging 81 rush yards per game. That's 70 yards per game fewer than Kansas City put up in its first five games (all wins). In my opinion, Smith needs the run game to improve or we'll likely see him continue to struggle throwing the ball downfield as this season progresses.

I know this sounds crazy, but there's a case for Patrick Mahomes, who played well in the preseason, to start in place of Smith as the playoffs near. The Chiefs gave up a third-rounder and next year's first to draft Mahomes, viewing him as their franchise quarterback of the future. He's a gunslinger who adds another dimension in the pass game when a) the weather worsens, and b) they're trying to go head to head with the AFC's best offenses.

It's definitely possible the Chiefs could find themselves in a Nathan Peterman situation, especially if they don't handle the timing of the switch well. We don't know. What I do know, though, is we can expect the same ending to the Chiefs' story if they don't change up their cast of characters.


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...-limits-chiefs

This is what we need.

Now that Alex is shitting the bed the media pressure is coming.

It's only a matter of time, boys.

it's funny hearing interviews of Reid.
he know knows Alex sucks; and he knows that the fans know that he knows that he sucks. LMAO

he's normally a cliche machine anyway, but hearing him stutter all over his words when asked about his QB, was/is hilarious to listen to.

If there is one thing they need to realize when they make the switch....it's this.

Once you put in Mahomes....there is no going back. I don't care if he throws 3 INTs. Do not put him in there....just to pull him out during the next game.

Interesting that he calls out a former teammates weaknesses. Usually guys are more protective than that.

I hope the media pressure stays constant. We just need Alex to shit himself again vs Buffalo.

He wont. he will play just 'good enough' to keep his job. He always does...

235 yards passing, 2 TDs

I don't think it will happen. I think we'll get the usual steady Alex against the Bills.

But if it does happen....and Reid doesn't bench him. Then Reid can be gone with Alex as far as I'm concerned.

Yup. Reid knows this. There's no going back. That's why im not mad that he hasn't made the switch.

....'nuff rope to hang himself with. (He's white, so **** off SJW's)

Had Alex not had the start that he did, he'd be benched by now. Alex bought himself more time with that start.

2 TDs? ROFLROFLROFLROFL

I trust David Carr to know when a QB has been ruined in the pocket and is done.

The team which scores the most points usually wins the game

Horrible idea man

Dude....I don't want Reid gone but at some point.....this shit becomes an issue. Four ****ing years of watching the same ****ing shit QB being trotted out there...and it reflects badly on the HC.

Patience young grass hopper. Patience.