Alex Smith

[deerhunter2]

Quarterback Alex Smith had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 on 17-for-20 passing, for 287 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. Chiefs are now 11-3 and in the playoffs with him at the helm. (sarcasum starts here) But - he stinks, we payed to much for him, we should have drafted Geno, he is Cassel 2.0, etc. (end sarcasum) I had no prediction before the season started because I had no clue how he would do, but now, I am quite happy we have him.
:lol:

[matthewschiefs]

Funny thing is there are people saying all that still it's sad really

[fairladyZ]

i'll admit 100% i was wrong about smith.. I've always liked him but i didn't think he was the answer. I was one of the ones saying he was the same as cassel. I was on the fence about him and rooting for him until the first game against denver. Since that game i'm 100% on board with smith.. dude is a gamer and i was wrong about him.. i'll eat the crow and love every bit of it. GO CHIEFS!

[brdempsey69]

I had said all along that Alex was better than anybody else they could get this offseason. He's beat the Raiders twice this year and it's only a matter of time before he beats the Chargers and Donkeys during his tenure in KC. He's here to stay.

[ctchiefsfan]

Don't sweat it fairladyZ.....I think that anyone who said he had zero doubts about Alex Smith is a liar. I sure did. I liked him, but I was worried. And I have been proved wrong. Maybe he is not Joe Montana, but he is a damned good quarterback. I'll miss that 2cond round pick, but I think Alex Smith will keep us in the hunt for a good long while.....maybe even get us to the big show....and meanwhile we'll have the time to groom a 10-15 year quarterback. I've said it before and I will say it again....I am starting to smell dynasty.

[Chiefster]

I am well pleased with Smith's overall performance to this point in the season. Six total INTs over the course of 15 weeks is nothing to sneeze at. At this point I'm glad to have such a good "game manager" at the helm.

[ctchiefsfan]

I had said all along that Alex better than anybody else they could get this offseason. He's beat the Raiders twice this year and it's only a matter of time before he beats the Chargers and Donkeys during his tenure in KC. He's here to stay.

Yup.....Many of us said he was the best choice we could make under the circumstances. And most of us figured that was ALL he was....the best we could get under the circumstances. As far as I am concerned, he has proven himself to be FAR MORE than that. Montana he ain't. But he IS a quarterback that can lead a team to a Super Bowl. Right team, right coaching, right management, right Quarterback....yeah.....we are going to be competitors for a long damned time!

[ctchiefsfan]

I am well pleased with Smith's overall performance to this point in the season. Six total INTs over the course of 15 weeks is nothing to sneeze at. At this point I'm glad to have such a good "game manager" at the helm.

You got that right!!!!!!!! Everything Cassel was SUPPOSED TO BE and a WHOLE LOT MORE!!!!!!

[Frankenchief]

I liked the parts where you were sarcasutic.

[brdempsey69]

Perhaps nobody had given thought to this, but the fact is, Alex Smith is playing better for the Chiefs here in 2013, than what Trent Green did in his first year in KC in 2001. Granted, Alex has a better team surrounding him now than Trent did then, but still, Alex wasn't turning the ball over at an alarming rate like Green in 2001, in spite of the early offensive struggles that the Chiefs were going through during the first 10 games in 2013.

[Chiefster]

Perhaps nobody had given thought to this, but the fact is, Alex Smith is playing better for the Chiefs here in 2013, than what Trent Green did in his first year in KC in 2001. Granted, Alex has a better team surrounding him now than Trent did then, but still, Alex wasn't turning the ball over at an alarming rate like Green in 2001, in spite of the early offensive struggles that the Chiefs were going through during the first 10 games in 2013.

I remember it well. Trent had earned himself the nickname trINT. :lol:

[ctchiefsfan]

Perhaps nobody had given thought to this, but the fact is, Alex Smith is playing better for the Chiefs here in 2013, than what Trent Green did in his first year in KC in 2001. Granted, Alex has a better team surrounding him now than Trent did then, but still, Alex wasn't turning the ball over at an alarming rate like Green in 2001, in spite of the early offensive struggles that the Chiefs were going through during the first 10 games in 2013.

