Skip to main content

Chiefs QB Smith takes responsibility for offense

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The past two weeks, when the Kansas City Chiefs have struggled to score touchdowns in the red zone, Andy Reid has insisted that he needs to put his players in better position to succeed.

What happens when he puts the Chiefs in a bad position, though? Well, the Chiefs are paying quarterback Alex Smith a bunch of cash to get them out of it.

Smith said Wednesday that while his coach often takes responsibility for the shortcomings of the offense, the burden lies on the players to execute on the field. That means executing plays, making smart decisions with the ball and — at least for Smith — checking out of bad calls.

“He calls a play and it’s our job to go make it work regardless,” Smith said. “And it’s my job that not every call is going to be perfect — he’s not clairvoyant — and when he does get the right call, it’s my job to make the play.”

Through two weeks and two losses, that hasn’t happened enough.

Smith has thrown one touchdown pass against three interceptions, and his quarterback rating of 63.6 is last among 35 quarterbacks in the league. In fact, the guy ranked 34th just happens to be Vikings quarterback Matt Cassel, the very same guy who was released by the Chiefs when they acquired Smith in a trade from San Francisco prior to last season.

The sample size is small, of course. And the fact remains that Smith is coming off the finest year of his career, one that helped land him a four-year, $68 million contract extension.

But through two games, Smith is still trying to live up to his new deal.

He threw a pair of interceptions while the Chiefs were nearing the goal line in a season-opening loss to Tennessee, and the only touchdown that Kansas City scored came when the game was already out of reach. Then last week in Denver, the Chiefs had first-and-goal in the final minutes but were unable to punch into the end zone for a tying touchdown in a 24-17 defeat.

“It’s not where you hoped to be two weeks ago,” Smith acknowledged. “It’s a long season though. … The mentality is let’s win this week, put some things together and you never know.”

Reid and Smith have both come under fire for the way the Chiefs executed in Denver.

They had first-and-goal in the third quarter and wound up going backward. Smith misfired on five straight passes, one of which was bailed out by a Denver penalty. But after a sack and a hold on the Chiefs, Cairo Santos was forced to attempt a 37-yard field goal that he missed.

Then the debacle in the fourth quarter, one that cost the Chiefs a chance at overtime.

On first down at the 9-yard line, Knile Davis was stuffed for a 2-yard gain. On second down, Smith completed a 3-yard pass to Donnie Avery. After a penalty gave the Chiefs a second chance on third down, Davis was stuffed for no gain going up the middle from the Denver 2.

It wasn’t until fourth down that Smith threw to the end zone. The pass never got there, harmlessly batted down at the line of scrimmage.

Reid quickly took ownership of the play-calling on both failed series, but Smith came to his coach’s defense on Wednesday. The veteran quarterback insisted that he has the latitude to check out of plays that he thinks may not work; otherwise, it’s on him to execute them.

“He does a good job of that. I think you see that on the field,” Reid said. “Coaches aren’t on the field, so you need someone who has a grasp of everything. That’s one of his real strengths. He gets people lined up if they have a little bit of a slip and he fixes issues.”

Will he be able to fix the Chiefs’ red-zone blues?

The next opportunity comes Sunday in Miami.

“Coach does put it upon himself, takes a lot of accountability, and I think as players we see that and really respect that,” Smith said. “But at the same time, we have to make plays.”

Notes: RB Jamaal Charles (high ankle sprain) and S Eric Berry (ankle sprain) were not on the practice field Wednesday. … WR/RB De’Anthony Thomas (hamstring) expects to make his debut. The rookie has missed the first two games.

___

Online:

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote