Chiefs Paylor: Downfield passing an emphasis for KC - Page 7

**BossChief** · 08-07-2015, 05:58 PM

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl...e30460170.html

Alex Smith is a very smart man, so yes, he knows the Chiefs’ deep passing game — or the lack thereof a year ago — will continue to be under the microscope for the foreseeable future.

After all, he only gets asked about it every time he steps in front of the media, which caused a reporter to ask if he’s tired of it yet.

“I get a little break,” Smith said with a laugh. “No worries, no worries.”

But with nine training camp practices in the books, Smith was asked if taking a few more chances downfield has actually been a focus thus far.

“It has — absolutely,” Smith said. “Here and there, I think Coach (Andy Reid) — if we get a potential look we’re looking for — is really pushing it. And even in this camp, Coach is a little bit like ‘Now is the time, let’s push it, let’s try some of that stuff.’”

Smith rarely took chances downfield a year ago, attempting deep throws only 5.2 percent of the time last season. That ranked 37th and dead last among quarterbacks who attempted at least 25 percent of their team’s passes, according to Pro Football Focus.

Now, some of that had to do with an offensive line that was leaky in pass protection, and a receiving corps lacked speed and separation ability.

But some of that also had to do with Smith, who has indeed made a handful of riskier throws than normal throughout camp — when the time has been right.

“Like today, we had a move the ball period, and I probably do get back more into ‘Let’s play this like we’d play it in a game,’” Smith said. “But in seven on sven and some of that stuff, yeah, I’m really trying to push some of these windows and see what we can do. That’s kind of what those drills are for.”

Smith has the weapons to do it. New receiver Jeremy Maclin parlayed his big-play ability into a five-year, $55 million contract with the Chiefs following a season in which he caught 85 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Eagles.

Smith, who has not had a receiver like that with the Chiefs, said he feels comfortable throwing deep to Maclin.

“I feel good, I feel really good,” Smith said. “ Not just because of him, I think all the guys — it’s a point of emphasis for us all offseason, we worked hard on it, QBs and wideouts included. We worked really hard on it and I do feel good with where we’re at. It’s just a matter of continuing that.”

Offensive coordinator Doug Pederson agreed, noting the importance of sprinkling in some explosive downfield plays.

“It doesn’t hurt,” Pederson said. “You would love to score in four plays and not always put eight-, nine-, or 10-play drives together. Again, if the ball’s not there, and Alex (Smith) is great at this; if it’s not there down the field, he’s going to find the next available receiver and he’s going to manage that particular play well in that time.”

But considering Smith’s penchant for protecting the ball remains a significant part of his football DNA, Pederson was then asked how much the staff trusts Smith to let it loose downfield.

“A lot,” Pederson said. “That’s the thing about this offseason and going into camp. If you’re going to throw an interception, training camp is the time to throw it. Let’s test our skill and ability, let’s see what our guys can do. Let’s see what the quarterback can do, let’s see what our receivers can do.

“This is the time to test that, and we’ve got all of the confidence in the world, as a staff, when we call those plays that they’re completion plays and that Alex (Smith) will do the right thing with the ball.”

The process of consistently executing the deep ball is not something that’s going to be cultivated in days or weeks. But with reps and diligence, it does get better — and Smith says the Chiefs are committed to getting there.

’“It’s kind of one of those things where you always have to work at it, you always have to stay on it,” Smith said. “It’s hard, guys are tired, you don’t want to run them all the time after practice like that, but you have to keep doing it.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl...#storylink=cpy

**LoneWolf** · 08-08-2015, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

No, you're right.
He's closer to middle of the pack than the bottom.

Here's my problem.

I think Alex Smith is much more talented than may, if not most, give him credit for.

He has better arm strength than he is given credit for, and he has the football acumen to be among the best.

The problem is, I think, that he became gun shy while playing for a really bad 9er team for his first 4-5 years in the league, and that ruined him.

I honestly believe that he has the tools to be in a tier just ahead of Tony Romo when you start ranking QBs, but his fear of failure drops him on the list.

I can completely agree with this. I'm hoping that with the addition of Maclin that Smith attempts to air it out a few times early in the season. Hopefully he can have some early success with a few longer throws and that encourages him to look for the deeper pass more often.

I know there's a lot of hope in this post, but it is training camp time where hope springs eternal.

jd1020 · 08-08-2015, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

and he has the football acumen to be among the best.

