When Can We Get Out of the Alex Smith Contract???

[Sandy Monk]

2 hours ago, ExoDus84 said:

Alex Smith. 

 

Dude better start playing better or get his ass sat in the bench. You know Gruden isn't happy. Hell, he thought Kirk was too conservative. 

 

Highly unlikely, at this point. The offense wasn't doing enough with most of the starting OL and WRs hobbling along to begin with. Looks like those areas will remain hobbling at best. 

 

If the OL, and WRs were solid for this whole year.. and then the injuries mounted? I could see Alex having gotten comfortable enough to handle the bad. The injuries were always there from the start. He never did get comfortable. Worse, through this start, he got all the more jittery and indecisive of his targets. So now that the OL is getting even worse, and AP is likely wearing down?

 

My usual optimistic self thinks this will indeed be headed for a poor final act. 

[Skinsinparadise]

Jerry Brewer column that just came out.  I am sort of where he is.  Alex Smith to me at his best so far is mediocre.  The passing weapons are mediocre, too.  And no I don't think its just about one or the other -- like I've said after following up on Cooley's film review, Alex is missing open receivers, is inaccurate, happy feet, conservative.  Receivers are getting open.  But they have no true #1 WR.  They failed to address the position after we had one of the more explosive offenses in the league in 2015.  

 

Alex has it better than Kirk did in 2017 and arguably much better but the bar was low.  Kirk had scrubs at running back.  Imagine this offense with scrubs at running back?  And he didn't have Richardson or Reed for for most of the season and he had a decimated O line.  Looks like we might see Alex shortly with a decimated O line.

 

I actually thought though Alex played better yesterday than the last few games.  The play where he dodges pressure and scrambled for a big gain, I thought was part of his best drive of the year.  He played to me gutsier than the previous games.  But so far the dude is nothing special. Receivers are nothing special.  Only thing special about the offense is Peterson but if that dude can't get it going every week then they are in trouble.

 

I hate the quote from Alex below about the difficulties about coming back.  I hate just as much the quote from Jay saying a week or so ago his teams aren't good at coming back and when asked about the solution said don't get behind.  If you say stuff like that you may start believing you have not shot when you fall behind and it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2018/11/05/by-choosing-building-blocks-over-playmakers-redskins-created-big-imbalance/?utm_term=.9766ab3c1fc5

“It’s tough to play against a good football team when you’re multiple scores down, period,” Smith said. “As much as you’d like to come back and do that, it’s just rare.”

Um, no, it’s not that rare in modern, pass-happy football. It’s not that rare against Atlanta, which since that epic Super Bowl meltdown, has spent the past year and a half blowing leads. If there’s one thing you should miss about the soft ol’ Redskins of the previous three seasons, it’s that they could come back. They could give up leads, too. But at least the score at the end of the first quarter didn’t always tell most of the story.

 

...A soft schedule will continue to present favorable matchups for Washington. But the next two opponents, Tampa Bay and Houston, are teams with explosive offensive qualities. They can get ahead and make this offensively-challenged team chase them. The Buccaneers, the upcoming opponent, actually lead the NFL in total offense. They are also a mess of turnovers and inefficiency, but what if they can muster an early 10-0 lead?

Alex Smith did throw for 306 yards against Atlanta, but it wasn’t a dynamic performance. He attempted 46 passes and had a subpar quarterback rating of 82.3. Maurice Harris, who caught 10 passes for 124 yards, was the team’s leading receiver. Harris played a nice game, and he has great hands. But you’re not going to scare any defenses by targeting him 12 times in a game.

Peterson had just nine carries for 17 yards. In three losses this season, he has rushed for 43 total yards. In five victories, he has averaged 112.2 yards and run for at least 96 in each one.

 

Yes, the absence of left tackle Trent Williams and in-game injuries to Brandon Scherff, Shawn Lauvao and Morgan Moses turned the offensive line from solid to desperate. But even when the offensive line is at full strength, this offense struggles. And Smith, especially with these mediocre weapons, cannot throw the team back into games.

 

...Smith will continue to keep the turnovers low and help the defense win games, 21-17. However, if Washington needs to come back and claim a game or two by a 35-31 score, well, prayer can be powerful.

There’s simply not a lot to this team. It is intentional. The Redskins had to get bigger and tougher; there’s no doubt about that. But in pursuit of what they lacked, they didn’t replenish what used to be their strength. During this crazy, role-reversing season, it might catch up to them.

