After going 5-0, leading the league in multiple passing categories and playing his best football, Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs are the biggest disappointments in the NFL.
So it turns out that the Kansas City Chiefs are among the worst teams in the NFL at the moment, in what has been one of the worst declines in Chiefs history. They aren’t spiraling down hill but rather taking an elevator straight to the bottom.
Definition of quarterback
1: an offensive player in football who lines up behind the center, calls the signals, and directs the offensive play of the team
2: one who directs and leads
Always known as a great game manager, Alex Smith can no longer manage games. He has directed the Chiefs to five losses in six games. He’s lead the Chiefs to one touchdown in the last nine quarters of play. He’s thrown four interceptions in the last three games after throwing none in the first eight.
Smith has had rough patches in the past no doubt, but this season brings a unique ingredient in Patrick Mahomes, a viable option as a backup quarterback. Alex Smith isn’t the only problem the Kansas City Chiefs are having. There are plenty of places to point a finger. Smith could be the only problem that is fixable however.
The play calling has been atrocious. Smith doesn’t call the plays, however he does have the ability to read a defense and audible to a better play, which isn’t being done. The plays being called are so telegraphed there simply is no way to matriculate down the field.
Kareem Hunt is a weekly non factor now, and he can’t take the blame for it. Name a Hall of Fame running back that could make something happen when the defender is at his throat before he has the ball, every snap. Fundamentals my dear offensive line, fundamentals.
The defense hasn’t been well for the majority of the season, but has been playing its best ball the last two weeks. The defense must take the blame for their share of the Chiefs struggles.
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No more excuses
Smith has always been a talented quarterback, and he has been a huge part of the turnaround for the Chiefs. He has always been a quarterback that didn’t lose the game, even if he didn’t win it. That can not be said anymore.
In 12 weeks, we have seen three Alex Smiths’. The new Smith that threw darts downfield and completed almost every snap. The old Smith that dinked and dunked, and did enough to win. And then the Smith we see now, the garbage Smith.
Yes, the garbage Smith. If you’ve watched the Chiefs play lately, you can’t be honest and say he hasn’t looked bad. He hasn’t even looked ok. He looks like a quarterback that will win you some games, but forget about playoff success. He’s scared in the pocket, his accuracy has faded and he’s missing wide open targets.
Of course the below average play of the offensive line plays a role here, but Alex is having a hard time even being Alex right now. Patrick Mahomes doesn’t need to be great if he gets an opportunity, he needs to only be as good as Alex Smith. In that case you aren’t even asking much from the rookie. If Mahomes was drafted to be the future, Smith has done opened that portal. The experience Mahomes would get finishing out the season would benefit the Kansas City Chiefs going into the 2018 season.
A popular topic against benching Smith is the damage it would do to his trade value. That is neither here nor there, as his trade value has all but disappeared. Alex Smith is who we thought he was. He’s good enough to win games, good enough for a community to fall in love with, but not good enough to play at this level.
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If you read this far then please understand that I am aware of the play calling fallacies. That has nothing to do with Smith going down field or targeting the open receiver. The defense has been horrible indeed, but they’ve held their own the last two games.
Half of those who called me crazy, stupid, and delusional two weeks ago had changed their mind by last week, likewise after the Bills loss, another percentage of fans and professionals will jump on board.Keep in mind if the Chiefs lose next week and the Chargers and Raiders win, the Chiefs are in third place in the AFC West.