Let's All Get Behind Alex Smith! Or Not!! (M.E.T.) NO kirk talk---that goes in ATN forum

[justice98]

You know what's also frustrating, watching the Chiefs be decisive and proactive about the QB position when they had a guy in hand. 

 

Something tells me that when we part with Smith in a few years, we wont have the foresight and scouting aptitude to get somebody in house that's good enough to take over.  We'll go into the offseason not knowing who the QB will be.

[50yrSKINSfan]

25 minutes ago, HOF44 said:

We gave Smith a 40 million signing bonus gave KC a 3rd round pick and a young corner capable of starting for this???  We could have signed Keenan, Fitz, or Bridgwater and lost nothing and had more cap.  Our front office is clueless. 

My thoughts too. Amazing how  brilliant minds think alike. You forgot to add Fleesed by Andy again.

[Morneblade]

1 minute ago, 50yrSKINSfan said:

My thoughts too. Amazing how  brilliant minds think alike. You forgot to add Fleesed by Andy again.

 

I brought that up when the trade was first made. It didn't go over very well.

[50yrSKINSfan]

1 hour ago, -JB- said:

Alex Smith literally is Jason Campbell with better mobility and health.

Yes but at least JC didn't cost us 70 mil and a good young corner but if I remember we'd have to move up to get him. Lol

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

9 minutes ago, 50yrSKINSfan said:

My thoughts too. Amazing how  brilliant minds think alike. You forgot to add Fleesed by Andy again.

The night the news broke that we traded for Smith, I made a post about how sad it was that Reid can leave our division and still destroy the Redskins from afar by bending them over for a second time. I'm not sure that any other post I've made received that many 'likes'.  That's why it was crazy to me to see the sea change within the fanbase, at least the vocal side of it, over the offseason in that Smith was a better fit, leader, risk-taker, runner, deep passer, and the list goes on.  I realize that part of it is the Redskins selling it and another side of it is fans just wanting to believe.  But deep down I couldn't wrap my head around folks actually thinking all that stuff was true.  Because in reality if Smith was really that much better, he wouldn't have been available to the Redskins.  The Redskins would also instantly be a top tier football team if all that were true as well.

[Alexa]

Can someone explain how you can go an entire season w/out throwing a TD pass to your wr??  How does that happen? That is literally almost impossible to do in the NFL today. That only happens when your qb simply doesn't want to throw it to them. 

[DJHJR86]

At least he bought a house here and went to a Wizards game.  

[Why am I Mr. Pink?]

Its week 2 on a new team.

 

He wont be elite but Alex should be fine and be able to run a competent offense and our pieces should compliment his skill set and Gruden's play calling.

 

 

[DJHJR86]

[Skinsinparadise]

1 hour ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

The night the news broke that we traded for Smith, I made a post about how sad it was that Reid can leave our division and still destroy the Redskins from afar by bending them over for a second time. I'm not sure that any other post I've made received that many 'likes'.  That's why it was crazy to me to see the sea change within the fanbase, at least the vocal side of it, over the offseason in that Smith was a better fit, leader, risk-taker, runner, deep passer, and the list goes on.  I realize that part of it is the Redskins selling it and another side of it is fans just wanting to believe.  But deep down I couldn't wrap my head around folks actually thinking all that stuff was true.  Because in reality if Smith was really that much better, he wouldn't have been available to the Redskins.  The Redskins would also instantly be a top tier football team if all that were true as well.

 

I digested the possibility of an Alex trade before it happened.  And I didn't like the idea.  I get into some debates as you know since you engage in them too with some of the Bruce backers here who seem to think I (we) make up on our minds about things after they are done and decide not to like them because hey its the Redskins FO-Bruce.  But that's silly.  We like to talk football so we typically digest scenarios BEFORE they go down and that includes this one.

 

My thing about Alex which I said at the time as for not wanting to trade for him was the dude is 34 -- doesn't have a strong arm and while he's good he isn't great.  So what are you accomplishing?   You'd take a step down at QB from Kirk to do what?  Max out at 8-8, 9-7?  If you are rebuilding the team, just do it versus tread water.  Last year had a deep crop of QBs in that draft, go back to that well and try again.  

