JSn

So my middle child, a five year old boy (all dude, all the time) is getting interested in football. He's far from understanding it (like me, hehe) but he makes some interesting observations about Cassel.

We talked about the game this week and Brady being out for the whole year - which to my son is approximately one-thousand days.

He asked me what the team is going to do. I told him about Matt and how a back-up QB works. His response gave me some perspective.

"Whoa, dad. He's been practicing to take over for tombrady for THREE YEARS? He's gonna do really good! And next year Tom will be really mad and get a million touchdowns."

A million. It'll take a while to break that record.

The point is, Matt has been preparing for this for a long time. He's had an excellent role-model in numerous aspects, he's got amazing coaching, a solid team and a TON of studying. We always say BB masks the Defenses weaknesses, well he can do that on offense too. If there are any to hide.

Other points I think that go missing in the dramatic conversation swings between Cassel playing like Brady 2.0 and playing like Ray Charles are answers to the common concerns.

"As long as he plays safe, run a lot, protect the ball, etc..."
In a possible safety situation he ran two safe plays. Both almost gave up two points. The completion to Moss was not a safe play.

"As long as the playbook is scaled back..."
I assume those two runs were part of this thinking. The play that worked wasn't called by the Offensive Co-ordinator. Matt and Randy read the defense and changed the play.

"As long as he doesn't get behind..."
Being jammed against the goal line and ending up with a TD couldn't have felt much different than this. That run up the field was a good example of a well run last-chance drive up the field.

"A long as he can take the pressure..."
Pressure? He woke up hoping they'd get way ahead and he'd see a little action in the fourth quarter (according to him). He ended up getting the call in the first quarter in front a of a legion fans who were calling for his head on a plate the weeks prior. He took charge and won the game with very good execution and team work. Grace under MASSIVE pressure.

He's not the next Tom Brady. I don't think any elite QB has been thought of in those terms.

He's Matt Cassel and he's going to do what's been asked of him to the best of his ability with an amazing team and the steadying confidence of the best QB to possibly ever take the field in the NFL.

Tom and Bill know something about Matt that we don't, but what we DO know gives us no good reason to be pessimistic.

Anyway, sorry to start a new thread, but I wanted to say these things all in one place and hopefully elicit some middle-of-the-road responses.

I think a realistic perspective can still be a positive one.

JSn

tatepatsfan

Great post

PlanB

Thank you!! I'm going to give Matt C my support and not predict doom because he's "not Tom Brady". I think it was too much to expect even Tom Brady to surpass his performance from last year. They're still the Patriots and still my favorite team (no, I am not a lifelong New Englander). If people can't get behind the team, they should go be Bruins fans.

richpats

Consider me one of the converted on Cassel - he showed some bullz out there Sunday. Nothing glamorous, just got the job done in one of the toughest situations he could face.

I think a lot of the panic is coming from the timing of the injury. If Brady went down in Week 15 and we are 12-2 then I think the blow would be softened by our playoff position. Cassel is an unknown quantity as far as taking this team into the playoffs, but he couldn't find a better team for this type of situation.

sieglo

Cassel can handle it. I've got a good feeling.

Pat the Pats Fan

JSn, great post, and I have to say, I am amazed by your frequency of posts, given the short time you have been on board here. Well maybe it's your avatar that I has me amazed.

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A sarcastic Bill Belichick on Tom Brady's finger injury, "It's not life threatening."

JSn

Thanks. I'm a newer fan and the story is not your usual bandwagon experience. I love Boston for a lot of reasons and the Pats is one of them.

As for my avatar... I'm a writer (not that my quick posts here give that any credence, hehe) and a first-time filmmaker. My Avatar is a poster for my upcoming film.

But enough about that. Glad you enjoyed the post. My kid is a genius, hehe.

richpats

Tidbit from his Pats.com profile:

2003 (Junior): Won the Howard Jones/Football Alumni Club Academic Award as the USC upperclassman with the highest GPA ...


Smart kid....

boggleboggle

Great post!

I have been very frustrated by the negativity of people towards Cassel. People assuming that the Pats are lost with him and our only chance would be to bring in a washed up retread like Daunte Culpepper. I know he has been a back-up in college and the pros, but he has backed up two Heisman trophy winners and an NFL MVP. For all we know, he could be an excellent QB who has just never got a chance. Of course I do not know how well Matt will do, but I wish him well. He has been waiting since high school for this opportunity and I think he will surprise many people.

PAPatsjunkie

My prediction: when Cassell is announced over the PA, he will get a roaring ovation from Jets fans(trying to be funny), this pisses Cassell off, and he throws all over the Jets secondary. Go Matty go!