We have reached this odd place where we have a QB that we know we can win with when he's playing within his comfort zone. The problem is most of us aren't satisfied with him playing that type of game... or at the very least we want to see his game continue to grow (I know I do) Thing is last nights game looked an awful lot like 2011 Alex expect for one play... the pick inside the red zone. I don't think there is any way he attempts that throw last year... but as I said fans want to see more and he knows it. If you look at the pick you can see he was moving left when he spotted Randy in the back of the end zone and tried to plant and throw. He couldn't stop himself all the way and had to make the throw off balance and we saw the results... bottom line is this is just not a throw Alex can make, not now... maybe not ever. And therein lies the quandary. As with baseball pitchers, different QBs bring different skill sets to the table. We wouldn't expect a Greg Maddox to try and pitch like Randy Johnson but in the NFL we seem to want all QBs to fit the same mode. Now this isn't a plea cop post for Alex... let me make it clear that I have questions about Alex leading team beyond this season. But I still say he's actually a pretty good fit for the personnel and style we have right now... my statement a few weeks back about how I'd rather have Alex than the Romos, Cutlers and Rivers of the world still stands. Some took that has I was saying Alex was better than 2/3s of the QBs in the league but then we know when we talk Alex Smith people get a little funny in the head. But right now as it stands today I think the 9ers are best suited for a QB that knows how to run the offence and not go all gunsliger at the drop of a hat. What worries me is Alex is being goaded into trying to be something he isn't. And I'm as guilty of this as the next fan... during the redzone series that ended in a pick last night I was preaching take care of the ball and take the 3 if need be... but when Alex got on the move I started yelling at the TV for him to make a play... As fans we can get caught up in the moment but we can't afford to have our QB do the same. Now maybe we'll find out that Alex's game won't be enough to get us over the hump this year but him forcing things just to satisfy the fans need to see a certain type of game is a sure fire recipe for failure. As is the idea Kaepernick can take over as the full time QB right now... again this team needs a steady hand not a combustible signal caller. The right balance needs to be found regarding when and where to sprinkle Kaep in... and make no mistake I think this offence needs the explosiveness he brings. But I don't want to hear any foolishness about who the starting QB should be in 2012... the time for that may come but it's going to be after we rode the most likely path to a super bowl with the team we have right now. Should that fail there will be plenty of time to worry about the future... right now let's stay focused on winning in 2012... And the guy that gives us the best chance to do that is Alex Smith... 2011 version.
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