 

My thoughts at the time was Kirk was better than Alex but not way better but still we are going to downgrade even if its not a big downgrade while getting 4 years older at the position?  I also thought Kirk was capable of increasing the ability gap between him and Alex because he was at an age where he could still more likely grow,  That was before I knew they'd actually trade what they did which included Fuller which made me hate the idea of a trade even more.

 

Having said that, none of that makes me dislike Alex or makes me think he stinks.  One game doesn't change my opinion for the worse.  I think he's a good QB -- nothing special but someone who can keep this team a winner if he has great talent around him.  I've not given up on that notion after yesterday's game.  I am hoping yesterday was an aberration.  But now that I've seen him play in a Redskins uniform, I'll double down on this point since I've got hammered here for making it and that is the dude isn't a gun slinger.  The idea that he's conservative and a gun slinger - all things to all people whenever he needs to -- that to me is ridiculous and it doesn't play to his reputation.  I think its mega ridiculous after watching him during the first two games -- and yeah that means game 1 too -- the dude has played very conservatively.  And that's fine to me you can win that way as long as the running game and or defense is playing well.   

 

But when the game is on your shoulders when the running game isn't humming -- I hope he takes more risks going forward.   And hopefully our O line and receivers step up -- they didn't make it easy for the dude yesterday.  My biggest beef with the trade wasn't that I don't like Alex, it was that i don't think he's good enough to overcome a mediocre supporting cast.  Yesterday, the supporting cast was definitely mediocre -- coaching, too.  The Vikings lit up the Packers defense so maybe we got a big game coming back up for this offense.  

 

 

[wit33]

This game appears to represent Alex’s floor, confident this will not be Alex’s norm. 

 

Was worried about getting inside the opponents 30 yard line and Alex’s inability to be successful in this area and nothing to date has changed this concern. Gruden will have to scheme well and hope Alex’s legs can help 8-10 times during the course of the season, when in the red zone or just outside for the team to succeed. 

 

This last game was as about as deflating a loss in a while for me, as I was in disbelief of how the Skins were dominated in the trenches and schematically. Frustrated with Gruden as well (the first time since season 1 I questioned whether he was an average coach). 

 

The wild part is Luck was no better than Smith on this day, just had the better team with a scheme on both sides of ball that was a step ahead. What a terrible day. 

 

Side note: The seam throw to Reed (or Davis a few times) needs to be thrown 5 times a game and threatened 12-15 times (don’t watch tape, completely a fan review :)). This is the one elite throw Alex has in his bag. Tough against a cover 2, but let Reed show out with ball skills. 

[Veryoldschool]

For many, not most, but certainly many the last QB wasn't enough, cost too much, or failed in some other way.  Now they are down on Smith after just two games?QBs alone do not win football games.  Give Alex and his receivers time to get used to each other.

[Skinsinparadise]

35 minutes ago, wit33 said:

This game appears to represent Alex’s floor, confident this will not be Alex’s norm. 

 

Was worried about getting inside the opponents 30 yard line and Alex’s inability to be successful in this area and nothing to date has changed this concern. Gruden will have to scheme well and hope Alex’s legs can help 8-10 times during the course of the season, when in the red zone or just outside for the team to succeed. 

 

This last game was as about as deflating a loss in a while for me, as I was in disbelief of how the Skins were dominated in the trenches and schematically. Frustrated with Gruden as well (the first time since season 1 I questioned whether he was an average coach). 

 

The wild part is Luck was no better than Smith on this day, just had the better team with a scheme on both sides of ball that was a step ahead. What a terrible day. 

 

Side note: The seam throw to Reed (or Davis a few times) needs to be thrown 5 times a game and threatened 12-15 times (don’t watch tape, completely a fan review :)). This is the one elite throw Alex has in his bag. Tough against a cover 2, but let Reed show out with ball skills. 

 

The way they were playing more of a Tampa cover 2 with the LBs playing back, typically the seam -- the middle just in front of the MLB can be the sweet spot or better yet just go vertical deep straight up the middle and make the MLB keep pace.   

