Alex Smith Question?

[cunningham06]

Originally Posted by pav

smith has these tiny little hands that can't grip the nfl ball. unless he grows some new hands he will never be successful. The premier QB's have these big old hands ala Eli and Peyton and Brady.

Or Brett Favre, who has bigger hands than any of the people you mentioned. You don't have to have big hands to succeed, it just helps.

[Borat]

Originally Posted by pav

smith has these tiny little hands that can't grip the nfl ball. unless he grows some new hands he will never be successful. The premier QB's have these big old hands ala Eli and Peyton and Brady.

This is actually quite incorrect. Alex and the Niners both refuted this. I believe this was some rumor written by a sportswriter after Smith's fumble problems last year. The truth was that Smith fumbled a lot in road games where the home team doesn't rough up the ball for the opposing quarterback like they do for the home team. This made the ball slippery for away QBs and they complained to the league about it. The NFL went as far as changing the rules to allow the away team to supply their own football for this coming year.

http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports...15068937c.html

Smith's success or failure will be tied to the OLine. They couldn't give him time to look at anything more than 1 read last year. If they give him time, he won't be going 1 TD/11INT this year.

[Iamcanadian]

Everybody was calling Eli a bust after his rookie year and he was a senior when drafted. Now Eli is well on his way to stardom. Smith started after entering the league as a junior. He'll probably take an extra year to develope and we won't know just how good or bad he is until his 3rd or 4th season. Smith has a real chance to be a superstar but he'll need time to reach his potential.
I really expect to see a vastly improved Smith this year. Not a star or even a solid NFL starter, but vastly improved nevertheless. However, if he got off to an absolute terrible start and it continue for about 6 games, he would no doubt be replaced and allowed to regain his composure. After another 4 games, he would be starting again until the end of the season. Whether or not Smith reaches his ceiling, nobody can tell. We probably won't see the real Smith until his 3rd or 4th season, but to judge him after his rookie year is for fools.

[duckseason]

I think that when a team uses the #1 (or any 1st or 2nd rd) pick on a QB, they absolutely must give him at least 3 consecutive years of starting experience before they give up and start over. The job of an NFL QB is simply much too complex to expect a kid to come in and even be solid. Especially on a garbage team. I think the 49ers will surprise some people this year though. I think their lack of talent is exaggerated. They're capable of beating some teams. I predict Mike Nolan will be talked about as a top coach within the next 5 years, because people will look back to 2005 and marvel at how he turned this team into a winner.

[Iamcanadian]

Originally Posted by duckseason

I think that when a team uses the #1 pick on a QB, they absolutely must give him at least 3 consecutive years of starting experience before they give up and start over. The job of an NFL QB is simply much too complex to expect a kid to come in and even be solid. Especially on a garbage team. I think the 49ers will surprise some people this year though. I think their lack of talent is exaggerated. They're capable of beating some teams. I predict Mike Nolan will be talked about as a top coach within the next 5 years, because people will look back to 2005 and marvel at how he turned this team into a winner.

I agree that Smith must be given time to develope, especially someone as raw as Smith. However, it is a myth to suggest that you cannot pull a young QB when things are going very, very badly without ruining his confidence. You can just as easily destroy a player's confidence by leaving him in when everything is going badly. Sometimes you need to take him out so his confidence isn't completely ruined and give him time to regain his composure.
I also agree that San Fran could be one of the suprise teams in the NFL this season depending on just how much Smith improves on his rookie performance. However I'm not completely sold on Nolan just yet. He reminds me some of Butch Davis, the ex Cleveland HC
who couldn't get along with a lot of his players and dumped them without much compensation. I feel this should be a make or break season for Nolan. I expect at least 7 or 8 wins and a lot of improvement from Smith. Anything less and I'd have to wonder if Nolan is the guy. JMO.

[The Legend]

how many yrs does dilfer have left in him?

[Staubach12]

Originally Posted by Brian Dawkins

how many yrs does dilfer have left in him?

none

[bigbluedefense]

Well....Alex Smith had a horrible 2nd preseason game. Im still not ready to write him off yet. Its my personal belief that you must give any qb 4 years to prove his worth. So to call the guy a bust if he disappoints this year as well is unfair. I will say however that I was never a big fan of him, and I still am not a big fan of him and I am expecting him to bust. But I cannot officially call him one until his 4th year.

And on a side note...

VD had 1 catch for 5 yards. So in 2 games, he had 1 catch for 5 yards...doesn't exactly sound like the guy who so many on this board are raving will change the TE position if you ask me. But its still too early for me to say "i told you so".

[Larry]

VD can't throw it to himself, that's alex's job and he's not doing it very well.

[GB12]

Originally Posted by Larry

VD can't throw it to himself, that's alex's job and he's not doing it very well.

but no matter whos throwing it they arent going to win so let smith start.

[The Fat Kid]

it would be jp losman all over again

[ninerfan]

Originally Posted by The Fat Kid

it would be jp losman all over again

Please dont say that - what have we ever done to you ?

[Shiver]

Smith has the talent, intelligence and the intangibles. He just needs to pick up the speed of the NFL game. Going from the Mountain West, and a shotgun offense to the NFL, it's understandable that the learning curve is incredible. I think he'll be a good NFL QB, in time.

[sweetness34]

You gotta let the kid play. No offense to any 49er fans on here but they aren't going anywhere this season. They're still years away from a playoff berth IMO.

You have to let him play, that's the only way he's going to get better. He needs reps as a starter. You're going to have to accept the good with the bad this season because he is inexperienced and he'll need more time to reach his full potential. He'll look good like he did against Chicago, but he's also going to look bad at points this season.

But yea, you can't bench him, I mean unless he's absolutely horrid. Which I doubt will happen.

[portermvp84]

If they start Alex smith there asken for the number one pick next year.

[Shiver]

What's the problem with that?

Originally Posted by portermvp84

If they start Alex smith there asken for the number one pick next year.

not really. smith has a lot of potential and even if they do pick first it will help smith if they take CJ

[sweetness34]

Originally Posted by cardsalltheway

not really. smith has a lot of potential and even if they do pick first it will help smith if they take CJ

So you're not going to start your future QB just because you have the possibility they you're going to get the #1 pick. Alex won't get any better unless he starts and gets reps.

Even with Dilfer in there, it's not going to make much difference. They need more help than what Dilfer could give them.

Originally Posted by sweetness34

So you're not going to start your future QB just because you have the possibility they you're going to get the #1 pick. Alex won't get any better unless he starts and gets reps.

Even with Dilfer in there, it's not going to make much difference. They need more help than what Dilfer could give them.

i didnt say he shouldnt start :?

[RCAChainGang]

I say kepp alex in cuz dilfers not gonna help at all. There both gonna suck.