Originally posted by dj43:
Originally posted by Shaj:
Originally posted by dj43:
Originally posted by ZRF80:
Originally posted by dj43:
Originally posted by mickey49:
Originally posted by SybErkRimInAL:
sometimes, the defense gives you one on one. Sometimes you gotta take a chance. Smith rarely does. Also depends on the situations. if it's 3rd and 10, you're down by 3 TD's, you don't check it down for a 2 yard gain.
Thank you! This has been one of the biggest problems with Smith's game. He is so risk-averse, that it actually becomes a bigger risk than taking shots down the field, because you're just not moving the ball. I'm sure defenses get giddy when they see all those check downs...
Rod Brooks was confirming today that all during the OTAs and pre-season, Jimmy Raye was drilling it into his head that he had 3 seconds to get rid of the ball. If the first choice wasn't there, check it down but DO NOT take a chance on turning the ball over. Smith has been being a good soldier. Let's hope the new general will put guys in position so that he can take some shots down the field and give his teammates a chance to make some plays.
It was too bad Smith never had a chance to play in the Martz offense. Martz said Smith was ready to take over the week he re-injured his shoulder. It would have been interesting.
But again, somewhere along the line "instincts" have to take over. I have no problem with Alex's "good guy" mentality. He's helluva person off the field, and does everything he is told from a coaching perspective. But comeon.....your team is down by 2 TDs........you have a 2nd and 20 deep inside your own territory, and you opt for a 5 yard dink because "thats what my coach taught me" ?
You dont find anything wrong with that ? 
What I find wrong is the same thing I have been saying all season, THE SCHEME IS WRONG AND THE PERSONNEL IS WRONG!!! You can throw the ball down the field if you don't have a receiver even running down the field much less getting open.
The 49er wide receivers are NOT GOOD. Morgan is a starter because he is a very good downfield blocker. Crabtree is starting because he was paid a lot of money, not because he is good. Ziegler is behind Crabtree which tells us how good he is. Ted Ginn was given a cup of stale coffee and a day old donut while he waited by the phone in Miami for a phone call from the 49ers, the only team that was willing to give him a shot.
Instead of Brian Westbrook in the game, a guy who can get open, we have Moran Norris. ETC., ETC....
Those are very encouraging things to consider if you are the QB.
agree with all of that, but how does that fix Smith's propensity to be inaccurate, have poor downfield reads, show little to no leadership, and demonstrate poor mechanics?
Good questions.
First of all, his mechanics are much better this year than in the past. Mike Johnson has done a very good job changing his release point and his footwork. Mechanics are no longer an issue, IMO.
Leadership is a function of KNOWING the scheme is junk and no amount of "leadership" among the team is going to cover that up. I believe Smith is bright enough to know that he would appear a fool in his teammates eyes if he were to try to say, "hang in there. It will all work out." He isn't going to act the fool in order to try to get teammates to buy what Raye was cooking.
I don't know what his reads are but he has been much better going through his progressions this year than in the past. The problem is, Raye coached him to get rid of the ball in 3 seconds. That does not allow a receiver to get open in a lot of cases.
Accuracy is an issue and it is also a function of the confidence the QB has in the receiver to be where he is supposed to go. Also confidence in the OL to engage the DL so they do not get their hands up to knock down passes.
As most will know about me, I am VERY big on the impact that coaches can have on the players. If it is creative, fun, and it keeps the defense on their heels, everybody works harder and wins just happen. OTOH, these last three weeks have shown what happens when things are dull and boring. One of the greatest immeasurables, and something Bill Walsh talked about a lot, was the relationship the coaches had with the players, particularly the QB and his position coach and WRs' coach. Walsh spent a great deal of time developing that entire package, something Singletary appears to have done little at all other than Smith/Johnson, which kind of ran on its own.
you are good with words, in the same way that Obama can give a speech about the economy and leave you thinking we're well on our way to economic recovery and he's doing all the right things.
Remember this: we are measuring the results and not the process. If you want to go by personal and team results, Smith has got to be in the top 10 list of biggest #1 overall QB busts in the last quarter century if not NFL history. The fact that he's still a starter is a reflection of our management ineptitude and not his continuing performance improvement.
[ Edited by Shaj on Sep 27, 2010 at 3:06 PM ]
