Mr Smith offers?

[MHSL82]

Jim Trotter: in doing research for saints-49ers, one person close to alex smith told me seattle had a VERY strong interest in him. hadn't heard that b4.

 

[Flyingiguana]

well seattle is getting turned away like a fat boy at a prom. their choices now look like henne or smith

 

[MHSL82]

Healthy Manning is better than Smith - to get that out of the way first. Even a less than healthy Manning is. I didn't post this in the Manning thread because that looks even more like I'm trying to say the opposite. I just found these stats for big yard passes for the last three years. I don't have Mannings 2008 figures to compare. I'm sure it's on profootball.com or whatever.

We don't take a lot of shots down the field under Harbaugh and didn't with Singletary, so I don't know if other teams' defenses were just less prepared than they were against the Colts. It's a small sample size nonetheless. I only meant to put this here to show that while Manning is better than Smith, he is not the old Manning and Alex isn't as bad as some have said at the longer throws and has gotten better in most categories every year. With that said, Manning doesn't have to be the old Manning with this defense. Just bracing for the possibility Manning goes elsewhere.

Manning 2010
Pass Thrown 21-30 yds 15 of 53 28.3% (Smith 38.1 % last year, 31.6% 2010, 44% 2009)
Pass Thrown 31-40 yds 8 of 24 33.3% (Smith 50% last year, 25% 2010, 40% 2009)
Pass Thrown 41+ yds 0 of 1 0.00% (Smith 14.3% last year, 0% 2010, 50% 2009)
2009
Pass Thrown 21-30 yds 13 of 36 36.1% (Smith 38.1 % last year, 31.6% 2010, 44% 2009)
Pass Thrown 31-40 yds 6 of 24 25.0% (Smith 50% last year, 25% 2010, 40% 2009)
Pass Thrown 41+ yds 1 of 3 33.3% (Smith 14.3% last year, 0% 2010, 50% 2009

 

[MHSL82]

well seattle is getting turned away like a fat boy at a prom. their choices now look like henne or smith

I think Smith was always on their list if they knew he wasn't a shoe-in for resigning. Didn't Henne sign with the Jaguars and Flynn's still a live possibility for them?

 

[Flyingiguana]

I think Smith was always on their list if they knew he wasn't a shoe-in for resigning. Didn't Henne sign with the Jaguars and Flynn's still a live possibility for them?

o henne signed? rumors are flynn is going to miami, so that leaves seattle SOL, and no that doesn't stand for smith out of luck

 

[clyde_carbon]

what did smth have to do with the interior line not being able to get any push? goodwin and snyder were not good last year. pass rushers went unblocked many times as well.

the saints made adjustments midseason to minimize their weaknesses on the outside.

move davis inside and we'll see a much better interior line and less pockets getting blown up from the inside out. i think boone is a bit more capable of handling the outside. adding someone like konz would turn our line into a top 10 unit if he lives up to the hype of being a 1st round centre

Making pre snap reads and adjustments. A good QB knows where the pass rush is coming from and will make adjustments for the OL to make the right blocks. That's not to say that OL didn't miss reads themselves, but a good QB who recognizes defenses efficiently will make up for a lot of that. Also a QB who's a quick decision maker makes an OL fresher, and a QB with great pocket presence will side step and maneuver within the pocket to beat pass-rushers even if an OL misses. Alex is neither of these things.

I really think you're underestimating what a good QB can do to an offense.

And no, Alex isn't that good QB. Sorry to break your heart.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Its not a good defense, it's the best defense, a defense like this comes along once a decade and you dont waste it an untested unknown rookie when we were you know how close to making it to the Super Bowl. It really is asinine to think that's a good idea.

Turning the reins over to Peyton... I could see that. Turning it over to the as-yet-to-ever-have-played Kaepernick? Nuts.

So the Ravens should've never tried to replace Trent Dilfer after winning a SB with them?

