Chapter 539: 538 Disrupts Plans Chapter 539: 538 Disrupts Plans In the eyes of the media, the Philadelphia Eagles’ troubles are indeed troubles, but those of the Kansas City Chiefs are not.
The Eagles’ quandary lies in that Wentz played at an MVP level during the regular season, while Foles demonstrated equally phenomenal performances in the playoffs.
Even the narrow loss in the Super Bowl couldn’t obscure Foles’s seemingly divine performance.
Indeed, this presents a real dilemma.
One is a favored son, who from being the second overall pick carried the burden of expectations but faced serious injuries in the process of reaching the peak, leaving everyone uncertain whether he could continue his excellent performance upon his return.
The other is an obscure dark horse, who, after enduring hardships and trials, finally seized the opportunity to shine brightly.
Perhaps he is the next Kurt Warner?
Yet, nobody can confirm if this was just a one-time explosion of talent.
Choosing either would be correct, for no one can predict the future, and the Philadelphia Eagles must make a judgment based on all the information they have.
Moreover, the key point is that no matter which choice the Philadelphia Eagles make, the media and the fans will inevitably have regrets for the other quarterback.
Whether Wentz or Foles, the one who fails in the competition for starting quarterback of the Eagles may not be willing to stay on the team as a backup; this also means that other teams in the league desperately in need of a quarterback might extend an olive branch to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The focus falls entirely on the Philadelphia Eagles.
What about the Kansas City Chiefs?
Their situation is much simpler.
Smith is a veteran who has proven himself, with many years as a starting quarterback in the league, not only rich in experience but also just had his career-best season, leading the team to become Super Bowl Champions.
Mahomes, on the other hand, is still a rookie learning the ropes, having only started in one regular season game.
From that game, it was clear he is still raw and impatient, with the same problems he had in college not entirely resolved.
With such a comparison, the answer is already clear.
In fact, after the Super Bowl ended, more than one program carried out in-depth analysis, and professionals generally believed that Smith was not the key to the Chiefs winning the championship; they still didn’t think Smith was the magic source behind the transformation of the Kansas City Chiefs, but that’s how the NFL works—
Even just an average quarterback is highly sought after, and those even slightly below average also command a salary premium.
What more for a quarterback like Smith who has experience, ability, strength, and the right attitude, and whose capabilities are far above the league average.
In the 2012 season, Joe Flacco led the Baltimore Ravens to the pinnacle of the Super Bowl.
This quarterback, who had few highlights in his career and was generally considered a little above average, signed a historic contract with the team after delivering a phenomenal playoff performance and winning the Super Bowl MVP:
Six years, $120.6 million US dollars, becoming the highest-paid quarterback in history at that time.
Of course, he was later surpassed by Rodgers and Matt Ryan.
But regardless, Flacco received such a grand treatment.
Now, it’s the same with Smith.
It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last, the entire league is watching, and the solution is already in front of them.
So, the logic is very simple, the Chiefs should keep Smith and even give him a large contract.
Unlike the Philadelphia Eagles, industry experts have no hesitation about the Chiefs’ “troubles,” unanimously agreeing that Smith should receive the recognition he deserves.
From the San Francisco 49ers to the Chiefs, the Good Old Man has proven himself more than once.
Even the industry experts, who have always been stingy with praise and overly critical of Smith, find it difficult to bear.
After all, if quarterbacks like Geno Smith and Case Keenum can become objects of competition among different teams, why does Smith still have to carry the stigma of a “bust,” walking alone and unnoticed in the league?
Perhaps now is the time to vindicate Smith.
Compared to Flacco’s mere one season of standout performance, Smith maintained top-tier productivity for at least several seasons, and he was always consistent.
“Kansas City should recognize Smith’s contributions.”
Rarely seen, the League showed a warm, sun-like side toward Smith.
No one knew Veach’s calculations, nor did anyone understand Veach’s struggles.
Outside the door, greetings were exchanged.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ uniform staff ended their vacations and all returned to their posts, fully aware of the daunting tasks and pleasant troubles ahead, but the atmosphere of winning a championship was still perceivable in the office building.
A light-hearted ambiance.
Reed pushed open the door to his office, instantly noticing the worried Veach and laughed, “Sorry, did I walk into the wrong building?
The vibe here is quite different from outside.”
Rarely did Reed crack a joke, but Veach couldn’t muster a smile, his face filled with helplessness, “Coach.”
Reed raised his chubby right hand to stop Veach, “I know, I know, let me catch my breath.”
Then Reed genuinely took a breath, without hesitation moved on to the matter at hand, “Are you worried about the quarterback?
Everything will be fine as long as it goes according to plan.”
It really was just a breath.
That was Reed’s dry humor.
Eventually, Veach couldn’t help but relax his taut facial expression slightly, “Coach, there’s been an unexpected situation that has disrupted our original plan, so we need to adapt on the fly, right?”
“One moment we’ve just reached the pinnacle of the Super Bowl; the next, we’re cutting the Super Bowl quarterback and promoting a rookie to take over.
To others, we must look like fools.”
“Even if we disregard the opinions of others, what do we become in the eyes of our fans?”
“If we could be 100% sure Patrick would perform, then naturally there would be no problem; but the point is, we can’t predict the future, can we?
Next season is the title defense, and we might face challenges beyond our expectations, so changing quarterbacks might not be the correct choice.”
That’s why they say hindsight is 20/20.
“Besides, Coach, haven’t you always valued Alex?”
Veach hadn’t forgotten that after Smith joined the Kansas City Chiefs, it only took one training camp for Reed to confirm him as a starter.
Reed nodded, affirming, “Even now, Alex is still outstanding, his football IQ and tactical reading are still top-notch in the League.”
Fans are “visual animals”; they love to see long passes, they love to see the quarterback break out of the pocket and outwit opponents, they love to see the quarterback turn the tide at critical moments; but coaches can see beyond these flashy performances to something more.
“We’re lucky to have Alex.
This season, Alex essentially taught Patrick everything he knew, hand by hand.
Patrick’s quick adaptation to our tactical system and familiarity with the professional league mode, all rely on Alex.”
Veach took a deep breath, “Right, with the quarterback being so exceptional, we have no reason to replace him.
The league’s drought of scarce quarterbacks remains unsolved, having Alex is our luck.”
Naturally, they had no reason to take a risk on a rookie.