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Washington Redskins: Alex Smith to Jordan Reed – A Single Play

By Chad Jacobus

GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 9: Quarterback Alex Smith #11 of the Washington Redskins runs past defensive end Benson Mayowa #91 of the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at State Farm Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 9: Quarterback Alex Smith #11 of the Washington Redskins runs past defensive end Benson Mayowa #91 of the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at State Farm Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – JANUARY 01: Quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins looks on after the New York Giants defeated the Washington Redskins 19-10 at FedExField on January 1, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – JANUARY 01: Quarterback Kirk Cousins #8 of the Washington Redskins looks on after the New York Giants defeated the Washington Redskins 19-10 at FedExField on January 1, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Monday, September 2nd, 2018.  Somewhere near Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Kirk Cousins is at home. He spends his free time now more than 1100 miles northwest of the nation’s capital, where the word ‘grey’ takes on a whole new meaning. Kirk finds peace channeling his spirit animal, Scrooge McDuck, whilst sipping a decaf tea. He can spend hours gazing out his kitchen window at one of his many backyard lakes.

Yup, good ‘ole lake #936A. Or is it #963A? Nobody really knows, and apparently after about 850 lakes, they gave up on naming them. Kirk just knows his lake is three lakes up and one lake over from where Kevin Garnett used to curse the winter months, and about 20 or so lakes away from any number of Hall of Fame hockey players.

Sounds pretty boring to me.

It’s not like Redskins fans have it any better, however. The Redskins new quarterback is Alex Smith, a game manager. Check down Charlie, right? The man who has the most boring passing stat ever conceived named after him. The A.L.E.X. stat, or Air Less Expected.

According to Football Outsiders, A.L.E.X. measures the average difference between how far a quarterback threw a pass (air yards) and how many yards he needed for a first down. If a quarterback throws a pass to a receiver four yards behind the line of scrimmage on third and 13, then that would be -17 A.L.E.X. The most meaningful A.L.E.X. numbers come on third and fourth down, when it’s crucial to get one-hundred percent of the needed yards to extend the drive.  Basically, it’s a stat to measure which quarterbacks throw to pick up a first on third down and which quarterbacks settle for a safe, short throw that doesn’t convert automatically on third down.

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