FanShot

How Alex Smith Led Kansas City to the NFL Playoffs

3

Alex Smith is a very special alum for many Utah fans. His NFL career has been one heck of a roller coaster, but he's really carved out a very good career the last five or six years. Well, he's led the Chiefs to the playoffs again, and this SI write up gives insight into how he's done that. Here is a very interesting excerpt about the freedom, Andy Reed has given Alex: On a very micro level, this is how the Chiefs turned around their season. The team was at a crossroads, falling to 1-5 and losing its top offensive weapon, running back Jamaal Charles. So to get out of it, they tapped into one of their most valuable assets: Alex Smith’s brain, giving the veteran more freedom to change protections, runs and routes at the line. For as many great quarterbacks as Reid has coached in his West Coast system—as Brett Favre’s quarterbacks coach in Green Bay, and in Philadelphia with Donovan McNabb—none has been given as much freedom as Smith has this season. And Alex had a very bumpy beginning to his career, here's a perspective that many Utah fans would agree with: "You say a lot of quarterbacks would be ruined by that. I would say most. Most are ruined," says Rich Gannon, CBS commentator and an 18-year NFL quarterback, to whose playing style Smith’s is often likened. "He was abused and mistreated those early years in San Francisco. It ruins your confidence and that of the people around you, whether it’s teammates, the coaches or the fan base. No quarterback should go through what he went through." Check out the whole article, it's really good!

Trending Discussions