Sometimes life is just not fair. That was certainly the case for Akili Smith during the 2002 NFL season. He only had one start during that season and it had to be against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense. Tampa Bay had one of the greatest pass defenses in NFL history as recognized by their 49 split pass rating. Cincinnati’s offensive split pass rating is 32 with their starter Jon Kitna behind center, however, this is reduced by 2 since Akili’s card was rightfully awarded a 1 rating by APBA. With that being said, Cincinnati was negative 19 against the pass. His stat line in the actual game was 12 of 33 for 117 yards with 0 TDs and one interception for a 34.5 rating. He was sacked three times for 23 yards. During my replay, Cincinnati was unable to remain of the field very long so I didn’t reach that amount of attempts. His stat line in my replay was 5 of 24 for 43 yards with no touchdowns and one interception for a 22.2 rating. He was sacked four times for negative 23 yards.

I’ve never claimed to be a card maker like Mark Zarb or Dave Urban, but after playing thousands of games, I’ve learned a few things about the quarterback’s “P” column. Akili Smith’s card might not be the worst QB card that I’ve ever used but he most certainly is in the “Top 3” worst. Before I continue, let me make this disclaimer statement “This is my interpretation of Akili Smith’s card not the official APBA rating.”

If Akili Smith started all 16 games of the 2002 season, the Bengals would be in the following pass index breakdown: A = 0, B= 11, and C= 5. Akili finished the season with a 36.4 completion percentage and 9.7 yards per completion. I guesstimate a 32 percent completion percentage with a 9.7 yards per catch if throwing in “A” index and 9.6 while in “B or C”. Either way, it adds up to a very long season for the Cincinnati faithful.