And Alex is playing better for the Chiefs than he did for the 9ers. A lot of that has to do with the team around him. A lot of it has to do with coaching. But the fact remains that this year Alex Smith is going to BURY all the numbers he had with San Fran.

[brdempsey69]

And Alex is playing better for the Chiefs than he did for the 9ers. A lot of that has to do with the team around him. A lot of it has to do with coaching. But the fact remains that this year Alex Smith is going to BURY all the numbers he had with San Fran.

He already has with a career-high 23 TD passes for the season.

[ctchiefsfan]

I believe--though I haven't checked the stats yet, that he has also had his most yards ever passing....and that is only after 14 games with him being pulled in the 4th quarter of the last 2 games. Alex Smith is going to have far and away the best year of his career. What the hell are we going to do when we find ourselves in the AFC Championship game with a "game manager" under center? Probably just win the game and then tell the NFC to send us our next victim.

[Justin5772002]

He's smart with the ball. He's proven that he can do all that is nessesary to win in any circumstance. There's something to be said about a QB who doesn't stick out as a huge playmaker, but one that plays as mistake free football as Alex Does! If there's no need to force something then why take a risk. It's like playing the lottery, spend a dollar to win 500 million but look at those odds of winning. Each and every throw Alex makes could be the deciding factor in a game if he messes up. He's an educated player. He's only going to put that game on the line if your going to give him the first 3 out of 5 numbers. I had huge hopes for him here and was super excited to see him come over. I thought he was a class act player who could win us games. After that debacle of a season we had last season I was just happy to have hope again and Andy/Alex gave me that from the days they signed.

[jap1]

He has done much better than I was expecting. If it weren't for all the dropped balls, his comp percentage would prob be much higher as well.

[70 chiefsfan70]

I was skeptical of the price we paid for Alex and didn't see him being here more then 2 or 3 years. That being said I knew and so did most of the Chiefs world, that he was the best "win now!" option we had. The Chiefs were loosing their fan base and couldn't even give tickets away at the end of the 2012 season. Alex has out played any and all expectations I had for him. We should however put credit where credit is due, that would be Charles first and foremost. Without Charles, A Smiths numbers would not look like this. without good blocking up front, and I believe we have the best blocking wide receivers in the entire nfl. Cassel and Smith DID have similar career numbers. The biggest difference is, Cassels confidence as a leader was gone and completely nonexistent. A Smith was chuck full of confidence and was getting better in every year. We had a good team without a coach and leader, that gave us a record of 2 and 14. Add the coach Reid, and and the leader Smith and we suddenly look like a super bowl team. I love Smith, but he does get too much credit for winning, and not enough credit for not loosing. Those numbers from yesterdays game, look good for Smith, but those were earned by JC and company. The Defense with 6 turnovers deserve theirs too.

[NJChiefs]

I liked the parts where you were sarcasutic.

Ummmm, learn Engelsh. It's -sucarstic-. And that being sayed, I am also plesently surpized by Axel Simth.

[brdempsey69]

Anybody remember this thread back in Feb. when we heard the trade was going down. Kind of 'chicken little -- the sky is falling'.

http://www.chiefscrowd.com/forums/showthread.php/22755-Here-s-who-Alex-Smith-is

I remember telling people that I didn't give a damn about what happened with Alex Smith in SF, because it's what he does in KC that counts now.

[Frankenchief]

Ummmm, learn Engelsh. It's -sucarstic-. And that being sayed, I am also plesently surpized by Axel Simth.
:smile

[Seek]

Three incomplete passes EH... One of them was right on the money for Bowe going down the side line. One foot of separation and that incomplete pass was a huge gainer. Another one, I am pretty sure he threw away on the right side. The other I think was a play even the announcer thought was interference on Hemmingway as he was being held well before the ball got to him.

[ctchiefsfan]

Alex Smith stats.........

Yards Passing this year...3160.....Previous best....3144....and he still has 2 regular season games left. I'm expecting real close to 35-3600 for the season.

TD passes........23....Previous best......18....and he still has 2 regular season games left. I'm expecting 26-30 TD passes for the season.

