Mellinger: In the Jets, there's a lesson for Chiefs fan about taking the safe route

[Deberg_1990]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/spt...le3481340.html



In the structure of the modern NFL, the most important decision a franchise can make is who plays quarterback. Two years ago, two franchises walked away from this decision on two very different paths.

The Chiefs played it safe, were largely criticized for it, then made the playoffs and have a chance to do it again this season. The Jets took the gamble that many in Kansas City had been screaming for, and are now 1-7 in what is a virtual certainty to be a fourth consecutive season without the playoffs.

They will play this weekend at Arrowhead Stadium in what for Chiefs fans could be fairly called The Upside of Boring.

Boring hardly ever plays well with sports fans, right? We want bold, we want daring. We want to toast those with enough guts to go for it all and laugh at the cowards who don’t.


But when it came time for the Chiefs’ new power structure to choose a quarterback, they did it with all of the flair of a ham sandwich.

They traded for a known commodity in Alex Smith, a man who had demonstrated what scouts often call “a high floor” but also “a low ceiling” which is often translated by fans and media as “weak sauce.” Then, when Smith performed well in their system and with their coaches, they signed him to a long-term extension for a higher salary than two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning, among others. Solid, logical, conservative thinking.

This has always been the Chiefs’ way. Trading for the 49ers’ backup quarterback is a time-honored tradition here.

One of the byproducts of this approach is a fan base that often clamors for bold, for daring, for, come to think of it, what the Jets sometimes do.

Two years ago, the same offseason when the Chiefs traded for Smith, the Jets were coming off 6-10 and also needed a quarterback. They’d drafted Mark Sanchez four years earlier with the fifth overall pick and watched him deteriorate from promising to an unplayable mess. They felt a compelling need to upgrade, to find the quarterback of their future.

Many around Kansas City wanted the Chiefs to draft Geno Smith, the three-year starter at West Virginia who completed 67 percent of his passes for 98 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.

Full disclosure, I was in that crowd, at least until hearing from league insiders who questioned his drive, personality and ability to read defenses, among other things. Every draft prospect is questioned, obviously, but there was something different about the tone and scope of the criticism of Smith. It’s one reason he fell into the second round, and surely one reason the Chiefs went with a different Smith at quarterback.

Coincidence or not, Geno Smith has been fairly terrible in his short time in the NFL. He’s thrown 19 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. By passer rating, Total Quarterback Rating, and the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders, Smith is either the worst, second-worst, or third-worst quarterback this season.

He was benched this week. Michael Vick, who has completed 26 of 56 passes this season, will start instead.

Think the Jets would like that pick back?


Alex Smith was the top overall pick in the 2005 draft, but generally lacks the type of elite, obvious, natural ability that fans and scouts like in brand name quarterbacks.

The story about the Chiefs’ Smith is often the story about what he isn’t. He’s a good athlete with a great feel for the pocket, but can’t really be called elusive. He reads defenses well and is usually quite accurate, but has occasional lapses and doesn’t throw the best deep ball.

The Chiefs lost at the goal line as time expired in Denver, and with an interception on their final drive in San Francisco. The quarterback is the one who gets the most credit when things go well (like the two-minute drill that won a game in San Diego) and the one with the most blame when things fail. That’s part of the job description.

But in Smith’s case, it misses the point that the Chiefs are 11th in the league in scoring with a flimsy group of receivers and an offensive line that struggles in pass protection.

Jamaal Charles is the star of the offense, obviously, the one defenses plan for every week. But Smith makes enough good decisions, and is reliable enough with short and medium-range passes, to keep the offense moving and — through a season and a half in Kansas City — the Chiefs winning.

Now, clearly, the Chiefs would love to draft and develop their own quarterback. That has proven to be the most successful way to find a top passer and win Super Bowls.

But the Chiefs picked first overall the year after Andrew Luck. They went boring, and traded for a guy who led them to the playoffs. The Jets reached, and drafted a guy they just benched.

Boring is better, sometimes.

[RunKC]

Alex was easily worth those picks, especially considering that the QB's drafted the last 2 years don't look special at all.

You get the best player to win. Alex was clearly that. And even without a 2nd the 2013 class looks really solid at the top

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

Genocuses

whats good for the goose...

[GoChargers]

Originally Posted by Pasta Giant Meatball

Chiefs Planet is awful at evaluating QB play. Just unbelievably bad....End of thread and every other one like it

That goes for both sides, by the way. The drafturbators do themselves no favors by dickriding obvious busts from day 1 like Geno Smith; meanwhile, the true fans literally defend scrubs like Cassel until they can no longer be defended by any rational human being.

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by GoChargers

That goes for both sides, by the way. The drafturbators do themselves no favors by dickriding obvious busts from day 1 like Geno Smith; meanwhile, the true fans literally defend scrubs like Cassel until they can no longer be defended by any rational human being.

