Two Columns on Harbaugh's Lack of Confidence in Smith

[Bemular]

even the commentators mentioned the ball spent a long time in the air. smith was looking a lot better before the injury. if smith isn't 100% he should rest up. we might lose with a new qb in kap, but we're not gonna win with an injured smith.

smith has never had a strong arm, but the velocity on those mid+ passes seem to have suffered.

You're correct, Fi. But on the same play you had Aikman(?) asking what was Smith thinking, in a thinly veiled "wtf?" kind of way, not to target Manningham on that play.

Additionally, Smith made it perfectly clear in his post-game presser that he was throwing that pass up for Delanie to "make a play"; which, when you consider the positioning of both Walker & Amukamara when Smith threw the pass explains the trajectory of the pass.

Unfortunately, that effectively means Smith made two horribly inept decisions on the same play.

Again, I respect your personal opinion about Alex but it just seems for most of his career any evidence of him being a good QB has come mostly by way of excuses and not performance.

 

[Jikkle]

The fact of the matter is if we're going to win the Super Bowl we'll need a game where Smith can make some difficult throws. You're going to run into games where people aren't going to be wide open and you need to make some hard throws to move the ball and score. Eli Manning did it to us in the NFC championship game and he did it to use last Sunday. Manning threw it to spots where only his receiver could get it no matter how tight the coverage.

I was hopeful with a full offseason and better weaponry he would be able to take a step forward in that department but thus far he's pretty much the same thing we've had last season.

And I'm not implying that he needs to throw for 4000 yards 30 TDs etc but I'm tired of him dropping back on 3rd and long, having plenty of time to throw the ball, and just looking around until he dumps it off to a guy with little chance to get the 1st down. And I'm not against check downs but I'm more for them on 1st and 2nd down and not 3rd down. 1st down, nothing there, then great take the the 4-5 yards and make 2nd and 3rd downs more manageable.

If Smith continues to play this way then at least making CK the starter will add to the running game and CK has a much better arm. Granted there are concerns about how much CK knows the offense in comparison to Smith and his control of that rocket arm but I would rather roll the dice and hope to come up big then to keep going with something that I know is average.

 

[Flyingiguana]

You're correct, Fi. But on the same play you had Aikman(?) asking what was Smith thinking, in a thinly veiled "wtf?" kind of way, not to target Manningham on that play.

Additionally, Smith made it perfectly clear in his post-game presser that he was throwing that pass up for Delanie to "make a play"; which, when you consider the positioning of both Walker & Amukamara when Smith threw the pass explains the trajectory of the pass.

Unfortunately, that effectively means Smith made two horribly inept decisions on the same play.

Again, I respect your personal opinion about Alex but it just seems for most of his career any evidence of him being a good QB has come mostly by way of excuses and not performance.

or you're overlooking the performance and there has been times where he's led drives. overal we haven't asked smith to do much and with our d we don't need to force things. we could do much better than smith, but smith is the best option if healthy.

maybe it's coincidence, but the ball seems to be getting to the target much slower allowing defensive backs more time to step in front of the ball. there have been bad decisions which is a major concern for me. the wheels have seemed to fall off after the injured finger.

 

[clyde_carbon]

or you're overlooking the performance and there has been times where he's led drives. overal we haven't asked smith to do much and with our d we don't need to force things. we could do much better than smith, but smith is the best option if healthy.

maybe it's coincidence, but the ball seems to be getting to the target much slower allowing defensive backs more time to step in front of the ball. there have been bad decisions which is a major concern for me. the wheels have seemed to fall off after the injured finger.

Finger, or the fact that he playing teams with, oh I dunno, actual defenses? We're not gonna see defenses like the Lions' and Buffalo's in the playoffs.

 

[Flyingiguana]

He looked really good against Buffalo, though!

he looked good in the first two games as well.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Finger, or the fact that he playing teams with, oh I dunno, actual defenses? We're not gonna see defenses like the Lions' and Buffalo's in the playoffs.

doesn't it seem odd that after the injured finger that he's getting picked off more and his accuracy is even worse? as i said before, if smith can't make his normal throws, which aren't anything special to begin with, we should go with kap.

peyton at 75% can be a top 10 qb, smith at 75% should be holding a clip board.

 

[clyde_carbon]

he looked good in the first two games as well.

He did alright. And the Lions were without THREE of their starting secondary.

 

[clyde_carbon]

doesn't it seem odd that after the injured finger that he's getting picked off more and his accuracy is even worse? as i said before, if smith can't make his normal throws, which aren't anything special to begin with, we should go with kap.

peyton at 75% can be a top 10 qb, smith at 75% should be holding a clip board.

The pick this week had nothing to do with the finger. He straight up didn't see the defense and threw it right to him. Against the Giants the 2nd INT also had nothing to do with his finger. He completely missed Antrell Rolle and threw it right to him. The first INT was a terrible decision and the third INT was just a misplaced ball.