Yards per game.....225.7....Previous best.....215.50.....still 2 regular season games left. He'll probably have his best year in this category too.

Alex Smith = Matt Cassel 2.0? Not by a longshot.

[doobs_05]

Well...... missing 1 game Cassel had in 2010

3116 yards

27 TDs

207 yds/g

not a long shot but a short/medium shot.

But this should help out in Smith's favor as well (air yards, total yards ball travels in the air before being caught)



Player

Team

Pass Yards

Air Yards

AY Per Att

% of Air Yards

% of YAC to Total Yards






Alex Smith (http://www.chiefscrowd.com/nfl/players/217357/alex-smith/)

KC (http://www.chiefscrowd.com/nfl/teams/339/chiefs/)

3,160

1,626

3.39

51.5%

48.5%






Matt Cassel (http://www.chiefscrowd.com/nfl/players/145407/matt-cassel/)

KC (http://www.chiefscrowd.com/nfl/teams/339/chiefs/)

3,116

1,516

3.37

48.7%

51.4%





Lame, chart got messed up, i think you get it

[Justin5772002]

Well...... missing 1 game Cassel had in 2010

3116 yards

27 TDs

207 yds/g

not a long shot but a short/medium shot.
your missing the biggest most important stat...how many INTs?

[matthewschiefs]

your missing the biggest most important stat...how many INTs?

Cassel only had 7 that year he was good in 2010 when he had a good OC

[doobs_05]

Cassel only had 7 that year he was good in 2010 when he had a good OC

smith has 4 fumbles and cassel had 3

smith is at 6 ints right now

[doobs_05]

i do not know the stat of who recovered the fumbles :/

[ctchiefsfan]

Well...... missing 1 game Cassel had in 2010

3116 yards

27 TDs

207 yds/g

not a long shot but a short/medium shot.

But this should help out in Smith's favor as well (air yards, total yards ball travels in the air before being caught)



Player
Team
Pass Yards
Air Yards
AY Per Att
% of Air Yards
% of YAC to Total Yards





Alex Smith (http://www.chiefscrowd.com/nfl/players/217357/alex-smith/)
KC (http://www.chiefscrowd.com/nfl/teams/339/chiefs/)
3,160
1,626
3.39
51.5%
48.5%





Matt Cassel (http://www.chiefscrowd.com/nfl/players/145407/matt-cassel/)
KC (http://www.chiefscrowd.com/nfl/teams/339/chiefs/)
3,116
1,516
3.37
48.7%
51.4%




Lame, chart got messed up, i think you get it

Fair enough. But that chart is going to look different after 2 more regular season games. Nothing against Matt Cassel. With better coaching he could have been very good. But our coaching and management ruined him. He was all done. Confidence wrecked. Alex Smith's confidence is increasing every week.

Cassel is a "could've been". Alex Smith is turning into a damned good quarterback. Maybe even "good enough".

[doobs_05]

Fair enough. But that chart is going to look different after 2 more regular season games. Nothing against Matt Cassel. With better coaching he could have been very good. But our coaching and management ruined him. He was all done. Confidence wrecked. Alex Smith's confidence is increasing every week.

Cassel is a "could've been". Alex Smith is turning into a damned good quarterback. Maybe even "good enough".

The amount of yards will change, but the average may stay the same.....maybe.

[matthewschiefs]

smith has 4 fumbles and cassel had 3

smith is at 6 ints right now

I think he's only lost one of those fumbles though so there's that.

[ctchiefsfan]

The amount of yards will change, but the average may stay the same.....maybe.

Amount of yards will change. For the better.

TDs will almost assuredly change for the better.

Average yards per game will change. But not by much.

But my point is what I said....."Cassel is a "could've been". Alex Smith is turning into a damned good quarterback. Maybe even "good enough".

Alex's first season with the Chiefs is going to be his best season ever. And I believe he will only get better as his confidence grows with good coaching. Cassel had a great season and I am not taking that away from him. But we RUINED him. He will never amount to anything again. Stick a fork in him....he's all done. 2010 will end up being the best season of his career.

Alex on the other hand is a rising star. Good team around him.....good coaching....he is only getting better from here.

