Some interesting numbers......

[ctchiefsfan]

We've seen LOTS of Alex Smith Battles here.

We all know the drill....

He's a game manager.

Noodle arm.

We've all heard it and agreed or disagreed....Right?

And we know he has had a pretty crappy season so far.....Right?

So here are some surprising numbers....

Alex Smith's 3 BEST seasons (total yards) in which he started 10 games or more...2013 (3,313); 2014 (3,265); 2011 (3,144).

Same 3 years, average yards per completion...2013 (6.5); 2014 (7.0); 2011 (7.1).

Same 3 years, average yards per game....2013 (221); 2014 (217.67); 2011 (196.5).

You will notice that his 2 best seasons have been in KC. Both better than his best year in San Fran.

Pretty mediocre numbers though....Right?

So how is he doing this year over the course of 7 games?

He has thrown for 1,825 yards in 7 games. Averaging 260.6 yards per game (18% better than his previous best).

His average yards per completion are 7.5. More than 5% better than his previous best.

At his current rate if Smith plays 16 games he will throw for 4,169 yards. More than 850 yards more than his previous best.

And he has done this while getting FLAT OUT PUMMELED thanks to a pish poor O-line.

Somehow Alex Smith is having a "Career Year" despite a BRUTAL schedule and an O-line that for the most part hasn't been able to stop a hungry mouse.

I am completely befuddled by these numbers.

[brdempsey69]

^^Any QB that gets the living hell beaten out them, the way Alex has in the first 6 games, isn't going to be successful. Just look at Andrew Luck this season.

I'll always take the more balanced Offense with the formidable running game and a good O-Line, than those passing numbers. But, I see your point. The numbers shouldn't be as good as they are.

[ctchiefsfan]

^^Any QB that gets the living hell beaten out them, the way Alex has in the first 6 games, isn't going to be successful. Just look at Andrew Luck this season.

I'll always take the more balanced Offense with the formidable running game and a good O-Line, than those passing numbers. But, I see your point. The numbers shouldn't be as good as they are.

EXACTLY! I just don't get it. Until I looked these numbers up I would have said he was having one of the worst years of his career. But it ain't so. Makes no sense. ?????

[Chiefs4life24]

He's taking 25 sacks through 7 games, too bad he miss throws or his receivers drop the damn ball when it hit em right in their hands or those numbers would be a little higher, when he has a good O-Line he statistically is a good QB of course Manziel would've looked good behind that line yesterday

[texaschief]

I would say that his previous "career years" weren't exactly what Chiefs fans were hoping for. They were good years for him, but I think most of us were hoping for MUCH better once he got hooked up with Andy Reid and some coaching stability. Getting into Reid's system is no easy task and I think most people were giving him a break with learning the system. But with this being his third year in the system, the excuses are running short. The O-line has had a couple issues, but all the available ratings and grades have the O-line performing at an above average level. Just because Smith is getting sacked, doesn't necessarily mean it's the line's fault. Smith drops his eyes and holds the ball way too long. The above average QBs in this league know how to not take so many damn sacks. Dumping the ball off at a RB's feet isn't that hard. Instead, he holds the ball, curls up in a fetal position and waits two or three counts for the pass rush to get to him. He's horrific at getting the ball out. If his first or second read isn't there, he takes the sack... it's AWFUL. In MOST cases, he's given enough time to dump the ball for an incompletion... he just doesn't do it.

This is just my opinion and observation from his time in KC and comparing him to other QBs:

Alex Smith isn't a competitor. Alex Smith is an executor. He goes onto the field and tries to execute a play or game plan, but he's not looking to make plays. He never looks like he's trying to win the game. Compare him to the better QBs in the league. Those guys show emotion. They get in their player's faces and correct mistakes. They hold their players accountable. You never see any of that from Smith. He's just as willing to have someone else have the ball in their hands when the game is on the line as he is to have it in his own. He's just there to execute... nothing else. His robot mentality is that of an average QB and as long as our QB is average, so will be our team. He has WRs to throw to and a stout defense to rely on as long as he can keep them off the field longer than 3 minutes.

This is the third year in Andy Reid's system... Alex Smith is out of excuses.

[Eydugstr]

Somehow Alex Smith is having a "Career Year" despite a BRUTAL schedule and an O-line that for the most part hasn't been able to stop a hungry mouse.

I am completely befuddled by these numbers.