[skins island connection]

3 hours ago, ExoDus84 said:

All I know is that we are 27th in the NFL in scoring. Only NYG, JAX, BUF, ARI, and Cleveland are worse. 

 

Compared to last year, we have basically the same receivers, a better RB, a much better defense, and before today, an overall healthier team. Yet through all that, we have tanked in offensive efficiency and can't score any goddamn points. Why? What's changed? 

 

Alex Smith. 

 

 

 

 Looking at the list of teams you have, honestly the only one I see that I would actually put money on is Arizona. I wouldn't trust Gruden or Smith to beat the Jags; they're not clicking for some reason but I have a feeling they'd put together some drives and win. I'm pretty sure when we face the Giants again they will win, just because they always win against us late in the season. Buffalo is too aggressive on defense and would cause Smith to become extremely inaccurate. Cleveland is better than their record, and they have a young QB learning the ropes but they'd give the Redskins fits.

 

This isn't a good outlook for the Redskins. Smith doesn't have faith in his receivers, he certainly isn't throwing them open, and now with a beat up o-line, defenses will have their ears pinned back. These next 3 weeks will be very telling of the direction this team is heading, and it doesn't look good. More injuries, and I think there will eventually begin to be some rumblings in the locker room, and then its over. Officially.

[Voice_of_Reason]

11 hours ago, Renegade7 said:

I was convinced Bruce still would only let Doug Williams play star cadet pinball around the time that call was made it was so obvious Doug had nothing to do with it.  Another reason I didn't want to get rid of Doug.

 

So gross, we make the playoffs, does this save Bruce?

Probably.  If we make the playoffs, especially with another bad injury situation, he can point and say, "it will take Alex more than 1 year to come up to speed, let's try again!" 

 

I kinda think the way we make the playoffs will matter, though.  If this 3 game win-steak is the high-water mark for the season, the offense, and particularly Alex Smith, continues to struggle, and the stadium goes back to half full and mostly visitors, I think Dan MIGHT just say, "look, we've got to do something different."

 

As I've pointed out, the big problem is that Dan would be choosing the "something different." which he hasn't shown really good judgement on in the past. 

[Llevron]

^^^that half stands thing I think is more important that anything. Guys like Dan dont like to be embarrassed and we are getting into unknown territory here. Took seats out still cant get folks in. To the point where they actually admitted that the sell out streak was broken. 

 

We say it all the time but stop watching stop going and he will here you. I was done last night once we were down by 2 scores and the Oline blew up. I knew what that meant. 

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

1 minute ago, Voice_of_Reason said:

 

As I've pointed out, the big problem is that Dan would be choosing the "something different." which he hasn't shown really good judgement on in the past. 

I get that but my hope would be that the folks who do have Dan’s ear, like the new execs, will help guide him into better decisions.  The guys responsible for drumming up interest in the team and stadium, know all too well just how unpopular Bruce Allen is with the fanbase.  I’m sure they know how important it is to get this next decision right.  That’s all I can muster for positivity on that front.  At this point, just anyone not insulting enough to piss on my back and tell me it’s raining like Bruce would be a welcome change.

[Renegade7]

6 minutes ago, Voice_of_Reason said:

Probably.  If we make the playoffs, especially with another bad injury situation, he can point and say, "it will take Alex more than 1 year to come up to speed, let's try again!" 

 

I kinda think the way we make the playoffs will matter, though.  If this 3 game win-steak is the high-water mark for the season, the offense, and particularly Alex Smith, continues to struggle, and the stadium goes back to half full and mostly visitors, I think Dan MIGHT just say, "look, we've got to do something different."

 

As I've pointed out, the big problem is that Dan would be choosing the "something different." which he hasn't shown really good judgement on in the past. 

 

Really depends on what choice we are talking about.  Bruce was never meant to have the level of power he has now, esociakky over personnel decisions, that was supposed to be Shanahan.  The article that came out in offseason was about Bruce being reassigned based on team results.

 

  If Snyder says Doug has final say on players going forward instead, is be fine with that and go from there.  My problem with this front office right now regarding players  is Bruce, if Snyder chooses to take him out that decision making, I'll support it as a compromise from a fan standpoint.

