Alex Smith will be the Chiefs’ QB in 2017, but he knows the pressure is on

[Hammock Parties]

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

ORLANDO, Fla.

More than anybody, Alex Smith knew what was at stake this postseason, and how the Chiefs’ performance would shape the perception of his ceiling as a quarterback.

So when Smith posted his fourth-lowest passer rating of the season in the Chiefs’ 18-16 divisional-round home loss to Pittsburgh — and his coach, Andy Reid didn’t offer a strong, immediate vote of confidence the day after the game — the 32-year old wasn’t surprised when chatter started increasing about finding a replacement.

“Do you hear it a little bit? Without a doubt,” Smith said at the Pro Bowl this week. “The nice thing is I don’t have social media, so that helps.”

But here’s what most didn’t know: Shortly after the season came to an end, Reid conducted his customary exit interview with Smith, and the impression Smith got in that conversation is that he would be Reid’s quarterback again in 2017.

And after Smith was added to the Pro Bowl roster as a replacement, he and Reid — who is coaching the AFC squad along with the rest of the Chiefs’ coaching staff — had multiple discussions about 2017, and where they both need to improve.

“We’ve talked a lot, and for sure, the talk was just the sense of urgency — (him saying) ‘let’s go get it, you and me,’ ” Smith said. “For both of us, I think you realize the opportunities are less and less. You can’t take them all for granted. We all felt like we had an awesome opportunity and we didn’t get it done. So even more so, let’s press on the gas and let’s go.”

And if you needed any further proof Smith will be the Chiefs’ signal-caller in 2017, Reid told reinforced that message to The Star over the weekend.

“Alex is our quarterback — there’s no question about that or anything else,” Reid said. “I surely didn’t want to insinuate that (was not the case) at all.”

Reid said Smith — who completed 67.1 percent of his passes with 20 total touchdowns and eight interceptions — did “a good job” this year, and that he expects him to continue to make small improvements in his game next year.

“The work’s never done — he’ll continue to improve,” Reid said. “There won’t be the huge jumps, but there will be little things he’ll continue to get better at.

“But he’s pretty good right now, though.”

One of the areas in which Smith wants to continue to improve is in throwing receivers open. That’s what the best — such as Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers — do, and it lifts the play of their teammates, because they can fit balls into tight spaces and increase their team’s margin for error.

“You have to, I think,” Smith said. “You’re not going to complete a lot of balls if you’re just waiting all the time.”

Smith did have some missed shots he wanted to have back in the Steelers loss. One, in particular, stood out, when Tyreek Hill broke open down the left sideline and Smith failed to see him, though it turns out there was a good reason for that.

“I knew all week the way (the Steelers) play, they’d lose guys here and there,” Smith said. “And the hard part, as a quarterback, is when a guy that’s not in your progression blows open because you’re not looking. Sometimes you fall into those and sometimes you miss them and you’re like ‘God if I would have just seen Tyreek over there.’ ”

Smith also regrets the first-half interception he threw when he got hit by a free blitzer. Had he had a split-second longer, it could have gone for a huge gain to Chris Conley, who broke open after the defensive back fell down.

“It’s such a big swing there — you hit that, it’s a huge dagger,” Smith said. “I knew exactly what that safety was doing. He bit up on (tight end Travis) Kelce, we had Chris on the outside and I was taking a shot. I felt good about that all week.”

The play was actually a good example of the way some of Smith’s downfield chances are schemed by Reid, often due to play calls that create advantageous matchups.

Still, Reid thinks his quarterback has actually gotten better when it comes to throwing people open in his four years in Kansas City.

“I think that’s one area where he’s gotten better at,” Reid said. “Remember, the emphasis we put on the pass game might be a little bit more than where he came from; the run stuff and the things he did at the line of scrimmage with the 49ers is something they really put a concentrated effort on.

“So it’s a challenge to him in other areas, and I keep seeing improvements. You see throws like that where you kind of go ‘Whoa, was that a good one.’ The more he does, the better he gets at it.’”