My explanation is that the WR's have cut down on the drops. Instead of being in the top five, we're at #21.

Another odd thing to consider...Despite all of his erratic throwing this year, despite the increase in yardage, despite the season almost being halfway over with a 2-5 w/l record...Alex has only thrown 3 INT's so far.

[Chiefs4life24]

http://arrowheadaddict.com/2015/10/26/moving-on-from-alex-smith-easier-said-than-done/

[ctchiefsfan]

He's taking 25 sacks through 7 games, too bad he miss throws or his receivers drop the damn ball when it hit em right in their hands or those numbers would be a little higher, when he has a good O-Line he statistically is a good QB of course Manziel would've looked good behind that line yesterday

You are ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!

Alex is NEVER going to be a world-class passer. Just a fact.

But despite all his faults (he has plenty) and despite an O-line that has been TERRIBLE this year (until yesterday with Fisher back at LT) and despite some questionable (at best) play calling and despite losing JC...he is somehow managing to have the best year of his career.

To me that makes no sense and I just don't get it.

[ctchiefsfan]

My explanation is that the WR's have cut down on the drops. Instead of being in the top five, we're at #21.

OK....that makes sense. Thank you Maclin, Wilson and company (HURRY BACK MACLIN!). But please forgive me....but IN YOUR HONEST OPINION (and I MEAN THAT)...the play calling has been pretty poor...RIGHT? Up until yesterday the O-line was nothing to brag about (being polite)...RIGHT? And the schedule has been a female dog....RIGHT? So DAMMITALL!!!! Why is Alex having the best year of his career? Up until last night I thought Alex was having one of the WORST years of his career and instead the passing stats say he is having the best year of his career. I don't get it.

I REALLY don't want to start another Alex Smith fight, but is it JUST MAYBE POSSIBLE that if you give Alex DECENT RECEIVERS and a halfway decent O-line that he JUST MIGHT MAYBE be a pretty good QB? Not Brady...not either of the Manning brothers...not Montana...but just maybe good enough to take a team deep into the playoffs and maybe even more?

I want to REPEAT that I am NOT making claims for Alex. NOT AT ALL! But I am COMPLETELY BEFUDDLED by the fact that he is having the best year of his career through almost half a season when our Chiefs AS A TEAM are not looking so good.


Another odd thing to consider...Despite all of his erratic throwing this year, despite the increase in yardage, despite the season almost being halfway over with a 2-5 w/l record...Alex has only thrown 3 INT's so far.

Isn't that supposed to be one of the GOOD things about Alex?....Game manager....Won't win the game by himself but won't lose it either?

[slc chief]

Where are his red zone turnovers in that stat .even more important his 3rd down conversion percentage. Alex has played like crap this year most of those stats are garbage time stats

[slc chief]

His third down conversions are pathetic. Lord help us on any 3rd and long situation. Every team knows all you have to do is blitz. And Alex will hold onto the ball to long and take a sack. Part blame on the oline the other part on alex not being able to identify where the blitz is coming from and roll out. OR HERE IS A THOUGHT CALL AN AUDIBLE AND QUICK RELEASE THE BALL. his captain checkdown crap is getting way old to. This Alex conversation isn't even worth having anymore. He had a great running game with Jamaal a true #1 wr that so many of you used as an excuse last year. And a top flight te. And you still can't figure out how to stay off your back. IT'S CALLED A QUICK RELEASE ALEX

[slc chief]

Another thing that scews these numbers is that smith was often injured in s.f

[ctchiefsfan]

Another thing that scews these numbers is that smith was often injured in s.f

Your other comments I'm going to give careful thought to. Some good points perhaps. If there are I'll say so.

But the point made in this quote is COMPLETE BS.

2014....Alex played 15 games. Pulled for game 16. 2cond best passing season of his career.

2013 Alex played 15 games. Pulled for game 16. Best passing season of his career.

2011 (SF) Alex played 16 games. 3rd best passing season of his career.

So the numbers I posted were NOT SKEWED. They were ALL based on seasons in which he played pretty much a full season. As I said, the stats were all from seasons in which he started 10 or more games.

THE FACTS REMAIN.....Alex's 2 best seasons are 2013 and 2014. His 3rd best season was 2011--SF.

ADDITIONAL FACT...despite the schedule...despite the O-line....Alex is having FAR AND AWAY the best passing season of his career. Admittedly, it is only based on 7 games....7 games against a BRUTAL SCHEDULE. 7 games where for the most part the O-line couldn't stop a hungry mouse. 1 game without JC.

