Blame this loss to Packers on Chiefs’ highly paid quarterback Alex Smith

[Hammock Parties]

Yay!

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...e36896085.html

GREEN BAY, Wisc.

Metaphorically speaking, the Chiefs showed up to a job interview drunk, lost, and wearing only jorts.

This was supposed to be a chance for them to see how they measured up against one of the NFL’s better teams, but instead it turned into a nationally televised embarrassment.

Alex Smith, who is being paid top-tier quarterback money and is bound to the Chiefs through at least next season, deserves every bit of criticism coming his way.

His team lost 38-28 to the Packers here at Lambeau Field on Monday, and that score is unnecessarily generous to the Chiefs.

This looked more like the Romeo Crennel years than anything up to the standards of Andy Reid, one of the game’s highest-paid and most experienced coaches.

The Chiefs fancy themselves Super Bowl contenders, but after blowing one game and being blown out in the next, they find themselves deservedly closer to the bottom of the league than the top.

This is awkward, but the Chiefs are below — among many other teams — the Raiders.

Smith can and should wear a lot of the blame. This is a quarterback’s league, and the juxtoposition with Aaron Rodgers on this night was almost cruel.

This was always going to be a critical season for Smith — he is playing with the best collection of talent and the most stability of his career — and he just played his worst consecutive games since joining the Chiefs.

The numbers against Green Bay weren’t bad. He completed 24 of 40 passes for 290 yards. Even threw a touchdown. To a wide receiver! But those numbers are very misleading, most of them picked up in a second half when the only drama was whether Derrick Johnson would break the franchise’s all-time tackles record (he did) and how many touchdowns Rodgers could throw (five).

In the first half, when the Chiefs allowed themselves to be buried, Smith completed two of seven passes for 39 yards.

Forget the numbers in the second half. One of the limitations of Smith is his inability to lead a team back from a deficit. During the game, an ESPN account Tweeted that Smith is 1-30-1 as a starting quarterback when his team trails by 14 or more at any point.

This played out like a power-point presentation of every fair criticism of Smith. Virtually every pass was short, or sideways, and even after three drives he actually had minus 1 yard passing. Serious. Less than zero. Fewer passing yards than you did, sitting at home, screaming at the TV before flipping over to the Royals.

The offensive line is a legitimate problem, of course, but Smith isn’t helping. At least once, he appeared to make the wrong decision on a package play that went for a loss. At another point, he threw a pass that two Packers defenders had a better chance of catching than the intended receiver.

In the second half, the man whose value rests largely in his ability to avoid mistakes scrambled left and threw across his body, poorly executing a terrible idea ended in an interception that gave the Packers the ball four yards from the end zone.

Not that he was alone in the disappointment. At one point, the Chiefs had been outgained 175-3. The Chiefs took over at midfield, and went backward. They were called for 12 men on the field. Twice. In the first half. Once, Allen Bailey made a terrific move to force an apparent fumble, but the play was wiped out by another Chiefs penalty.

All of this with 11 days to prepare.

Eleven days to prepare after an embarrassing loss to a division rival. Eleven days to prove they are more of the dominant team from week one than the bumbling team from week two. Eleven days to prepare to play one of the league’s marquee franchises in front of the football world.

This is a team going in the wrong direction. The Chiefs won convincingly in Houston, then should’ve beaten the Broncos, and now should not have wasted the Packers’ time.

You can find reasons to believe if you want. Sean Smith has been suspended for three games, a weakness fully exploited by two Hall of Fame quarterbacks. The offensive line is still working through some issues. Eric Berry may or may not be at full strength, and, hey, Jaye Howard and Marcus Peters and Travis Kelce and some others have had nice moments.

The Chiefs made the playoffs two years ago, and entered their final game last year with a chance to go back. The NFL is this country’s greatest incubator for overreaction. The Chiefs still have a lot of talent here. They can still save their season.

Many good teams will lose to the Broncos and Packers this year.

But there are just so many issues, none more glaring than Alex Smith.

His is the face of a team whose defining characteristic so far is the ability to drive fans mad — use either definition of that last word. These last two weeks have been infuriating to watch, and so much of it is tied to Smith — the short and sideways passes, the intermittent loss of place, the general inability to be what his coaches keep saying he is.

Sports are supposed to connect on a personal level, and the frustration means you care, but these last two weeks have brought an exceptional amount of frustration.

It’s not all Smith’s fault, of course. It’s rarely that simple. But he does play the most important position in American sports, and is the highest paid player (by average salary) on the team.

The Chiefs need to be beyond failures this sharp and overwhelming. So does their franchise quarterback.

In the three seasons since Smith came to Kansas City, it’s hard to think of a worse time for either team or player.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by jd1020

I can't believe they actually extended him before the season started last year. Dorsey is such a **** up.

Our future depends on our last offseason being due to him growing as a GM and learning from his mistakes.

And that's more important because Reid has proven he clearly can't...

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

and beside the Ravens every winning team had a QB who didn't choke and can play from behind.

