Is anybody else getting frustrated with the play of Alex Smith?

[Bike]

It is becoming more apparent to me that Smith does not have the ability to improvise on the fly. If his first option is covered, he seemingly can't pick out 2nd or 3rd reads that are open down field. He then holds on to the ball much too long and either gets sacked or runs (which works well at times). His inability to throw the ball downfield has allowed opposing defenses to stuff the box, and, well, you know the rest. I realize we don't have the greatest WR's in the NFL, but Bowe and Avant are vets, and our TE's are above average. I like Alex Smith, but a change may be in order to get this team to the next level.

[Ryfo18]

Alex is missing guys open down field, and it's been going on for two years now. Turn on any game from the last two years on the All-22 overhead camera and you'll see it. O-line play is meh. WRs are meh, but Alex is also terrible at throwing the ball outside the numbers.

This team will rarely win or lose b/c of Alex Smith. He's like 3-27 all-time when the opponents score 24 or more points. If he doesn't have success early in games, he's not going to bring you back. With 2 minutes left last week and only needing a field goal, I couldn't have felt more doomed. Trailing by one score with < 3 minutes left, Alex is 0-5 as a Chief.

He's the QB though, until at least 2017 thanks to that contract, so hopefully the team around him can get better so this team can do something.

[Eydugstr]

It's all about effort for me. Or lack of effort in this case. Watching that and seeing that same effort given by the WRs over the year If you or I but in that effort we would be standing in the unemployment line right now.

Alex HAS made the effort he has once again this season kept plays alive or made plays with his legs when needed. Yet all people want to say is "he doesn't give the wrs a chance to make a play" well how can he when they are not giving themselves a chance. Instead they just quit. I was saying this in the offseaon until we actually build talent around the QB and not just stick to Bowe and some random guys out there it won't matter if we change to QB #9 the results will be the same. Upgrades are a MUST they have been a must for some time now. Kelce has shown a ton of promise he's pretty much a rookie although this is his 2nd year. So we have hope there. Outside of that we don't have much hope to go along with Bowe. And Bowe can be just as much at fault for this as the rest of the random guys I refuse to call them WRS anymore. Maybe Avant can be the help we need

Actually I'd argue the results might be worse. Not everyone has Alex's ability to scramble. I'm not even sure Joe Montana could do anything with this batch of WR's. The past season and a half have been filled with drops and recievers not making a second effort. Bowe is still probably the best WR we have, but given some of the Bowe follies we've had over the past few season my guess is he's heading towards a different team that will probably give him a better offer than the Chiefs will.

I'm beginning to think Avant might be the best litmus test of what's going on with the WR's. If Avant's play starts turning to mush like all the rest of the WR's, I'd put the microscope on the WR coaching. If Avant breaks out and begins to shine as a weapon, start looking at replacing the entire WR corp next offseason.

Why Alex Smith continues to get scapegoated I'll never understand. Look at the results, not the player popularity polls or FF pro gambling guides. This team was 2-14 before him, 11-5 with him first season, and we're in the hunt for a playoff spot this year. How well are the guys from the '13 QB draft class doing? Life is peaches & cream in SF's locker room now?

[matthewschiefs]

Actually I'd argue the results might be worse. Not everyone has Alex's ability to scramble. I'm not even sure Joe Montana could do anything with this batch of WR's. The past season and a half have been filled with drops and recievers not making a second effort. Bowe is still probably the best WR we have, but given some of the Bowe follies we've had over the past few season my guess is he's heading towards a different team that will probably give him a better offer than the Chiefs will.

I'm beginning to think Avant might be the best litmus test of what's going on with the WR's. If Avant's play starts turning to mush like all the rest of the WR's, I'd put the microscope on the WR coaching. If Avant breaks out and begins to shine as a weapon, start looking at replacing the entire WR corp next offseason.

Why Alex Smith continues to get scapegoated I'll never understand. Look at the results, not the player popularity polls or FF pro gambling guides. This team was 2-14 before him, 11-5 with him first season, and we're in the hunt for a playoff spot this year. How well are the guys from the '13 QB draft class doing? Life is peaches & cream in SF's locker room now?

The QB is often the scapegoat it has been for this team for a long time.

I said it all through the time Cassel was the QB. It wasn't all on Cassel like some wanted to make it out to be. The problems that this team had with Cassel were the same problems that they had before him. The problems have always remained the same. So maybe it's time to address those problems instead just pluging in yet anther QB. Smith hasn't been perfect no one is claiming that he has been. He has made mistakes. He has missed guys he has missed some throws. But if you're making a list of things that are holding this offense back Smith is pretty low on the list. Charles might be the only person lower on that list

I also find it funny that the same people screaming for Smith to "take a shot" are the same people who Blasted Cassel for all his turnovers no matter if it had bounced off a wrs hands or not. If Smith was being risky with the ball and turning it over often they would be screaming that he was just like Cassel . He just can't win with some people

[brdempsey69]

Alex is missing guys open down field, and it's been going on for two years now. Turn on any game from the last two years on the All-22 overhead camera and you'll see it. O-line play is meh. WRs are meh, but Alex is also terrible at throwing the ball outside the numbers.

