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.

[ctchiefsfan]

IMO the problem is that we have ZERO, NADA, ZIP downfield passing game. No....we surely don't need to try to change the nature of our offense which is that of a running/short passing game, but we MUST HAVE enough of a downfield passing game to keep enemy defenses honest. (and to be able to have a shot when we're within 1 score with 1:30 left). And we don't have that. NOT BY A LONGSHOT. And as I see it the fault for that lies about 35% with the O-line and 65% with our lame-ash, hardly trying, can't catch the ball if it hits them in the chest Wide Receiver corps.

Anyway, that's how I see things.

[Justin5772002]

We should try a play where Jaamal Charles lines up outside as a WR and runs a streak and have Alex throw it over the top and let Jaamal catch up to it

[ctchiefsfan]

Why the hell not? Line up that way several times using JC just as a decoy, then don't throw it to him or nothing. First or second time we do it they'll probably double cover JC and that should leave Avant or Bowe WIDE OPEN. But after we don't throw at JC in that formation a few times they will start covering him half-ashed. And then we FRY THEIR BUTTS!!!

But we need to start with that misdirection formation early to lull the scum-pigs into complacency. Try it a few times on 3rd and long to make them think we are only using JC as a decoy to take pressure off Avant and Bowe. Then say on 1st and 10 from maybe midfield or the enemy 40 uncork the long ball to JC.

It won't work often....but we're 7-6 and need to win out to make the playoffs. 2 complete surprise touchdowns
might be the difference between making the playoffs or not.

But we NEED TO START SETTING THAT MIS-DIRECTION UP EARLY!!! As I said, the first few times we do it, they will cover JC like white on rice. And that will leave Avant or Bowe open. Then once the enemy has been burned a few times they will pretty much ignore it. Then we uncork the bomb!

Meanwhile, make sure Knile Davis gets some a decent number of carries during the game and that he is on the field when JC lines up as a WR.

It SHOULD work!

But use the actual plays where we try to throw to JC sparingly. Make the fools think he is just acting as a decoy.

Might work ESPECIALLY well now that we have a brand new WR in Avant. Enemy defenses are already confused about Avant. Throw JC into the mix and the enemy defensive coordinator won't know whether to ship or go blind!!!

KILL THE BASTIDS!!!!!!

[rodu]

We should try a play where Jaamal Charles lines up outside as a WR and runs a streak and have Alex throw it over the top and let Jaamal catch up to it

we had a wheel route for him last year

[matthewschiefs]

IMO the problem is that we have ZERO, NADA, ZIP downfield passing game. No....we surely don't need to try to change the nature of our offense which is that of a running/short passing game, but we MUST HAVE enough of a downfield passing game to keep enemy defenses honest. (and to be able to have a shot when we're within 1 score with 1:30 left). And we don't have that. NOT BY A LONGSHOT. And as I see it the fault for that lies about 35% with the O-line and 65% with our lame-ash, hardly trying, can't catch the ball if it hits them in the chest Wide Receiver corps.

Anyway, that's how I see things.

I don't think you can put it 100% on the O line and WRs

Alex does deserve some of the blame. As I've stated yes he has missed some open WRs and he has missed some throws. Which he has got to be better at.

Also Reid gets blame. The losses have mainly one thing in common Reid after the game saying "I've got to get Charles the ball more"

Everyone has got to do better. But like I said if we just plug in QB#9 and don't fix the WR core and the o line doesn't step up it won't matter who Qb9 is they won't have much chance of being successful

[ctchiefsfan]

I don't think you can put it 100% on the O line and WRs

Alex does deserve some of the blame. As I've stated yes he has missed some open WRs and he has missed some throws. Which he has got to be better at.

Also Reid gets blame. The losses have mainly one thing in common Reid after the game saying "I've got to get Charles the ball more"

Everyone has got to do better. But like I said if we just plug in QB#9 and don't fix the WR core and the o line doesn't step up it won't matter who Qb9 is they won't have much chance of being successful

Fair enough. My frustration was showing. But IMO the VAST MAJORITY of the blame goes to the WR corps, followed by the O-line with a good sized chunk of blame. Then Reid and Smith sharing a small amount of the blame.

As I see it if the WRs fairly consistently got open and caught the balls that they SHOULD CATCH and the O-line fairly consistently gave Smith enough time to go through his progressions then we'd be sitting on a record of 9-4 or maybe 10-3 with the playoffs a virtual certainty and at least a chance at the Division Title. And if that was the case we wouldn't be here handing out blame. Instead we'd be saving our coins to buy a ticket to the playoffs.

So the vast bulk of the blame for our problems this season go to the WRs and the O-line. Fix those two problems and the other problems would fade into obscurity because there would be no problem with our record.

In short, even Joe Montana in his prime wouldn't be looking very good with these WRs and this O-line.

[matthewschiefs]

Fair enough. My frustration was showing. But IMO the VAST MAJORITY of the blame goes to the WR corps, followed by the O-line with a good sized chunk of blame. Then Reid and Smith sharing a small amount of the blame.

As I see it if the WRs fairly consistently got open and caught the balls that they SHOULD CATCH and the O-line fairly consistently gave Smith enough time to go through his progressions then we'd be sitting on a record of 9-4 or maybe 10-3 with the playoffs a virtual certainty and at least a chance at the Division Title. And if that was the case we wouldn't be here handing out blame. Instead we'd be saving our coins to buy a ticket to the playoffs.

