LISTEN: Are The 49ers Showing Their Hand? →

There are 274 users in the forums

Chances Harbaugh transforms ALEX SMITH into a FRANCHISE QB?

Shop Find 49ers gear online

Chances Harbaugh transforms ALEX SMITH into a FRANCHISE QB?

Jan 23, 2011 at 1:19 PM
The thing is....even if harbaugh decided that Hey I want A Smith back cause I CAN Guarantee I can make him another A Rodgers in the end Its NOT Harbaugh's call or Baalke's or even J Yorks....its Alex's call if he DOESNT want to come back he WONT
Jan 23, 2011 at 1:22 PM
Alex averaged... what? like a 95 QBR while playing under Mike Johnson. Yeah... good % that JH can get Alex into the top 10 of quarterbacks.
Jan 23, 2011 at 1:30 PM
Originally posted by TheChozen:
Originally posted by boomer49er:
I don't think Alex is as bad as he's painted by many here. I also don't think Carson Palmer is as bad as others are saying here.

There is a reason why Palmer would rather retire than return to Cinncy, it was not a good situation.

If you listen to people on this board, there's not a good QB out there besides Manning and Brady.

there is no such thing as "average", "ok", "decent", "solid", or "pretty good" on the internet. either you're a perennial record breaking pro-bowler or you suck a*s.
Jan 23, 2011 at 1:31 PM
  • sfout
  • Veteran
  • Posts: 6,442
Originally posted by adembroski:
I voted 25%...

We all know Alex Smith has the talent. We've seen moments of brilliance from him. I think the issue is time. It's late in the game for Smith.

I think if a great offensive and QBing mind had been there from day 1, Alex Smith would be one of the best in the NFL right now. That wasn't the case, and he's not.

You all know an Alex Smith in your office, or have known him. He keeps to himself early on, slowly taking things in, trying not to rock any boats. He wants to be noticed and be invited into the social world, but he doesn't push the issue. He wont jump into conversations. When being taught something, he seems confused but generally doesn't ask many questions. He comes off as slow, but you note his e-mails are impeccably intelligent.

At some point you catch him in his comfort zone. Maybe it's his favorite bar, or you have a mutual friend, and all of the sudden he's personable and boisterous, almost too friendly. You finally engage him in a conversation on a subject he knows and you finally realize he's genius level smart.

Alex Smith is this guy. He needs to be made comfortable because he doesn't possess a great deal of self-confidence until he's well schooled in what he's doing, at which point he will run with it.

This all works against Smith right now. Smith's most immediate issue right now is his mechanics, which has worsened since college. If you remember, his accuracy was the big selling point in the draft... the Nolan regime changed his mechanics and he has some terrible habits now. However, even if his mechanics are addressed and he regains his accuracy, it's going to take him 1-2 years to learn Harbaugh's offense... a memorization-heavy system. He's older, it's easier for him to understand concepts, harder to memorize.

So... Smith has the talent to be coached up, but I think it's too late in his career now.

You know why Alex does better later in games? Because we are playing from behind the coaches let him call the plays and take the reins. Alex is very talented and should succeed at his next stop but despite all this "play nice in the sandbox" talk from Harbaugh is just to drum up interest in Alex, a professional courtesy to get other teams thinking he is wanted. That way he lands on his feet somewhere.
[ Edited by sfout on Jan 23, 2011 at 1:32 PM ]
Jan 23, 2011 at 1:33 PM
Originally posted by pete98146:
Harbaugh would have his work cut out of him. Alex has NEVER been able to improve on his weaknesses since he's been with the Niners. Harbaugh would need to put Alex thru QB 101 School. Is Alex willing to completely overhaul his game? If so, there is no guarantee that Alex has the skills needed to improve.

Here are Alex's weaknesses:

1. Inability to trust his receivers. Unless a WR is wide open, Alex will not throw the ball. Instead he'll check down or roll to the right (ie death roll).

2. Poor mechanics. Alex doesn't get his hips into his throws which results in very poor accuracy. He consistantly throws high and behind his receivers.

