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Niners Pre-Season Preview
By David Zizmor August 3, 2007 |
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Things can only get worse I suppose, but San Francisco Forty Niners quarterback Alex Smith has been improving in each of his first two years in the NFL. This is his third year and many people seem to think it is kind of a magic year for quarterbacks when Smith tends to put it all together. Looking back the history of quarterbacks going back in time, it takes a few years for a young guy to adjust to the NFL to the speed of it all and the plays. Just to get used to the surroundings and that kind of thing it could take a little bit of time and Smith is has a tougher adjustment more than some just because the 49ers coaching staff has been in such flux since he got here. This will be Smith's third offensive coordinator but not his third offensive system. It's a new offensive coordinator again after Norv Turner left to become the head coach of the San Diego Chargers. Smith has to get used to the new system, maybe the extra plays, and that kind of thing and what we've seen so far that Smith is a pretty good quarterback not a pro bowl caliber quarterback but part of that is because the other guys he has on offense. Smith has not had a ton of talent to surround him. In Smith's first year, 2005 the team was just dreadful and regardless of his lousy numbers it really wasn't his fault he didn't have anyone to throw to he really didn't have particularly good guys running the ball behind him. Last year he got a little of protection and the offensive line was improved Frank Gore proved to be the number one running back in the NFC he got a little bit of help from the wide receivers but not really all that much. That was one of the problems Alex Smith has even if he was a really great quarterback wouldn't have anyone catch the ball and that was a big problem last year this year or at least this off season the 49ers tried to go out and try to fix that problem. We know that the Niners went out and picked Vernon Davis last year he was hurt for 10 weeks with a broken leg, but he showed flashes towards the end of the season and he seems to be fully recovered judging by the mini camp. Supposedly, David Smith with Davis has been working very closely this off-season so he and Davis have been developing a chemistry. The Niners went out and signed Ashley Louie a great deep threat a speedy deep threat, and the Niners signed Darrell Jackson away from the Seattle Seahawks. Jackson is a fantastic possession receiver he has to over come some of his injury history that's been one of Jackson's problems and he missed a number of games last year he still lead the Seahawks in receiving Jackson is a pro bowl caliber receiver when he's in the line up and having him in there has got to increase his confidence so with those two guys in addition to a healthy Arnez Battle, who is one of the top pass catchers in the NFL. I know many people will be surprised to hear me say that but actually, if you look at the statistics Battle catches a higher percentage of catches thrown in his direction than anyone in the NFL. It has something along the lines of 70% of the passes thrown to him he catches. Battle doesn't drop a lot of catches in his direction, part of that is just because he one of the guys that's been working with Smith day and night over the last few years and part of that is just because he's just a very talented guy. This is his fourth season in the league you will see a bit of a jump a bit of a breakout for Battle, he is a person who can surprise a few people. He's a lot like Jackson as a matter of fact very good hands, great moves after the catch and remember this is someone who was a quarterback in college so he's really been learning the wide receiver position since he came into the NFL. The Niners went out and drafted Jason Hill a local high school guy who played up in Washington who is another burner a very speedy wide receiver. The Niners really went out and got some talented guys to help out Smith not to mention that Frank Gore is still here, not to mention that Vernon Davis is still here. So the offense has really been upgraded around Alex Smith to give him the best opportunity to succeed and this is the kind of year we will really see what kind of quarterback Alex Smith is we saw flashes last year. It was a big game the Saturday night game against Seattle last year, when Smith lead that great fourth quarter come back and knocked off the Seahawks in Seattle in one of the toughest places to win at Qwest Field. He just blew everyone away just had real command real presence on the field and lead the Niners to a very big victory and then he did it again in the last week of the season against the Denver Broncos. So we've seen flashes from Smith and hopefully this is the season that it'll all come together and the Niners can put together a winning season and make a run at the playoffs. David Zizmor covers 49ers football and will be previewing all 49ers games. Catch David on 1690 KFSG Sacramento for Sportstalk. |
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