 

[Flyingiguana]

Making pre snap reads and adjustments. A good QB knows where the pass rush is coming from and will make adjustments for the OL to make the right blocks. That's not to say that OL didn't miss reads themselves, but a good QB who recognizes defenses efficiently will make up for a lot of that. Also a QB who's a quick decision maker makes an OL fresher, and a QB with great pocket presence will side step and maneuver within the pocket to beat pass-rushers even if an OL misses. Alex is neither of these things.

I really think you're underestimating what a good QB can do to an offense.

And no, Alex isn't that good QB. Sorry to break your heart.

so the line can't block because smith failed to make the proper pre snap calls? what's the center doing during this time?

 

[RedneckNiner]

Iguana The QB and the center generally make the line calls, however the center is looking down and might not see everything. Or the QB may override him. Manning and Brady both are some of the best at reading the defense an knowing where the rush is coming from. Alex is good at playing it safe. Manning is good at knowing where the unblocked man is coming from, and making a quick decision to audible, call a line shift or flick it to a hot read in a hurry. Other factors Alex likes to wait until the receiver breaks open. Manning throws receivers open which means he holds the ball less. Meaning the rush has less time to get there. Alex was a lot better last year and I give him respect for that. But Manning will make the whole oline better because he has a quicker release, better instincts and better football knowledge. Its the OLine and QB working in tandem that produces results. And I do defend Alex he has gone from crappy to average. He has gone from losing games, to not losing them. He lead a few comebacks last year, but again he was able to lead them because not only did the defense hold but the defense held and gave them favorable field position. And to his credit he was able to perform when neeeded. What he still lacks is the confidence to throw it into tight coverage and because of that the Niners got field goals instead of touchdowns a lot.

 

[clyde_carbon]

so the line can't block because smith failed to make the proper pre snap calls? what's the center doing during this time?

Sometimes, yes. Sometimes it's because Alex failed to read where the defense is bringing the blitz from, or it's because Alex couldn't make a read and pass quick enough, or sometimes it's because Alex couldn't side step or maneuver around a pass-rusher, or sometimes it's because an OL got beat or missed a block.

I'm not saying the OL is perfect or that it's all Alex's fault, but there's no question that a QB that knows how to control the LOS and is pocket savvy makes an OL look that much better.

 

[maniax]

If Seattle is so interested in Alex Smith, how come they have not called him in for a visit?

They brought in Henne, and Seattle was going after Peyton for a while as well.

With Alex Smith sitting their wanking off, why doesn't Seattle call his agent and fly him out for a visit? Unless Alex Smith rejected them secretly. But even if he was rejecting them don't you think you would have heard of something in the media? Alex should have taken 3 years $24M with no hesitation if you ask me.

To me, the 49ers - Manning - Alex Smith drama is the most interesting story of this free agent season.

 

[MHSL82]

Iguana The QB and the center generally make the line calls, however the center is looking down and might not see everything. Or the QB may override him. Manning and Brady both are some of the best at reading the defense an knowing where the rush is coming from. Alex is good at playing it safe. Manning is good at knowing where the unblocked man is coming from, and making a quick decision to audible, call a line shift or flick it to a hot read in a hurry. Other factors Alex likes to wait until the receiver breaks open. Manning throws receivers open which means he holds the ball less. Meaning the rush has less time to get there. Alex was a lot better last year and I give him respect for that. But Manning will make the whole oline better because he has a quicker release, better instincts and better football knowledge. Its the OLine and QB working in tandem that produces results. And I do defend Alex he has gone from crappy to average. He has gone from losing games, to not losing them. He lead a few comebacks last year, but again he was able to lead them because not only did the defense hold but the defense held and gave them favorable field position. And to his credit he was able to perform when neeeded. What he still lacks is the confidence to throw it into tight coverage and because of that the Niners got field goals instead of touchdowns a lot.

