Andy Reid: I still think Chiefs can win with Alex Smith

[oaklandhater]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...ith-alex-smith

By Marc Sessler
Around the NFL Writer

Sunday's disaster at Arrowhead Stadium hasn't shaken Kansas City's confidence in Alex Smith.

"Do I still think we can win with Alex? Yeah, we were right there," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of his starting quarterback on Monday, per Terez Paylor of The Kansas City Star.


Smith stumbled badly in Sunday's 18-16 playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, throwing for just 172 yards, with much of that coming during a fourth-quarter surge that fell short.

After leading an opening scoring drive, Smith's next six possessions resulted in a punt, pick, punt, fumble and two more punts before the Chiefs finally chiseled out a field goal at the end of the third quarter.

To be fair, Smith saw no help from the cast of weapons who helped Kansas City rally down the stretch.

As we noted Sunday, tight end Travis Kelce -- who topped 100-plus receiving yards in five of his previous seven games -- accounted for just 34 yards over the first 50 minutes against Pittsburgh. His most memorable play was a disastrous, unhinged personal-foul that drew the ire of his own teammates.

Game-breaking rookie Tyreek Hill, meanwhile, managed just 45 total yards, while starting wideout Jeremy Maclin finished second among all pass-catchers with a meager 28 yards through the air.

The finger-pointing goes beyond Smith, who rolled into the game with the league's fourth-highest playoff passer rating among active quarterbacks. Still, the Chiefs starter -- like 90 percent of the league -- simply can't duplicate the play of the NFL's premier passers.


Smith is ideal for a ball-control offense that wins games by eliminating mistakes, but he's not the guy who can reliably scorch defenses in January with a litany of jaw-dropping throws all over the field. Sunday's loss was a total team letdown, but it's fair to ask if -- and how -- Smith's ceiling will suddenly rise next season.

From where we stand, Kansas City needs everyone on offense playing at a near-perfect level for Smith to make it to a Super Bowl with the Chiefs. When that doesn't happen -- as it didn't on Sunday -- a team like Pittsburgh can sail by without scoring a touchdown.

It's not that Smith should be replaced -- plenty of teams would snatch him up -- but he certainly deserves competition. It would make sense for Reid to examine free agency and the draft for a quarterback or two who can furnish this attack with a different look.

Chiefs fans don't want to hear it -- especially not today -- but this coaching staff would be wise to take a long look at this roster before next September. Why not explore all possibilities?

[Red Dawg]

Originally Posted by Psyko Tek

I think we got Marty 2.0 here
can get us close, but ain't taking us home

better coaching
and ultimately better ref persuasion would have won this game

think anybody respects the koolaid man

Players win and lose games more than coaches. Players miss wide open guys, miss blocks and drop balls. They miss tackles and get shoved around. Coaches do not. Dungy and Switzer and Gruden are proof. They inherited stud teams and won doing nothing.

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by Danguardace

Teicher puts a different Spin on it

Let him go... He was no Zobrist level pickup that you hate to see walk. Sure as hell not after seeing what he gets paid millions and millions to see. His receivers didn't help him Sunday, nobody should claim that, Fisher (and the officials with their selectivity) didn't help, but his recurring inability to see what other QBs do see is the problem. Add to it that he's not much of an on-field leader (if he is I don't see it), it time to try Files for a year. If Foles ****s up early in the season, or the schedule kills him, we play the 3rd string and suck for Lock.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk (so spelling be damned!!!)

[GloryDayz]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

Ill give Andy the benefit of the doubt here because hes had no problem cutting bait with QBs in the past (McNabb, Kolb). Theres an entire offseason yet and I think he might have some tricks up his sleeve. I am hoping for a cut/trade of Alex and then a Foles/rookie QB combo heading into training camp

Not sure I agree. He's Marty v2, he'll get us to the door step of the promise land then drop the bottle of beer.. Andy is coaching equivalent of Alex on game day.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk (so spelling be damned!!!)

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

If people REALLY doubt Smith consider this...his pass yards are up from last year. His completion percentage is up from last year. Sack rate went down 40%. And this is considering his top wide receiver was a rookie and his best receiver (Maclin) was way off his game compared to 2015 (6 less TDs this year). But most significant was the lack of a run game this season, so for him to achieve all of the above despite an obvious step back in what was the strength of the offense in 2015 is a positive indication that his skills as a passer continues to improve. Sure the red zone % was awful, but it improved dramatically over the last third of the season.