[doobs_05]

Amount of yards will change. For the better.

TDs will almost assuredly change for the better.

Average yards per game will change. But not by much.

But my point is what I said....."Cassel is a "could've been". Alex Smith is turning into a damned good quarterback. Maybe even "good enough".

Alex's first season with the Chiefs is going to be his best season ever. And I believe he will only get better as his confidence grows with good coaching. Cassel had a great season and I am not taking that away from him. But we RUINED him. He will never amount to anything again. Stick a fork in him....he's all done. 2010 will end up being the best season of his career.

Alex on the other hand is a rising star. Good team around him.....good coaching....he is only getting better from here.


for some reason i was only talking about the air yards chart, not the rest of the TDs and stuff

[ctchiefsfan]

Not arguing with you. Stats are important. Personal stats are important to a QB because they build his confidence and a confident QB wins games.

Alex Smith is a better QB today than Matt Cassel was in 2010......and he is getting better.

Matt Cassel is not as good a QB today as he was in 2010. And he's getting worse.

Damned shame because with the right coaching he could've been a real good QB. But our lousy coaching ruined him. Damned shame, but it is what it is.

Meanwhile, we're going to the playoffs with Alex Smith and I feel a lot more confident that we'll get a playoff win or more than I ever did in 2010 or any other time with Cassel.

[Eydugstr]

In Matt Cassel's defense...He had an awesome game last Sunday for Minnesota in against the Eagles (382 yds, 2 TD's, 1 INT). He's played well for the Vikes all things considered.

Unfortunately Matt Cassel's main problem - Revolving door at coaching - is likely going to happen all over again in Minnesota, too.

[ctchiefsfan]

I wish Matt Cassel well.....unless we ever face him in the playoffs.....then I wish him the worst single day of his career.

[texaschief]

Let's not get too high on the highs... Alex Smith is a little above league average at the QB position, playing the 2nd easiest schedule in the league, not unlike Cassel in 2010. The team, coaching, and offensive system is better than it was in 2010 and this team is definitely on the upswing. However, I don't think you should expect this same kind of output next season when the Chiefs will probably be playing a 2nd place schedule, the AFC East, and the NFC West... along with probably Baltimore and Tenn.

I had the Chiefs ceiling at 11 wins this season. I'll be shocked if they get this many next season. I DO think they'll be a better team, however and continue to be playoff contenders for the next several seasons. Whether they can be Super Bowl contenders or not will hinge on the play at the QB position and frankly, Alex Smith needs to be better and more consistent. Alex didn't have some remarkable game yesterday. Most of his yards came off screens and 4/5 of his TDs were to Charles... a running back.

Let's show some restraint and not pretend like the guy suddenly became Peyton Manning... even if it was only for one game.

[brdempsey69]

^^Do tell us. Regarding the snowy conditions last week in Washington, who would you rather have at QB, Manning Or Alex Smith? I'll take Alex Smith every time. Manning can't play in that type of weather ( as we saw in NE ), whereas Smith was unfazed by it.

The game plan WAS to attack the Raiders with screens to counter their blitz-pressure type of Defense -- hence the 1st play from scrimmage was a screen. Alex did have a couple of nice downfield throws yesterday and his 71-yard TD to Charles wasn't a screen pass.

You can keep Manning as I've watched him choke in the post-season for over a decade outside of 2006. Manning always piles up big numbers in the regular season and then drops a big pile in the back of his shorts in the post-season.

And Andy Reid will get Alex a 1st-rate receiver core very soon. You can bank on that.

[Justin5772002]

i do not know the stat of who recovered the fumbles :/
Slacker

[Justin5772002]

^^Do tell us. Regarding the snowy conditions last week in Washington, who would you rather have at QB, Manning Or Alex Smith? I'll take Alex Smith every time. Manning can't play in that type of weather ( as we saw in NE ), whereas Smith was unfazed by it.

The game plan WAS to attack the Raiders with screens to counter their blitz-pressure type of Defense -- hence the 1st play from scrimmage was a screen. Alex did have a couple of nice downfield throws yesterday and his 71-yard TD to Charles wasn't a screen pass.

