Originally posted by itlynstalyn:
Originally posted by krizay:
Originally posted by DaNiners:
CAN ANYONE UNDERSTAND THAT THE TEXANS DID NOT GAME PLAN FOR SMITH!!! Please stop acting like one game makes Smith a franchise QB. I was there, he was great, so what? He showed the same promise that 90% of the backups who take over during a blowout game show. Then, when they start the next game they look like crap. Really, the football IQ of the people in these posts is mind-blowing. Let's just see how Smith does in the next three games before we decide he is the answer to our problems (which include many others). Usually, QB's which have proven nothing for five years do not suddenly become a franchise QB. Does not mean it cannot happen, but it usually does not work out that way. In fact, outside of Warner, who else has failed for several years, to suddenly become a franchise QB (and don't even mention He's Done Nothing Yet, Tony Romo).
I agree! I tried to post something along those lines a couple times yesterday. but the thread would get locked by the time I hit post.
However, I still feel like he finally gets it. Only time will tell obviously. 2 of his 4 biggest problems( imo) looked fixed yesterday. Pocket presence and accuracy. Neither of those have anything to do with the defensive gameplan.
The other 2 things that bothers me about him is... He still lacks that touch. Everything still seems to be on a rope with very little loft. Which decreases your margin for error. It especially hurts him when trying to throw to RB's on swing passes. Which can be the difference in a 1st down on 3 and 5 or a punt.
The other thing that bothers me is how when he leaves the pocket. He automatically tucks the ball. Doesn't keep his eyes down the field nor is he ready to throw if someone breaks free. Tucking the ball like that also has potential to make his receivers think he's running so they give up trying to get open and work back to him. so instead of a potential big play we get what he can with his legs.
Either way we definitely seen an improved Alex Smith yesterday. Will he get it done once he is being gameplanned against? Only time will tell.
The second touchdown pass to Davis had plenty of touch on it and he laid it right between two defenders. Most of his passes yesterday were right on the money and gunned right into the receiver.
He was flushed outside of the pocket on more than one occasion and I definitely saw him roll away and throw the ball away out of bounds at least twice. He tucked twice, and that is when he saw no one open down the field. I believe he ran for a first down on the last drive also.
The thing about Smith is he is a lot more decisive in going through his reads and much more confident in the talent around him. I didn't seem him make very many bad passes yesterday. The one to Gore was bad, but ended up working out anyway because he would have been tackled and the clock would have continued to run. I think the interception is debatable. It looks like he got hit as he threw and didn't get a chance to follow through. The ball definitely came out awkwardly.
Well the first poster really misses what most of have seen Smith struggle with over the last 4 years and he showed lots of promise yesterday overcoming those weaknesses. Dropback in the pocket, aligning his shoulders properly while using his footwork in the pocket, his release not as slow, his footwork was so much better as he didn't have his typical happy feet, he is now bending his front leg on release which helps keep the ball lower since a lot of his throws have a tendency to sail.... happened a couple times yesterday but better than the lame ducks Hill was throwing.
NONE of this is saying he is the franchise QB we are yearning for but such a large improvement over the last couple of years and will say it is due to Johnson as the QB coach. Smith has said Johnson has been all over him this summer to improve his mechanics.
Now teams will have a chance to game plan for Smith but since he has more tools to bring to the table it will make any team have to expand what they have to plan for which is saying so much considering we may not see as many 8-9 men in the box especially if we continue to mix in the spread and continue to game plan on offense to use our weapons on the outside.
