Welcome back to “NFL’s Believe It or Not.” This week, I will focus on controversial comments from Alex Smith, Rex Ryan, and Tony Dungy.
Alex Smith
I will start with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, who said that he is “right up there with the other top passers in the game.” I’m not quite sure where to begin with this. Alex Smith finished 17th in the NFL in passing yards, 15th in passing touchdowns, 20th in completion percentage, and 14th in passer rating last season. Alex Smith is simply a mediocre quarterback, and the statistics don’t lie here. Without Jamaal Charles, the Chiefs would have had one of the worst offenses in the league. The Chiefs defense carried the team during the first half of the season, and when the defense started to decline towards the end of the season, their overall record dropped as well. During the first nine games of the season, the defense surrendered an impressive 12.3 points per game, and the Chiefs started out 9-0. After their bye week, the Chiefs surrendered over 34 points per game, and they skidded to an 11-5 record. During their 9-0 start, the offense scored over 30 points in only one game. Smith is a quality game manager, but he can’t be compared to any of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
Rex Ryan
Next up, New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan made another ridiculous offseason claim, saying, “Somebody asked me if we focus on New England. We’re focused on us. We’re focused on us and how are we going to be better. I have to be honest, I don’t worry about them. They need to worry about us. I think that’s really where we’re at now.” When will Rex Ryan learn that these kinds of statements don’t propel his team to victory? After a fantastic offseason, the Patriots are clearly the favorite to win the AFC East. Meanwhile, the Jets still don’t have a competent quarterback. The Jets will probably contend for a Wild Card seed, but I highly doubt any member of the Patriots is worrying about them. Rex Ryan should be worrying that his poor wide receiver corps will not stand a chance against the outstanding secondary of the Patriots.
Tony Dungy
Finally, former Indianapolis Colts and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Tony Dungy shocked the sports world when he said, “I wouldn’t have taken him. Not because I don’t believe Michael Sam should have a chance to play, but I wouldn’t want to deal with all of it. It’s not going to be totally smooth … things will happen.” This quote was indisputably the most controversial quote this week. While Tony Dungy voiced the opinion of many NFL head coaches who neglected to draft Michael Sam because of the attention, his comments seem a bit insensitive. However, I don’t believe his comments were as bad as most analysts seem to think. He was being brutally honest, and sometimes the truth is upsetting. If Michael Sam had the talent of Jadeveon Clowney, this wouldn’t be an issue because his talent outweighs the unwanted attention. But the fact remains that Michael Sam is a marginal prospect that most teams did not feel was worth the attention. This is not Michael Sam’s fault, but it is the difficult truth.
Make sure to leave your own comments below and come back next Thursday for another edition of “NFL’s Believe It or Not.”
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