I AM NOT trying to pick an Alex Smith fight. NOT ONE DAMNED BIT.

It is as simple as I said in my OP.....I don't understand why Alex is having far and away the best year of his career. IT SIMPLY DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

[slc chief]

Your right it doesn't make sense only thing I can think of is garbage time stats against prevent defenses. And poor third down conversions in the red zone.settling for field goals instead of td's not all of that is on smith but a good bit is.

[Chiefs4life24]

What I don't understand is why pull your starters like they did against San Diego??

To me that would be counter productive you don't want injuries but a week off kills any momentum

[N TX Dave]

What I don't understand is why pull your starters like they did against San Diego??

To me that would be counter productive you don't want injuries but a week off kills any momentum

Damed if they do damed if they don't, say they left the starters in a meaningless game and they got hurt and were out the game forever? Then you would be asking why were they in a meaningless game?

[Chiefs4life24]

Damed if they do damed if they don't, say they left the starters in a meaningless game and they got hurt and were out the game forever? Then you would be asking why were they in a meaningless game?

Yeah I can understand that, its just madning to me when they do that

[matthewschiefs]

I've never been one to base a view on stats alone. The fact is you can take stats and numbers and make a guy look as good or as bad as you want to. You have to look at the whole picture.

A lot of the numbers are explained by the improvment in talent around Smith. Maclin has a lot to do with it. Conley already is at the very least as good as any number 2 the Chiefs have had for years. Hell Wilson is getting to that point as well. They have more to do with the numbers then Alex.

I was actually talking about this a couple of days ago with everyones favorite former poster here MMH. In 2013 we had a different Alex Smith. He made a LOT of plays with his legs. He ran for nearly 500 yards to go with what he did throwing. Even with the O line that left a lot to be desired that year he found a way to make something out of it a number of times.

Todays Alex Smith will cave as soon as there is pressure. And at times just assumes that there is pressure closing in when there isn't and will hurry a throw when it's not needed. This showed on a play that stands out to me from yesterdays game. Smith had both Kelce and Conley WIDE open hurried a pass even though there was some pressure there wasn't a need to hurry the throw he had time to get that throw out. The ball ended up sort of between the 2 of them. Trent Green was critical of Alex on that play as well. Alex has let things get in his head. And that's just something that you can't do as a QB.

[Chiefs4life24]

When he has a good line like he did yesterday he was good

[slc chief]

I've never been one to base a view on stats alone. The fact is you can take stats and numbers and make a guy look as good or as bad as you want to. You have to look at the whole picture.

A lot of the numbers are explained by the improvment in talent around Smith. Maclin has a lot to do with it. Conley already is at the very least as good as any number 2 the Chiefs have had for years. Hell Wilson is getting to that point as well. They have more to do with the numbers then Alex.

I was actually talking about this a couple of days ago with everyones favorite former poster here MMH. In 2013 we had a different Alex Smith. He made a LOT of plays with his legs. He ran for nearly 500 yards to go with what he did throwing. Even with the O line that left a lot to be desired that year he found a way to make something out of it a number of times.

Todays Alex Smith will cave as soon as there is pressure. And at times just assumes that there is pressure closing in when there isn't and will hurry a throw when it's not needed. This showed on a play that stands out to me from yesterdays game. Smith had both Kelce and Conley WIDE open hurried a pass even though there was some pressure there wasn't a need to hurry the throw he had time to get that throw out. The ball ended up sort of between the 2 of them. Trent Green was critical of Alex on that play as well. Alex has let things get in his head. And that's just something that you can't do as a QB.


Well said

[ctchiefsfan]

Your right it doesn't make sense only thing I can think of is garbage time stats against prevent defenses. And poor third down conversions in the red zone.settling for field goals instead of td's not all of that is on smith but a good bit is.

Thanks for understanding that I am not trying to make some sort of claim that Alex is a great QB. Clearly he ISN'T.

But something is sure as hell screwed up because he is having a great year (for him) and our Chiefs are having a terrible year. Just doesn't make sense to me. I just can't figure it.

"Garbage time"....That might be an explanation...I doubt it, but certainly it is possible. I don't know a website where I can research Alex's stats by quarter. Do you know somewhere I could research that?

