Quarterbacking The Chiefs In The New Era

When Tim Tebow took the Broncos to the playoffs in 2011 and won a big home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers many fans were completely enamored with him and his accomplishment. However, the reports and interviews coming out of Denver revealed a team split in loyalty and support for their new leader during the following offseason which resulted in his being traded and Peyton Manning being signed.

Why?

Because Tim Tebow only knows how to “throw” the football and not how to “pass” it with any kind of consistent accuracy and that’s why he ran so much: he had to. Ultimately it meant that he didn’t know how to, share the ball.

Tebow remains a great enigma:

“The Christian Who Couldn’t Share.”

Sounds like a David-and-Goliath-Dr. Seuss story,

and changes the meaning, “Doing The Tebow.“

When a QB doesn’t divide the load, other players with big time skills, and even those teammates with “pleb” sized egos, feel restricted as to their role on the team and remain dazed and confused about what their contribution will ever be.

Think about the functional mechanisms that make football a “team game.”

On every play of a football game the following exchanges take place (except on kickoffs),

1. player #1 (the center), hands the ball to player #2 (usually the QB, except on punts),

2. and player #2 hands off or passes to player #3,

3. and player #3 (a RB, WR or TE) runs or catches the ball.

So, on most typical plays, three players are designed to touch the ball (even more on a double-reverse). It’s the game of the gods: the holy triad in action.

If the QB doesn’t include others in the process, it’s hard for them to know what their contribution would ever be. Or for that matter, “to feel needed.” If it doesn’t happen, the idea of a “team concept” comes into question.

It’s hard to “buy-in” when you feel “left out.”

As for the Chiefs, that’s why it’s a bit of a miracle that Dwayne Bowe hasn’t stood on a soapbox yet and asked publicly, “Where are my touches?”

It’s likely that because Bowe has experienced years of team failure that he knows his role as a “clay pigeon” is bringing touches for his peers and those touches are directly related to the wins the team is experiencing. Plus, he holds out hope that the system the Chiefs are running will lead to touches for him, over time.

For Alex Smith, his performance is so close to being top tier, it may not be recognizable to many Chiefs fans.

Smith could run more than he does, but he doesn’t. Sometimes he stays in the pocket never appearing to be rattled by pressure.

Yes, he goes to his check down, perhaps more than fans want to see, but, he’s not turning the ball over. K.C. is +9 in the Turn Over/Take Away category and Alex Smith is a big part of making that happen. (the Chiefs are #1 in the league in that department).

A.S. is spreading the ball around. He has completed 61% of his passes.

The Chiefs 100% red zone efficiency at Arrowhead and Smith’s 95.0 QB rating at home means he’s enjoying some home cooking.

Smith is regarded as a team player by his teammates and as a QB they want to play with and for.

If you compare Alex Smith to some other QBs around the league you begin to see a grander picture. While his personal stats don’t show up in the top ten of any category, he has led his team to a 3-0 record.

Compare that to Eli Manning who has thrown for a boat load of yards this season in three games, but he also has 8 interceptions and zero wins.

Compare Smith to RGIII. Griffin has averaged over 307 yards per game (101 yards per game more than Smith), and has 5 TDs but 4 INTs and once again, no wins.

Compare Smith to his replacement in San Francisco, Colin Kaepernick. CK7 has 3 TDs this year and 4 INTs and his 49ers are 1-2 on the season. Kaepernick has thrown for 7 more yards per game this season while his QB Rating is 72.5 compared to Smith’s 92.1.