For all you people ragging on Cassel...Read this:

[DaBruinz]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

What is the point of this kind of denial exactly? I'm fascinated by the psychology behind it.

There is no denial on my part. Its called a wait and see attitude. Especially since the Patriots have yet to announce anything. And, if you knew a damn thing about the Patriots, you'd know that they don't tell anyone anything about injuries. That's why its laughable that the Jets were suppoedly telling people that Brady was out for the season during their half-time.

The ONLY thing that's been confirmed is that BB spoke to the team during Half-time and told them that they needed to play on and basically treat it as if Brady was done for the year. There is two reasons why a coach does that. The first is so they stay focused on the task at hand. And the second is so that they get behind the back-up quarterback and play their best. In both cases, its done so the team isn't expecting Brady to come out and be their savior.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

I understand the latest fad in the NFL is the QB as a "game manager". However, a couple of things:

3rd and 11 at your 1 yard line... and you complete a 51 yard pass? That's called making a play.

3rd and 10 and TD? That's called making a play.


Now we start with Cassell getting all the prep snaps and a tailor made gameplan. We also don't have a "tough" team till week 6 and the bye.

Also, I would point out we like WON.

 

[patchick]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

I consider "long term" to be more than 1 year. I don't see the long term options being changed unless Brady calls Bill and tell him that, because of the injury, he's retiring effective immediately.

OK, then we're just defining the terms differently. To me, 15+ games is easily long enough to re-evaluate your approach to the QB position.

Cassel and Gutierrez struck me as guys who were being groomed to be mini-Bradys, almost like a mini spare tire. If your starter goes down for a half or a game or two or three, you benefit from consistency. Cassel knows the playbook and the personnel, and executed a scaled-back version of the original game plan admirably. Another QB without Cassel's knowledge, familiarity and mini-Bradyness might have fared far worse, regardless of their relative talent levels.

If you're looking at a full season, though, your approach may change. You have time to reconfigure game plans to another QB's strengths and get him acclimatized to the offense and personnel. So I think you have to step back and reevaluate. It may well be that Cassel is the right answer for the rest of the season, but I think it's a mistake to automatically assume that the best choice for a backup QB is the same as the best choice for a replacement QB.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

I'm not sure about all the details, but this is the right attitude. Fan support is important right now for the team. if a bunch of morons start booing Matt on Sundays, it won't be a good thing for anybody.

 

[MassPats38]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

I will back DaBruinz on his claims of Cassel dumping. There were some fairly ridiculous conversations on the topic last night.

There is little to no first team data on any quarterback option, so hanging on to college or preseason performance against nth team, soon to be out of the NFL defense is fairly ridiculous. Belichick kept Cassel on the roster, and given the limited roster spots and Belichick's lack of sentimentality he does not hesitate to kick someone to the curb if that individual does not represent an immediate value added. As Belichick has likely forgotten more about football than the aggregate football acumen of this board, I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

Cassel is a wildcard, just as Brady was a wildcard in 2001 (I threw the statement out last night but nobody bit - I do not expect there was much of "ding dong the witch is dead" when Bledsoe got thrashed in the Jets game and Brady came in but I cannot recall Brady's preseason numbers to give a reference point for the 199th pick in the draft). Brady's 2000 statistics were what, 1/3 passing? They should have cut that guy under the logic applied to Cassel's performance.

I also will not fault the OC for a conservative gameplan given the number of practice reps Cassel likely got that week. Walking away from that game with a win was an accomplishment in itself.

 

[emoney_33]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

OK, then we're just defining the terms differently. To me, 15+ games is easily long enough to re-evaluate your approach to the QB position.

Cassel and Gutierrez struck me as guys who were being groomed to be mini-Bradys, almost like a mini spare tire. If your starter goes down for a half or a game or two or three, you benefit from consistency. Cassel knows the playbook and the personnel, and executed a scaled-back version of the original game plan admirably. Another QB without Cassel's knowledge, familiarity and mini-Bradyness might have fared far worse, regardless of their relative talent levels.

If you're looking at a full season, though, your approach may change. You have time to reconfigure game plans to another QB's strengths and get him acclimatized to the offense and personnel. So I think you have to step back and reevaluate. It may well be that Cassel is the right answer for the rest of the season, but I think it's a mistake to automatically assume that the best choice for a backup QB is the same as the best choice for a replacement QB.

This argument has validity if talking about more than one season. If there were a better option at QB which required a different system, it would not happen the same year the injury happened. BB decided Cassel is the best backup for this system, if indeed it was evaluated that it would be better for a different QB in a new system, it would take longer than a few weeks or months to install that new system.

 

[Brady-To-Branch]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

5) The 2nd series was ended when Sammy Morris didn't pick up the blitz properly and missed the late defender who came in on a stunt.

3) Was Matt Cassel the one responsible for the 2 conscutive 3 and outs in the 4th quarter? You know where the 1st series ended when Morris missed a blitz pick-up on a stunt and the 2nd series where they tried to run the ball 3 straight times only to get stuffed on the 3rd one.

3. Prevented Faulk from getting in trouble in the offseason, thereby not getting suspended and being there (instead of Morris) to keep Pollard away from Brady!

Mr. Morris, go stand in the corner.

 

[burythehammer]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

There is no denial on my part. Its called a wait and see attitude. Especially since the Patriots have yet to announce anything. And, if you knew a damn thing about the Patriots, you'd know that they don't tell anyone anything about injuries. That's why its laughable that the Jets were suppoedly telling people that Brady was out for the season during their half-time.

Right, it's just a coincidence that they were right about the type and severity of the injury. Lucky guess.

 

[Fencer]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

3. Prevented Faulk from getting in trouble in the offseason, thereby not getting suspended and being there to keep Pollard away from Brady!

Sounds like Morris had a tough day on blitz pickup overall ...

 

[NEPatriot]

Re: For all you people ragging on Cassel.. Read this:

Before we jump in 'apology' thread, we need to sit back and see how Cassel's performance is in the next 2 games.

His scoring 2 TDs in 1 game doesn't necessary mean that he is the MAN. Time will tell.I'll see it this Sunday.