Let's do the Alex Smith thing again.

[Direckshun]

Shall we.

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-...a-game-manager

The Week in Overreactions: Alex Smith is more than a game manager
By Ryan Wilson | CBSSports.com
October 21, 2014 8:16 am ET

Alex Smith isn't a game manager

It's easy -- and, frankly, lazy -- to categorize Alex Smith as a game manager because that appeared to be his ceiling early in his career. Some of those growing pains can be attributed to youth (he came into the league as a fresh-faced 20-year-old), expectations that come with being the first-overall pick in the 2005 draft, and landing on a bad 49ers team that had six different offensive coordinators in Smith's first six seasons.

That's the definition of setting someone up to fail. And while the perception of Smith didn't change once coach Jim Harbaugh arrived in 2011, the reality was that he became a more complete player.

• In 54 games (50 starts) from 2005-2010, Smith completed 57 percent of his passes (6.2 YPA) with 51 touchdowns and 53 interceptions.

• In 2011-2012 under Harbaugh, Smith played in 26 games (25 starts) completed 64 percent of his passes (7.4 YPA) with 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

• And in a season and a half with the Chiefs and Andy Reid, Smith has started all 21 games, completing 62 percent of his passes (6.6 YPA) with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

We've been as guilty as anyone as taking Smith's accomplishments for granted, even regularly referring to him as "a bridge quarterback" to whomever is pegged as the next face of the franchise in Kansas City. But he's proven to be much, much more than that. We saw it in last season's playoff loss to the Colts, when he was 30 of 46 for 378 yards, with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

We saw it again in Week 4 when Smith completed 20 of 26 passes for 248 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions as the Chiefs throttled the Patriots, 41-14. And we were reminded once again on Sunday in San Diego when Smith, who has long been criticized for his inability to play from behind, did just that.

He led the Chiefs on a late-fourth-quarter, eight-play, 62-yard drive that began on their 8-yard line, and included a nine-yard scramble and passes of 19, 16 and eight yards to set up Cairo Santos' 48-yard field goal.

It wasn't spectacular but that's not Smith's game. (And when did spectacular equate to franchise savior, anyway? Jay Cutler has plenty of "spectacular" plays on his highlight reel but he's regularly played some truly awful football.)

According to Football Outsiders, Smith ranks 15th among all quarterbacks this season, ahead of Tom Brady, Carson Palmer and Ben Roethlisberger, but his steady-as-she-goes approach fits nicely with what Reid wants to do offensively. And even if it means fewer big plays down the field, it's hard to argue with the results; the Chiefs started 9-0 last season before finishing 11-5. And after an 0-2 start this season, they have won three of four, their only loss an eminently winnable game in San Francisco in Week 5. And this all comes after the Chiefs, prior to Reid and Smith's arrival, won a grand total of two games in 2012.

When Smith signed a four-year, $68 million extension just before the season, our only reservation was that it would mean the Chiefs would put off finding their next young quarterback. But at 30 years old, he's entering his NFL prime; there's no reason to rush him off the field. In fact, he could be the key to helping the Chiefs to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2005-2006.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by JENKINSWINS

Did you even watch the game or that video I posted?

3-33-1

[dls6501]

Originally Posted by JENKINSWINS

Yeah, this guys MO is the same as Sandy's. Listen to how he twists his words just to make KC's QB look better…

http://www.kcchiefs.com/media-center...e-c8d3e116ecdd

This video has nothing to do with what I was talking about. Even if you were just trying to be a smartass, it still didn't apply.

[Ragged Robin]

Originally Posted by Tuckdaddy

I agree but only for offenses like Andy's. Put him in Green Bay and Cobb and Nelson would hate him.

they run a WCO too except with a legitimate rotation of receivers year in and out, I think he'd be okay

[O.city]

Just because we run a wco doesn't mean you can't throw it down field

[Ragged Robin]

Originally Posted by O.city

Just because we run a wco doesn't mean you can't throw it down field

Never said it doesn't, watching his 2011-2012 highlight vids they ran the WCO in SF and he didn't look like he had trouble chucking it to Vernon Davis who is 6'3 and runs a 4.3 and he led the league in yards per attempt in 2012. Who is he supposed to throw to here? Dwayne Bowe? Avery? (okay okay they did hit on a few nice deep passes to Avery last season but he can't catch and is a broke dick)

[BigMeatballDave]

3 more

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by Three7s

The one short-coming Alex Smith has is the unwillingness to take chances. Solomon Wilcotts pointed out yesterday that he had a 1v1 matchup deep that he could've taken a shot on. He just refuses to do it.