For this comparison (Manning v. Smith) it's irrelevant because both QBs take snaps from the shotgun, but in general, does the center have more responsibility to read the defense when the QB is under center and converesly less when the QB is in shotgun. Both times the center is in the same place and has the same vantage point, but the QB in shotgun has longer and wider view to read the defense; disguised defenses have to wait longer to switch.

This, of course, does not shift all the responsibility to the QB but it may be a factor. One might say, give both full responsibility every time, but then there still are different reads (interpretations), miscommunication (common claim for Alex), and perhaps if you take some responsibility away from the center he can block better? The QB knows the playbook better presumably and is calculating where everyone will be on offense and defense, whereas the center is focused mainly on the defense. This, of course, is not static. Manning does it better than Smith regardless of whether it is too much to put it on the QB. I'm less about blame and more about reality - who gives us a better chance? I think that's pretty clear unless Manning comes out rusty and then gets injured.

 

[MHSL82]

If Seattle is so interested in Alex Smith, how come they have not called him in for a visit?

They brought in Henne, and Seattle was going after Peyton for a while as well.

With Alex Smith sitting their wanking off, why doesn't Seattle call his agent and fly him out for a visit? Unless Alex Smith rejected them secretly. But even if he was rejecting them don't you think you would have heard of something in the media? Alex should have taken 3 years $24M with no hesitation if you ask me.

To me, the 49ers - Manning - Alex Smith drama is the most interesting story of this free agent season.

This came out yesterday, I'd give them time. Most penciled, no inked, Alex resigning so it was pointless before. Now, they have to evaluate. Obviously, if Alex were better the evaluation would go quicker, but I wouldn't see this as a sign that they are not interested. Plus, Alex may have told them no under previous circumstances. And, Alex may be switching agents. Alex may still want to be here until he has no chance here. It still is his best choice and I don't think the Niners will react much to Seattle, and Alex probably knows this? Why push now if it's fruitless and you may come back. Seattle's not going anywhere. If they get Flynn, it's probably more than what they'd give Alex and a little bit irrelevant. So yes, it says something that Alex is not preferred over an unknown, but doesn't preclude interest.

As for him taking the deal, I think it's all about the guaranteed money, not the fluff that he cares about. Plus, I think he trusted his agent and his agent had reason to think the interest in Manning was low. I don't blame him for not taking a deal that would make Kaep that much easier to get to when his agent and the media didn't see Manning as a threat. If his agent did, Alex may be mad at him a bit, but I suppose it's forward thinking not past resentment for wanting to switch agents.

 

[iHATEdodgers]

So the Ravens should've never tried to replace Trent Dilfer after winning a SB with them?

Wow, it's Saint Patrick's Day so I'm gonna chalk that one up to you being drunk passed out in a bathroom in some seedy bar. The situation with the Ravens is in no meaningful way comparable to what we've got going here but just for fun...

Two Points:

1) You evidently believe the myth that Trent Dilfer from the year 2000 was comparable to Alex Smith in the year 2011.

Dilfer: GS 8 Comp% 59.3 Yards 1,502 TD 12 INT 11 INT% 4.9 Y/A 6.6 QBR 76.6
Smith: GS 16 Comp% 61.3 Yards 3,144 TD 17 INT 5 INT% 1.1 Y/A 7.1 QBR 90.7

Beyond the stats... Dilfer wasn't even their Starting QB at the start of the season he was a fill-in who was lucky he was filling in on one of those once-in-a-decade defenses. And he didn't even play all that well - totally relied upon the D. Entirely different situation with Smith - he played much better than Dilfer ever could have and he orchestrated 6 comebacks so despite what anyone might say he had plenty to do with the 13-3 record we all just witnessed.

2) How'd that whole getting rid of Dilfer thing work out for them? Boller? Boller? Boller?