You can keep Manning as I've watched him choke in the post-season for over a decade outside of 2006. Manning always piles up big numbers in the regular season and then drops a big pile in the back of his shorts in the post-season.

And Andy Reid will get Alex a 1st-rate receiver core very soon. You can bank on that.
I sure hope so. Bowe needs to be here Alex trusts him and he's a huge asset as a blocker. Now what happens when those possession charges hit him remain to be seen.

[ctchiefsfan]

I was not suggesting for a moment that Alex Smith was Peyton Manning. I would NEVER DO THAT!

Peyton Manning is a spoiled little brat who cares more for himself and his stats than he does for his team.

Alex Smith will NEVER be Peyton Manning.

[N TX Dave]

Let's not get too high on the highs... Alex Smith is a little above league average at the QB position, playing the 2nd easiest schedule in the league, not unlike Cassel in 2010. The team, coaching, and offensive system is better than it was in 2010 and this team is definitely on the upswing. However, I don't think you should expect this same kind of output next season when the Chiefs will probably be playing a 2nd place schedule, the AFC East, and the NFC West... along with probably Baltimore and Tenn.

I had the Chiefs ceiling at 11 wins this season. I'll be shocked if they get this many next season. I DO think they'll be a better team, however and continue to be playoff contenders for the next several seasons. Whether they can be Super Bowl contenders or not will hinge on the play at the QB position and frankly, Alex Smith needs to be better and more consistent. Alex didn't have some remarkable game yesterday. Most of his yards came off screens and 4/5 of his TDs were to Charles... a running back.

Let's show some restraint and not pretend like the guy suddenly became Peyton Manning... even if it was only for one game.

First place schedule is the exact same schedule as a last place schedule except two games out of 16. The first place team plays the first place team of the two divisions they are not playing in their conference and guess who the last place team plays yep the last place team in the divisions they don't play. You play 6 games in your division one NFC division (4 games) and one AFC division (4 games) and all the other teams in your division play the same two divisions so every team in your division has 8 of the same teams you do. In the case of the Chiefs they will play they AFC west teams twice and one other AFC conference all teams and the two last place teams in the other AFC team. Next year they will play the second place teams from two AFC divisions that they are not playing all teams of. That is really an advantage isn't it?

Now you are telling me two games out of 16 is that big of an advantage/disadvantage? I wish everyone would shut up about first place schedule and last place schedule because only 2 games are dictated by last years finish. Now if you want to bring up the divisions that you are playing in a given year that is one thing but don't forget the other 3 teams in your division plays the same divisions as you, so if the divisions you play are not good like NFC East this year the rest of your division so you don't have an advantage.

[ctchiefsfan]

The difference between a first place schedule and a last place schedule has been brought up time and time again.

The donkeys won the AFC West last year and we were the last place team in the NFL. Look at our schedule this year and their schedule this year and tell me how much harder than our schedule their schedule was. It was easier, no doubt, but lets be realistic.

The only difference between the donkeys schedule and ours was that they played the Ravens and the splats. In those two games they went 1-1.

Lets say we had also played the Ravens and splats and let's say we had lost both games (not a sure thing by any stretch of the imagination....I think we'd have had a good chance against the Ravens).

Even with an extra loss, we'd still be 10-4. The Donkeys would still be 11-3. We'd still be 2 games ahead of any other team in the hunt for a Wildcard. So the donkeys would be 1 game plus a tie-breaker ahead of us. We would still be almost sure of making the playoffs. The only real difference the schedule has made is that we are still in the hunt for the AFC West title.....though it is a long shot.

So lets identify all this talk about easy schedules for what it really is......MEANINGLESS!

[TopekaRoy]

Let's not get too high on the highs... Alex Smith is a little above league average at the QB position, playing the 2nd easiest schedule in the league, not unlike Cassel in 2010.

INCORRECT! First, his passer rating (http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/passing/sort/quarterbackRating) is 10th. Second The Chiefs are playing the seventh easiest schedule in the NFL. Guess who has played the easiest. That's right. The Denver Broncos, with their first place schedule have the easiest schedule in the league. And the Colts, who won their division last year, have the third easiest schedule. Here is the proof:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/996690_1404974913077439_1052756882_n.jpg

I don't want to hear any more talk about easy last place schedules ever again. Yes, The Chiefs have played a weak schedule but not as weak as the Broncos, and all the experts have the Broncos ranked as the first or second best team in the NFL.