 

It was a very good throw to Reed.  My concern with yesterday isn't squarely on Alex -- I didn't think this offense as a unit fully healthy can play collectively this bad especially the O line.   It was the first time they haven't scored a touchdown I heard in over 50 games.  It looked it, too.  They also didn't seem to play with energy (as some players acknowledged) the offense looked lethargic, unprepared, uninspired even when running the 2 minute offense.  It came off pathetic to me that Adrian Peterson explained he tried to get them to pick up their energy with a pep talk on the sideline. 

 

Having said that, I agree yesterday was the bottom.  I suspect they will bounce back.  Alex so far is who I thought he was just about to a tee -- the good and bad but overall good.  I am keeping my mind open about him and the team.  It's not the end of the world.   Lets see what they got next.

[Why am I Mr. Pink?]

24 minutes ago, wit33 said:

This game appears to represent Alex’s floor, confident this will not be Alex’s norm. 

 

Side note: The seam throw to Reed (or Davis a few times) needs to be thrown 5 times a game and threatened 12-15 times (don’t watch tape, completely a fan review :)). This is the one elite throw Alex has in his bag. Tough against a cover 2, but let Reed show out with ball skills. 

 

Yes. That seemed to be the only kinda timing/anticipation throw he made yesterday.

 

I assume more of the timing, anticipation, throwing to an open space type throws will come as they get more comfortable with each other.

[JoggingGod]

1 hour ago, wit33 said:

This game appears to represent Alex’s floor, confident this will not be Alex’s norm

Have you not watched Alex's career? THIS IS HIS NORM. No ifs ands or buts about it.

[justice98]

3 hours ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

I’d agree that Kirk probably loses yesterday as well.  The only difference being I would have thought we had more of a chance to actually win the game.  I spent 3 hours yesterday knowing what was going to happen.

 

I think they mentioned the team stat during the game, but I dont think we ever failed to score an offensive TD under Kirk in almost 60 starts.  Took Smith 2 games.

[zealoustuttle]

Smith is a joke of a QB. He only cares about protecting the ball and his TO ratio. He refuses to see any of his team's players past the 1st down marker. 

 

2 TD's down and he stares at our RB and TE for the quick checkdown. Congrats, smith, you got 30 yards and burned through 4 minutes...we are still down by 2 TD.

 

Just trade him already and go with Colt. At least McCoy looks down field and puts it up.

 

TANK the season.

 

#FIREGRUDEN

[wit33]

21 minutes ago, JoggingGod said:

Have you not watched Alex's career? THIS IS HIS NORM. No ifs ands or buts about it.

 

Stop.

 

Scoring 9 points with no touchdowns is not his norm. 

 

He’s an average to above average QB that requires a good game plan to consistently be successful. This is the norm for QBs 7-25. 

[zealoustuttle]

32 minutes ago, JoggingGod said:

Have you not watched Alex's career? THIS IS HIS NORM. No ifs ands or buts about it.

 

 

Absolutely correct. This is standard Alex Smith... Look RB open *throws 2 yards* Meanwhile, WR are just starting their deep in routes...

 

Alex Smith is hot garbage, always was, always will be. It is hilarious that some skins fans thought he was going to all of a sudden be amazing when we traded fuller for this trash tier qb

[JoeJacobyHOForRIOT]

Anyone remember the post of that chiefs fan that stopped by after we signed Smith ? I don't remember the specifics of his post but i do remember him droning on about how Smith will drive us crazy with the check downs. ugh.... 

[zealoustuttle]

8 minutes ago, JoeJacobyHOForRIOT said:

Anyone remember the post of that chiefs fan that stopped by after we signed Smith ? I don't remember the specifics of his post but i do remember him droning on about how Smith will drive us crazy with the check downs. ugh.... 

 

 

LOL yes! And so many people were saying "he doesn't just checkdown, he is the best deep ball passer in the NFL!"

 

With Tyreek Running a streak Chad Pennington would have had the best deep ball rating in the NFL!

 

I was sick when the skins traded for him and I am now diagnosed with cancer watching 2 games of DEATH BY THOUSAND CHECKDOWNS

[The Hangman- C_Hanburger]

1 hour ago, Veryoldschool said:

For many, not most, but certainly many the last QB wasn't enough, cost too much, or failed in some other way.  Now they are down on Smith after just two games?QBs alone do not win football games.  Give Alex and his receivers time to get used to each other.

