FanPost

Alex Smith v. the previous 10 Super Bowl quarterbacks

Since the team is in a bye I figured I'd try to spark some QB discussion. I'd personally like some better offensive numbers. I'm just not sure we can expect this defense to play at their current level week in and week out against the upcoming schedule of quarterbacks. Sure we're a playoff team but can we legitimately contend putting up the numbers we've put up.

Since the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs obvious weak point is their offense I figured I would break down and compare their play at QB through the half way point against the last 10 Super Bowl winning quarterbacks. If Alex Smith is putting up comparable numbers then the Chiefs actually stand a chance, right?

Something to keep in mind: the stats are gathered from the previous calendar year of the Super Bowl played, 2004 SB=2003 season stats; the games played range from 6-8 varying due to injury and bye weeks; we’ll look at totals, averages and ranks among the quarterbacks being compared. Ranks will be shown in parenthesis.

2004-Tom Brady

In 2003 a still young Tom Brady led the New England Patriots to a 14-2 record and their second Super Bowl in three years beating the Carolina Panthers 32-29. Through the first eight games Brady went 6-2; 4-0 at home, 2-2 on the road and 2-1 against the AFC East.

Totals though eight games: completions 153 (5) / 254 attempts (4)/ 60% average (5) / 1721 yards (7)/ 8 TDs (8)/ 7 interceptions (5)

Averages through eight games: 19 completions (5) on 31 attempts (6) for 215 yards (8). He averaged one touchdown (9) and .8 interceptions (5).

2005-Tom Brady

In 2004 Brady and the Patriots finished 10-6 meeting and beating the Andy Reid led Philadelphia Eagles 24-21 in the Super Bowl. Through the first eight games Brady went 6-1; 3-0 at home, 3-1 on the road and 3-0 against the AFC East. Their lone loss came to the 15-1 Steelers.

Totals through eight games: completions 129 (8) / 215 attempts (9)/ 60% average (5) / 1660 yards (8)/ 13 TDs (3)/ 7 interceptions (5)

Averages through eight games: 18 completions (6) on 30 attempts (7) for 237 yards (6). He averaged 1.8 touchdowns (3) and 1 interception (6).

2006-Ben Roethlisberger

In 2005 "Big Ben" led the Steelers to an 11-5 record culminating in a 21-10 Super Bowl victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Through the first eight games Roethlisberger went 5-1 (Missed Jacksonville game (loss) due to knee injury); 2-1 at home, 3-0 on the road and 2-0 against the AFC North.

Totals though eight games: completions 79 (least) / 130 attempts (least)/ 60% average (5) / 1183 yards (least)/ 11 TDs (5)/ 2 interceptions (1)

Averages through eight games: 13 completions (least) on 21 attempts (least) for 197 yards (10). He averaged 1.8 touchdowns (3) and .3 interceptions (2).

2007-Peyton Manning

In 2006 Peyton "five head" Manning went undefeated through eight weeks not losing until week 11 at Dallas. The Colts finished with a 12-4 record ending in a 29-17 Super Bowl win over the Chicago Bears. While going undefeated Manning went 4-0 at home, 3-0 on the road and 3-0 against the AFC South. Indy opened the season in the inaugural "Manning Bowl" the first NFL game featuring brothers as starting quarterbacks.

Totals though eight games: completions 163 (3) / 245 attempts (6)/ 66% average (2) / 1965 yards (4)/ 15 TDs (2)/ 2 interceptions (1)

Averages through eight games: 23 completions (1) on 35 attempts (2) for 275 yards (3). He averaged 2.1 touchdowns (2) and .2 interceptions (1).

2008-Eli Manning

In 2007 the Giants finished the season at 10-6 as a wild card behind the division winning Cowboys but ended in a 17-14 upset over the previously undefeated New England Patriots. The G men sat at 6-2 through eight games going 3-1 at home, 3-1 on the road and 2-1 against the NFC East. New York is the only Super Bowl champ to start 0-2 in the past 10 years.

Totals though eight games: completions 145 (7) / 249 attempts (5)/ 58% average (7) / 1584 yards (9)/ 13 TDs (3)/ 9 interceptions (most)

Averages through eight games: 18 completions (6) on 31 attempts (6) for 275 yards (3). He averaged 1.6 touchdowns (2) and 1.1 interceptions (most).

2009-Ben Roethlisberger

In 2008 the Steelers finished the season 12-4 after a 5-2 start with a 27-23 victory over the surprise Arizona Cardinals. At the half way point the Steelers sat at 2-1 at home, 3-1 on the road, and 3-0 against the AFC North. In the first half of the season Roethlisberger only attempted 20+ passes once.