[jap1]

Topeka, you are looking at strength of schedule based on last years records. If you base it on this years records, the Chiefs have the easiest schedule at .408 and the Donks are at .505.

Source: http://espn.go.com/nfl/standings/_/type/playoffs/sort/strengthOfSchedule/order/true

That having been said, it is rare for teams to make it to the playoffs with over a .500 SOS. There are usually only a couple of teams that do that. This is primarily because when you beat teams and have a good record, that brings down your opponents SOS.

[Justin5772002]

The only 2 opponents we don't share with Denver is Clevland/Buffalo vs their NE/Baltimore every other opponent is exactly the same.

[ctchiefsfan]

Clearly, strength of schedule like so many other statistics in the NFL is a rather fungible thing. What I would find interesting is a strength of schedule chart based on what your opponent's record at the start of the game was, whether you are playing them at home or away and whether they are a team that plays stronger at home or away. Such a chart would take into account the fact that teams go on streaks sometimes. Thus someone who played the Giants when they were 0-6 would be getting a game that was less challenging than someone who played them when they were 5-7.

As to the whole debate over how weak or strong the Chiefs schedule is/was.....As Justin pointed out, we only played 2 different teams than the donkeys. And yes, we did get 2 weaker teams (Bills and Cleveland). But frankly I don't think this all amounts to a hill of camel poop. We have proved that when our Defense is healthy, they can strangle anybody they play. And we have proved that we can put up the HUGE offensive numbers just like the "Big Boys". In short, our Chiefs can be competitive with ANY team in the NFL. Take that into the playoffs and we have a good chance of making the Super Bowl.

Remember guys....Once you are in the playoffs, strength of schedule, fantasy stats and all that BS mean NOTHING. It's just our Chiefs and the other team. Head to head. Player to player. And right now there is not a coach in the NFL that is going to look at a game against our Chiefs and say...."GOOD! This will be an easy win."

I've said it before and I will say it again. The hardest part for our Chiefs will be winning that first round Playoff game. If we can do that we all need to be making plane reservations for Newark Airport just down the road from the Meadowlands.

[doobs_05]

Topeka, you are looking at strength of schedule based on last years records. If you base it on this years records, the Chiefs have the easiest schedule at .408 and the Donks are at .505.

Source: http://espn.go.com/nfl/standings/_/type/playoffs/sort/strengthOfSchedule/order/true

That having been said, it is rare for teams to make it to the playoffs with over a .500 SOS. There are usually only a couple of teams that do that. This is primarily because when you beat teams and have a good record, that brings down your opponents SOS.

http://i.imgur.com/RIwwR44.gif

[matthewschiefs]

Talking about the record it all comes back to this for me. Last season this team wasn't beating ANYONE if they had a good record or not. So you have to give Alex a little credit for that.

Now let me break down Alex

Alex is not an average QB. He's above average. But he's not in the elite class. He's a Qb that can be carried into the elite class if they can build the right talent around him. He's a QB that can get the job done. That's going to be the challange for the Chiefs going forward as long as Alex is their QB. Building the right talent around him. If they do so they can beat anyone in the league. I'm pretty happy with Alex. Now get a #1 WR who won't let himself be taken out of the game.

[ctchiefsfan]

No BS there!

[Frankenchief]

Talking about the record it all comes back to this for me. Last season this team wasn't beating ANYONE if they had a good record or not. So you have to give Alex a little credit for that.

Now let me break down Alex

Alex is not an average QB. He's above average. But he's not in the elite class. He's a Qb that can be carried into the elite class if they can build the right talent around him. He's a QB that can get the job done. That's going to be the challange for the Chiefs going forward as long as Alex is their QB. Building the right talent around him. If they do so they can beat anyone in the league. I'm pretty happy with Alex. Now get a #1 WR who won't let himself be taken out of the game.

