What should we expect from Alex Smith this season?
Alex Smith is the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. That is a fact. The Chiefs are the defending AFC West champions and are looking to defend that title and return to the playoffs. That is also a fact. That makes Alex Smith the starting quarterback on a division champion competing for a playoff spot in 2017, and yet when we talk about Smith now, it’s typically a conversation about when he will turn over the keys to the offense to Patrick Mahomes.
Alex Smith is now seen as a lame duck quarterback. He is not the future of the Kansas City Chiefs, but he is the present. So what should we expect from Smith in 2017? Will it be more of the same? Will he rise to the challenge of having a highly touted rookie nipping at his heels? Will he crumble under the pressure?
Let’s discuss.
First, let’s reflect a little on how Alex Smith played last season. Here are his numbers.
- 67% completions
- 7.2 yards/attempt
- 3,502 yards
- 15 TDs, 8 INTs
- 134 yards rushing
- 5 rushing TDs
Those numbers aren’t bad; they just aren’t that great either. The completion percentage is good (6th best of regular NFL starters) and having an interception total in the single digits is another huge plus as well. The problem is that Smith simply didn’t pile up many yards or touchdowns and that has been a consistent theme throughout his NFL career.
While Smith’s 7.2 yards per attempt doesn’t look too bad (its about middle of the pack for NFL starters), it is skewed by his high completion percentage. If you look at his yards per completion last season, he ranked 25th in the NFL amongst regular starting quarterbacks. His 15 touchdowns was even worse ranking 27th in the NFL.
Basically, last season Alex Smith fulfilled the stereo type that most people have of Alex Smith in that he was safe (high completion percentage and low interceptions) but not very productive (at the bottom of the league in yards/completion and touchdowns).
So now the question becomes is that what we should expect from him in 2017?