Y'know...I like to consider myself a logical man and I tend to expect things to follow logical patterns. But our Chiefs being 2-5 while Alex is having the best year of his career is UTTERLY ILLOGICAL. And I REALLY would like to get to the bottom of this thing that makes NO SENSE. IT JUST BUGS ME!!!

I don't give a damn WHY it is happening, but I want to understand HOW it is happening.

[ctchiefsfan]

Add to Alex having a career best year so far the fact that Maclin is doing the same and the Chiefs being 2-5 and it starts to look as if our defense ain't doing so hot. They are giving up almost 7 more points per game than they did last year. To translate that into oercentages, our defense is giving up almost 40% more point per game than last year. That's a PROBLEM.

[ctchiefsfan]

A lot of the numbers are explained by the improvment in talent around Smith. Maclin has a lot to do with it. Conley already is at the very least as good as any number 2 the Chiefs have had for years. Hell Wilson is getting to that point as well. They have more to do with the numbers then Alex.

Certainly that has a lot to do with it. As many of us said last year...if you give Alex some better receivers and a decent O-line he can look pretty damned good.


In 2013 we had a different Alex Smith. He made a LOT of plays with his legs. He ran for nearly 500 yards to go with what he did throwing. Even with the O line that left a lot to be desired that year he found a way to make something out of it a number of times.

True.


Todays Alex Smith will cave as soon as there is pressure. And at times just assumes that there is pressure closing in when there isn't and will hurry a throw when it's not needed........Alex has let things get in his head. And that's just something that you can't do as a QB.

True again. But given the stats he is getting this year is it maybe just possible that with a better O-line he could look pretty damned good?

[slc chief]

With a pretty good o line like he had in s.f I think he can definitely become a MEDIOCRE qb. Right now he sucks. He will never be that qb that can put the game on his shoulders and take you to the superbowl. Sorry just is what it is.

[ctchiefsfan]

With a pretty good o line like he had in s.f I think he can definitely become a MEDIOCRE qb.

Can't agree. With a decent O-line it would appear he could throw for 4,500 yards in a season. That is better than "mediocre".


Right now he sucks.

Nope. Right now he fears for his life every time he takes the field.


He will never be that qb that can put the game on his shoulders and take you to the superbowl. Sorry just is what it is.

That is TRUE. He would need a REALLY GOOD team around him to be the QB that took a team to the SB.

Anyway....that is how I see it.

[Bike]

Can't agree. With a decent O-line it would appear he could throw for 4,500 yards in a season. That is better than "mediocre".


Huh? That's some amazing foresight on your part, considering he's yet to throw for over 3500 in his NFL career.



Nope. Right now he fears for his life every time he takes the field.

That's his problem. He needs to man up and be a leader.

That is TRUE. He would need a REALLY GOOD team around him to be the QB that took a team to the SB.

Good qbs make the team around him better. Smith makes his OL look worse than what it is.

Anyway....that is how I see it.

Smith is a mediocre (at best) QB.

[Chiefs4life24]

Fun stat: Travis Kelce is averaging more yardage per catch AFTER the catch (8.3) than Alex Smith is per attempt (7.5).

[ctchiefsfan]

Fun stat: Travis Kelce is averaging more yardage per catch AFTER the catch (8.3) than Alex Smith is per attempt (7.5).

Doesn't really surprise me. Kelce is an ABSOLUTE BEAST once he gets the ball in his hands with even the slightest bit of room to run. He a big target at 6-5 and at 260 he is big enough to shrug off arm tackles but still small enough to be fast. I may be mistaken, but I think that at 69.85 yards per game played this year he is the #2 pass catcher behind Maclin this year. And lets be honest...when Tony Gonzales says "If he keeps his head on straight, he could go down as one of the best." you have to figure he is pretty damned good. http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25356546/tony-gonzalez-travis-kelce-could-go-down-as-one-of-the-best-tight-ends Pretty good pickup for a 3rd rounder. Thank you John Dorsey.

[Chiefs4life24]

I think Kelce is probably Dorsey's best pick so far, Marcus Peters isn't far behind him

[Chiefs4life24]

Before Sunday the Chiefs were converting 27.8% of their 3rd down conversions. Against PIT they were 9/16 (56.2%).

[ctchiefsfan]

Before Sunday the Chiefs were converting 27.8% of their 3rd down conversions. Against PIT they were 9/16 (56.2%).

