Two Columns on Harbaugh's Lack of Confidence in Smith

[clyde_carbon]

Brady, manning, rivers, Eli. Are they undefeated? Cuz they have lost games where they put up numbers and turned the ball over. And no I'm not trying to say smith is elite but right now I feel smith is still the better option until he starts shitting the bed consistently.

No, they're not undefeated. And neither is Alex. They would be undefeated, though, had they played on the 49ers.

And I don't know if I'd consider Rivers elite anymore.

 

[clyde_carbon]

Confidence is important. Alex doesn't have any. Never had it, and probably never will. Harbaugh has a done good job of manipulating, makeshifting, and artificially pumping Alex's confidence up, but if all it takes are a few INTs for Alex to lose it, it was never there in the first place.

When did I say Manningham was a RB?[/QUOTE]

You quoted me when I said the Niners will try to get the ball to Davis and Manningham and then said the following: "Let's just put him in a fragile-labeled box, don't criticize him, make sure he has all of his receivers healthy and back, limit his throws to WRs and concentrate on him throwing to TEs and RBs,".

Yeah, I know what I said. When did I say Manningham is a WR? I said LIMIT his throws to WRs, not completely eliminate.

 

[clyde_carbon]

No, it's not ridiculous Clyde, you have a few throws to fall back on and that's it. Your entire basis is centered around a couple of passes he threw in a series -- without any talk about how he would do over an entire series of downs, let alone throughout a quarter. And if the centerpiece of your argument is that we don't know Kap wouldn't do better -- and that's the reason to put him in on a 5-2 team --- then it's really not credible at all. But you aren't making that recommendation anyway -- when you answered another question you said you weren't advocating putting Kap in at this stage of the season -- is that still your position or not?

Yeah, I have a few Kaepernick throws to fall on. That's true. But I also have thousands of attempts from Alex that I can fall on, as well. Hundreds of over-throws, misplaced balls, poor post-snap reads, and untimely INTs. Or do those not count as "basis"?

And yes, that's still my position. I'm not taking my QB out when we're 5-2. BUT, my leash on Alex is much shorter than yours, and I do think Kap will be better than Alex in some aspects - like stretching the field, throwing outside the hashes, running, and improvising.

Alex will be better in terms of underneath accuracy, protecting the ball, and pre-snap reads.

 

[TobyTyler]

Yeah, I know what I said. When did I say Manningham is a WR? I said LIMIT his throws to WRs, not completely eliminate.

You didn't say he was a wide receiver; you intimated by your sarcastic reply to my post about featuring Davis and Manningham that he was a Running Back with your "and concentrate on him throwing to TEs and RBs"

 

[clyde_carbon]

You didn't say he was a wide receiver; you intimated by your sarcastic reply to my post about featuring Davis and Manningham that he was a Running Back with your "and concentrate on him throwing to TEs and RBs"

Yeah, I don't see where I said Manningham was a RB. Nice try, though.

 

[TobyTyler]

Yeah, I don't see where I said Manningham was a RB. Nice try, though.

To quote my daughter; "Whatever"

 

[wartyOne]

Since you could tell the future, is the world going to end dec. 21? Are the Mayans correct? Is the movie 2012 correct? Are the Giants going to win World Series? Will Kobe and Dwight Howard get along? Who will win the Presidential election, Obama or Romney?

Dumbest post in the history of posting. Seriously.

 

[MHSL82]

Dumbest post in the history of posting. Seriously.

Yeah, obviously the Giants are winning the World Series. What kind of question is that?

 

[SY8goat]

Dumbest post in the history of posting. Seriously.

Whatever you say Nostradumbass.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Of the last 4 INTs, which ones were b/c of lack of velocity?

i would say 2 but overal they were all results of bad decisions to throw in the first place. i also think the coaching staff is playing with fire because of the lack of velocity. he doesn't have a big arm in the first place and now that lack of velocity gives defenders that extra time to jump the pass.

since the eagles game, these were by far the worst two games in a row by smith. i didn't like what i saw in the first half of the giants game.

 

[Bemular]

Overall, all of Smith's INT's were the result of bad decisions to throw in the first place.

There you go - See, that wasn't so difficult now was it.

 

[clyde_carbon]

i would say 2 but overal they were all results of bad decisions to throw in the first place. i also think the coaching staff is playing with fire because of the lack of velocity. he doesn't have a big arm in the first place and now that lack of velocity gives defenders that extra time to jump the pass.

since the eagles game, these were by far the worst two games in a row by smith. i didn't like what i saw in the first half of the giants game.

Which two? Alex admitted the one to Delanie was supposed to be a jump ball. If that's the truth then the throw had the right velocity. It was just a stupid decision.

Alex 2nd INT was straight up because he didn't recognize the defense and just completely missed Antrell Rolle bracketing his receiver.

The 3rd INT in the Giants game was actually an OVERTHROW into Antrell's hands.

The 4th again Alex completely missed the CB. This time he just threw the ball straight to Browner.

None of these INTs were b/c of lack of velocity.

 

[yossarian]

Yeah, I have a few Kaepernick throws to fall on. That's true. But I also have thousands of attempts from Alex that I can fall on, as well. Hundreds of over-throws, misplaced balls, poor post-snap reads, and untimely INTs. Or do those not count as "basis"?