 

It's like deductive reasoning:  front office for most part done well last two years, Bruce responsible for worst decision in those two years, take Bruce out, is what's left a front office that can continue to do well?  I think so, or at least id like to try it before letting Smyder pick a whole new crew in his own.  No that's scary.

[Burgold]

Smith's Stat line was pretty good. About 75% completion rate yesterday for a hair under 10 yards per carry with one touchdown and one interception. Now, if we add in the yards subtracted by the BS penalties, allowing the legit penalties to stand and turn the drops into catches... we add about a hundred yards of offense and subtract the pick. In other words, he'd have completed over 75% of his passes with more than 400 yards and because so many of the penalties stopped drives or moved us out of scoring range... we'd have scored more points.

 

Now, you can't actually do that, of course, drops and bobbles are part of the game, and sometimes you get royally reffed. The stats are what they are. Still, looking objectively a just yesterday's game, Smith played a fine game. He wasn't the problem. If you want to say he's been blah to bad through the season so far then you can make that argument, but I think beating him up for yesterday is a tad ridiculous.

[Renegade7]

@Burgold c'mon, man, you really going the "stats look better" route?  He has a plus 91 QB rating for the season, that doesn't mean he's a good QB or having good games, just avoiding turnovers that would negate his low stats and tds up to this point.  The only thing he's doing well is not turning the ball over.

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

2 minutes ago, Burgold said:

If you want to say he's been blah to bad through the season so far then you can make that argument, but I think beating him up for yesterday is a tad ridiculous.

 

I don’t think anyone is beating him up for yesterday specifically.  He had a good drive but otherwise was who he has been since he’s been here.  This is just a continuation of the frustration with him at the helm.

[SkinssRvA]

He isn't the answer for this team.  He hasn't been the answer for any team he has ever been on.  If your goal is to stay mediocre and get a draft pick between 14 and 24, he's your guy.  

 

He is so painfully average that it gets hard to watch.  He hasn't be "poor" this year but he hasn't been "good."  He's just the most average QB in the NFL that needs extremely good circumstances to be productive.  Didn't he go an entire year without throwing a TD pass to a WR?

 

I wish we would have kept our pick/player, let kirk walk, and rolled with Colt McCoy this year.  We are not in a place where we can give up draft picks for players.  We simply aren't there talent-wise.  And if we ARE giving up draft picks for players, it needs to be game changers at that position.  Alex Smith is not that. 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Who'd want to trade for him?  Serious question.  He looks like ass here, who'd want to trade for that contract?

[Sandy Monk]

Just now, Spaceman Spiff said:

Who'd want to trade for him?  Serious question.  He looks like ass here, who'd want to trade for that contract?

 

Only chance would have been a contending team that lost their QB1 and felt their supporting cast + Smith could keep them relevant? 

 

Either way, trade deadline is over. Team just has to suck it up and cut him loose, or roll along a while longer. Maybe they can still make something respectable of this season, but it looks pretty clear they should indeed have just gone rebuild mode with a cheap option at QB. 

 

The good news is, questions about the team on offense are finally being answered. Bad news is, it's far less than the answers they banked on, for the most part. Smith can't overcome his support cast. OL and WRs can't stay healthy.

 

Defense can look amazing and inept week to week.. but I'd bet the talent is there more so than the coaching from Manusky. It would have been better for all but the HC and F/O had they went along with the cheap QB, rebuild. Problem is, they are making the decisions, so... 

[bobandweave]

7 hours ago, Morneblade said:

 

McVay won't save Alex Smith. The fact that you gloss over the loss of Garcon and DJax, the 28 different offensive line combinations and no AP in 2017 tells me everything I need to know.

 

All you need to know? Lets review the facts before trying to paint me into a corner you want me in

 

Penalty yards against comparison
Redskins 10 for negative 147 yards
Falcons 7 for negative 50 yards

 

Rushing yard comparison

Redskins 15 attempts for 79 yards
Falcons 24 attempts for 154 yards

 

Further, on one rush Alex Smith led the team in individual performance. AP on the day had 9 attempts for 17 yards

 

Passing yard comparison
Redskins 30/46 for 306 yards 1 TD 1 INT
Falcons 26/38 for 350 yards 4 TDs 1 INT

 

Public response:

Jay Gruden said multiple times yesterday that any time the team is penalized like they were yesterday they would lose those games. How many penalties were on Alex? Zero. 