This team will rarely win or lose b/c of Alex Smith. He's like 3-27 all-time when the opponents score 24 or more points. If he doesn't have success early in games, he's not going to bring you back. With 2 minutes left last week and only needing a field goal, I couldn't have felt more doomed. Trailing by one score with < 3 minutes left, Alex is 0-5 as a Chief.

He's the QB though, until at least 2017 thanks to that contract, so hopefully the team around him can get better so this team can do something.

Truth is truth, right there. Alex does need to find a way to bring the Chiefs from behind, although as a 49er, he did do it in the playoff game against N.O. in 2011, so it's not impossible.

[jason1981]

Give him a good oline where he trust his oline he will look down field more. We really need a deshawn jackson type of receiver. Plus i cant put all his misses all on him. With the oline he never seems to be able to get into a rythym or having any timing down with the receivers. In the playoff game last year he was in rythym and in sink with the receivers and he hasnt had that all year.

[Justin5772002]

Alex is missing guys open down field, and it's been going on for two years now. Turn on any game from the last two years on the All-22 overhead camera and you'll see it. O-line play is meh. WRs are meh, but Alex is also terrible at throwing the ball outside the numbers.

This team will rarely win or lose b/c of Alex Smith. He's like 3-27 all-time when the opponents score 24 or more points. If he doesn't have success early in games, he's not going to bring you back. With 2 minutes left last week and only needing a field goal, I couldn't have felt more doomed. Trailing by one score with < 3 minutes left, Alex is 0-5 as a Chief.

He's the QB though, until at least 2017 thanks to that contract, so hopefully the team around him can get better so this team can do something.

We didn't win any of them but look how Alex did in the second part of last season. He was putting up huge numbers and points by throwing the ball downfield. Alex has the arm and within this week or next week look for him to get the ball downfield more often with Avant.

[ctchiefsfan]

I'm beginning to think Avant might be the best litmus test of what's going on with the WR's. If Avant's play starts turning to mush like all the rest of the WR's, I'd put the microscope on the WR coaching. If Avant breaks out and begins to shine as a weapon, start looking at replacing the entire WR corp next offseason.

Yup. Avant is starting to look like the proverbial "canary in a coal mine."

[matthewschiefs]

1]We didn't win any of them but look how Alex did in the second part of last season. He was putting up huge numbers and points by throwing the ball downfield.[/B] Alex has the arm and within this week or next week look for him to get the ball downfield more often with Avant.

THIS

People just forget that The more we threw downfield last year the more we LOST

Anther thing how quickly people forget week 1 of this year. Alex did "take shots" that resluted in 3 ints. And people were pissed at Smith. Even though 1 of those INTS hit Avery right in the hands he couldnt catch it (shocker there)and it bounced to a defender. So again I ask ANYONE mad about the downfield stuff. WHY SHOULD ALEX JUST TRUST THESE GUYS TO TAKE SHOTS? WHAT ON EARTH HAVE THEY DONE TO EARN THAT TRUST? I have been asking this for a while and have yet to see 1 answer.

[Eydugstr]

THIS

People just forget that The more we threw downfield last year the more we LOST

Anther thing how quickly people forget week 1 of this year. Alex did "take shots" that resluted in 3 ints. And people were pissed at Smith. Even though 1 of those INTS hit Avery right in the hands he couldnt catch it (shocker there)and it bounced to a defender. So again I ask ANYONE mad about the downfield stuff. WHY SHOULD ALEX JUST TRUST THESE GUYS TO TAKE SHOTS? WHAT ON EARTH HAVE THEY DONE TO EARN THAT TRUST? I have been asking this for a while and have yet to see 1 answer.

I'd disagree about the "attacked downfield and we lost" part, a little. We attacked downfield and did score but the problem was the defense fell apart without the pass rush last year. If we'd made a few more defensive stops in some of those games...

To your main point, no the WR's haven't earned that trust at all. Have been pushing for different WR's for some time now. Last offseason felt like this upcoming draft we'd be using our picks on rebuilding the secondary; Now it looks like we'll have to rebuild the WR corps, too.

Look at the results of what's happening with the guys that HAVE earned getting the ball thrown their way - Kelce, Fasano & Sherman. Kelce has turned into a threat that even the talking heads at ESPN can't stop gabbing over, Fasano (master of the butt reception) bailed out his QB last game and would've gotten a TD had it not been for a zebra's lame flag, and Sherman got himself a new contract after becoming a reliable safety valve for Alex. These ARE the guys catching the ball in this offense.

[matthewschiefs]

I'd disagree about the "attacked downfield and we lost" part, a little. We attacked downfield and did score but the problem was the defense fell apart without the pass rush last year. If we'd made a few more defensive stops in some of those games...

See to me that is in some parts due to us attacking as much. You have to know what kind of team you have. This is not nor was last year a team that is built to be in shootouts. It's in a lot of ways a throw back team. Attacking down field as much as we did exposed the defense for being what they were. When this team is at its best they are taking LONG drives that keeps the other teams offense off the field. Until we get the fire power IMO attacking downfield isn't going to do us much good.