Originally posted by paperplanemedia:
Originally posted by Faraz80:
Originally posted by paperplanemedia:
Originally posted by Faraz80:
Originally posted by Joecool:
Originally posted by paperplanemedia:
Originally posted by Faraz80:
Im gonna go out on a limb here.....for those that have been members of this forum since Alex Smith was drafted (or before), how many years has there been a similar thread to this one, blaming receivers ?
See where Im getting at....
I have been here way before Alex was drafted. I wanted us to draft Braylon Edwards because we didn't have any talented WRs. We took Alex and supported the decision but didn't want to see him starting at his young age with a horrible team around him. The following season we picked up Antonio Bryant and in 13 games started he had 40 receptions, 773 yards, 18.3 avg, a long of 72 yards, and 3 TDs. He could've had more yards and TDs if not for some dumb penalties, and was on pace for over 1000 yards if he played the whole season.
I'll see where you're getting at and raise you double.
He was not anywhere near the stats he got with Tampa the following year (1248 yards). In Tampa Bay, he started 2 more games and caught twice as many balls. That alone tells you that he was capable but was not thrown to enough while Alex was his QB.
From all your comments, Im going to assume that there has INDEED been a thread like this every year that Alex has played ball for the Niners.
Which makes you think....are ALL those receivers that played for us really to blame, or should we be taking a closer look at the common denominator here
The common denominator has been a new OC every year. Alex was not named the starter until Rattay was injured behind the horrible players around him. Correct me if I'm wrong. Didn't we go through 5 QBs that season?
What does that tell you?
What does that have to do with receivers "attacking the ball" or "dropping passes" ? Unless you're willing to concede by your comments that the receivers are not to blame, and the issue at hand is really BALL PLACEMENT by the QB; therefore, one cannot blame Alex Smith for bad balls because he went through a group of OCs nd none of them taught Alex the fundamentals of ball placement.
Am I getting this right ?
You were talking about a common denominator so I gave you my answer.
Now as far as ball placement goes even Drew Brees over threw multiple receivers last night. Drew Brees, imagine that? New OCs can definitely effect it because of the new offense being learned causing players to be in the wrong places. Up until Harbaugh and Co. came, our receivers would run routes behind defenders instead of crossing their face.
Well, I wouldnt compare Drew Brees's one game vs. an entire career of elite QB play.
I just find it hard to believe that all those offensive coordinators...you know, trained professionals that have been in the league for years...couldnt pick up something as simple as "hey, you know what guys...maybe if we ran our routes in front of defenders instead of behind them then Alex would throw perfect darts to you".
Im sorry, I just dont buy that theory. If this was a situation where Alex had a season here and there where the receivers were clearly culpable, then yeah...I agree with everything said in this thread. But if this has been a recurrent theme throughout Alex's career where we blame receivers for "not attacking the ball" or "dropped passes" or "offensive coordinators that dont know how to teach offensive fundamentals", then I think you need to look beyond all the problems (that happen to occur every year "coincidentally" regardless of coaches and personnel, including this year when Alex is in year 2 of a system with decent receivers) and start looking at the constants.