 

Alex Smith does not play Defense. The defense completely collapsed yesterday. 

 

About Pierre Garcon and Desean Jackson leaving....Since departing the team combined they have 1294 (Desean) 7 TD + 786 (Pierre) 1 TD. Those aren't world beating stats by any stretch - That's two seasons and 48 games between the two guys. I am positive that with Sean McVay those numbers would have been better. Sean Mcvay is crushing in LA now. 

 

Reaction from the outsiders:

I've listened to the Locked on Redskins podcast, two hours of post game from 980, the post game interviews by Alex, Jay, and others on the Redskins app now and the story everywhere else except Extremeskins was not that the issue yesterday was Alex Smith. The story has been that the Defense sucked all around and the penalties did them in.

 

Trying to make this about one guy is not the story here unless you look past all of this. The public narrative doesn't match what's being said here. I wonder why that is? 

 

[Burgold]

33 minutes ago, Renegade7 said:

@Burgold c'mon, man, you really going the "stats look better" route?  He has a plus 91 QB rating for the season, that doesn't mean he's a good QB or having good games, just avoiding turnovers that would negate his low stats and tds up to this point.  The only thing he's doing well is not turning the ball over.

Hey, if the "other side" has stuck to that trope for years... I can use it when it's true.

 

Seriously though, I thought he looked fine yesterday. He just really got reffed up. That bomb to Doctson, those Doctson drops, the endless phantom holds, etc. Alex Smith was a pretty good QB yesterday. Over the season, not so much.

[CjSuAvE22]

3 minutes ago, Burgold said:

Hey, if the "other side" has stuck to that trope for years... I can use it when it's true.

 

Seriously though, I thought he looked fine yesterday. He just really got reffed up. That bomb to Doctson, those Doctson drops, the endless phantom holds, etc. Alex Smith was a pretty good QB yesterday. Over the season, not so much.

Imo we are paying him money to play like that every game though, we can get 8 solid games a year from a lotta qbs in the league but I guess the size of Smith’s contract has nothing to do with him and everything to do with the fools running the team...he probably woulda been fine signing a 3 year contract in the 18-21 million range...

[Renegade7]

3 minutes ago, Burgold said:

Hey, if the "other side" has stuck to that trope for years... I can use it when it's true.

 

You should know better then saying "well they were doing it", but I understand your point.

 

3 minutes ago, Burgold said:

Seriously though, I thought he looked fine yesterday. He just really got reffed up. That bomb to Doctson, those Doctson drops, the endless phantom holds, etc. Alex Smith was a pretty good QB yesterday. Over the season, not so much.

 

Better game, sure.  But he was still throwing a lot of inaccurate passes and avoiding down field shots.  We're at a point that it's no longer about trying to defend Alex play, its asking can he win these games with better offenses then us? If the answer is no, a better game doesn't matter. 

[Sandy Monk]

17 minutes ago, bobandweave said:

 

Trying to make this about one guy is not the story here unless you look past all of this. The public narrative doesn't match what's being said here. I wonder why that is? 

 

 

It's just easier to focus all the anger and frustration on 1 target. 

 

This day and age of Fantasy Football and media-driven slop, it's all about the QBs. Save us great QBs. All by yourselves, save our team and season from demise! Even if you have been prior labeled a guy that can't carry and save us, do it anyway, or we hate you!

 

? 

 

Of course, if other QBs don't save the day, they get a plethora of outside excuses for why that is.. but not your very own QB that you didn't like or want in the first place. 

[Skinsinparadise]

The private narrative if the beat guys are on the money is that Alex's play has been frustrating for both the coaching staff and FO.  Ditto the receivers.  Two problems can exist at the same time.  Even D. Hall who is close with the FO and is typically selling sunshine has been negative on Alex both on the weekend on network TV and this morning on 106.7.   I haven't listened to Doug last week but the week before that he was given a softball to sell Alex on his radio segment and he didn't run with it and instead suggested he will get better.  

 

As for Alex not being the culprit for yesterday's loss.  I agree,  I feel just as strongly about that than he's wasn't a key part of the recent win streak either.  He's been mostly "meh" to less than that.  Yesterday, I'd say he was slightly above average.  But for those who want to give him credit for wins regardless for how he moves the ball or not, they also IMO should accept him taking the blame for losses -- because the two points go hand in hand.   It can't be one thing but not the other.

