David Carr " Chiefs have higher upside with Mahomes"

[Deberg_1990]

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Yet, here we are looking at the same Kansas City Chiefs offense we've seen year after year.



The Chiefs have made three playoff appearances since Reid took over as head coach in 2013, losing once in the wild-card game (2013) and twice in the divisional round (2015, 2016). I'm a fan of Reid and quarterback Alex Smith, but with the way things are right now, they'll be sitting at home while Pittsburgh and New England duke it out on Championship Sunday.

I was Smith's teammate in San Francisco for one year (2010) and I got to know him well. When the weather starts playing a bigger factor in games late in the season, he's not a guy who can make tough throws in tough conditions. He's particular and wants the football a certain way. The colder the weather the firmer the ball and other conditions make the ball slippery. It's really hard to play in inclement weather as a quarterback, yet there are some guys -- like Brett Favre -- who could grab a ball out of a bucket of water or pile of mud and hurl it downfield. But everybody's not like that, including Smith. The conditions have to be right and the running game has to be there. As we've witnessed throughout his career, Smith isn't often going to transcend an offense and win a game on huge throws -- a frequent critique. He's just not that type of quarterback.

Early in the season, we saw Smith make those big plays and the Chiefs were rolling. We've seen downfield shots slowly digress as the season's gone on, a trend that goes back to at least the past two seasons. Since 2015, Smith has been far more effective throwing the ball down field (20-pus air yards) through the Chiefs' first eight games than he has in their final eight, completing more passes (42.1 percent vs. 36.7 percent) with a better TD-to-INT ratio (8:0 vs. 2:4) and a significantly higher passer rating (124.3 vs. 63.1).

Furthermore, since Smith's first year with the Chiefs in 2013, his passer rating on pass attempts of more than 20 yards has fallen off in the second half of the season.

September: 92.0
October: 111.1
November: 63.5
Dec.-Jan.: 68.8

The Chiefs' high-flying offense started to stall after the Steelers exposed a weakness in Week 6. Pittsburgh played more zone coverage and allowed them to throw the ball underneath by respecting the ability of Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce to make things happen downfield. In addition, the run game hasn't been as effective the last five games (the Chiefs are 1-4 in that stretch), averaging 81 rush yards per game. That's 70 yards per game fewer than Kansas City put up in its first five games (all wins). In my opinion, Smith needs the run game to improve or we'll likely see him continue to struggle throwing the ball downfield as this season progresses.

I know this sounds crazy, but there's a case for Patrick Mahomes, who played well in the preseason, to start in place of Smith as the playoffs near. The Chiefs gave up a third-rounder and next year's first to draft Mahomes, viewing him as their franchise quarterback of the future. He's a gunslinger who adds another dimension in the pass game when a) the weather worsens, and b) they're trying to go head to head with the AFC's best offenses.

It's definitely possible the Chiefs could find themselves in a Nathan Peterman situation, especially if they don't handle the timing of the switch well. We don't know. What I do know, though, is we can expect the same ending to the Chiefs' story if they don't change up their cast of characters.


http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...-limits-chiefs

[RealSNR]

My favorite is the claim that Gigabytes is the smartest pre-snap QB in the NFL.

Is that why he frequently fails to see overload blitzes off the line and isn't given any audibles or options out of plays by his coaches?

[PAChiefsGuy]

So tell me guys, since you know, Chiefs are so good without Alex 'All I Do Is Win' Smith. When is the last time Chiefs, before Alex Smith was here, won a SB and when is the last time Chiefs won a playoff game? Not including the one with Alex.

Cause you know, if Chiefs are such a great organization and Alex is the one holding this organization back I'd think the answers to these questions would fairly straight forward.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

So tell me guys, since you know, Chiefs are so good without Alex 'All I do is win in the regular season' Smith. When is the last time Chiefs, before Alex Smith was here, won a SB and when is the last time Chiefs won a playoff game? Not including the one with Alex.

Cause you know, if Chiefs are such a great organization and Alex is the one holding this organization back I'd think the answers to these questions would fairly straight forward.

Andy. Reid.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

So tell me guys, since you know, Chiefs are so good without Alex 'All I do is win in the regular season' Smith. When is the last time Chiefs, before Alex Smith was here, won a SB and when is the last time Chiefs won a playoff game? Not including the one with Alex.

Cause you know, if Chiefs are such a great organization and Alex is the one holding this organization back I'd think the answers to these questions would fairly straight forward.

Alex hasn't changed anything about this franchise since he stepped foot here.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Alex hasn't changed anything about this franchise since he stepped foot here.

He doesn't need to do anything other than play well enough not to lose and not kill any WR's between now and next season...

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Alex hasn't changed anything about this franchise since he stepped foot here.

He hasn't change anything? Really? So the Chiefs were making the playoffs every year before he got here? Cause with him here we've made it 3 out of the 4 years (75%). I don't remember the Chiefs doing that since the Marty years.

