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Redskins quarterback Alex Smith doesn't overthink things. Doesn't focus on the big picture or the past. Doesn't even watch film until bleary eyed or worry if a season-opening loss ends chances of reaching the postseason.
No, Smith answers questions with a grin just short of a chuckle without worrying much over the answer. It makes him the perfect NFL quarterback.
Survive and advance.
Washington opens at the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. It's the first real look at Smith since he was traded to the Redskins over the offseason. His first chance to truly work with most of his playmakers, after receiver Jamison Crowder and tight end Jordan Reed missed the preseason, while running back Adrian Peterson arrived for one game and offensive tackle Trent Williams played one three-down series. Smith shrugs off the lack of time together.
"I mean, get as much work as we can, when we can," he said. "(I've) been out on the practice field with a lot of those guys working really hard. We've had great competition in practice, you know, I think a good simulation of game-like atmospheres, but that's just trying to take advantage of those reps."
Maybe Smith hid his secrets in two brief preseason appearances. Perhaps he was just waiting to launch some deep balls without showing Arizona anything on tape to guard against.
The mystery will soon be revealed and it's hard to say how Smith will fare. It's not that he can't make all the throws. He just rarely takes risks. And when it's your first game with a new franchise, most people will take a conservative first approach.
"Every single year there's a little bit (of uncertainty)," he said. "You're setting sail and going to find out. Certainly, it is a journey. I think over the course of the season it's not always the same. Teams ascend and teams descend over the course of a year and so, like I said though, I do think it just comes down to trying to just win this game and a little bit of the, yeah, there's some blind faith that we all put into this."
Indeed, Smith admits he's still excited over opening day.
"That feeling of, you know, being alive and putting yourself out there, the vulnerability of it," he said. "No question, we're going to go do it together and, I mean, that's the great thing about the team sport element. I think it's the greatest game. We're devising our plan, they're devising their plan, and we need to go out there and try to execute it."
And when it's over, Smith won't take long to ready for the next game. After all, it's simply survive and advance.