Alex Smith loves where Chiefs offense is headed

[kcchief4lif 910]

The Kansas City Chiefs have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball this season. After struggling to find consistency on offense in 2014, general manager John Dorsey decided to give quarterback Alex Smith some help. In that vein, Dorsey signed receiver Jeremy Maclin to a $55 million deal before trading for Pro Bowl left guard Ben Grubbs.

Going into mandatory minicamp, optimism has been high for Chiefs Kingdom. Kansas City has gotten love from many national and local pundits alike, with some expecting the team to win the AFC West and a playoff game or two, something the franchise has not done since 1993. Excuse me while I go cry in the corner.

On Wednesday afternoon, Smith talked to the local media and touched on some topics, including his thoughts on his rapport with Maclin.

“I feel really good about where things are right now, where they’re going, how they have progressed. I think with all of the restrictions and stuff that are in place now in the offseason, I don’t see how we could have done anymore. I really feel like we’ve gotten great work as a whole, but he and I especially have gotten a lot of reps together. A lot of good looks, I really feel like we have a good foundation before we put the pads on and head into camp.”

Smith also discussed the amount of weapons he has at his disposal, ranging from Maclin to De’Anthony Thomas, Travis Kelce and Jamaal Charles.

“It’s fun, especially this spring, it’s been a ton of fun to move around. It’s like, who is going to have the big day? You don’t know and I think that’s even the fun part for us. You’re going out and you don’t know who it’s going to be because everybody has had their turn. And that’s been a lot of fun for us to kind of go back and cut it loose. There are good matchups all over the place.”

The veteran signal-caller believes the team is much further ahead in this year’s preseason workouts than it has been the previous two under head coach Andy Reid, now in his third year with the team.

“I think without a doubt as far as what we’ve got in, the amount of football that we have in this time a year, yeah no question. It’s probably not even comparable to the last couple; the volume of football that we have gotten in, especially offensively. I think a lot different than we’ve had the last couple of years. So we’re able to do more. A greater percentage of our offense is in and yeah, I think we’ve been able to go out and execute it all more than we have in the last two years. We’ve been able to go out, make adjustments on the fly, do different things out there on the field, which I think kind of comes with that with guys knowing the system.”

Finally, Smith spoke about his third-year tight end, who seems to be bursting at the seams with confidence.

“I think the thing for me is really it’s been this OTA. He popped his head in today into the QB meeting and we’re talking about looks and he already wants adjustments to get the ball, and you’re doing things at the line of scrimmage, changing plays with him. With how they’re playing him leverage-wise, he wants a different route so he can get the football. Yesterday in practice, I can hear him make calls at the line of scrimmage because he wants the football.

“Things like that, it’s encouraging because he’s obviously a tremendous player, but it’s so great to see that confidence there on the field, calling for when he wants the football. As a quarterback, it’s encouraging. You want a bunch of guys out there that are feeling good about their matchup and want the football. So certainly for him it’s understanding that as a young guy, sometimes you’re out there and you just kind of are trying to do your job so to speak. And for him to understand when he’s got the good look and when it’s probably coming to him, to be calling for it, it’s fun.”

http://arrowheadaddict.com/2015/06/18/alex-smith-press-conference-jeremy-maclin-andy-reid-travis-kelce/

[kychief 239]

smith will run this offense..bringing it to an elite level...

 

IF.............

 

the O-line gives him enough time to go through his reads...

 

this he can do... as well as anyone but he has to think he has time or he will dump off all day long...just the way he plays...

 

one really good sign from mini camps and OTAs...apparently Smith is throwing timing passes to a spot before Maclin arrives...this is one of the staples of the west coast offense (IMO)..the ball is already gone before the receiver makes his break..this really puts the Defense in a difficult position...last year there was no way Smith was letting that pass go..he didn't trust Bowe to read the play and make the break on time and the speed wasn't there in the first place to reach the ball...

 

this team is so close.......

 

ky.