 

I think the articles below maybe over the top but make a good point.  This team looks to have a formula to beat certain types of teams but it doesn't seem to work against others.  This offense hasn't really exploited bad defenses -- they've played a little better against bad defenses (like yesterday versus Atlanta, and the NY Giants) but nothing really that good either.  Next week to me might be the ultimate test for the season.  Tampa is sort of like the step child version of Atlanta.  Similar team.  Explosive passing game.  Bad run game.  Terrible passing defense.  

 

If ultimately they can't put points on terrible defenses -- the season clearly will have limits.  Good test this Sunday.  I'll be there so I hope they pass the test big time.

 

https://riggosrag.com/2018/11/05/like-not-2018-washington-redskins/

Against teams with offensive woes, Washington can control the clock and lock them down, sacrificing efficiency and explosion for downright clock dominance. But against teams with exceptional offenses, such as the Saints, or the Colts, or the Falcons, or the Buccaneers, or the Eagles, the Redskins will have to abandon the run to have a chance to keep up.

 

Furthermore, Alex Smith hasn’t shown himself to be a quarterback who can keep them in games. When the Redskins win, they gut it out. When they lose, they get humiliated. It’s not the culture. It’s just the style of play they’ve chosen in the modern NFL. Washington is proficient at the old-school method, but pit a good ground-and-pound team against a modern offense such as Atlanta, and the Falcons have more freedom, more flexibility, and thus, reign supreme.

 

So who’s to blame? Someone obviously has to be sole receiver of blame, right? No. Every win, and every loss, is a team effort. When their philosophy works, the running game remains consistent, the blocking holds true up front, the defensive line swarms opposing offenses, and the time of possession battle is won. When the philosophy doesn’t work, the running game is snuffed out quickly, Washington falls behind early, and their passing game isn’t well enough equipped to cut the deficit. It’s just how it’s going to go from now on.

 

In a way, this is a relieving revelation. So often, we fight over what the identity of the Redskins is for seventeen weeks. But now, halfway through the 2018 season, we know who they are. No more guessing.

 

https://thefandc.radio.com/articles/news/snider-redskins-are-simply-painful-tease

 

Whatever happens in the coming two months depends on the offensive line. Quarterback Alex Smith still looks dazed and confused midway into the season, emerging now and then to lead a score but with the overall consistency of watery oatmeal.

Yuck.

 

Not to overlook a poor outing by the Redskins defense that was beaten regularly. They simply can’t handle a good passer, which gives little postseason optimism should Washington make it because someone with a big arm will await.

But the offense has sputtered all too often this season and now has a banged up or makeshift line that won’t hold up for eight more games. It will be agonizing to watch as one by one the line drifts away and Washington can’t crack 20 points.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

12 hours ago, Skinsinparadise said:

ironically hoffman just addressed the subject of Bruce on twitter

 

 

 

 

By the way, I would be perfectly fine with this. I understand that Gruden hasn't wow'd anyone but there are a couple dynamics at play:

 

1) He's shown he can work here and has actually raised the bar slightly to a team that is consistently competitive and seems to have a 6-7 win floor (which sadly is a massive improvement)

 

2) It would make sense to go ahead and keep Gruden as long as you're married to Smith. Two more years of Gruden and Smith (which also aligns with the primes of Kerrigan and Williams) just seems to make sense. 

 

I'm a fan of the things lining up...it wouldn't make much sense to bring in some new coach and say "OK, we can't move on from Smith for 2 more years, so best of luck to you!" When it's time for that new coach, I'd rather him have the flexibility to say "Here's the QB I want and we may as well draft a new OL anchor because Williams is 33..."

[Skinsinparadise]

15 minutes ago, TD_washingtonredskins said:

 

By the way, I would be perfectly fine with this. I understand that Gruden hasn't wow'd anyone but there are a couple dynamics at play:

 

1) He's shown he can work here and has actually raised the bar slightly to a team that is consistently competitive and seems to have a 6-7 win floor (which sadly is a massive improvement)

 

2) It would make sense to go ahead and keep Gruden as long as you're married to Smith. Two more years of Gruden and Smith (which also aligns with the primes of Kerrigan and Williams) just seems to make sense. 

