Espn insider article

[tomikcon1971]

I'm not mapping a parade route.....believe me!

 

[Flyingiguana]

we're feeling REAL good about our team now, but chit happens? Alex Smith might just go back to his 'normal' and it all falls apart?

so while i don't think we'll draft top 5, it MIGHT be close?

our division sucks. i really don't see any other team winning it.

and normal? smith's development got derailed by a shoulder injury. i don't think we've even seen 'normal' yet. i'm more worried about the offensive line and now the defensive line with soap out.

 

[MHSL82]

First team to 9 wins wraps up the West. No way St. Louis can get there from 0-4, especially with their injuries and upcoming schedule. So, it's basically down to three. It's crazy to say this early but we really control our own destiny with the remaining divisional play. We go 5-1 or 6-0, we're golden.

If we can beat the Bucs this week, we'll really have a stranglehold on the division. I don't see the chickens beating the Giants in NJ and the Vikes can beat ARI.

Can't wait 'til Sunday!

Here's hoping we avenge last year's loss and McNabb avenges the fact that he lives in Arizona, was available, and was not taken by Arizona, who needed a QB.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

First team to 9 wins wraps up the West. No way St. Louis can get there from 0-4, especially with their injuries and upcoming schedule. So, it's basically down to three. It's crazy to say this early but we really control our own destiny with the remaining divisional play. We go 5-1 or 6-0, we're golden.

If we can beat the Bucs this week, we'll really have a stranglehold on the division. I don't see the chickens beating the Giants in NJ and the Vikes can beat ARI.

Can't wait 'til Sunday!

Given the injuries, the way they've been playing, and the schedule, I think the Rams will be lucky if they don't go 0-7. Their schedule is easy enough that they could still turn it around, but it's the rare team that can bounce back from that sort of adversity. The Hawks actually started to get their offense going last week, and they're always dangerous at home. I think it's a bit early to write them off. Most likely it will come down to us and Arizona, though.

 

[deep9er]

I'm not mapping a parade route.....believe me!

haaaa

 

[deep9er]

our division sucks. i really don't see any other team winning it.

and normal? smith's development got derailed by a shoulder injury. i don't think we've even seen 'normal' yet. i'm more worried about the offensive line and now the defensive line with soap out.

yeah ok, Alex Smith is playing well but by his standards, he might not even be NFL average? depends who opinionating or stat crunching? he has more decent quarters and halves now, but still not a consistant game.

certainly agree its more the O-line, felt this way before the season started. ordinarily it starts at QB but we already know his ceiling isn't high, whereas the O-line has more room to improve.

 

[49ermann]

Aldon Smith? He might not be as quick, but he's definitely as fast, if not faster than both.

Aldon Smith is fast but he's young. He hasn't developed into his body yet. In a couple of years as he grows into his frame eats an NFL diet and hits the weights he will develop more of the explosive power that you see with Freeney and Ware.

The Cowboys were looking at Aldon Smith I was questioning the pick at first. But my Cowboy fan buddies all were pissed we got him.

 

[coffeeman]

Aldon Smith is fast but he's young. He hasn't developed into his body yet. In a couple of years as he grows into his frame eats an NFL diet and hits the weights he will develop more of the explosive power that you see with Freeney and Ware.

The Cowboys were looking at Aldon Smith I was questioning the pick at first. But my Cowboy fan buddies all were pissed we got him.

Ware and Smith together? Ouch...That would have hurt.

 

[MHSL82]

yeah ok, Alex Smith is playing well but by his standards, he might not even be NFL average? depends who opinionating or stat crunching? he has more decent quarters and halves now, but still not a consistant game.

certainly agree its more the O-line, felt this way before the season started. ordinarily it starts at QB but we already know his ceiling isn't high, whereas the O-line has more room to improve.

Alex may not keep it up but he's playing well in general, not just by his standards. When he was getting stats and losses down towards the bottom most used that as proof that he is on the bottom of QBs, despite the system perhaps hiding his talents (a little). While I know Harbaugh has hidden some of his weaknesses, I see him being up there in stats and wins as somewhat similar proof that he's not below average. (I won't take it to say that he's the eighth best QB, yet)

I don't want to be too homerish, but I've never put a ceiling on Alex like you presume everyone has. I've put a ceiling on his performance with Nolan, to him with Singletary, etc. I'm not claiming he has a high ceiling; He may not have a high ceiling, but I don't know that and what I might consider high might be different than what you consider high. Is it relative to NFL history or current QBs? Does it have to be high play without team help? He may not in and of himself be elite, but his play statistically and winwise may end up being elite. Where the credit/blame lie may also be quite different.

I normally don't say anything because none of us are claiming he is great or will be great, but many constantly talk about how he may have hit his ceiling or that it's clear where his ceiling is, despite saying there will be improvement as well as improvement due to the rest of the team improving. No one that I know except maybe Kinzu has desputed it, so I just wanted to put my two cents in. I will try to assess where his ceiling with Harbaugh at the end of this year, when he's had all the tools that he should/could have had from the beginning/earlier. He has improved with improved coaching, improved cast, and improved playcalling. I want to see if there's a later epipheny (sp.?). I'm not hoping and betting, just waiting to see.

