5 standouts from Redskins preseason Week 2 game against the Jets
3. QB Alex Smith
We’re not trying to overreact to one drive in the preseason. But man, Alex Smith looked like a great fit in the Redskins offense.
In one drive, Smith led the team down the field and was able to notch a field goal. Smith was able to do a lot to inspire confidence in his abilities as a starter, and he showcased a variety of different parts of his skill set.
On his first throw, Smith was pressured immediately by Jordan Jenkins. Before e got crushed, he laid the ball off to Paul Richardson who was close to the line of scrimmage. Richardson turned the play into an 8-yard gain. Some other QBs would have just held onto the ball, but Smith knew exactly what to do to avoid losing yardage. And thanks to his throw and a roughing the passer penalty, he moved the team about 23 yards.
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Later in the drive, Smith feathered a nice throw to Vernon Davis on the sideline to notch a first down. While Davis was wide open, it was still impressive that Smith was able to throw the ball with great touch to ensure that Davis would be able to catch it and turn upfield. He didn’t rush, he didn’t throw it too hard. He tossed it to his tight end just right, and that gave him a good chance to make a play after the catch.
Finally, on a third down, Smith waited in the pocket, stepped up, and found Josh Doctson over the middle of the field and threw the ball to him to get the first down. He got the ball into a tighter window with speed and demonstrated his excellent ability to read the field. And that was a huge positive for him.
Overall, Smith made three very good plays while barely seeing action. He looks like a smart, accurate passer who should be a great fit in Jay Gruden’s offense. There’s certainly reason to be excited about what he will provide this offense.