 

[Flyingiguana]

The pick this week had nothing to do with the finger. He straight up didn't see the defense and threw it right to him. Against the Giants the 2nd INT also had nothing to do with his finger. He completely missed Antrell Rolle and threw it right to him. The first INT was a terrible decision and the third INT was just a misplaced ball.

those bad decisions might be the mental effect of him not having the same ability to throw the ball. anything past 10 yards seems to not have the same velocity and that has to be from the finger. i couldn't imagine throwing a ball with a sprained finger.

especially when you have a back up that throws like randy johnson on steroids

 

[clyde_carbon]

those bad decisions might be the mental effect of him not having the same ability to throw the ball. anything past 10 yards seems to not have the same velocity and that has to be from the finger. i couldn't imagine throwing a ball with a sprained finger.

especially when you have a back up that throws like randy johnson on steroids

Or, and this might be crazy, maybe they're just bad decisions because WRs didn't have 5 yard cushions and he didn't have 8 seconds in the pocket like vs. the Lions and Bills? Or is that out of the realm of possibility, and it's all b/c of the finger?

 

[Bemular]

or you're overlooking the performance and there has been times where he's led drives. overal we haven't asked smith to do much and with our d we don't need to force things. we could do much better than smith, but smith is the best option if healthy.

maybe it's coincidence, but the ball seems to be getting to the target much slower allowing defensive backs more time to step in front of the ball. there have been bad decisions which is a major concern for me. the wheels have seemed to fall off after the injured finger.

I'm not overlooking anything Smith has done; which include moments of heroism likely to be a part of highlight reels long after he is done throwing interceptions. But those moments define everything Smith isn't, not what Smith is. Smith is what he consistently does not what he does every now and again.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Or, and this might be crazy, maybe they're just bad decisions because WRs didn't have 5 yard cushions and he didn't have 8 seconds in the pocket like vs. the Lions and Bills? Or is that out of the realm of possibility, and it's all b/c of the finger?

there has been a huge change in smith since the injury. maybe it's coincidence, but a sprained finger is a cause for concern for any qb.

 

[clyde_carbon]

there has been a huge change in smith since the injury. maybe it's coincidence, but a sprained finger is a cause for concern for any qb.

Yes, the huge change is that our WRs don't have 5 yard cushions and our OL isn't blocking sub-par DLs for 8 seconds. Alex is being forced to make plays in the pocket and make tough decisions and throws, and he's fallen flat on his face.

 

[clyde_carbon]

So some people are blaming the finger, and some people are blaming the WildKap.

When is it EVER gonna be Alex's fault?

 

[ViperVisor]

And you guys are consistent in your own way.

If good isn't good enough at the end of the day that sucks but why can't we be rational about it vs. throwing crap like a monkey?

 

[SY8goat]

So some people are blaming the finger, and some people are blaming the WildKap.

When is it EVER gonna be Alex's fault?

Hey, Flyiguana is one person.

Those 4 INTS Alex forced into double and triple coverages.

 

[Bemular]

there has been a huge change in smith since the injury. maybe it's coincidence, but a sprained finger is a cause for concern for any qb.

There are different levels of sprain - all of which require the finger(s) to be splint or taped - Obviously Smith's finger was not splint (at any time mind you) and the tape he wore was on his middle finger only, which is hilarious.

According to the myth-busters, Alex Smith's finger may have had a boo boo but it was never truly sprained.

 

[Flyingiguana]

the proof is in the numbers. his int rate is much higher and he has nothing on his throws beyond 10 yards. it doesn't have to be a major injury, especially when it comes to gripping the ball to really mess up his throws.

 

[Bemular]

the proof is in the numbers. his int rate is much higher and he has nothing on his throws beyond 10 yards. it doesn't have to be a major injury, especially when it comes to gripping the ball to really mess up his throws.

His INT rate is back to where it use to be, and he has plenty on his throws past 10 yards as the 12-yard wide out vs. the Giants demonstrates. Are you suggesting when he was this bad earlier in his career it must have been a sprained finger then as well?

Are you forgetting that Smith use to play just like this? This is not some sudden change in Smith's game as you are suggesting, Fi. It is nothing more than proof that Smith cannot handle the responsibility of making good decisions vs. a quality defense.

 

[clyde_carbon]

His INT rate is back to where it use to be, and he has plenty on his throws past 10 yards as the 12-yard wide out vs. the Giants demonstrates. Are you suggesting when he was this bad earlier in his career it must have been a sprained finger then as well?

Are you forgetting that Smith use to play just like this? This is not some sudden change in Smith's game as you are suggesting, Fi. It is nothing more than proof that Smith cannot handle the responsibility of making good decisions vs. a quality defense.

Ex-actly.