Lost in Smith’s roller-coaster ride of a season was the fact the Chiefs went deep a bit more this year, and were also much better in four-minute and come-from-behind situations — areas in which they struggled in Smith’s first three years.

Comeback wins over San Diego and Denver registered as near-unprecedented high-water marks for Smith, who completed some clutch throws in both games. He also guided the Chiefs down the field on a late touchdown march against Pittsburgh, only to have the ensuing, game-tying two-point conversion — a completion to tight end Demetrius Harris — get wiped out due to a hold.

“That was something we hadn’t done in the past — we did play better in clutch situations,” Smith said. “Down the line, end of games, we played better in those big moments and it showed up with our record. I think we need to continue to build on that and be more prolific a little bit all over.”

The Chiefs’ were far more explosive in 2016 — the big-play ability of Pro Bowl rookie Tyreek Hill had a lot to do with that — but they were more inconsistent, too, which led to frustrating inefficiency in losses to Tampa Bay, Tennessee and Pittsburgh.

But Smith’s season, while ultimately unfulfilling, certainly wasn’t bad. The Chiefs went 12-4 and the won the AFC West for the first time since 2010.

Smith also started Sunday’s game, adding to an already-meaningful experience of making the second Pro Bowl of his 12-year career.

“It does (matter), because for a long time, you’re on the outside looking in, right?” Smith said. “You grow from things like this, too. They can be positive things, positive experiences.”

And now that Smith knows he’ll be the guy in 2017, he’ll be taking in as many of those as possible, even against the backdrop of the team potentially taking a quarterback early in the draft — something he wouldn’t take personally, by the way.

“If I were running a team, of course you would continue to bring in young talent — are you kidding me, the quarterback touches the ball every single play,” Smith said. “It’s hard to develop guys, it’s hard to find guys. Every year, you want to be taking a shot — that’s just smart football.”

But no matter what the Chiefs do in the draft, Smith will feel the responsibility of taking the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, and he knows what people will say if they again fall short.

“My trajectory and where I’m going really has nothing to do with whoever they bring in, because I’ve got to handle my business and take care of my business,” Smith said. “I’m gonna determine my own deal, right, and just kind of take that on, and that’s what it is, anywhere — if you don’t get it done, they’re gonna find somebody else.”

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by Go Royals

Oaklands sitting at $46 million in cap space for this upcoming year. They can get to above $60 million with cuts to three players that made less than no impact for them on the field. Year after that they have upwards of $80 million in space.

It's pure fantasy to think that they're just magically going to get worse once they have to pay two players. They have tons of space to sign Carr, Mack, and whoever else they want.

I don't think he's saying that they won't be able to sign anyone or anything like that, but Oakland will be the first team in the league that I can recall to have to pay elite QB money to two players....

From the sounds of it, Carr is due for a $125 million type of deal, and Mack is going to approach Miller's $114 million. That eats a shit ton of your cap. If you are drafting well like you are supposed to, a lot of your money has to be saved just to retain your own players, likely ending the days of making splashes like Oakland has the past couple years in FA.

At the end of the day, every team's goal should be to draft good players and use your cap space to keep them. Unfortunately, the Raiders are finally on that track.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Go Royals

Oaklands sitting at $46 million in cap space for this upcoming year. They can get to above $60 million with cuts to three players that made less than no impact for them on the field. Year after that they have upwards of $80 million in space.

It's pure fantasy to think that they're just magically going to get worse once they have to pay two players. They have tons of space to sign Carr, Mack, and whoever else they want.

That's worked out well for the Seahawks, right?

Carr and Mack will cost the Raiders a minimum of $40 million per year - maybe closer to $45 million. They'll need a left tackle because Penn is breaking down and old plus Amari Cooper's deal will be coming up soon. Their secondary is old and pretty much sucks, along with the rest of their defense. They'll need to hit on picks and if they don't, they'll need to reach into free agency, which isn't cheap when it comes to solid cornerbacks and safeties.

