Steve Smith thought he might be traded.

[Dpantherman]

I'm just having a bad day all around.

He did play in those games, though.

i didnt get to call u out.

but at least now you know. he won Rookie of the Month in December 2007. he started every game in the month. says something about the coaching staff, imo. he should have started way eariler in the season.

[Lumps]

I rather see how he does with a different QB before even thinking about trading him.

Seriously...get rid of Jake, and trade overpaid Peppers. Start E. Brown (making sure he plays a lot this season after/if he heals). Bring in a nice QB and another nice WR like Branch to take heat off Smitty. Try and get a better secondary in the draft with a high pick. 2010 will be set. We may lack experience but we will have a future.

[Kevin Greene]

I blame Fiz.

[Mother Grabber]

What are you guys, blind? Fiz IS Smitty!

[Mr. Scot]

I doubt message board chatter was that much of a factor.

Sounds more like a little paranoia. Considering he'd just made a public boo-boo, he may well have been thinking to himself "Crap, what if they trade me now?" And then people he knows start asking him about this and that and he starts to wonder.

Fairly natural, but ultimately nothing.

Of couirse, now that he wasn't traded, he can go back to saying "Yeah, I meant it" :sosp:

[jramsey4]

Smith has every right to be pissed at the way he is being used in this O. I sure as hell am so I can imagine how pissed he must be. Jake is wasting Steve's few precious more years before he starts to lose his athleticism.

[solidkjames]

You know occassionally the pro's sit around bored and have the same thoughts that every person does. They let things get to themselves and jump on message boards to see what other people are saying. I know for a fact they do it because I lived with a guy in college who played for the Cleveland Browns. They read this crap and sometimes make it their reality and I believe Jake has been spending too much time on the Huddle. :eek:

[Khyber53]

Here's my thought on what is wrong with Smitty this year. Bear with me, because this goes back to training camp last year.

The fight between Lucas and Smitty came about because Lucas was defending against Smitty at 100% of his ability in training camp. The competition got very heated and it came to blows. Now they had been practicing like this ever since they were teammates, but in the heat of the day and the frustration of the previous season, it boiled over.

After the event, I imagine Lucas let up on him some. Then Lucas is cut after the season ends. Who has to guard Smitty in camp? Gamble. Then Gamble injures Smitty's shoulder while defending him.

You just hurt the franchise, I'm sure someone said to him. And Gamble plays off of him a bit from there on out. And let's face it, the other DBs on the team are probably intimidated by Smitty (as most any DB would be).

Well, Smitty thrives on competition, proving himself against his opponent. I bet that is important in practice as it is in games. And that fight to win has served our DBs as well. They get to practice against one of the best in the business.

But if they back off, Smitty doesn't get fired up, he doesn't get a good practice and they don't push their own skill sets. Everyone gets afraid of the tough guy and the tough guy gets soft in the vacuum that develops.

Make sense?

[thefuzz]

Been saying that he at least had to be dangled out there for a 1st and 4th or a 1st and a player.

We are in need of some draft picks, and we don't have a QB that can use Smith to the best of his abilities right now.

Not to mention, he could put someone over the edge.

Oh yea, he is long in the tooth, and is getting paid mega bucks.

I am not saying that I don't want him on my team, just that as a FO you have to at least consider helping the team out long term for once.

[panthers55]

Here's my thought on what is wrong with Smitty this year. Bear with me, because this goes back to training camp last year.

The fight between Lucas and Smitty came about because Lucas was defending against Smitty at 100% of his ability in training camp. The competition got very heated and it came to blows. Now they had been practicing like this ever since they were teammates, but in the heat of the day and the frustration of the previous season, it boiled over.

After the event, I imagine Lucas let up on him some. Then Lucas is cut after the season ends. Who has to guard Smitty in camp? Gamble. Then Gamble injures Smitty's shoulder while defending him.

You just hurt the franchise, I'm sure someone said to him. And Gamble plays off of him a bit from there on out. And let's face it, the other DBs on the team are probably intimidated by Smitty (as most any DB would be).

Well, Smitty thrives on competition, proving himself against his opponent. I bet that is important in practice as it is in games. And that fight to win has served our DBs as well. They get to practice against one of the best in the business.