I question his football acumen every time he fails to read a defense and make an audible out of a completely stupid play.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-h...d-for-a-safety

He may be book smart, but he fails to apply it.

**LoneWolf** · 08-08-2015, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd1020

I question his football acumen every time he fails to read a defense and make an audible out of a completely stupid play.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-h...d-for-a-safety

He may be book smart, but he fails to apply it.

What was that video supposed to show us?

jd1020 · 08-08-2015, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneWolf

What was that video supposed to show us?

If you don't know, I question your football intelligence.

**LoneWolf** · 08-08-2015, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd1020

If you don't know, I question your football intelligence.

Was he supposed to audible to a running play? There were nine guys in the box.

O.city · 08-08-2015, 09:39 AM

That's a pretty normal play call from the endzone against 0 pressure

O.city · 08-08-2015, 09:41 AM

Pardon me, against zero coverage

jd1020 · 08-08-2015, 09:45 AM

1st and 10 from the 1 yard line with 9 in the box, 6 rushers and Bowe on the outside with a 7 yard cushion and only 1 guy to beat. Sounds like a great idea to continue with the 7 step drop play action pass.

O.city · 08-08-2015, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd1020

1st and 10 from the 1 yard line with 9 in the box, 6 rushers and Bowe on the outside with a 7 yard cushion and only 1 guy to beat. Sounds like a great idea to continue with the 7 step drop play action pass.

Play call wise, that's what you wanna do although usually it's a pretty quick throw

You've got single coverage on the outside against a full box. That's normally the time/place to take a deep shot.

**LoneWolf** · 08-08-2015, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by O.city

That's a pretty normal play call from the endzone against 0 pressure

That's what I thought. Come out in a 2 tight end set with a fullback to make it appear you are just attempting to run the ball to make room for the punter. Instead you try to exploit the 1-on-1 coverage on the outside with zero safety help over the top.

The protection was abysmal on that play, but according to jd that is an example of Smith's lack of applying his football acumen. I guess with my limited football intelligence that I am surely missing something.

jd1020 · 08-08-2015, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneWolf

That's what I thought. Come out in a 2 tight end set with a fullback to make it appear you are just attempting to run the ball to make room for the punter. Instead you try to exploit the 1-on-1 coverage on the outside with zero safety help over the top.

Not sure where you are getting this zero safety help over the top, there are only 10 guys in the frame.

ViperVisor · 08-08-2015, 09:50 AM

QB rankings are funny.

Eli
Flacco
Stafford

They get to play over the last 3 seasons and put up numbers a click below Jay Cutler.

But they get the 'look at the potential in the good times' asterisk I guess.

O.city · 08-08-2015, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoneWolf

That's what I thought. Come out in a 2 tight end set with a fullback to make it appear you are just attempting to run the ball to make room for the punter. Instead you try to exploit the 1-on-1 coverage on the outside with zero safety help over the top.

The protection was abysmal on that play, but according to jd that is an example of Smith's lack of applying his football acumen. I guess with my limited football intelligence that I am surely missing something.

So theres probably a single high safety over the top, so you've just gotta make him wrong. Or throw a backshoulDer I guess

**LoneWolf** · 08-08-2015, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jd1020

Not sure where you are getting this zero safety help over the top, there are only 10 guys in the frame.

You're right. There was a deep safety. There were also 8 guys who stayed in to block.

Groves · 08-08-2015, 10:03 AM

Keep in mind that a QB who has success throwing the deep ball has built in stat inflation because the attempts are usually fewer (because success).

Few people think that coach Reid is less competent than Alex, so it's unlikely that Alex has mad longball skills that have just languished under misuse.

Here's reality: Alex may improve. Reid may call more downfield. If it works we'll be high fiveing like the TruFan gif. If it doesn't, we all revert to our loss coping mechanisms. (I choose abundant, delicious foods.)