[eraser 722]

I like the way this team is being put together. Paylor says Wilson, Mac, DAT, Conley, and Cook were sharp in OTAs. He did not mention Avant. Rather than making me believe Avant looked bad, this makes me believe the Chiefs have five really good WRs. I have also heard good reports about Shag. If the Chiefs found a hidden gem, they may have located a good trio of Tight Ends. 

 

I concur with KY in that the Chiefs must do a better job protecting Alex Smith. That is the biggest concern, IMO, going into the 2015 season. 

[kychief 239]

Lol...

 

E you say it so much better than I...my Paducahian friend!(made up word..you betcha!)

 

still there are weapons on this team...strong fast weapons...

 

if the line holds A Smith is plenty good enough to orchestrate this offense..

 

ky.

[KCSLC2008 606]

http://m.therepublic.com/view/story/d0ffb73af08c497992e13c15bda0cfdc/FBN--Chiefs-Stable-Smith

 

Chiefs enjoying stability with coaching staff, QB Alex Smith

 

By HERBIE TEOPE

 

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — With minicamp over, the Chiefs are set to experience two major firsts when the team reports for training camp in late July.

 

The upcoming season marks the first time in 12 years the Chiefs have the same coaching staff for a third straight year.

 

"Continuity is a big thing," coach Andy Reid said. "Dorse (general manager John Dorsey) has done a good job keeping players around here, too, so that helps.

 

"But we all kind of know as a coaching staff where we're going, what direction we're going in and I think that's important."

 

Continuity also applies to quarterback Alex Smith, who for the first time in his 11-year career has the same head coach, offensive coordinator (Doug Pederson) and quarterbacks coach (Matt Nagy) in three straight seasons.

 

That stability has made a difference for Smith, who hasn't been in a consistent environment in consecutive years since his college career at Utah.

 

"You're just so comfortable, you know what to expect coming into work," Smith said. "But then on the field, it's hard to quantify. I think all the little details add up over those couple of years that you've kind of memory banked, and then you're out on the field and it's not just you that's further along, I think the reality is you have a bunch of guys around you that it's the same case. All of sudden, they're in their third year of the system and that's a rarity in the NFL."

 

Smith understands the scarcity after experiencing a head-spinning carousel of four head coaches, seven offensive coordinators and six quarterback coaches in eight seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before being traded to Kansas City in 2013.

 

The former first overall pick of the 2005 draft had his career stall in San Francisco, a period that didn't go unnoticed to Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, who coached Smith at Utah.

 

"I think especially for a player like Alex, he's a very cerebral guy that once he figures it out, in my opinion, there's no stopping him," Meyer said during a telephone interview.

 

"The problem is — the obvious — if you change coordinators and systems, and then all of sudden they were also going through a little bit of a talent issue there where they just weren't very good on either side of the ball, and the first guy to take a hit is the quarterback."

 

The hits certainly came with the 49ers plodding through a 37-59 record from 2005-10.

 

While Smith re-energized his career in 2011 under then-49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, concerns lingered.

 

"I was getting asked a lot of questions about that, 'Why is Alex struggling?'" Meyer said. "And I kept thinking to myself, if Alex Smith can't play quarterback in the NFL, then I will never have one. He's a prototypical quarterback, great intelligence, arm delivery and the way he manages and leads a team. I was kind of really disappointed the way it all went down."

 

Those years appear to be over for Smith, who has a 38-16-1 record since 2011 to rank fifth in winning percentage behind Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Russell Wilson (minimum of 30 starts).

 

Smith totaled 19 wins in his first two seasons with the Chiefs, surpassing Hall of Famer Joe Montana for most regular-season wins by a Chiefs quarterback in the first two years with the organization.

 

Left guard Ben Grubbs, whom the Chiefs acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Saints, knows confident signal callers from playing with Super Bowl winning-quarterbacks Drew Brees and Joe Flacco.

 

And Grubbs drew on experiences with Brees and Flacco to identify a common trait associated with winning.