But if they back off, Smitty doesn't get fired up, he doesn't get a good practice and they don't push their own skill sets. Everyone gets afraid of the tough guy and the tough guy gets soft in the vacuum that develops.

Make sense?

Good theory and it could be a factor but I think other things are happening as well. Smitty has been playing at a high level since 2002. This isn't his first rodeo and he doesn't need people to motivate him or compete to keep his skills. Besides I saw Munnerlyn mug him several times in camp so I doubt folks aren't competing with him. But during the season from game to game most of the time players aren't going at each other full out anymore like in camp. Positions are set, players are banged up from the game and the primary focus is installing a gameplan and working on timing, fundamentals, and finetuning.

His issue is that he lets his emotions boil over and affect his play. Defensive players do well being fiery but when you are on offense you are taking hits not giving them, you are sacrificing your body to gain ground and move the ball. The philosophy is about execution and timing not flowing to the ball and being disruptive like it is on defense. So when you aren't where you are supposed to be or you let the defender get in your head like he has, you make mental errors and are taken out of your game. That is what I believe is happening.

[King Taharqa]

Smith has every right to be pissed at the way he is being used in this O. I sure as hell am so I can imagine how pissed he must be. Jake is wasting Steve's few precious more years before he starts to lose his athleticism.

Rep. Just imagine if you carried your QB for 8 years, took him to a Super Bowl, and a few playoff games, and got him several big contracts and endorsements, only for you to be thrown under the bus in an attempt to shield Jake "Cap" Rooney from much deserved criticism.

[ckad79]

Getting Smitty the ball isn't easy when your offensive line doesn't protect you long enough as a QB to release the ball properly. When you're forced to throw, you often just throw it up and your passes are under-thrown (we saw a lot of these against Philly). The line isn't protecting Jake, and when the team isn't running well, he's literally forced to opt for short passes to tall receivers, which is why he likes hitting Moose and our tight ends.

The only thing another QB might do better is release the ball sooner, but if you aren't giving the QB time to throw, you aren't giving your receivers time to set up.

Smith is a small guy, he needs time to get open. I really don't think you can toss him a corner pass anymore and watch him burn a day --- I hope I'm wrong - I just think father time has caught up with him.

Smith has lost a step and that all comes into play. He's 30 and has taken his bumps over the years... Still, has that burning desire to win though, which will always make him a threat.

[panthers55]

I keep hearing that we ran to keep the ball out of jake's hands but that is not totally supported by the facts. We were trying to get into scoring position and run the clock. So we do what we always do which is run the ball. Look at the play chart on the last drive.

(8:32) 34-D.Williams right guard to CAR 25 for 5 yards (98-R.Sims).

2-5-CAR 25 (7:59) 34-D.Williams left end pushed ob at CAR 32 for 7 yards (21-S.Piscitelli).

1-10-CAR 32 (7:30) 28-J.Stewart right guard to CAR 37 for 5 yards (96-T.Crowder).

2-5-CAR 37 (6:52) 17-J.Delhomme pass short right to 89-S.Smith to CAR 41 for 4 yards (25-A.Talib).

3-1-CAR 41 (6:08) 28-J.Stewart right guard to TB 49 for 10 yards (21-S.Piscitelli).

1-10-TB 49 (5:31) 34-D.Williams right end to TB 43 for 6 yards (20-R.Barber).

2-4-TB 43 (4:48) 34-D.Williams left end pushed ob at TB 42 for 1 yard (21-S.Piscitelli).

3-3-TB 42 (4:40) 28-J.Stewart right guard to TB 33 for 9 yards (21-S.Piscitelli).

1-10-TB 33 (4:05) 28-J.Stewart left guard to TB 28 for 5 yards (51-B.Ruud).

2-5-TB 28 (3:24) 28-J.Stewart right guard to TB 23 for 5 yards (96-T.Crowder, 54-G.Hayes).

1-10-TB 23 (2:37) 34-D.Williams up the middle to TB 17 for 6 yards (98-R.Sims).