 

[deep9er]

Alex may not keep it up but he's playing well in general, not just by his standards. When he was getting stats and losses down towards the bottom most used that as proof that he is on the bottom of QBs, despite the system perhaps hiding his talents (a little). While I know Harbaugh has hidden some of his weaknesses, I see him being up there in stats and wins as somewhat similar proof that he's not below average. (I won't take it to say that he's the eighth best QB, yet)

I don't want to be too homerish, but I've never put a ceiling on Alex like you presume everyone has. I've put a ceiling on his performance with Nolan, to him with Singletary, etc. I'm not claiming he has a high ceiling; He may not have a high ceiling, but I don't know that and what I might consider high might be different than what you consider high. Is it relative to NFL history or current QBs? Does it have to be high play without team help? He may not in and of himself be elite, but his play statistically and winwise may end up being elite. Where the credit/blame lie may also be quite different.

I normally don't say anything because none of us are claiming he is great or will be great, but many constantly talk about how he may have hit his ceiling or that it's clear where his ceiling is, despite saying there will be improvement as well as improvement due to the rest of the team improving. No one that I know except maybe Kinzu has desputed it, so I just wanted to put my two cents in. I will try to assess where his ceiling with Harbaugh at the end of this year, when he's had all the tools that he should/could have had from the beginning/earlier. He has improved with improved coaching, improved cast, and improved playcalling. I want to see if there's a later epipheny (sp.?). I'm not hoping and betting, just waiting to see.

the high end of my ceiling is likely very close to the low end of yours.....if you had one? ie don't think all of the above was necessary if were at the same point?

yeah, i'm happy he's playing like he's playing cause thought he'd need 2-3 games. but will continue to feel he's near his ceiling, he'll reach his ceiling by being more consistent over an entire game. actually, don't think he'll get there but thats the goal.

obviously, as the other around him get better (ie O-line), it'll allow him to get better statwise. but IMO, this last game is near his ceiling for passing yards.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Ware and Smith together? Ouch...That would have hurt.

And Spencer isn't exactly a slouch.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

the high end of my ceiling is likely very close to the low end of yours.....if you had one? ie don't think all of the above was necessary if were at the same point?

yeah, i'm happy he's playing like he's playing cause thought he'd need 2-3 games. but will continue to feel he's near his ceiling, he'll reach his ceiling by being more consistent over an entire game. actually, don't think he'll get there but thats the goal.

obviously, as the other around him get better (ie O-line), it'll allow him to get better statwise. but IMO, this last game is near his ceiling for passing yards.

I don't really get a "ceiling" for passing yards. Other than the 3rd quarter, we didn't really pass in this one, and he put up nearly 300 yards. In this offense, when we get Edwards back and if we ever actually open it up over four quarters (not saying that we will or should), I think Smith could put up a lot of yards. That said, if we went one-dimensional in terms of passing, teams would probably adjust to that in ways that they have not to date, so who knows?

Smith is somewhat limited in terms of arm strength. He can make most of the throws, but he still doesn't drive the deep ball the way I'd like to see. That said, the same thing was said of Brees and Brady early in their careers, and they're two of the more dangerous downfield passers in the league today. I'm interested to see what happens with Smith as the season progresses. I'm not holding my breath that he'll continue to improve or even continue to play as well as he has (I wouldn't be terribly surprised with more turnovers), but there's really no way of knowing right now. We're in fairly uncharted territory.

 

[deep9er]

I don't really get a "ceiling" for passing yards. Other than the 3rd quarter, we didn't really pass in this one, and he put up nearly 300 yards. In this offense, when we get Edwards back and if we ever actually open it up over four quarters (not saying that we will or should), I think Smith could put up a lot of yards. That said, if we went one-dimensional in terms of passing, teams would probably adjust to that in ways that they have not to date, so who knows?

Smith is somewhat limited in terms of arm strength. He can make most of the throws, but he still doesn't drive the deep ball the way I'd like to see. That said, the same thing was said of Brees and Brady early in their careers, and they're two of the more dangerous downfield passers in the league today. I'm interested to see what happens with Smith as the season progresses. I'm not holding my breath that he'll continue to improve or even continue to play as well as he has (I wouldn't be terribly surprised with more turnovers), but there's really no way of knowing right now. We're in fairly uncharted territory.

when i use 'ceiling', i'm trying to say the same thing you said in bold. using 'ceiling' is likely inappropriate cause he may just have a game over 300 yards passing? not many, but eventually one or two?

but basically, what you said in bold is what i'm getting at.

 

[imac_21]

when i use 'ceiling', i'm trying to say the same thing you said in bold. using 'ceiling' is likely inappropriate cause he may just have a game over 300 yards passing? not many, but eventually one or two?

but basically, what you said in bold is what i'm getting at.

Are we seriously going to measure a QB's ceiling by how many yards he throws for? I guess Cam Newton is going to the Hall of Fame. Why'd we ever cut Tim Rattay? He threw for 417 yards once.

 

[BallsOfFury]

There's something called 'offensive efficiency', which is how the 9ers have been able to win 3 (and almost 4) games with some of the lowest offensive yardage totals in the NFL. Harbaugh's sharp and experienced enough to understand that's more important than putting up big stats. At this point I'd rather have Alex's passing stats and our record than than those of Cam Newton, who has lost each time he's passed for 400+. I don't care about theoretical 'ceilings', I care about "W's".