The Elixir for the Washington Football team is Alex-er – I absolutely support the former Chiefs Quarterback, Alex Smith. The Washington Football team has started Dwayne Haskins, Jr. and that experiment failed. Indeed, he is no longer with the team. Alex Smith has led the Washington Football Team (WFT) to the playoffs, though he had an intervening outage with a calf injury. Under his tutelage this season, the WFT is 4-1 and in the playoffs. That speaks volumes about how capable his team is for the upcoming wild-card playoff game.
There is another article that is or needs to be written about teams with a losing record not being a playoff team and that would apply to the 7-9 WFT, even though a division winner. I will be interested to see the results of that article. If nobody writes it, then I will take it on. I thought Bruce Arian’s comment about the upcoming game of the Buc’s v WFT was totally apropos: Bruce Arians: “We’re not playing a 7-9 team. We’re playing a 4-1 team. When Alex Smith plays they’re a 4-1 team…We’re not playing Dwayne Haskins. We’re playing Alex Smith.”
Alex Smith was the Elixir in Kansas City. Now consider he is ‘Alex-er’, the Elixir for the Washington Football Team.
From KC to DC: The ‘Alex-er’ History
The horrid Injury and 17 Surgeries
When Smith was injured, it was gruesome. I really hurt for him. Here is a photo of him being assisted to the stretcher.
Dr. Robin West, Team Physician for the WFT, believed that Smith’s return to the field of play should be considered a miracle. After the injury, Smith had 17 (seventeen) surgeries to repair the fractured leg. It didn’t look like Smith would ever play football again. Smith’s injury was a fracture of both the tibia and fibula of his right leg in a game against the Houston Texans. I was fortunate enough, or unfortunate, if you will, to see that game that was played at Houston, Nov 18th, 2018, as well. After so much effort, His leg was supported as he visited the the Washington Wizards team locker-room on November 19th, 2019:
The Comeback
The following timeline for Alex Smith’s Comeback was compiled by Billy Heyen for Sporting News:
Nov. 18, 2018 – Smith suffers a compound fracture against the Texans, breaking both the tibia and fibula in his right leg.
Late Nov., 2018 – Smith has a bacterial infection in his right leg after the initial surgery. It requires consideration of amputation and actions to save Smith’s life. Smith would have 16 more surgeries after the procedure on the day of the injury. (video is a tweeted link for the injury. It is pretty gruesome itself, like Tarkenton’s–not for the squeamish):
Sept. 23, 2019 – A video of Smith walking without crutches is posted on social media.
July 24, 2020 – Smith is cleared by his medical team to return to the field.
July 27, 2020 – Washington places Smith on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
Aug. 16, 2020 – Washington activates Smith, although it takes it slowly with him during training camp.
Oct. 11, 2020 – After Dwayne Haskins’ benching, Smith takes over as Kyle Allen’s backup quarterback. On Oct. 11, Allen leaves with an injury and Smith enters the game. Smith went 9-for-17 for 37 yards.
Nov. 8, 2020 – Allen leaves Washington’s game with a serious leg injury, and Smith enters in his second relief action of the season.
Nov. 15, 2020 – Smith attempts 55 passes against the Lions, completing 38 for 390 yards in a loss. Those attempt and completion totals were both career-highs.
Nov. 22, 2020 – Smith throws for 166 yards and a touchdown as Washington beats the Cincinnati Bengals to earn Smith’s first win since Nov. 11, 2018.
After the surgeries and rehab, Alex Smith officially took the field two years after the event. I recall seeing him in a “cage” that rose from his ankle to his crotch and I was thinking, “Wow!” Alex Smith wanted to return to football. I didn’t think it would happen. I remember the Lawrence Taylor hit on Joe Theismann, breaking his leg and so, I just did not believe it would be possible because of that severity of the injury to Smith.
Suddenly, Dwayne Haskins, Jr. was not to be available and Alex Smith took the field again. He is in a way a hero for Football fans everywhere. Certainly one of mine. I felt that what happened with him in San Francisco was an action, by the then Head Coach, Jim Harbaugh, that I felt was wrong. Be that as it may, that HC is now out of the NFL and Smith was traded away to Kansas City. He led the Chiefs to winning seasons 2013-2017, was then traded to the WFT, and his history in K.C. would come to an end. In his last year here, he had over 4,000 passing. He also tutored Patrick Mahomes who took over in 2018. Mahomes should have had his first Super Bowl appearance that year, but for a Chiefs OLB lining up with his knuckles squarely in the neutral zone. That blunder also negated a game altering pick by Charvarius Ward, but that’s another story. This occurred in the AFC Championship game with Patrick Mahomes v Tom Brady and the Patriots. Interestingly enough, that is to come in Week 1 of the Playoffs this year, will pit Alex Smith versus Brady.
I don’t know if you recall, but I believed, and shared, that with a couple of more weapons, Smith would have led the Chiefs to the Super Bowl. Yes, I wrote about that. He finally had a true over the top threat as Ty Hill joined the team. Travis Kelce came into his own during the Smith era. All that was lacking in weapons to go to both on the ground and as receivers, namely a RB who appeared to be an answer (Kareem Hunt), and getting that top possession receiver who would come along after Smith left (Sammy Watkins). It was not to be for AS/11. Hopefully, he can take it out on Tampa this weekend.
In the game where he injured his calf, this year, I was watching that game as well. It was as if my heart leapt through my throat — scared that it was another drastic injury — but it wasn’t. Smith’s engineered and guided the team to a playoff berth.
Facing Arch-Nemesis Tom Brady Again
The Washington Football Team will face Tom Brady and the Buccaneers on Saturday. I will be rooting for Alex Smith and the Washington Football Team. It is another match-up between two QBs who are ghost’s of the AFC Past. It will be fun to watch. I don’t hate Tom Brady at all as some fans do. I don’t personally feel he is the GOAT. I believe those accolades belong to another great QB, formerly of the 49’ers: Joe Montana… but that is me.
How I will always see AS/11 ⬇️
I will watch the upcoming game with great interest as the Chiefs will begin earnestly preparing for their first playoff game after the Bye week. All is fun in football, if you will have it that way. Go Alex Smith!
David Bell – from Rockport, Texas
ArrowheadOne
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