I suspect this has a lot to do with the Chiefs finally finding a decent lineup for the Offensive Line. West had his best day ever--both in yards per carry and total yards. Alex had a better than average day in terms completion %, a slightly below average day in terms of total yards and a better than average day in terms of yards per attempt. Overall, he had an average day for this year...which is about 10% better than his average for the rest of his career.

Alex's average this season is 260.57 yards per game and about 7.56 yards per attempt. If he plays 16 games this season he is on track for about 4,169 yards passing WAY BETTER than his previous best

[Chiefs4life24]

I will take 4,169 yards in a season any day and twice on Sundays, those are damn good numbers let's hope the chiefs have those kinds of number in 16 games

[ctchiefsfan]

I will take 4,169 yards in a season any day and twice on Sundays, those are damn good numbers let's hope the chiefs have those kinds of number in 16 games

Exactly. Alex will NEVER be Brady, Manning, Montana etc but with a decent receiver corps, a legitimate running game and a decent O-line he can put up respectable numbers. If the O-line plays as well as they did last week and we get Maclin back there is no reason Alex can't throw for 4,100 + yards in a 16 game season. That is nothing "special" in today's pass-happy NFL but it makes him a fairly respectable QB.

Realistically we are on the hook for a HUGE cap number for Alex which means we have to keep him through the 2016 season and maybe through 2017. I hate it, but I understand why Dorsey--Reid--Hunt did it. IMO doing so was making the best of a bad situation. If Alex continues to have 3,000 to 3,500 yard seasons for an average of about 220 yards per game then we lost the gamble. But if we can surround him with players that allow him to average about 260 yards per game (4,160 yards over a 16 game season) then we did the right thing.

It all boils down to the O-line and the pass catchers--WRs and TEs mostly. The O-line and the pass catchers are the difference between Alex being a 220 yards per game QB and being a 260 yards per game QB--assuming we have a good running game.

The difference between 219 yards per game (Alex's average per game with the Chiefs--his 2 best years) and 260 yards per game doesn't seem like a lot, but it is the difference between 3,504 yards over a 16 game season and 4,160 yards over a 16 game season. The difference between a mediocre to poor QB and a pretty decent QB.

Hopefully we have found an O-line and receiver combination that can get him to that 4,100 to 4,200 level.

[Chiefs4life24]

Exactly. Alex will NEVER be Brady, Manning, Montana etc but with a decent receiver corps, a legitimate running game and a decent O-line he can put up respectable numbers. If the O-line plays as well as they did last week and we get Maclin back there is no reason Alex can't throw for 4,100 + yards in a 16 game season. That is nothing "special" in today's pass-happy NFL but it makes him a fairly respectable QB.

Realistically we are on the hook for a HUGE cap number for Alex which means we have to keep him through the 2016 season and maybe through 2017. I hate it, but I understand why Dorsey--Reid--Hunt did it. IMO doing so was making the best of a bad situation. If Alex continues to have 3,000 to 3,500 yard seasons for an average of about 220 yards per game then we lost the gamble. But if we can surround him with players that allow him to average about 260 yards per game (4,160 yards over a 16 game season) then we did the right thing.

It all boils down to the O-line and the pass catchers--WRs and TEs mostly. The O-line and the pass catchers are the difference between Alex being a 220 yards per game QB and being a 260 yards per game QB--assuming we have a good running game.

The difference between 219 yards per game (Alex's average per game with the Chiefs--his 2 best years) and 260 yards per game doesn't seem like a lot, but it is the difference between 3,504 yards over a 16 game season and 4,160 yards over a 16 game season. The difference between a mediocre to poor QB and a pretty decent QB.

Hopefully we have found an O-line and receiver combination that can get him to that 4,100 to 4,200 level.

I forgot to mention his cap # is so bad because like Tamba he restructured so Houston could sign his extension, and that was the downside of the restructure the cap hit if released or traded

[Chiefs4life24]

Eric Fisher has the 11th best pass blocking efficiency among NFL OTs that played >50% of their team's snaps (per @PFF).

[Chiefs4life24]

Ben Grubbs is on pace to allow 45 QB pressures this season. Jahri Evans was the only OG to allow more than 41 pressures in 2014.

[Bike]

It all boils down to the O-line and the pass catchers--WRs and TEs mostly. The O-line and the pass catchers are the difference between Alex being a 220 yards per game QB and being a 260 yards per game QB--assuming we have a good running game.