And yes, that's still my position. I'm not taking my QB out when we're 5-2. BUT, my leash on Alex is much shorter than yours, and I do think Kap will be better than Alex in some aspects - like stretching the field, throwing outside the hashes, running, and improvising.

Alex will be better in terms of underneath accuracy, protecting the ball, and pre-snap reads.

I agree Kap will be better in those mainly physical aspects, throwing, running. He has a canon for an arm --- my hope is that he is learning the mental aspect -- when I went to the Seahawks game last year in December I was behind the 49er bench and Kap was shadowing Harbaugh and was right there for every huddle with Smith and every timeout.

 

[Flyingiguana]

There you go - See, that wasn't so difficult now was it.

still doesn't mean his velocity is an issue. he's checking down twice as much and unwilling to throw down the field. if smith was throwing down the field there would be much more int's.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Which two? Alex admitted the one to Delanie was supposed to be a jump ball. If that's the truth then the throw had the right velocity. It was just a stupid decision.

Alex 2nd INT was straight up because he didn't recognize the defense and just completely missed Antrell Rolle bracketing his receiver.

The 3rd INT in the Giants game was actually an OVERTHROW into Antrell's hands.

The 4th again Alex completely missed the CB. This time he just threw the ball straight to Browner.

None of these INTs were b/c of lack of velocity.

the lack of velocity is giving defenders that extra time to jump the pass. kap should be starting if smith has an injury on his throwing hand. i bet the cards have been seeing the same things on film and will adjust. if smith's hand isn't 100% i'm scared about monday night.

 

[Flyingiguana]

my point is if smith is 100% we can have a debate about whether he should be the starter.

if smith isn't 100%, there is no debate, kap should be starting instead.

 

[Bemular]

Overall, all of Smith's INT's were the result of bad decisions to throw in the first place.

Dude, you had it right there! WTF happened? All this noise you added to your argument just weakens it - here let me show you.

still doesn't mean his velocity isn't an issue. he's checking down twice as much and unwilling to throw down the field.

First off, Smith is about two-ticks away on the velocity meter from not even being an NFL QB. So, honestly, he doesn't have much to give in this area.

Second, nothing you have stated and nothing Alex has done even correlates, let alone establishes a causal relationship with his diminished performance.

Finally, regarding your claim that Smith is "checking down twice as much", according to ESPN stats:

For passes thrown over 10Yds, Smith avg 6.6/Gm during his first five games and 5.5/Gm vs. NYG & SEA.

In fact, for passes thrown over 20Yds, Smith avg 2.0/Gm during his first five games and 2.5/Gm vs. NYG & SEA.

Sorry Fi, but I think you're simply believing the hype and selling the BS; and save for a few posters, nobody is buying. But by all means keep selling if your boy needs you too.

if smith was throwing down the field there would be much more int's.

More accurately stated, if Smith continues to not see his open & covered receivers and continues to make stupid decisions it won't matter what distance he throws, he will throw more INT's.

the lack of velocity is giving defenders that extra time to jump the pass.

What is the cause when a DB jumps a route on a QB that doesn't have a mystery sprain?

kap should be starting if smith has an injury on his throwing hand.

And yet Kap didn't start, so what does that tell you about Smith's supposed injury to his throwing hand?

i bet the cards have been seeing the same things on film and will adjust. if smith's hand isn't 100% i'm scared about monday night.

Alex's finger is fine - Don't be scared. Wait until we are down by two scores - then get scared.

 

[clyde_carbon]

the lack of velocity is giving defenders that extra time to jump the pass. kap should be starting if smith has an injury on his throwing hand. i bet the cards have been seeing the same things on film and will adjust. if smith's hand isn't 100% i'm scared about monday night.

No, it isn't. You're blabbering at the mouth now. What role did velocity play in Antrell Rolle's first INT in the Giants game? What about Rolle's 2nd INT when Alex actually OVERTHREW the WR? What about the INT against Seattle? How was that a lack of velocity? The only one that you Might have a case that it was a velocity problem was the first INT when he threw it to Walker, but Alex has already come out and said he threw it with the intention of it being a jump ball.

 

[MHSL82]

I got tired when some people made certain tip balls or hit-when-thrown passes essentially ALL Alex's fault (some were, some weren't); however, I get equally tired of people taking blame away from him when it was his fault.

The BEST you can do is argue that a few of those INTs could have been shoulda-been-picked incompletes, none of them would be complete. Hypothetically if dropped, we'd have punted, where they could return it to the same spot. As far as his reluctance to throw due to injury, I'm not in his head, but he attempted some in both games that an emphasis would have prevented.

When arguing that it was his finger doesn't lead to points (like a dropped INT can), I just assume give him the blame when he makes bad decisions. If his finger was that bad, he shouldn't have thrown it. One day, when he throws a tipped INT, then I will come on here and defend him (unless it is one of his patented darts to a three yards away receiver). As much as I defend Smith, there's no credibility when every mistake is defensed aggressively. I'm sure he'd be better with no sprain, but I can't place any significance to the injury. He faced two better defenses and he already has a 5-yard-gain-is-better-than-a-possible-0-yarder-down-field philosophy.

 

[MHSL82]

Evaluation of Alex Smith's Season Thus Far

This article seemed to be on point, mentioning the last two defenses we've played being a main factor, QBs ups and downs in general, the finger that Harbaugh has hinted on causing more trouble than Smith has let on, and overall better numbers than last year's first seven games.