Our offense is top 10 in scoring, but our defense is bottom 5 in points allowed. Explain that one, genius.

[Sully]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

And you're an idiot if you think there is any QB in history that could win a shoot out against Rodgers when he has the freedom to throw to any receiver of his choosing. Defense wins championships, get your fantasy football logic off this board you moron.

Best way to stop a powerful offense is to keep them off the field.

[Priest31kc]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Our offense is top 10 in scoring, and bottom 5 in points allowed. Explain that one, genius.

Do you even ****ing watch the games, genius?

[Sully]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Our offense is top 10 in scoring, and bottom 5 in points allowed. Explain that one, genius.

Our offense shouldn't be in the bottom 5 of points allowed, though it's possible, I suppose.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by MeatRock

You obviously can't have a shitty QB either. 3 & outs every ****ing series does nothing but help you lose to good teams. Are you actually saying that Smith didn't help set up those 5 TD's? If so, you are bat shit stupid.

Our secondary was awful and forced no turnovers. That's the only way to beat Rodgers...look at Buffalo, San Fran, Seattle the past couple years...all of them locked Rodgers down with good defense. They were without Adams and Jordy and still beat us to shreds. Hell, Green Bay has two of the worst graded tackles and we couldn't even stop Rodgers. Sutton has to be worried for his job this season.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Peyton Manning has trouble operating under center also.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by Sully

Our offense shouldn't be in the bottom 5 of points allowed, though it's possible, I suppose.

Corrected... our defense is getting shredded and is 28th in points allowed. Granted we just played Rodgers and Manning, our secondary looks absolutely awful.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Sully

Best way to stop a powerful offense is to keep them off the field.

This.

Reid clearly doesn't get this.

This doesn't just fall on the defense. Change your offensive mindset as well. Milk the clock down to under 5 seconds before snapping the ball. Don't run out of bounds. Keep that clock moving.

Give stud QB's/offenses fewer chances.

And for ****'s sake run this offense through Charles...

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by Sully

Best way to stop a powerful offense is to keep them off the field.

Keeping the opposing team off the field works if you can put together sustained drives but Our O-line couldn't get anything for Jamaal going to start off the game and control the clock. It also doesn't help that despite pinning Rodgers inside his own 15, he was able to drive down the field at will.

[Sully]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Corrected... our defense is getting shredded and is 28th in points allowed. Granted we just played Rodgers and Manning, our secondary looks absolutely awful.

Our secondary has been down to #s 3, 4, and 5 at CB. Smith returns this week. We also have a guy returning from ****ING CANCER at SS, so there's no way in hell he's 100% (although I'd argue he's misused, anyway).

But that's beside the point.

When an offense is as anemic as ours was last night, an offense has every option open to it. So, yeah, the defense should've played better. But our offense hung them out to dry. I guarantee that with a better offensive performance, we stop their offense, too. The play count in the first half was something like 17-30-something (iirc).

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

You should learn a thing or two about Aaron Rogers in games where he loses. It's when the Packers score an average of 24 or less points. That's just fact since 2013. Look it up. Just so you understand...5 touchdowns is greater than that amount. Our secondary is the main culprit, followed by our ILB who allowed >4.5 yards/carry.



Smith is better than many successful game managers and his pay is warranted to be where it is currently at, just outside the top 10.



The envy on this board that we don't have Rodgers, Manning, and Brady is getting old. In fact, it makes the Chiefs fans base look pathetic.

You're saying they have a greater chance of losing when they don't put up 24+ points. Uh, no ****ing shit, Sherlock.

I can almost guarantee you the defense would have played better if the offense had been able to generate a ****ing first down before the 2nd quarter. Like 90% of our drives in the first half were 3 and outs. That is unacceptable.

Our third down percentage this season is unacceptable.

The amount of sacks our QB is taking is unacceptable.

The amount of open receivers our QB is missing is unacceptable.

Leading an 18 play drive when down two scores with 5:00 left is unacceptable.

[Sully]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Keeping the opposing team off the field works if you can put together sustained drives but Our O-line couldn't get anything for Jamaal going to start off the game and control the clock. It also doesn't help that despite pinning Rodgers inside his own 15, he was able to drive down the field at will.

Then we agree.
The offense can be blamed for the defensive ineptitude last night as well as the defense.

[Bowser]

Jesus Christ. If TigerUppercutBlackBob can't see the limitations of Alex Smith (not to mention our offensive line and playcalling) after going head to head with a QB like Aaron Rodgers, then he just chooses not to see it entirely.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Show me a QB who has consistently beaten Rodgers in a shootout... History speaks for itself, you have to limit Green Bay to less than 24 points and force turnovers. Our defense gave up 5 TD's and let old man Jones abuse us. That's just pathetic. I don't care if the turf is wet. We pay way too much for pass rushers and a secondary to not force turnovers.

The Chiefs defense is not full strength and is playing with a decimated secondary against arguably the best QB in the NFL currently.

What is the offense's excuse to have THREE pass completions and 40 yards passing well into the third quarter?