My thoughts on the game/Alex Smith

[h0ckeysk83r]

won't argue the football trend is passing and IF we had a good offense like these teams, yeah do it. but obviously we don't, so if fans are expecting Harbaugh to call passing plays like these teams.................what are the expected results?

if you ask this current O-line to protect on 5 and 7 seven step drops, and ask Alex to throw - with timing - 15 to 20 yards downfield, what are the expected results?

i'll have to disagree that running isn't necessary. yes you don't need the best NFL rushing attack, but its necessary more so in the play-offs (including SB).

Agreed, the packers got a good run game from starks when they needed it.

 

[southbaysportsfan]

I found these stats to be interesting, granted the seachickens and dallas were behind by two possesions.
Alex Smith 31-44 70.5 comp%
Opponents 47-80 58.8 comp%

Everyone in this thread is bashing alex for his lack of yards, which is 1 full yard behind the opponents. However, with Alex averaging 6.9 yards per attempt he would be at 552 on the year with 80 attempts averaging to 276 a game. His numbers aren't great by any means, but I think this is more of harbaugh limiting the offense at the beginning of the year.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

Hey Clyde. Let's say by some chance Alex Smith played very well this year and the Niners made the playoffs and won a playoff game. If the cost of that success was the 49ers getting giddy and re-signing Smith to a new three-year contract would you rather they didn't make the playoffs?

 

[sayheykid1]

Miserable. 35 yards in the third quarter I think, and 29 of that was the Walker TD. Something like 15 yards in the 4th and 12 in OT. But compare that with the production in the run game.

Why? Are you blaming the run game for the poor second half passing game?

 

[sayheykid1]

I found these stats to be interesting, granted the seachickens and dallas were behind by two possesions.
Alex Smith 31-44 70.5 comp%
Opponents 47-80 58.8 comp%

Everyone in this thread is bashing alex for his lack of yards, which is 1 full yard behind the opponents. However, with Alex averaging 6.9 yards per attempt he would be at 552 on the year with 80 attempts averaging to 276 a game. His numbers aren't great by any means, but I think this is more of harbaugh limiting the offense at the beginning of the year.

His numbers have never been great so I have a hard time blaming Harbagh's offense at this point but I do want to see what he can do with a more aggressive game plan.

 

[Jtymer49er]

Hey Clyde. Let's say by some chance Alex Smith played very well this year and the Niners made the playoffs and won a playoff game. If the cost of that success was the 49ers getting giddy and re-signing Smith to a new three-year contract would you rather they didn't make the playoffs?

I know you weren't asking me but I'm gonna give it a shot anyway. I did not agree with the decision to bring back Alex Smith. Even as a stopgap. Personally, I would have picked up Hasselback. It is so hard for me to envision Alex as a QB that is ever going to play at a level like the great ones. I just don't think he has the "it" factor. When the game is on the line he seems to crumble. Even if he has a decent year, we win the division, and win a game, I think we should try to upgrade the QB position next year. Whether it be Prime, a rookie, or a vet we need a guy that can take our talent to the next level. Alex is serviceable, but not the long term solution.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Why? Are you blaming the run game for the poor second half passing game?

I think the struggles in the run game did more harm than the struggles in the pass game, taken as a whole. Obviously we had a lot of negative pass plays in the second half, but I don't think we would have seen Dallas' DL (including OLBs) rushing with such reckless abandon - and their LBs cheating up to take away the quick throws - if we had been getting any production on the ground. The success of the pass game in the first half actually succeeded in reducing the number of blitzes in the second half. However, the run game wasn't able to take advantage.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

I know you weren't asking me but I'm gonna give it a shot anyway. I did not agree with the decision to bring back Alex Smith. Even as a stopgap. Personally, I would have picked up Hasselback. It is so hard for me to envision Alex as a QB that is ever going to play at a level like the great ones. I just don't think he has the "it" factor. When the game is on the line he seems to crumble. Even if he has a decent year, we win the division, and win a game, I think we should try to upgrade the QB position next year. Whether it be Prime, a rookie, or a vet we need a guy that can take our talent to the next level. Alex is serviceable, but not the long term solution.

No that's cool. That is the type of answer I was looking for; ie, would you sacrifice this season because you felt gettng rid of Smith was a necessity for the long term success of the team.

 

[ViperVisor]

Combine that with the fact that all of the QBs ViperVisor listed were bad QBs, and his argument is just ludicrous.

You are the ridiculous one. You have made statements like "Smith does zero to help the OL play better." "A QB that can't make pre-snap reads and adjustments, cannot change blocking schemes, isn't pocket-savvy, and doesn't make quick decisions and hot reads"

So how is it that Alex Smith is a utter incompetent 0 but the numbers show the other QBs have more often than not been worse at avoiding sacks? Are they somehow less then 0?

 

[deep9er]

I know you weren't asking me but I'm gonna give it a shot anyway. I did not agree with the decision to bring back Alex Smith. Even as a stopgap. Personally, I would have picked up Hasselback. It is so hard for me to envision Alex as a QB that is ever going to play at a level like the great ones. I just don't think he has the "it" factor. When the game is on the line he seems to crumble. Even if he has a decent year, we win the division, and win a game, I think we should try to upgrade the QB position next year. Whether it be Prime, a rookie, or a vet we need a guy that can take our talent to the next level. Alex is serviceable, but not the long term solution.

agree, especially TRYING to upgrade QB.

its easier said than done and we certainly can't force it.