3. Poor pocket presence. Harbaugh wants a QB that has the innate ability to slide in order to escape the pass rush (see Joe Montana/Big Ben). Alex has never developed pocket presence.

4. Leadership. Alex is a great guy but he's not the born leader that this team needs. He doesn't inspire confidence in his fellow offensive players.

5. Below average accuracy. See point #2.

I think we should scrap the Alex Smith Experiment and send him to Seattle. Let's draft Stanzi, Devlin, Dalton or Ponder instead.

best comment I have ever seen on Alex----for all of Alex getting better in some ways over the years--he has not gotten better on the above described weaknesses.
And you cannot be a franchise Super Bowl winning type QB with those kind of weaknesses.
[ Edited by sfninerfanMax on Jan 23, 2011 at 1:36 PM ]
Jan 23, 2011 at 1:37 PM
Originally posted by BobS:
I see some people have been dumping Vodka in their breakfast orange juice.

Morning screwdrivers!
Jan 23, 2011 at 1:42 PM
Originally posted by Godsleftsock:
Originally posted by BobS:
I see some people have been dumping Vodka in their breakfast orange juice.

Morning screwdrivers!

Jan 23, 2011 at 2:17 PM
  • susweel
  • Hall of Nepal
  • Posts: 120,278
Man, f**k Alex Smith and all these damn Smith threads.

I can't wait for the day when that loser is on another team.
Jan 23, 2011 at 2:21 PM
Originally posted by adembroski:
I voted 25%...

We all know Alex Smith has the talent....

No. He doesn't have the personality or instincts to be a Franchise QB, and those can't be coached.
Jan 23, 2011 at 2:22 PM
Originally posted by thojess:
I'm just wondering if any of you guys that are getting wood for Carson Palmer have actually watched him play the last couple of seasons. Well I watched several Bengals games this season and I can tell you, Carson isn't any more accurate than Alex.

Carson had TO, Ocho, Jordan Shipley and a damn good young TE. His rating??? 82.4

Alex had Crabs (very average at this point), Morgan (mediocre at best) , and VD.. 82.1

Palmer has put up worse numbers in every successive season since 2005 (even disregarding injury season where he had a 69 rating)... Alex has improved every season.

Palmer has lost it folks. Alex is better at escaping pressure, throws less interceptions, is younger, and is trending upwards. Do the math.

You are pointing out facts and obvious conclusions that make too much sense. You should stop that, it doesn't fit the narrative of the venom others have for Alex. Many so called football fans only blame Alex for all of our problems (very imature and laughable) and fail to place equal blame across the board.

Jan 23, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Only time will tell and I hope this team doesn't waste any more on AS.
[ Edited by Ronnie49Lott on Jan 23, 2011 at 2:28 PM ]
Jan 23, 2011 at 2:27 PM
Originally posted by susweel:
I have a better chance at being the franchise qb then Alex does.

No you dont.
Jan 23, 2011 at 2:31 PM
It has been instructive watching the GB-CHI game. Not taking anything away from Rodgers, but Aikman said he played behind a "good OL." Their scheme and receivers result in WRs getting open, and I mean open, with Aaron having the time to wait for them to get open. It would be a pretty poor QB to not hit them. Yes, I do believe Alex could play pretty well with those plays, OL and receivers.
Jan 23, 2011 at 2:45 PM
  • ZRF80
  • Member
  • Posts: 13,551
Originally posted by excelsior:
It has been instructive watching the GB-CHI game. Not taking anything away from Rodgers, but Aikman said he played behind a "good OL." Their scheme and receivers result in WRs getting open, and I mean open, with Aaron having the time to wait for them to get open. It would be a pretty poor QB to not hit them. Yes, I do believe Alex could play pretty well with those plays, OL and receivers.


Rodgers has played behind a bad oline as well, and produced similar results. And NO, SMith has never in his career demonstrated that he can play well consistently. Nice try though........
Jan 23, 2011 at 3:33 PM
Gee, Rodgers kind of fell apart during the remainder of the GB-CHI game. I wonder what was going on.
Search
YouTube
Flipboard
Threads
×
Share 49ersWebzone