I agree with the general spirit of your post. But I always question definitive definitions? Were does "good" stop and "elite" start? Drew Brees was a very good draft prosoect, but I don't recall him referred to as "elite." He was a good QB in San Diego but not "elite." Now everyone categorizes him as "elite." Is it him, or is it the system he is in? I think all QBs, though ranging in God-given talent*, are a product of the system and the talent around him. That goes for Peyton and Brady too. You put 10 of our aunts and uncles around them and they are toast.

(* I think there are, by definition, more outright bad QBs than clear cut elite ones.)

[TopekaRoy]

Topeka, you are looking at strength of schedule based on last years records. If you base it on this years records, the Chiefs have the easiest schedule at .408 and the Donks are at .505. ...

Thanks for pointing that out. I got the screenshot off of my FaceBook feed and have no idea what the original source was, but I didn't notice that it was based on last year's records.

But I think that just reinforces my point. Even though the Donkeys were playing a first place schedule and we were playing a last place schedule going into the season they had an easier strength of schedule than we did, which makes sense because they face us twice (4 wins) while we face them twice (26 wins). Add to that the fact that teams get better or worse every year (Just look at the Chiefs!) and last year's schedule becomes pretty meaningless. Even though we went into the season facing a stronger schedule than the Donks, we have ended up laying a weaker schedule than them. That gap will narrow somewhat, however, in the next two weeks with us playing the Colts (9-5) and the Bolts (7-7) and them playing the Faiders (4-10) and the Wrecksans (2-12).

That's not to say that the two "equalizer" games don't make a difference. Those two games can be the difference between 10-6 and 8-8 or between 6-10 and 8-8 depending on who you are playing. But the much bigger factor regarding strength of schedule is what division your division happens to play in the 3 year conference and 4 year non-conference cycles.

[newfiechieffan]

I think our O-line is on the verge of greatness. Young and talented. With a calm, quality QB like Smith, this group could be something special. Of course, we are used to special O-lines in KC.

[Frankenchief]

Greatness? I wouldn't go that far. YET!

I think the Oline is finally starting to gel. Greatness may be ahead but I still think, for that we need at least one more excellent Olineman, and maybe two.

[Justin5772002]

Greatness? I wouldn't go that far. YET!

I think the Oline is finally starting to gel. Greatness may be ahead but I still think, for that we need at least one more excellent Olineman, and maybe two.

i want to know if Brandon Albert gets healthy if he gets his job back and if he comes back next year. And if he doesn't return do we move Fisher over or do we use Stephenson over there?

[jap1]

i want to know if Brandon Albert gets healthy if he gets his job back and if he comes back next year. And if he doesn't return do we move Fisher over or do we use Stephenson over there?

That is the big question. I don't think B. Albert will be back. Not because he isn't worth the money, but because Stephenson has played relatively well in his absence (caveat: I haven't watched the games as I don't have Sunday ticket, I'm basing my analysis off of box scores and other peoples observations). The big question in the offseason is who is going to be our long term player at LT. If Stephenson continues to do well against some good pass rushers, and Fisher continues to improve at RT, then it may bring up some questions as to who should play where.

[iratefan]

i personally was very excited hearing the news originally about smith. No one wants to give up 2 draft picks for anyone, but the reality is we had zero promising prospects in the draft and outside of smith the free agency market seemed a little thin. I thought it was some pretty good fortune for this team as i was keeping an eye on the niners 2011/2012 season. Also the situation that developed (after all the crap that already had happened) in San Fran made me think that the guy really has something to play for. I started to read around the discord in the fanbase over the trade and understandably so from acquiring cassel and watching what he had given this team (honestly i think he would have been much better with a line that gave him another second or two to actually throw) - But even still it may not have meant all that much without some of the other coaching and gm changes that happened to boot. He's not an elite student of the game like a peyton manning, but hes very intelligent, he seems to internalize very well and learn from those past experiences to improve his play. The reality is that without him we're f***ed at this juncture ;).

[ctchiefsfan]

I think what is really important about Alex Smith is that with him under center we are a contender for the next few years. And that gives us some time to develop a good replacement. We are MILES ahead of where we were last year and Alex is a big part of that.

