Alex Smith: Smart And Accurate Or Captain Checkdown?

Play #7 – Under Center – 3 WRs, 1 TE, JC in backfield

Situation – 1st and 10

Results – Play action pass to Dexter McCluster for 12 yards and a first down

On this play Fasano and Charles stay in to pass protect and all three WRs run short hook routes.  In my opinion Smith could have hit any of the three WRs becasue the Saints were once again playing back in coverage (there are 4 DBs in coverage beyond our point of view).  If you want to argue that Bowe or Baldwin may have been able to get a yard or two more than Dex did, you can try, but you can see that Bowe was slower getting turned back to Smith and the defender between Dex and Baldwin has a better angle to defend a pass to Baldwin.