He did not have that matchup. Wilcox was wrong.

Pocket collapsed before the receiver made his break and got inside of the defender.

[Hammock Parties]

We saw it again in Week 4 when Smith completed 20 of 26 passes for 248 yards, with three touchdowns and no interceptions as the Chiefs throttled the Patriots, 41-14.

See, you read shit like this and you should just be laughing.

This guy didn't even watch that game. Alex Smith was game managering that shit all over the field. He made like one or two throws the whole night that were anything remotely special.

Alex Smith is, was and will always be a game manager.

[temper11]

Originally Posted by Count Zarth

See, you read shit like this and you should just be laughing.

This guy didn't even watch that game. Alex Smith was game managering that shit all over the field. He made like one or two throws the whole night that were anything remotely special.

Alex Smith is, was and will always be a game manager.

Why is it important for more throws than one or two, or any for that matter, to be special? If he surveys the field and finds open guys all night long making good decisions and winning the game, who cares how special the throws are?

Also, if what he does is so average and so easy, why don't more qbs do it? Dude just GOT PAID for doing what you claim any broke dick can do, why don't they all do it then? I would, take less risk, make the easy throws and cash my checks. Why don't they just all do that?

There are more ways to play the position effectively than just the Brett Farve guide to quarterbacking.

[el borracho]

Andy Dalton's first 54 games: 12,735 yards, 86 touchdowns
Alex Smith's first 54 games: 8,397 yards, 51 touchdowns

So less yards and less touchdowns and less playoff appearances but, yeah, if you need someone to handoff and checkdown and maybe get you in field goal range then Alex is your boy.

Alex Smith: handing off like an MVP!

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by temper11

Why is it important for more throws than one or two, or any for that matter, to be special? If he surveys the field and finds open guys all night long making good decisions and winning the game, who cares how special the throws are?

Doesn't matter when you win.

But to label him as anything but a game manager is inaccurate.

And the Chiefs will never win anything with him because of that.

Good day, sir.

[smith11]

Originally Posted by Count Zarth

Doesn't matter when you win.

But to label him as anything but a game manager is inaccurate.

And the Chiefs will never win anything with him because of that.

Good day, sir.

weren't you the guy-sir-who guaranteed a chargers rout -

way to go nostradumbass

[ODESSABRONC]

Originally Posted by Saccopoo

He did not have that matchup. Wilcox was wrong.

Pocket collapsed before the receiver made his break and got inside of the defender.

Yes he did. He just passed it up for a safer play one nearly cost the Chiefs a chance to win the game.

And no pocket didn't collapse before the receiver was open. He was flushed out to his right after the fact.

[Sandy Vagina]

So ridiculous that this one missed play goes on and on. Smith didn't make many special plays that make your eyes pop open.. but he did have a near flawless game of spreading the ball around and dominating TOP. He did put together an excellent 2 minute drive.. from the 8 yard line... to win the game.

This isn't Madden.. where you (as QB) drop back and can see every perfect target route just as they come out of their break, and have the option to hit the any one of the targets with a push of a button. I can see some criticism, if AJJ was wide open or had a couple steps on the defender... he wasn't and didn't. I can see more criticism if this was a 4th down play on some final drive of the game...it wasn't.

The GREAT Phyllis Rivers.. in his own house.. had many crap throws.. some of which he got bailed out on by great receiver catches... but many off target throws.

... but no. Let's focus all attention on one play where Smith elected not to force a deep, low percentage throw on great CB coverage vs a below average WR.

... and this comes after a huge road win.. in which Smith had a higher avr. and rating.. against a division opponent on a 5 game win streak.


just wow, people... No one is anointing Smith as the "greatest evar" over this or any game... but being this petty as to grumble on and on over this one play?

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Inmem58

Regular season hero nothing more. At the end of his career nobody will care about a playoff win lol.

I certainly won't. The Chiefs winning a ****ing wild card means nothing. Absolutely nothing.