That is what he just said...

CP is dogshit when it comes to QB evaluation....

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Alex was easily worth those picks, especially considering that the QB's drafted the last 2 years don't look special at all.

You get the best player to win. Alex was clearly that. And even without a 2nd the 2013 class looks really solid at the top

Hey look its Mr. Tyler Wilson trying to act like he didn't want to draft somebody.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Hey look its Mr. Tyler Wilson trying to act like he didn't want to draft somebody.

Weren't you matt Barkley biggest fan?

[ChiefsCountry]

Originally Posted by O.city

Weren't you matt Barkley biggest fan?

Yes, still wish they would have drafted him. But that douche was deep throating Tyler Wilson hard and acts like he didn't want to draft a qb. So **** him.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by jd1020

Every time someone mentions Alex as a QB who knows how to win when he's got 1 playoff win in 10 years I throw up in my mouth.

"Well he had shitty coaches and talent around him for his first 5 seasons!"

"He was one muffed punt away from the Super Bowl!"

"He played well enough to win last year in Indy!"

Apparently all those shoulda, coulda, wouldas count as playoff wins.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry

Hey look its Mr. Tyler Wilson trying to act like he didn't want to draft somebody.

I wanted to draft Tyler Wilson for later and trade Alex smith for the present. But okay.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

"Well he had shitty coaches and talent around him for his first 5 seasons!"

"He was one muffed punt away from the Super Bowl!"

"He played well enough to win last year in Indy!"

Apparently all those shoulda, coulda, wouldas count as playoff wins.

Alex Smith has been the victim of circumstance his entire career.
Geno Smith obviously sucks and has no one to blame but himself.

Facts.

[Marcellus]

The same idiots here are going to attempt to claim that Clark "won't allow" his very high paid hand picked coach and GM to draft a QB if they wanted to.

And bingo.

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

No first round QBs since Blackledge in 1983.
No second round QBs since Matt Bludnin 1992.
Brodie Croyle in the 3rd round in 2006.
Pat Barnes in the 4th in 1997.
Aaron Murray and Ricky Stanzi in the 5th in 2014 and 2011 respectively.


There's all the evidence in the world that if the gun was put to any given Chiefs' GM's head, he doesn't select a QB.

Because that gun is being held by a member of the Hunt family, and they believe a high round QB is too risky.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

It was only a chance to select Justin Hunter, Zach Ertz, Giovanni Bernard, Kiko Alonso or Le'Veon Bell in 2013 and Cody Latimer, Jimmy Garoppolo or Allen Robinson in 2014.

Not like any of those guys would help or anything.

Who is playing QB if we don't give 2 2nds for Smith and draft the guys you mentioned?

Or are you one of those insiders that know we could have Smith for 1 pick?

I am sure Dorsey threw in the 2nd pick for fun.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

"Well he had shitty coaches and talent around him for his first 5 seasons!"

"He was one muffed punt away from the Super Bowl!"

"He played well enough to win last year in Indy!"

Apparently all those shoulda, coulda, wouldas count as playoff wins.

Or you could just call them the facts.

Playoff wins or not, they are facts.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Or you could just call them the facts.

Playoff wins or not, they are facts.

I like to think of myself as a rational guy when it comes to Alex. I probably come off as a detractor but it's really only because he's my QB and I hold him to a high standard.

We've already dispelled the notion that he was just a muffed punt away from a Super Bowl, and he played well in Indy but didn't turn in a complete game. People like to rag on Bowe for not getting his foot down but if you want to go that far the pass was NOT perfect. It was thrown a hit behind, causing Bowe to have to slow up and allowing the defender a chance to make a play on the ball. Not to mention the fact that we had three downs prior to that play to get the 1st and he couldn't get the job done.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I like to think of myself as a rational guy when it comes to Alex. I probably come off as a detractor but it's really only because he's my QB and I hold him to a high standard.

We've already dispelled the notion that he was just a muffed punt away from a Super Bowl, and he played well in Indy but didn't turn in a complete game. People like to rag on Bowe for not getting his foot down but if you want to go that far the pass was NOT perfect. It was thrown a hit behind, causing Bowe to have to slow up and allowing the defender a chance to make a play on the ball. Not to mention the fact that we had three downs prior to that play to get the 1st and he couldn't get the job done.

Good grief dude you are as impartial and opinionated on this subject as 49ers fans are.

And to say any of that stuff has been dispelled is laughable. Its all opinion driven. For every statement made there is a counter opinion. Its not dispelled in any way shape or form. Maybe in your mind but you didn't need any help there anyway.

Its OK to simply admit you are wrong when the evidence keep slapping you in the face. But some people just can't do it.