They face a shit ton of challenges but none more important than facing a first place schedule along with uncertainty of where the team will actually play their games.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

Losing Bailey and DJ really hurt our run defense

Losing DeVito and Mauga were big losses there as well

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

You always say this but how many safeties can consistently defend the sidelines while playing single high? The field is like 52 yards wide. That's a shit ton of ground to cover.

They have be able to read the offense and the QB to get a good jump

That takes experience at single high that Berry doesn't really have yet.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

Unfortunately, the Raiders are finally on that track.

Well, it's much easier to do so when you're picking in the Top 5 every year, as opposed to the Bottom 5.

McKenzie's certainly had his share of misses, like pretty much the entire 2012 draft, their first rounder in 2013 and not very much production on the back end of their drafts.

[temper11]

Originally Posted by kcchiefsus

Instead we're stuck with a **** stick like Alex Smith and are left with the realization that we have almost no chance of things being better unless absolutely everything goes our way.

Absolutely everything? Chiefs can't advance with Smith unless absolutely everything goes their way?

Absolutely nothing went the Chiefs way in that game against Pittsburgh. Nothing. And yet you lost to the great and almighty Ben Rothlesburger by 2 points. Ben's receivers didn't drop easy passes, Ben had a running game that ran all over you all game, Ben was barely even hurried let alone touched all game... and this a QB that can barely move even when he's not coming off some kind of foot injury... and yet he won by 2 points - 2 points. And he even needed the refs to help him out with that at the end.

You hate Smith and want a QBOTF - fine. I hope to hell the Chiefs draft a stallion with their first pick so everyone can stroke a few out, but pretending that the Pittsburgh game is evidence that the Chiefs can't advance because of Smith is ridiculous. Nothing went right consistently enough offensively in that game. Smith made great throws that could have saved them but also missed a few opportunities that cost them. Kelce made a few great plays, but dropped a crucial catch and lost his head on a different play that cost them. Maclin made a few great plays, but dropped a few crucial ones. The Oline did a decent job, but the times in which they buckled were very costly. No running game to speak of... etc. etc. If any ONE of these things go the other way, Chiefs likely win. Just one.

[Hammock Parties]

Even if the Raiders have to pay Carr and Mack, that still puts them far ahead of the Chiefs.

We have no franchise QB or elite pass rusher on this roster.

We have Alex Smith and a busted-ass Justin Houston.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Spider2YBanana

Even if the Raiders have to pay Carr and Mack, that still puts them far ahead of the Chiefs.

We have no franchise QB or elite pass rusher on this roster.

We have Alex Smith and a busted-ass Justin Houston.

And we're all stuck with a Claynus

[The Franchise]

Houston will be back to his normal self next year. My guess would be 16-18 sacks.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Houston will be back to his normal self next year. My guess would be 16-18 sacks.

I'll believe it when I see it.

We haven't seen "elite Justin Houston" since 2014.

That feels like eons ago at this juncture.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by Spider2YBanana

Even if the Raiders have to pay Carr and Mack, that still puts them far ahead of the Chiefs.

We have no franchise QB or elite pass rusher on this roster.

We have Alex Smith and a busted-ass Justin Houston.

Derek Carr has never played well vs the Chiefs. We are his kryptonite

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Derek Carr has never played well vs the Chiefs. We are his kryptonite

Just another hurdle he has to get past. He has the talent and smarts to do it, and given that he's improved massively every single season, I wouldn't bet against him.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Spider2YBanana

Just another hurdle he has to get past. He has the talent and smarts to do it, and given that he's improved massively every single season, I wouldn't bet against him.

Then go be a fan of the ****ing raiders, we don't need you.

trash your own, praise the opposition

**** off

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

Houston will be back to his normal self next year. My guess would be 16-18 sacks.

injured by game 5

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Spider2YBanana

I wouldn't bet against him.

That's because you're ****ing stupid