Totals though eight games: completions 109 (9) / 181 attempts (10)/ 60% average (5) / 1352 yards (10)/ 10 TDs (6)/ 7 interceptions (5)

Averages through eight games: 15 completions (7) on 25 attempts (8) for 193 yards (least). He averaged 1.4 touchdowns (6) and 1 interception (6).

2010-Drew Brees

In 2009 the Saints started the season 13-0 which was the longest undefeated start to a season in the NFC since the merger. They beat Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in the Super Bowl. Through eight undefeated weeks the Saints won four at home and three on the road playing only one division game against Atlanta. Brees eclipsed 300 yards and threw multiple touchdowns four times.

Totals though eight games: completions 156 (4) / 230 attempts (8)/ 67% average (1) / 2006 yards (3)/ 16 TDs (1)/ 6 interceptions (4)

Averages through eight games: 22 completions (2) on 32 attempts (5) for 286 yards (2). He averaged 2.2 touchdowns (1) and .8 interceptions (5).

2011-Aaron Rodgers

In 2010 the Packers had the worst mid-season record, 5-3, of the teams in this article. The Packers beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Cowboys Stadium. Through the eight games they went 3-1 at home losing an overtime contest to Miami, 2-2 on the road losing another game in overtime to Washington, and going 2-1 against the NFC North. Rodgers also threw more interceptions in eight games (9) than he did the entire previous season (7).

Totals though eight games: completions 165 (2) / 269 attempts (2)/ 61% average (4) / 2011 yards (2)/ 12 TDs (4)/ 9 interceptions (most)

Averages through eight games: 20 completions (4) on 33 attempts (4) for 251 yards (5). He averaged 1.5 touchdowns (5) and 1.1 interceptions (most).

2012-Eli Manning

In 2011 the Giants finished 9-7 after hitting the midway point at 5-2; going 3-1 at home, 2-1 on the road, and 1-1 against the NFC East. Eli has started both of his Super Bowl years with a loss. The Giants beat the New England Patriots 21-17.

Totals though eight games: completions 156 (4) / 241 attempts (7)/ 64% average (3) / 2127 yards (1)/ 13 TDs (3)/ 5 interceptions (3)

Averages through eight games: 22 completions (2) on 34 attempts (3) for 303 yards (1). He averaged 1.8 touchdowns (3) and .7 interceptions (4).

2013-Joe Flacco

In 2012 the Ravens finished 12-4 after starting the season 5-2. They went 4-0 at home, 1-2 on the road with the lone win coming in a 9-6 victory in Arrowhead, and 2-0 against the AFC North. Flacco threw a pick in five of the first seven games and was held without a touchdown pass in only the Kansas City game. The Harbaugh Bowl ended with the Ravens beating the 49ers 34-31.

Totals though eight games: completions 150 (6) / 262 attempts (3)/ 57% average (last) / 1837 yards (5)/ 9 TDs (10)/ 6 interceptions (4)

Averages through eight games: 21 completions (3) on 37 attempts (1) for 262 yards (4). He averaged 1.2 touchdowns (9) and .8 interceptions (5).

Alex Smith

In 2013 the Chiefs hit the midway point as the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL. They have won five home games and three road games only facing one opponent from the AFC West.

Totals though eight games: completions 169 (MOST) / 286 attempts (MOST)/ 59% average (9th) / 1795 yards (6)/ 9 TDs (10)/ 4 interceptions (2)

Averages through eight games: 21 completions (3) on 35 attempts (2) for 224 yards (7). He’s averaged 1.1 touchdowns (10) and .5 interceptions (3).

Smith has thrown more passes through eight games than any of the previous 10 Super Bowl winning quarterbacks. While leading those categories he’s bottom three in completion percentage. Smith is middle of the pack in yardage, bottom two in touchdowns and top two in interceptions thrown. When we look at Smiths averages his completions slide to third behind Peyton, Brees, and the pass happy Eli of 2011 and his attempts are only behind Flaccos 2012 numbers. His yards per game average, TD’s, and INT’s stay about the same.

So, what do these numbers tell us?

Smith throws the ball a lot while not doing a great job completing passes, getting touchdowns, or gaining yards. He is, however, doing an above average job of not turning the ball over. The numbers can be skewed a little due to Smiths 47 completions to Jamaal Charles for 389 yards and two touchdowns. What we do know is that Smith has done nothing to this point to guarantee this team a trip to New York nor has he done anything to prevent that same trip.

Five of the last 10 Super Bowl winning QBs started the season on the road.

Seven of the 10 started the season with a win.

Only Roethlisberger (2005) and Brady (2003) hadn’t thrown a 300 yard game until Smith this year.

The 2009 Saints were the only team to have only played one divisional game at the halfway point. They finished 6-2 in division play losing one game in overtime and the other the final week of the season while resting starters.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Arrowhead Pride's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Arrowhead Pride writers or editors.