 

"Definitely stability plays a large role," Grubbs said. "When you're able to be in the same system for more than two years, there's some comfort you bring to the table. If your quarterback is comfortable with what plays are being called, then that is probably a good indicator for success."

 

Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who signed as a free agent in March, played four seasons in Reid's offense with the Philadelphia Eagles.

 

Maclin and Smith have worked on chemistry throughout the offseason, and Maclin complimented Smith's intelligence, ability to read coverage and to throw "a very receiver-friendly ball."

 

"He's proven it out here in the minicamp," Maclin said. "I'm really looking forward to it. He's a guy you want leading this type of offense."

 

Familiarity with the scheme is important, but Meyer points out the relationship between Smith and the coaching staff, especially Reid, shouldn't be overlooked.

 

"Andy Reid and I go way back and I can't think of a better situation for Alex," Meyer said. "I think they're two people very much alike."

 

Smith agreed with Meyer's last point, adding the Chiefs head coach "thinks like a quarterback" and often spends time in the meeting room with the quarterbacks to explain scenarios.

 

Those interactions reinforce a stable environment.

 

"I think the greatest thing is every single day you know what you're getting," Smith said. "He loves football; he brings that passion every single day. From an Xs and Os perspective, I don't think it gets any better."

 

NOTES: Chiefs safety Sanders Commings lost his cousin, Clementa Pinckney, who was shot and killed Wednesday night in Charleston, South Carolina . "We are grieving for he and his family members," Reid said . Reid said there is no medical update on strong safety Eric Berry, who recently finished lymphoma treatments. . Reid said the Chiefs and outside linebacker Justin Houston's representative continue to talk. . "We'll continue to move on and hope that he is here at the beginning of camp," Reid said of Houston. . Cornerback Sean Smith was excused for the final day of minicamp for personal reasons.

[dhitter 1,424]

Wow...one of the things I like to do is look at the NFL sports mags when they hit the shelf (Athlon, Lindy's, Peterson's, USA Today, Pro Football Weekly, Sporting News, etc...) to see what they think of the upcoming season and how the Chiefs will fare. The news wasn't very encouraging. I saw a lot of 3rd place finishes for the Chiefs in the division. And one magazine (can't remember which one)...picked the Chiefs to finish 6-10. 

 

Grades were handed out in one mag for each position group. Oline got a D-. Secondary got a C. Wide receiver group actually got a B. Not sure how you can judge the quality of a position like Oline before they even have a chance to play anybody. Apparently just looking at the names on the back of the jersey tells them everything they need to know. I think our defensive secondary should be a real strength for us. Am I missing something? 

[DieHard 2,061]

I agree. Defensive back field should be our rock solid if we get some pass rush again. Those preseason rankings mat work for teams that return with the same roster, but new players and injuries are a complete crap shot.

[KCSLC2008 606]

WR TDs are worth 25 points each.

 

TE TDs are worth 2 and RB TDs are worth 1 point each.

 

If Maclin doesn't get 1300 yards and 10 TDs, that a negative 12 points for every game he doesn't get 1/16th of that or more.

 

It doesn't matter if Smith scored 44 points with Charles on the bench, it's all him and if Reid doesn't run Charles every down, Smith is docked 40 of those points, because he gets to keep the two TE TDs only.

 

The Chiefs don't stand a chance. 0-16, here we come.

[West 6,713]

The National Print  Media is a disgrace.

 

w

[xen 1,010,220]

WR TDs are worth 25 points each.

 

TE TDs are worth 2 and RB TDs are worth 1 point each.

 

If Maclin doesn't get 1300 yards and 10 TDs, that a negative 12 points for every game he doesn't get 1/16th of that or more.

 

It doesn't matter if Smith scored 44 points with Charles on the bench, it's all him and if Reid doesn't run Charles every down, Smith is docked 40 of those points, because he gets to keep the two TE TDs only.

 

The Chiefs don't stand a chance. 0-16, here we come.

that was awesome