Indeed, What Defines a Game Manager?

On Tuesday, Hawk Talk got heated as the discussion of who was a game manager at the quarterback position was thrown in many different directions.  Through all that arguing, we were all wrong.  Here's the real truth.  You can't be a game manager and play in the NFL in today's game.  If that's the case, you'll end up on the bench, just like E.J. Manuel did.

The conversation of Alex Smith being a game manager has always been a popular discussion.  But seriously, watch him play.  He's not a game manager.  Sure he hands the ball off to Jamal Charles but he makes a lot of plays with the limited recievers he has.  Dwayne Bowe is his best wide reciever and after that, its hard to imagine Junior Hemingway, Donnie Avery, and A.J Jenkins even coming close to a second reciever.  In reality, Travis Kelce is Alex Smith's only threat as a target.  Bowe as problems with his hands and I mean that literally.  It actually hurts his fingers really bad which is why he has trouble catching the ball a lot.  So really, they only have Travis Kelce.  Alex Smith was the 49ers quarterback for quite sometime before he got hurt and Colin Kaepernick took over.  Smith was then traded to the Chiefs where he took them back to the playoffs a year ago.  Although they lost in the first round to the Colts, Smith made plays in big games.  Not only can Smith make plays with his arm, he can also make plays with his feet.  I'm sorry but Alex Smith is not a game manager.  A year ago Smith threw for 3,313 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only 7 interceptions.  He also had a passer rating of 89.1.  This, by the way, was Alex Smith's best season in the NFL.  So far this year, Smith already has 9 touchdown passes, 1,066 yards, 4 interceptions, and a passer rating of 91.3.  Alex Smith is no game manager.

Yesterday, Brian Hoyer was a hot topic on Hawk Talk.  Brian Hoyer has bounced around as a backup quarterback in his career.  He started his careeer for three years with the Patriots, went to the Steelers for a year, then the Cardinals for a year, and has now been with the Browns for two years.  He got his chance to start last year when Brandon Weeden was benched.  In those three games, Hoyer had 615 yards, 5 touchdowns, 3 ints and also brought a spark to this team.  We saw a very small sample size of Hoyer last year.  When he did play, he led a spark under this team.  They were 2-1 under Hoyer before he broke his leg and now Hoyer returns as the quarterback for the Browns this year.  Thus far this season, Hoyer has 6 touchdowns, only 1 interception, 1,008 yards, and a passer rating of 97.7.  Brian Hoyer can throw the ball.  Go back and actually take time to watch highlights.  Don't just assume.  Don't just judge without watching.  Go look and see what he does.  You can say the same about Alex Smith.  Go watch him and see what he does before judging what he may be categorized as.

So what does define a game manager?  Well trust me, if your a starting quarterback in the NFL today, your not a game manager.  E.J Manuel was almost the closest and now he's on the bench.  The league is not only faster, but its also evolved to a passing league.  The Trent Dilfer type quarterback would never last in today's game.  In fact, that Ravens offense that won the Super Bowl, even with Jamal Lewis, would not last in today's game.  The league has changed so much in the last decade or so that a game managing quarterback would not survive in the league today.

Yesterday on the show, if you listened in, we said a lot of stupid things to make our cases.  The fact is, if your a game manager in today's game, you will not see yourself as a starting quarterback on game day.