08-07-2015, 05:58 PM
BossChief SuperBowl or bust Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: BF Iowa Casino cash: $1894088	Paylor: Downfield passing an emphasis for KC http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl...e30460170.html Alex Smith is a very smart man, so yes, he knows the Chiefs’ deep passing game — or the lack thereof a year ago — will continue to be under the microscope for the foreseeable future. After all, he only gets asked about it every time he steps in front of the media, which caused a reporter to ask if he’s tired of it yet. “I get a little break,” Smith said with a laugh. “No worries, no worries.” But with nine training camp practices in the books, Smith was asked if taking a few more chances downfield has actually been a focus thus far. “It has — absolutely,” Smith said. “Here and there, I think Coach (Andy Reid) — if we get a potential look we’re looking for — is really pushing it. And even in this camp, Coach is a little bit like ‘Now is the time, let’s push it, let’s try some of that stuff.’” Smith rarely took chances downfield a year ago, attempting deep throws only 5.2 percent of the time last season. That ranked 37th and dead last among quarterbacks who attempted at least 25 percent of their team’s passes, according to Pro Football Focus. Now, some of that had to do with an offensive line that was leaky in pass protection, and a receiving corps lacked speed and separation ability. But some of that also had to do with Smith, who has indeed made a handful of riskier throws than normal throughout camp — when the time has been right. “Like today, we had a move the ball period, and I probably do get back more into ‘Let’s play this like we’d play it in a game,’” Smith said. “But in seven on sven and some of that stuff, yeah, I’m really trying to push some of these windows and see what we can do. That’s kind of what those drills are for.” Smith has the weapons to do it. New receiver Jeremy Maclin parlayed his big-play ability into a five-year, $55 million contract with the Chiefs following a season in which he caught 85 passes for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Eagles. Smith, who has not had a receiver like that with the Chiefs, said he feels comfortable throwing deep to Maclin. “I feel good, I feel really good,” Smith said. “ Not just because of him, I think all the guys — it’s a point of emphasis for us all offseason, we worked hard on it, QBs and wideouts included. We worked really hard on it and I do feel good with where we’re at. It’s just a matter of continuing that.” Offensive coordinator Doug Pederson agreed, noting the importance of sprinkling in some explosive downfield plays. “It doesn’t hurt,” Pederson said. “You would love to score in four plays and not always put eight-, nine-, or 10-play drives together. Again, if the ball’s not there, and Alex (Smith) is great at this; if it’s not there down the field, he’s going to find the next available receiver and he’s going to manage that particular play well in that time.” But considering Smith’s penchant for protecting the ball remains a significant part of his football DNA, Pederson was then asked how much the staff trusts Smith to let it loose downfield. “A lot,” Pederson said. “That’s the thing about this offseason and going into camp. If you’re going to throw an interception, training camp is the time to throw it. Let’s test our skill and ability, let’s see what our guys can do. Let’s see what the quarterback can do, let’s see what our receivers can do. “This is the time to test that, and we’ve got all of the confidence in the world, as a staff, when we call those plays that they’re completion plays and that Alex (Smith) will do the right thing with the ball.” The process of consistently executing the deep ball is not something that’s going to be cultivated in days or weeks. But with reps and diligence, it does get better — and Smith says the Chiefs are committed to getting there. ’“It’s kind of one of those things where you always have to work at it, you always have to stay on it,” Smith said. “It’s hard, guys are tired, you don’t want to run them all the time after practice like that, but you have to keep doing it.” Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl...#storylink=cpy
Posts: 47,124

08-08-2015, 09:39 AM	#96
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $2764064	That's a pretty normal play call from the endzone against 0 pressure
Posts: 81,220

08-08-2015, 09:41 AM	#97
O.city In Search of a Life Join Date: Jul 2009 Casino cash: $2764064	Pardon me, against zero coverage
Posts: 81,220

08-08-2015, 09:45 AM	#98
jd1020 In Search of a Life Join Date: Nov 2010 Casino cash: $7742645	1st and 10 from the 1 yard line with 9 in the box, 6 rushers and Bowe on the outside with a 7 yard cushion and only 1 guy to beat. Sounds like a great idea to continue with the 7 step drop play action pass.
Posts: 24,322

08-08-2015, 09:50 AM	#102
ViperVisor Veteran Join Date: Mar 2013 Casino cash: $10019798	QB rankings are funny. Eli Flacco Stafford They get to play over the last 3 seasons and put up numbers a click below Jay Cutler. But they get the 'look at the potential in the good times' asterisk I guess.
Posts: 1,532

08-08-2015, 10:03 AM	#105
Groves Turning the Corner Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Springfield, Missouri Casino cash: $2348541	Keep in mind that a QB who has success throwing the deep ball has built in stat inflation because the attempts are usually fewer (because success). Few people think that coach Reid is less competent than Alex, so it's unlikely that Alex has mad longball skills that have just languished under misuse. Here's reality: Alex may improve. Reid may call more downfield. If it works we'll be high fiveing like the TruFan gif. If it doesn't, we all revert to our loss coping mechanisms. (I choose abundant, delicious foods.)
Posts: 2,380