 

[deep9er]

I think the struggles in the run game did more harm than the struggles in the pass game, taken as a whole. Obviously we had a lot of negative pass plays in the second half, but I don't think we would have seen Dallas' DL (including OLBs) rushing with such reckless abandon - and their LBs cheating up to take away the quick throws - if we had been getting any production on the ground. The success of the pass game in the first half actually succeeded in reducing the number of blitzes in the second half. However, the run game wasn't able to take advantage.

totally agree.

the passing game gets all the attention and its understandable why, but was more dissapointed we couldn't run.......at all.

 

[sayheykid1]

I think the struggles in the run game did more harm than the struggles in the pass game, taken as a whole. Obviously we had a lot of negative pass plays in the second half, but I don't think we would have seen Dallas' DL (including OLBs) rushing with such reckless abandon - and their LBs cheating up to take away the quick throws - if we had been getting any production on the ground. The success of the pass game in the first half actually succeeded in reducing the number of blitzes in the second half. However, the run game wasn't able to take advantage.

I see your point but I think that if the Niners had a reasonable passing threat teams would concentrate on stuffing the run and the run game might be better.

 

[sayheykid1]

You are the ridiculous one. You have made statements like "Smith does zero to help the OL play better." "A QB that can't make pre-snap reads and adjustments, cannot change blocking schemes, isn't pocket-savvy, and doesn't make quick decisions and hot reads"

So how is it that Alex Smith is a utter incompetent 0 but the numbers show the other QBs have more often than not been worse at avoiding sacks? Are they somehow less then 0?

Dilfer was a zero when he was here
JTO was a zero
Hill was a 1-2 and Smith is a 1-2 or maybe a 3

They are all bad QBs that shouldn't be starting for an NFL team.

 

[clyde_carbon]

No that's cool. That is the type of answer I was looking for; ie, would you sacrifice this season because you felt gettng rid of Smith was a necessity for the long term success of the team.

I don't see why the two have to be mutually exclusive.

 

[Mozart'sGhost]

I don't see why the two have to be mutually exclusive.

The original question was directed to you in post #143. Did you see it?

 

[clyde_carbon]

You are the ridiculous one. You have made statements like "Smith does zero to help the OL play better." "A QB that can't make pre-snap reads and adjustments, cannot change blocking schemes, isn't pocket-savvy, and doesn't make quick decisions and hot reads"

So how is it that Alex Smith is a utter incompetent 0 but the numbers show the other QBs have more often than not been worse at avoiding sacks? Are they somehow less then 0?

By all means walk us through how Alex Smith helps our OL play better, because I don't see it. I don't see him recognizing blitzes and changing the plays or make-shifting the blocking schemes. I don't see the pocket savvy - the ability to consistently step up from an outside rush or the ability to side-step inside pressure. I don't see a QB that limits the amount of time the OL has to block every play by making quick decisions and/or having a quick release. I don't see a QB that can create or consistently improvise when the blocking breaks down.

I'll you what, instead of arguing which of Smith, Hill, T. Smith, Dilfer, or Weinke makes the OL better, I think we should be arguing which QB makes them the worst. There's your below 0.

 

[clyde_carbon]

The original question was directed to you in post #143. Did you see it?

I'd rather us make the playoffs, but I'll vehemently disagree with the resigning of Smith.

 

[ViperVisor]

There's your below 0.

Zero is the worst. You have backed yourself into a corner of Alex Smith being TERRI-BAD.

Again in 2007 with running game not on track with Smith and he took sacks at 8.1% rate
Dilfer and Hill both had Gore around 4.5 a carry.

Dilfer sack rate was 11.0%
Hill sack rate was 7.1%

2009 Hill wasn't getting any favors and his rate was 10.4% before being benched. Is hill that bad? No.
But when you don't help guys that are mediocre at beating the rush with their arm/legs like Hill or Smith they go from not good to BAD, really Bad.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Zero is the worst. You have backed yourself into a corner of Alex Smith being TERRI-BAD.

Again in 2007 with running game not on track with Smith and he took sacks at 8.1% rate
Dilfer and Hill both had Gore around 4.5 a carry.

Dilfer sack rate was 11.0%
Hill sack rate was 7.1%

2009 Hill wasn't getting any favors and his rate was 10.4% before being benched. Is hill that bad? No.
But when you don't help guys that are mediocre at beating the rush with their arm/legs like Hill or Smith they go from not good to BAD, really Bad.

The scale doesn't stop at zero. We're talking about Alex Smith making the OL better - and in that situation I'd give him zero. Think of the negatives, however, as the scale for how they make the OL look worse. If we were to use this scale, then I'd give all of the QBs you listed a negative, including Smith. Negative being that they make they make the OL look worse.

Basically your entire argument is founded on the notion that Smith isn't as bad as Hill, Dilfer, and Weinke at making the OL look worse. Should I say congratulations?

 

[ViperVisor]

Should I say congratulations?

Yes. You would then be in the shades of gray when looking at Smith camp.
Cause you posted before giving Smith NO ability for beating pressure with throws or movement.
He obviously has something cause he hasn't been the worst on this team or in the league last year.