Pathetic.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

He hasn't change anything? Really? So the Chiefs were making the playoffs every year before he got here? Cause with him here we've made it 3 out of the 4 years (75%). I don't remember the Chiefs doing that since the Marty years.

Pathetic.

The Chiefs had one of the most talented rosters in the league for all of those years, you numbnuts. Andy Reid leading that crew makes the playoffs a fairly easy goal to reach.

Pumpkin did a nice job managing them to the playoffs. But then....

[milkman]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

He hasn't change anything? Really? So the Chiefs were making the playoffs every year before he got here? Cause with him here we've made it 3 out of the 4 years (75%). I don't remember the Chiefs doing that since the Marty years.

Pathetic.

Smith didn't change anything.

Andy Reid did.

Smith is just the asphalt that filled the hole in the street.

Now the street needs to be fully repaved.

[RunKC]

I've seen this bullshit all through the 90's. Just good enough to make the playoffs but no shot at doing anything once we get there.

Sorry but real fans who have watched this team shit it's pants over and over again want the chance to go deep into the playoffs and win it all.

We aren't contempt with simply "making the playoffs" anymore.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by RunKC

I've seen this bullshit all through the 90's. Just good enough to make the playoffs but no shot at doing anything once we get there.

Sorry but real fans who have watched this team shit it's pants over and over again want the chance to go deep into the playoffs and win it all.

We aren't contempt with simply "making the playoffs" anymore.

Actually, we do have contempt for that.

[Sandy Vagina]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

Andy. Reid.

So would you classify Andy Reid a good coach for..

- forgetting his RB frequently?
- having an elite FB on the bench, but refusing to play him more than a few snaps per game?
- refusing to use more play-action?

or how bout simply

- sticking stubbornly with "a poor QB despite having a star on the bench"?

Seems every game, the fans in GDT bitch, moan, and berate Andy for his in-game playcalls.. and in-game lack of adjustments.

Yet, when it comes to hating a player more... that's when Andy becomes a GOD.

Again, I am disappointed in Alex Smith.. for not having played better the last two games... and also the PIT game. He needed to play better.. and he is capable of doing so.

This should not excuse the rest of the team for having a lot of boring playcalls.. then the cute shit that ****s us.. the terrible run blocking OL... penalties.. drops.. and moments of pure fail from the pass pro at critical times.

This QB is just yet another piece of the failing puzzle. I agree that it's a damn shame he can't lift everyone up more. Maybe Pat can, who knows. Fans expecting a QB to regularly carry their team weaknesses? It's just not realistic.

[bigjosh]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

He hasn't change anything? Really? So the Chiefs were making the playoffs every year before he got here? Cause with him here we've made it 3 out of the 4 years (75%). I don't remember the Chiefs doing that since the Marty years.

Pathetic.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by RunKC

I've seen this bullshit all through the 90's. Just good enough to make the playoffs but no shot at doing anything once we get there.

Sorry but real fans who have watched this team shit it's pants over and over again want the chance to go deep into the playoffs and win it all.

We aren't contempt with simply "making the playoffs" anymore.

Well maybe if the D didn't give up 45-pts to the Colts, Charles didn't get hurt every year, Berry doesn't tear his ACL every couple years, J Houston actually has a good game and is healthy in the playoffs this team would get to the SB.

Not saying Smitty doesn't deserve some of the blame for Chiefs not getting there but to just put it on him is absolutely ridiculous. It's a team f**king game.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Sandy Vagina

So would you classify Andy Reid a good coach for..

- sticking stubbornly with "a poor QB despite having a star on the bench"?

This is a ****ing stupid comment.

Unbelievably stupid.

Mahomes has never played a down in a regular season NFL game. It's not like Reid has Favre/Montana/Brady on the bench.

Mahomes is NOT a "star." Mahomes is a great young talent we're developing.

Originally Posted by Sandy Vagina

Again, I am disappointed in Alex Smith.. for not having played better the last two games... and also the PIT game. He needed to play better.. and he is capable of doing so.

Agreed.

Originally Posted by Sandy Vagina

This should not excuse the rest of the team for having a lot of boring playcalls.. then the cute shit that ****s us.. the terrible run blocking OL... penalties.. drops.. and moments of pure fail from the pass pro at critical times.

It's not just Alex regressing - it's the team.

[bigjosh]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Well maybe if the D didn't give up 45-pts to the Colts, Charles didn't get hurt every year, Berry doesn't tear his ACL every couple years, J Houston actually has a good game and is healthy in the playoffs this team would get to the SB.

Not saying Smitty doesn't deserve some of the blame for Chiefs not getting there but to just put it on him is absolutely ridiculous. It's a team f**king game.

Every team has injuries. Some QBs just overcome them. Tom Brady has never had a completely healthy roster in super bowl seasons. Hell Gronkowski spends half of his seasons on the sideline