In closing, if you must compare the 2000 Ravens to the current 49ers, then you should do so in this context: Man did you see what happened to the Ravens after they won that Super Bowl and cut Dilfer? They haven't won shit since and it was a QB carousel for 6 years before they finally found somebody who didn't totally suck balls. I hope the Niners don't waste a once-in-a-decade defense on the hopes that some rookie QB can handle the NFL, that would be stupid!

 

[iHATEdodgers]

Iguana The QB and the center generally make the line calls, however the center is looking down and might not see everything. Or the QB may override him. Manning and Brady both are some of the best at reading the defense an knowing where the rush is coming from. Alex is good at playing it safe. Manning is good at knowing where the unblocked man is coming from, and making a quick decision to audible, call a line shift or flick it to a hot read in a hurry. Other factors Alex likes to wait until the receiver breaks open. Manning throws receivers open which means he holds the ball less. Meaning the rush has less time to get there. Alex was a lot better last year and I give him respect for that. But Manning will make the whole oline better because he has a quicker release, better instincts and better football knowledge. Its the OLine and QB working in tandem that produces results. And I do defend Alex he has gone from crappy to average. He has gone from losing games, to not losing them. He lead a few comebacks last year, but again he was able to lead them because not only did the defense hold but the defense held and gave them favorable field position. And to his credit he was able to perform when neeeded. What he still lacks is the confidence to throw it into tight coverage and because of that the Niners got field goals instead of touchdowns a lot.

This is a good post, but I would argue that Smith showed plenty of confidence throwing into tight coverage against Norleans. I think the issue is did he have the confidence to throw to Ginn, Crabtree (early on, and then in the playoffs), Edwards, even Gore for most of the season, anyone but Davis or Walker and Morgan early on - and based on what I saw he was right to have little to no confidence throwing to most of those guys. I'd definitely be interested to see what he can do with Moss and Mannigham... but it would also be interesting to see what Manning could do with them.

 

[RedneckNiner]

Dodgers I would agree in the New Orleans game but then again in the Giants game he looke tentative. Maybe it is my percepthion but Smith seems to play better when the Niners are behind. When they are ahea or really close he gets tentative. In close games where they were holding small leads or behind less than a field goal he seemed to play not to lose. Against New Orleans those last two drives he looked like someone who finally played to win. Just my perception. Either way he playe better than I thought he was capable of last year. The Niners got to the NFC Championship game an lost in a hard fought game an Alex eserves a lot of creit for the teams success. Sure the defense was awesome an kept them in every game. But Alex held up his end, didn't make mistakes and made some plays.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Sometimes, yes. Sometimes it's because Alex failed to read where the defense is bringing the blitz from, or it's because Alex couldn't make a read and pass quick enough, or sometimes it's because Alex couldn't side step or maneuver around a pass-rusher, or sometimes it's because an OL got beat or missed a block.

I'm not saying the OL is perfect or that it's all Alex's fault, but there's no question that a QB that knows how to control the LOS and is pocket savvy makes an OL look that much better.

we need a go to wr, something that we dont have now. manning had excellent timing with his guys. a healthy morgan and edwards would have helped smith since they're able to get seperation.

i don't have numbers but i'd be willing to bet we had the highest % of 3rd and longs in the league. that definately doesn't help the line or qb.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Dodgers I would agree in the New Orleans game but then again in the Giants game he looke tentative. Maybe it is my percepthion but Smith seems to play better when the Niners are behind. When they are ahea or really close he gets tentative. In close games where they were holding small leads or behind less than a field goal he seemed to play not to lose. Against New Orleans those last two drives he looked like someone who finally played to win. Just my perception. Either way he playe better than I thought he was capable of last year. The Niners got to the NFC Championship game an lost in a hard fought game an Alex eserves a lot of creit for the teams success. Sure the defense was awesome an kept them in every game. But Alex held up his end, didn't make mistakes and made some plays.

outside of the cards and nfc championship, smith made key plays late to win games. 9 times out of 10 romo chokes, or we woulda been 14-2.