So the vast bulk of the blame for our problems this season go to the WRs and the O-line. Fix those two problems and the other problems would fade into obscurity because there would be no problem with our record.

In short, even Joe Montana in his prime wouldn't be looking very good with these WRs and this O-line.

i AGREE

I would say this is 80% oline and WRs

10% Alex
10% Reid


People can once again scream for a new qb. But until we FINALLY upgrade the wr spot which have have yet to have done it won't matter if we once again change QBs. History has shown that

[ctchiefsfan]

People can once again scream for a new qb. But until we FINALLY upgrade the wr spot which have have yet to have done it won't matter if we once again change QBs. History has shown that

You are 100% correct!!!! Alex Smith is certainly NOT the best QB our Chiefs have ever had, but he is better than most we've had. With JC, a couple of good tight ends (we already have them) plus a WR corps that understands they are supposed to get open and catch the ball plus a decent O-line Smith would make us forget the names of most of the QBs we've had. Even in an offense that primarily has a running/short passing offense you MUST HAVE a legitimate downfield passing threat. If you don't....well....we're seeing what happens if you don't.

[texaschief]

Alex Smith has conservative tendencies... no doubt. He holds on to the ball way too long. I find it hard to believe he can't get rid of the ball more than does. You never see Tom Brady or Peyton Manning take that many sacks. They are immobile and still find a way to get out of the pocket and throw the ball away. This aspect of Smith's game frustrates me more than any other. He is inconsistent when throwing the ball down field.

All that being said, I think Alex Smith is a top 7 or 8 QB in this league and if you can get one of those guys, there's no reason why you can't compete year in and year out. EVERY QB in this league has flaws. You compensate for those flaws by building your team in such a way that it hides the flaws and accents the positives. I think Reid and Dorsey have done a decent job in building this team to support Alex... but the job just isn't complete. The offensive line needs help at guard and RT. The entire WR corpse needs to be rebuilt. The biggest problem I think the Chiefs have is that they're paying Dwayne Bowe 10m over the next 3 seasons and it has severely hamstrung that unit. You can't pay a guy who should probably be the 3rd best WR on an NFL team like a top 5 player at his position in the entire league and expect it to pay off. Paying Dwayne Bowe that kind of money is like paying Matt Cassel the kind of contract he got from the Chiefs and expecting different results. Dwayne Bowe IS NOT a Calvin Johnson/Dez Bryant type of player but he's getting paid like one.

The O-line issue is minor, in my opinion. The Chiefs have a young O-Line and it has shown this year. I think they'll only get better over the next few years after playing together. Alex Smith is having some of the same issues here in KC that he had in SF. the 49ers never gave Smith any help at the WR position and it wasn't until Kaepernick got the job that SF went out and decided to scoop up every available WR in the league. The Chiefs have GOT to find a way to bring in some legit talent that can get open, stretch the field, and create separation. The good news for the Chiefs is that they've got a couple guys leading this team in Reid and Dorsey who have proven that they can find offensive talent... just look at Philly and Green Bay.

Down field play-making requires at least 3 major components:

1. WRs who can get down field quickly and create separation to provide a window of opportunity for the QB to deliver a pass.

2. An offensive line that can give the QB enough time to sit in the pocket to allow the WRs to run down the field.

3. A QB who can deliver well-thrown passes to down-field targets.

Of those 3 components, we know for sure that the Chiefs DO NOT have #1 in any shape or form. We know that #2 is inconsistent. And we know that #3 is also inconsistent. I do not think it is fair to judge the consistency of the QB until #1 is addressed in some form or until there is better play coming from #2. If the opportunities aren't there on a regular basis to throw down field, you can't expect a QB to be solidly consistent with his down field passing. We've played QBs all season that show more of a propensity for throwing down field more than Alex Smith and I've seen those guys miss wide open players as well. The further down field you throw, the least likely it is that it will be completed and every stat bares that to be true.

I would really like to see the Chiefs give Alex Smith some outside targets for him to throw to instead of a guy like Bowe who gets 10m/yr to run an 8 yard slant on occasion. Smith has had NOBODY to throw to on the outside his entire career. Luckily for people like me who don't think Alex Smith is the problem, the Chiefs have committed to Smith long-term and should get to see an offensive minded coach like Reid get everything he wants on the offensive side. I'm pessimistic about the Chiefs' chances to win both of their remaining games to get into the playoffs at 10-6, which should leave them around .500 for the season and picking in the teens come May. Coincidentally, the teens have traditionally been a great place to find value at the WR position. 3 names to watch in free agency are of course, Demarius Thomas who will probably be allowed to walk from Denver and if the Chiefs can find some way to unload Bowe's salary, he could be a target (don't hold your breath). But 2 other names I'd watch carefully are Jeremy Maclin and Randall Cobb.

Just thinking about it real quick and basing my choices off what the mocks around the web have to say, it would be really nice to see the Chiefs get Cobb AND Maclin, then a guy like Ereck Flower OT out of Miami in the first round of the draft to man the RT spot and move Ryan Harris or Donald Stephenson to the LG spot. Then, find a way to get Sammie Coates WR Auburn in the 2nd... whether it's staying put or trading up. A safety in free agency or in the 3rd would be nice as well as another ILB to help out Derrick Johnson. Anything after that I think should be secondary depth.

Cobb, Coates, Bowe, Maclin, & Avery along with O-line fortification of Flowers and a new LG would definitely go a long way to helping the down field play-making of this offense... and THEN we can judge whether or not Alex Smith is the problem.

Just my 2 cents.