Best pass I saw all year was when he threw the ball through the endzone last week. Earlier this year he would have tried to force the ball. That pass alone shows how much he has progressed. I for one have been against him starting this year. So it doesn't come easy to say. Sanchez is maturing at the right time.
If winning is the key to going deep in the playoffs, and Brad Smith is the key to winning, then Brad Smith is the key to going deep in the playoffs. Of course this will all be moot when Schotty calls for Greene on a HB option pass deep into triple coverage on 3rd and 1 on our own 20.
I came in here to post the same thing. The line and the running game is more key than Smith. I am loving the way Smith is playing and have been a supporter for a while now but he will not win us the playoffs.
Agree. Though it's important for the O-line and backs to play well also, those guys have generally been consistent all year. Sanchez's play has the biggest effect on the offense overall and so far he's had the most ups and downs by far. I definitely think he's the X-factor here. He's shown he can make big plays in big spots and he's also shown he can singlehandedly lose some games for us with multiple turnovers. If he has a good game we should have no trouble topping the Bengals again.
I do agree that Mark will have to make some plays for us, especially against either the Colts or Chargers but its not impossible Just revisit the stats for the Steelers/Seahawks - SB XL....great defense and running the rock!! Big Ben's stats should have cost them the game.... 9/21, 123 yrds, 0 TD and 2 Int.
Right, but in the three playoff games leading up to that SB, he completed 68% of his passes, had a 9.4 YPA and a 7:1 TD:INT ratio. And the Steelers couldn't run for shit in those games. Plus, he had a mighty timely tackle.
Brad Smith really isn't as fast as he is slippery. He just seems to bounce off defenders and slip through the cracks...
Regarding Smith, the offense really needs to mix in a pass or two from the wild cat and under center option formations. Keep the defense honest.