 

I'm a fan of the things lining up...it wouldn't make much sense to bring in some new coach and say "OK, we can't move on from Smith for 2 more years, so best of luck to you!" When it's time for that new coach, I'd rather him have the flexibility to say "Here's the QB I want and we may as well draft a new OL anchor because Williams is 33..."

 

I am with you on most of this point.  I am ok with Jay.  He's not perfect or even great but IMO he's good.  And I like stability with the position.  My issue is Bruce.  But the one thing I'll give to the growing number of Jay haters, I see them moving on if they don't make the playoffs, and I don't think its that crazy if they did so.  I think Jay is given a bad hand and coaching this team isn't easy.  I've been on the rodeo many times about how the HC is the problem and the next regime will fix it all.  We revise the scheme and roster.  We are told to be patient again and it will take time.  Rinse and repeat.

 

Where I depart is the Jay and Alex drill are intertwined. Though, you attack it with a different angle -- the salary.  I know you aren't making the point this way but some others are making the point about defending Alex and his style of play where the give off the vibe that Jay/FO probably agrees with them -- since its so matter of fact so why wouldn't they -- especially since they made the trade?  I got the logic.   But, I don't get that impression at all.  That's why I keep hammering this point.  I don't get the impression that Jay or Doug are pleased with what they see.  I believe that to the degree that it wouldn't shock me to see Colt at the end of the season if it goes south.   It seemed outlandish to say we'd see Rex at the end of the McNabb season but it did go down.  And that season too we got mixed messages publicly from Shanny -- some good things said about McNabb some bad things but nothing too harsh.  We heard privately they were frustrated.  And we know how that ended up.

 

I am still in the camp that the dude will improve.  But since we got some people insisting that he's played better than people give him credit for and deserves major credit for their wins -- it sort of forces me into being more of a naysayer on Alex because I don't agree even a whit with that angle.   And it sounds like my position is likely similar to Jay's and Doug's which is the dude hasn't been good but we are hoping that better is coming. 

 

Sorry for the tangent and back to your angle (as opposed to angle made by others), I think a new head coach if he wanted out would trigger the clause before the start of the 2019 season -- eating the 2019 cap hit but getting out of the rest of the contract at the same time.

 

[BatteredFanSyndrome]

14 minutes ago, Sandy Monk said:

 

It's just easier to focus all the anger and frustration on 1 target. 

 

This day and age of Fantasy Football and media-driven slop, it's all about the QBs. Save us great QBs. All by yourselves, save our team and season from demise! Even if you have been prior labeled a guy that can't carry and save us, do it anyway, or we hate you!

 

? 

 

Of course, if other QBs don't save the day, they get a plethora of outside excuses for why that is.. but not your very own QB that you didn't like or want in the first place. 

This all coming from a guy who follows Alex Smith around the league, to the extent he creates a Redskins-related screenname, poses as a Redskins fan, hopelessly defends Alex Smith throughout the summer, gets smoked out as an AlexStan 49ers "fan", and the list goes on.

 

So yeah, I'm not surprised you don't like people talking about great QB play or fantasy football numbers. 

 

Please stop acting like all the sudden folks are riled up about Smith's ineptitude after yesterday.  Yesterday was just more of the same but Mr. All-he-does-is-win didn't win this time.  If you don't like folks accurately critiquing this lame quarterback you weirdly fancy enough to do all the stuff I mentioned at the top of my post, it's probably best to just log off for a while.

 

That said, there is some semblance of truth to what you're saying, although you're only motive for saying it is based on being an Alex apologist.  Sure, guys like Cowherd and the like love to do the whole QB wins arguments and the like to rile people up.  It is absolutely stupid to believe these guys just carry awful teams to victory very often.  It's fairy tale stuff.  But there is a lot of valid criticism on Alex as a QB has nothing to do with expecting him to carry a team.  Making these arguments about yesterday's game only dilutes the discussion that has been taking place well before yesterday.

[Sandy Monk]

6 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

it sort of forces me into being more of a naysayer on Alex

 

no way! 

 

? 

2 minutes ago, BatteredFanSyndrome said:

  But there is a lot of valid criticism on Alex as a QB has nothing to do with expecting him to carry a team. 

 

I agree and then I disagree. 

[Skinsinparadise]

20 minutes ago, Sandy Monk said:

 

no way! 

 

? 