1) Bring the run game back to being respectable
2) Continue to build chemistry with Tyreek in the offseason
3) Get Maclin back to 2015 form
4) Receivers need to improve catching ability (2nd worst in dropped passes this season)

This Offense will be one of the most efficient ones in 2017 and it's not as if there has to be radical changes. All the pieces are there.

Prediction: 28 TD's/ 10 INTs , 68% completion rate, 3800-4000 yards

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

For reference his QBR has only climbed over the years here

50->56-> 61.6-> 63.4

[rabblerouser]

Andy Reid is who he has always been. He's the same guy who went the playoffs damn near every year in Philly.

When his team DID finally make it to a SB, they wound up down by 14 in the 4th.

Reid then orchestrated one of his patented 7 minute drives, and gave his team absolutely no chance to win.
It's who he is, and it's who he's always been.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

Andy Reid is who he has always been. He's the same guy who went the playoffs damn near every year in Philly.

When his team DID finally make it to a SB, they wound up down by 14 in the 4th.

Reid then orchestrated one of his patented 7 minute drives, and gave his team absolutely no chance to win.
It's who he is, and it's who he's always been.

Which is why he needs to let Smith run his hurry-up offense which he has a good track record of doing. Andy is the problem.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

For reference his QBR has only climbed over the years here

50->56-> 61.6-> 63.4

QBR is a worthless stat.

If Reid is the coach then it really doesn't matter.

[Gary]

http://www.espn.com/nfl/qbr/_/stats/expanded

Wonder what those 4 guys at the top are doing next weekend?

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

QBR is a worthless stat.

If Reid is the coach then it really doesn't matter.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/qbr

How can you argue with QBR when it has Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, Prescott, Rodgers, Brees as the top 5 QB's of 2016?

What measurement do you propose measuring a QB's efficiency by?

Because his sack rate is down 40%, completion percentage up 2%, Total TD's over 14.5 games (20) was near identical to the 16 games of 2015 (22).

Get your head out of your ass.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by Gary

http://www.espn.com/nfl/qbr/_/stats/expanded

Wonder what those 4 guys at the top are doing next weekend?

Rouser -> Moron

[farmerchief]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Which is why he needs to let Smith run his hurry-up offense which he has a good track record of doing. Andy is the problem.

Or better yet, he just needs released from any OC play calling responsibilities, permanently. He can still chime in with suggestions, but he shouldnt be the one installing the offense!

[St. Patty's Fire]

Oh boy here comes Alex Smith's daddy to defend him and blame everyone else for his lack of ability.

How about this: which QBs are which:

QB A: 3,023 yd/61.7 CMP%/17TD/6INT
QB B: 3,502 yd/67.1 CMP%/15TD/8INT
QB C: 3,877 yd/71.6 CMP%/20TD/5INT
QB D: 3,401 yd/59.5 CMP%/18TD/10INT

Then try to tell me whether or not winning a SB with these QBs is feasible without massive amounts of talent surrounding him at both offense and defense.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by JCharles25

Oh boy here comes Alex Smith's daddy to defend him and blame everyone else for his lack of ability.

How about this: which QBs are which:

QB A: 3,023 yd/61.7 CMP%/17TD/6INT
QB B: 3,502 yd/67.1 CMP%/15TD/8INT
QB C: 3,877 yd/71.6 CMP%/20TD/5INT
QB D: 3,401 yd/59.5 CMP%/18TD/10INT

Then try to tell me whether or not winning a SB with these QBs is feasible without massive amounts of talent surrounding him at both offense and defense.

You should probably add on 5 rushing TD's to whichever is Smith's.
It's not a mistake that Smith has a winning record for 6 straight seasons, playoffs in 5...

[St. Patty's Fire]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

You should probably add on 5 rushing TD's to whichever is Smith's.
It's not a mistake that Smith has a winning record for 6 straight seasons, playoffs in 5...

He's 2-4 in the playoffs.

Those teams aren't making the playoffs because of him. You put any of those other QBs on this team and we probably still get between 9 and 12 wins this year.