Two-Minute Warning

2-4-TB 17 (2:00) 34-D.Williams right tackle to TB 12 for 5 yards (20-R.Barber).

Timeout #1 by TB at 01:54.

1-10-TB 12 (1:54) 28-J.Stewart right tackle to TB 4 for 8 yards (91-S.White).

Timeout #2 by TB at 01:37.

2-2-TB 4 (1:36) 28-J.Stewart right guard to TB 3 for 1 yard (97-J.Wilkerson, 57-A.Hayward).

Timeout #3 by TB at 01:22.

3-1-TB 3 (1:21) 34-D.Williams up the middle to TB 1 for 2 yards (51-B.Ruud, 98-R.Sims).

1-1-TB 1 (1:21) 34-D.Williams left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.

We only had 3 third downs in the whole drive and none of them were more than 3rd and 3. We were gaining chunks of 5 or more yards on every play. Why would you pass when you are pounding them with your running game and gaining first downs with ease.

We will throw this game if they load the box but expect us to run again as much as we can. To keep the ball from Jake? Of course not. To capitalize on the fact the the Bills are 32nd against the run and 4th against the pass.

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what we should do.

[Sloth]

I keep hearing that we ran to keep the ball out of jake's hands but that is not totally supported by the facts. We were trying to get into scoring position and run the clock. So we do what we always do which is run the ball. Look at the play chart on the last drive.

(8:32) 34-D.Williams right guard to CAR 25 for 5 yards (98-R.Sims).

2-5-CAR 25 (7:59) 34-D.Williams left end pushed ob at CAR 32 for 7 yards (21-S.Piscitelli).

1-10-CAR 32 (7:30) 28-J.Stewart right guard to CAR 37 for 5 yards (96-T.Crowder).

2-5-CAR 37 (6:52) 17-J.Delhomme pass short right to 89-S.Smith to CAR 41 for 4 yards (25-A.Talib).

3-1-CAR 41 (6:08) 28-J.Stewart right guard to TB 49 for 10 yards (21-S.Piscitelli).

1-10-TB 49 (5:31) 34-D.Williams right end to TB 43 for 6 yards (20-R.Barber).

2-4-TB 43 (4:48) 34-D.Williams left end pushed ob at TB 42 for 1 yard (21-S.Piscitelli).

3-3-TB 42 (4:40) 28-J.Stewart right guard to TB 33 for 9 yards (21-S.Piscitelli).

1-10-TB 33 (4:05) 28-J.Stewart left guard to TB 28 for 5 yards (51-B.Ruud).

2-5-TB 28 (3:24) 28-J.Stewart right guard to TB 23 for 5 yards (96-T.Crowder, 54-G.Hayes).

1-10-TB 23 (2:37) 34-D.Williams up the middle to TB 17 for 6 yards (98-R.Sims).

Two-Minute Warning

2-4-TB 17 (2:00) 34-D.Williams right tackle to TB 12 for 5 yards (20-R.Barber).

Timeout #1 by TB at 01:54.

1-10-TB 12 (1:54) 28-J.Stewart right tackle to TB 4 for 8 yards (91-S.White).

Timeout #2 by TB at 01:37.

2-2-TB 4 (1:36) 28-J.Stewart right guard to TB 3 for 1 yard (97-J.Wilkerson, 57-A.Hayward).

Timeout #3 by TB at 01:22.

3-1-TB 3 (1:21) 34-D.Williams up the middle to TB 1 for 2 yards (51-B.Ruud, 98-R.Sims).

1-1-TB 1 (1:21) 34-D.Williams left guard for 1 yard, TOUCHDOWN.

We only had 3 third downs in the whole drive and none of them were more than 3rd and 3. We were gaining chunks of 5 or more yards on every play. Why would you pass when you are pounding them with your running game and gaining first downs with ease.

We will throw this game if they load the box but expect us to run again as much as we can. To keep the ball from Jake? Of course not. To capitalize on the fact the the Bills are 32nd against the run and 4th against the pass.

Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what we should do.

And why would you pass when your turnover-prone QB had just thrown a very stupid pick six to tie up the game. He's pretty much the opposite of clutch at this point, so you let your more stable guys try to pull out the win.