[brdempsey69]

i want to know if Brandon Albert gets healthy if he gets his job back and if he comes back next year. And if he doesn't return do we move Fisher over or do we use Stephenson over there?


That is the big question. I don't think B. Albert will be back. Not because he isn't worth the money, but because Stephenson has played relatively well in his absence (caveat: I haven't watched the games as I don't have Sunday ticket, I'm basing my analysis off of box scores and other peoples observations). The big question in the offseason is who is going to be our long term player at LT. If Stephenson continues to do well against some good pass rushers, and Fisher continues to improve at RT, then it may bring up some questions as to who should play where.

Albert is most likely not coming back in 2014 and NO, he's not worth the money that's he's wanting. He's already turned down lucrative offers from the Chiefs TWICE. He'll go the highest bidder this offseason and I hope it's not the Chiefs. To me, he still looks like a Guard playing out of position at LT and he still draws too many untimely penalties & there's no way that you can convince me that Albert is head and shoulders above Stephenson or Fisher, as both are playing at a higher level than what Albert did in 2009 and 2010 and will give the Chiefs a solid pair of bookend Tackles for many years to come.

[Frankenchief]

That is the big question. I don't think B. Albert will be back. Not because he isn't worth the money, but because Stephenson has played relatively well in his absence (caveat: I haven't watched the games as I don't have Sunday ticket, I'm basing my analysis off of box scores and other peoples observations). The big question in the offseason is who is going to be our long term player at LT. If Stephenson continues to do well against some good pass rushers, and Fisher continues to improve at RT, then it may bring up some questions as to who should play where.
Fisher is our projected long term LT. They don't draft a RT at the top of the draft and give him LT money. Next year, barring a RT signing or draft, Stephenson will be our RT.

[Frankenchief]

i personally was very excited hearing the news originally about smith.

Nick Foles was my choice. And I thought Reid and Dorsey would go after him since Reid played him some last year and he did reasonably well. Also with the Oregon O that Kelly was gonna put in I thought Vick or a younger version thereof was what they would want in Philly and Foles was the odd man out. I think there may have been an attempt by the Chiefs, but Philly wanted too much for him.

I was OK with us getting Smith, but frankly at the time I was disappointed with the price we paid and with the fact that Foles was such an obvious fit.

I was never against ASmith but had a wait-and-see attitude originally. For the most part I like what I have seen with him, but I let my mind wonder some times about how it would have been had we landed Foles (which I thought would come in cheaper, at the time).

[jap1]

Nick Foles was my choice. And I thought Reid and Dorsey would go after him since Reid played him some last year and he did reasonably well. Also with the Oregon O that Kelly was gonna put in I thought Vick or a younger version thereof was what they would want in Philly and Foles was the odd man out. I think there may have been an attempt by the Chiefs, but Philly wanted too much for him.

I was OK with us getting Smith, but frankly at the time I was disappointed with the price we paid and with the fact that Foles was such an obvious fit.

I was never against ASmith but had a wait-and-see attitude originally. For the most part I like what I have seen with him, but I let my mind wonder some times about how it would have been had we landed Foles (which I thought would come in cheaper, at the time).

I will admit that earlier in the year when Foles had one or two games under his belt this season I said he was inconsistent and I wasn't impressed. Well, now that it is week 16, I will eat my crow and admit that Foles looks like the real deal. I am absolutely sure that Dorsey/Reid made an offer, or offers for Foles, but the Uggles refused it (wisely). That having been said, I am happy with Smith for 2 2nds. Imagine what people would have said if we brought over the as yet unproven Foles for say a 2nd and a 3rd, let alone 2 2nds.

Smith has exceeded expectations for me. This game he didn't seem to show his A game, but neither did the rest of the team.

[chief31]

I still think Alex is Matt Cassel.

But then, I like Cassel as a QB anyway.

[Chiefster]

I still think Alex is Matt Cassel.

But then, I like Cassel as a QB anyway.

Both QB's had situations that mirrored one another with their former teams.

[Justin5772002]

This offense didn't come alive until week 10. If your going to compare numbers it needs to be next year vs Matt cassel 2010 cause 2009 was cassel's first year here