People getting down on Alex right now is just plain wrong.  The TEAM did exactly like I feared..thought they were better than they were and Gruden's gam plan sucked and he didn't change it up..being a QB he should have been able to counter once he saw the Colts adjustments..

 

But you can't coach half effort..should have pulled some players and sat their azz on the bench

[JoggingGod]

30 minutes ago, wit33 said:

 

Stop.

 

Scoring 9 points with no touchdowns is not his norm. 

 

He’s an average to above average QB that requires a good game plan to consistently be successful. This is the norm for QBs 7-25. 

Yes it is. There is data to back up this being his norm. He only has 2 seasons out of 14 with over 20 TD passes. He has never thrown for 4K yards until this past year with an elite offense.

 

And no this is not the norm for the 7th ranked QB lol. The 7th ranked QB, no matter who you think it is, will have a great deep ball. 

22 minutes ago, zealoustuttle said:

 

 

Absolutely correct. This is standard Alex Smith... Look RB open *throws 2 yards* Meanwhile, WR are just starting their deep in routes...

 

Alex Smith is hot garbage, always was, always will be. It is hilarious that some skins fans thought he was going to all of a sudden be amazing when we traded fuller for this trash tier qb

Okay Smith isn’t trash tier. He’s better than every backup in the league at least and can manage a SB contending team to a playoff win or two.

 

But he is not worth what we invested into him and he isn’t anywhere near as good as Cousins. I consider him average out of all the QBs in the NFL.

[Skinsinparadise]

Some of Keim's thoughts on Facebook

 

5. This is what happens when the Redskins can’t run the ball. Alex Smith will be a good quarterback for them, but he’s also not one who is going to lift a team on its back and rally them with his passing. That’s not his MO. His history suggests he needs a strong run game to flourish. But too often Sunday the Colts stopped the run with seven in the box, allowing them to indeed play a lot of two-deep soft zone coverage. Smith dinked and dunked. Yes, in a lot of cases that’s what was available. But there did appear at times to be players free down the field. More will be learned when I can watch the All-22 and see what truly was going on all the time in coverage.
The run game was highly disappointing because the Colts kept winning with their front, keeping linebackers clean to make plays. At times Adrian Peterson was a bit impatient and pressed the hole too fast to draw in linebackers and then beat them to a cutback lane. The linebackers stayed in their gaps – I love the rookie Darius Leonard – so when Peterson tried to cut, they were usually waiting. Yeah, Shawn Lauvao gave up some penetration but so, too, did Brandon Scherff and Morgan Moses.

 

6. I know they talked after the game about the Colts’ movement up front, but in truth it’s not like they were shifting last second. They weren’t. They beat them off the snap with quickness most of the time, perhaps anticipating the count. Or just winning. They did win on some stunts in pass rush situations. I think the big problem is that the line did not generate much movement.

 

7. Also, the creative packages that worked well vs. Arizona failed to fool a defense that is used to seeing similar plays from its own offense. On the third-and-1 backside pitch to Thompson, for example, the slot corner – in zone – did not go with the jet sweep action. He stayed home. He made the play. Nobody fooled. (UPDATED NOTE: The blocking was apparently messed up on this play. A lineman was supposed to pull. That didn't happen). When the Colts ran this play, corner Josh Norman got sucked inside and scrambled to make contain and then missed the tackle because he overshot the play.

[Sandy Monk]

Keep in mind, some of these "new Redskins posters" are very likely more of the weird obsessed Alex haters from that other KC forum. 

 

There's no way they were going to stay away when things get rocky. The several years war of Alex Smith has left some serious scarring that won't ever die. I'm sorry that this had to be brought to your forum, and it likely gets worse before better. 

 

I admit that I have and will be called an Alex apologist, but much like SIP stated a day or so ago, I really embrace the concept of football being a TEAM game. I also said and stand by my words that Alex Smith is consistent. He won't carry the team when they are failing all around him. He can be frustrating, but he also will typically be very low on the list of reasons for why the team loses. 

 

Alex is my boy, but I'm going to keep things honest in the criticisms I see. As opposed to that KC forum that has almost no moderation, this place will not become the cesspool that they.. that we.. made it to be there. Go Skins!