Jeez I don't understand why people continually blame the rest of the entire offense for the poor play of a terrible qb. Alex Smith is just bad. Period. I don't need to rehash the reasons why here again. You should already know.

[slc chief]

Jeez I don't understand why people continually blame the rest of the entire offense for the poor play of a terrible qb. Alex Smith is just bad. Period. I don't need to rehash the reasons why here again. You should already know.
Well said bike. People think there is this extra hidden part of Alex smith's game hiding in the closet somewhere there is not. He just is not that good. If there was you would have seen it in his 10 plus years in the league. His best day he Is slightly above average. His average play is below qb standards his bad days are horrible. Onto the next retread kc brings in

[ctchiefsfan]

Jeez I don't understand why people continually blame the rest of the entire offense for the poor play of a terrible qb. Alex Smith is just bad. Period. I don't need to rehash the reasons why here again. You should already know.


Well said bike. People think there is this extra hidden part of Alex smith's game hiding in the closet somewhere there is not. He just is not that good. If there was you would have seen it in his 10 plus years in the league. His best day he Is slightly above average. His average play is below qb standards his bad days are horrible. Onto the next retread kc brings in

I am not blaming the rest of the offense for Alex's play. I'm merely recognizing the facts. Alex isn't especially good. HOWEVER with a decent O-line and decent receivers he can be a decent QB. Decent. Not much more than that. His two best seasons have been with the Chiefs and so far he is on track to have his best passing season ever by a long margin.

Surely nobody is going to argue that the O-line has been great this year....RIGHT? Yet despite an O-line that has been borderline terrible this year, Alex is throwing for far more yards than he ever has before. Just a fact. HOW CAN THAT BE???? Answer...we replaced Bowe with Maclin. So logically it only stands to reason that if you give him a better O-line he will look even better....RIGHT?

Will it make him look like a GREAT QB? HELL NO!!! But we are stuck with him for this year and next. Just a fact. Might even be stuck with him through 2017.

So what harm does it do to improve the O-line and receivers? Will that make whoever replaces Alex look worse??? HELL NO!

Alex is what he is and we are stuck with him for a while. So it only makes sense to improve the O-line and receivers.

No point in putting Daniel in because he is gone next year anyway.

We haven't actually been eliminated from the playoffs yet so you continue with Alex. If we get eliminated from the playoffs it would then make sense to start giving Murray some playing time. Same for Bray, but he is IR.

[brdempsey69]

Since we are on the subject of QB's, I've read elsewhere that when the Chiefs traded down to #26 in the 2011 draft, that Todd Haley wanted to draft Andy Dalton, but Pioli didn't want the competition for Matt Cassel.

The Chiefs now have a guy similar to Dalton in Murray. Build the Offense up around Murray the same way the Bengals have Dalton.

[ctchiefsfan]

Since we are on the subject of QB's, I've read elsewhere that when the Chiefs traded down to #26 in the 2011 draft, that Todd Haley wanted to draft Andy Dalton, but Pioli didn't want the competition for Matt Cassel.

The Chiefs now have a guy similar to Dalton in Murray. Build the Offense up around Murray the same way the Bengals have Dalton.

Interesting idea. If we get to where the best we can do is 9-7 then I'd like to see Murray get some playing time....just to get an inkling what he can do.

[brdempsey69]

Interesting idea. If we get to where the best we can do is 9-7 then I'd like to see Murray get some playing time....just to get an inkling what he can do.

Watch the tape on Murray. His ball placement is pretty good, and we saw that in the pre-season.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRYy0EXdST8

[ctchiefsfan]

Demps....

Clearly Murray is no "sure thing" Bray surely wasn't either. But I remember 2 guys....named Brady and Staubach who weren't sure things either. JMO but since Alex is having a career year in the midst of adversity and since his contract pretty much guarantees we keep him through AT LEAST the 2016 season then I think we keep Alex under center until/IF we hit 7 losses (which pretty much removes us from the playoff hunt). Should that 7th loss happen and remove us from the playoff hunt then I think we need to put Murray in and see what he has to show us. The longest Alex will be our QB is through the 2017 season and with 2 "longshot" guys we need to use "garbage time"--and being eliminated from the playoffs means all games are "garbage time" to see what we have to replace Alex.

I LIKE Alex. But he is what he is and we need to start thinking about the "after Alex years".

[Chiefs4life24]

Man like him or not Gruden can spot talent and I a certifiable genius