 

 

Yep, I recall from the off season before you were smoked out from someone on the Chiefs board as one who follows Alex wherever he goes -- to recall the quote "i am no friend of Alex Smith and i am being dishonest with my true feelings about him or something like that."  Then you mildly apologized to me later thanking me for having patience with you in spite of that context. 

 

For those that missed why I was no "friend of Alex Smith".  If you go back to that thread, I posted a litany of positive things i've heard about Alex including you tube videos interviews that were glowing.  But, alas, i also posted the bad stuff I heard too from people who covered the dude in KC among other places.  And even worse, I stuck with the Alex is good but not great -- so I wasn't high on the parade.

 

The irony is there were people on that thread and we got a lot more of them now who were actually harsh saying Alex is mediocre to less than that (me not among them).  I went back and reread some of that thread for giggles.  I saw a post early on from you where you said more or less look hey we as fans can complain that they didn't go get a rookie but hey our FO got us Alex so lets ride with that hand and see where it goes.   Then some of the critics of Alex then are hammering him now.  Ironically, I wasn't one of them -- i was a critic of the trade but not a big critic of Alex the player.  In today's terms, that would make me a relative Alex homer.  Then, I gather it made me a hater.   

 

Hopefully the dude plays better.  In spite of what some of the Alex homers might think, I am not (neither do I think any other here is either) rooting for him to play poorly.  And actually I didn't think he played poorly yesterday.  But if the dude is going to get what i think is unfair credit (and I notice you like everyone's posts who credits him that way) for wins -- it goes with the turf that he should get blamed for losses, too.  I personally don't think that way.  But for those who are stuck on that argument they should be able to take how it works on both ends-- not just the positive. Otherwise the logic falls completely flat IMO -- I think the logic is flat as is but definitely comes off phony if there is an excuse for his play when they lose but if he doesn't play hot when they win, the play is justified. 

 

[TD_washingtonredskins]

24 minutes ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

I am with you on most of this point.  I am ok with Jay.  He's not perfect or even great but IMO he's good.  And I like stability with the position.  My issue is Bruce.  But the one thing I'll give to the growing number of Jay haters, I see them moving on if they don't make the playoffs, and I don't think its that crazy if they did so.  I think Jay is given a bad hand and coaching this team isn't easy.  I've been on the rodeo many times about how the HC is the problem and the next regime will fix it all.  We revise the scheme and roster.  We are told to be patient again and it will take time.  Rinse and repeat.

 

Where I depart is the Jay and Alex drill are intertwined. Though, you attack it with a different angle -- the salary.  I know you aren't making the point this way but some others are making the point about defending Alex and his style of play where the give off the vibe that Jay/FO probably agrees with them -- since its so matter of fact so why wouldn't they -- especially since they made the trade?  I got the logic.   But, I don't get that impression at all.  That's why I keep hammering this point.  I don't get the impression that Jay or Doug are pleased with what they see.  I believe that to the degree that it wouldn't shock me to see Colt at the end of the season if it goes south.   It seemed outlandish to say we'd see Rex at the end of the McNabb season but it did go down.  And that season too we got mixed messages publicly from Shanny -- some good things said about McNabb some bad things but nothing too harsh.  We heard privately they were frustrated.  And we know how that ended up.

 

I am still in the camp that the dude will improve.  But since we got some people insisting that he's played better than people give him credit for and deserves major credit for their wins -- it sort of forces me into being more of a naysayer on Alex because I don't agree even a whit with that angle.   And it sounds like my position is likely similar to Jay's and Doug's which is the dude hasn't been good but we are hoping that better is coming. 

 

Sorry for the tangent and back to your angle (as opposed to angle made by others), I think a new head coach if he wanted out would trigger the clause before the start of the 2019 season -- eating the 2019 cap hit but getting out of the rest of the contract at the same time.

 

 

This is a good post!

 

The back half of this season will set the course for the next 5 years...as crazy as it sounds, if it's 2008 Zorn-esque, I think we should consider completely tearing down the coaches and offense. There's virtually NO youth to build around on that side of the ball outside of a couple linemen and the injured RB. 

 

I'd bring in a new staff (hopefully with a new front office) and gift them with a young and rising defense, a young stud RB, and let them see what they can do with the rest of the roster. I would be fine, in that scenario, trading guys like Williams, Reed, etc. to replenish some draft picks and lean on the D for a couple years as we build a young offense.