Cassel is starting by design

[Ring 6]

Matt Cassel is not our Qb because BB forgot he needed someone if Brady got hurt. He is not our QB because BB just gambled that Brady wouldn't get hurt. He is not our QB because BB while splitting hairs, and bringing in as much competition as humnaly possible for all other 51 rosters spots, just thought 2nd and 3rd QB was a spot to put a mascot or someone you just kinda like.
Matt Cassel is our starting QB now because Bll Belichick has decided, OVER THE LAST FOURS YEARS, that he is the best option out there.

 

[Pats726]

Makes sense...the reason he was not cut and Gutierrez was...I think that is the bottom line..and Gutz may be back..but as Cassel's back up.

 

[Watson's IQ]

Matt Cassel is not our Qb because BB forgot he needed someone if Brady got hurt. He is not our QB because BB just gambled that Brady wouldn't get hurt. He is not our QB because BB while splitting hairs, and bringing in as much competition as humnaly possible for all other 51 rosters spots, just thought 2nd and 3rd QB was a spot to put a mascot or someone you just kinda like.
Matt Cassel is our starting QB now because Bll Belichick has decided, OVER THE LAST FOURS YEARS, that he is the best option out there.

Well put. Players who can't cut it in this league do not hang around four years, even as back-ups. Moreover, BB has proven time and time again that sentimentality does not enter into his thinking when putting the best team on the field. Additionally, anyone who thinks BB hasn't always had a plan in place in case Brady went down has been watching a different meticulous and obsessive coach than I have all these years. The fact that Cassel is our QB means BB has faith in him to do the job. And if he thinks he can do it, than that's good enough for me until it's proven otherwise.

 

[Tunescribe]

Matt Cassel is our starting QB now because Bll Belichick has decided, OVER THE LAST FOURS YEARS, that he is the best option out there.

Well, there are other factors as well -- such as affordability/cap hit, and willingness to ride the bench behind an entrenched superstar veteran. I think we'd all feel a bit more secure if this happened a few years ago with someone like Huard or Testaverde waiting in the wings to take over should Tom go down. There just wasn't an affordable veteran backup who fit the role this time around.

 

[Ring 6]

Well, there are other factors as well -- such as affordability/cap hit, and willingness to ride the bench behind an entrenched superstar veteran. I think we'd all feel a bit more secure if this happened a few years ago with someone like Huard or Testaverde waiting in the wings to take over should Tom go down. There just wasn't an affordable veteran backup who fit the role this time around.

We have had cap room over the lst 4 years, particularly the last 2.
Testaverde was the #3 behind Cassel.
I wouldn't feel more comfortable with an old over the hill or never was player than the one that BB has HAND SELECTED.
It never ceases to amaze me that there is more interest among fans in signing a player who has experience at failing rather than put the guy on the field that BB feels will succeed.
Vinny Testaverde was a bad QB in his prime. Losingest QB in NFL history. He is now way too old to play in the NFL, and last year had to sit out because it body just hurt too much from playing football, and people are suggesting we sign him. I wonder what Tony Eason is doing?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I wonder what Tony Eason is doing?

Upchucking after watching Sunday Night Football.

 

[Yoda598]

I think no matter who steps out there, the Pats are done. 9-7 at best. Good luck making a wild card now. KARMA is catching up with the Pats.

 

[NJPatsfan26]

I think no matter who steps out there, the Pats are done. 9-7 at best. Good luck making a wild card now. KARMA is catching up with the Pats.

Wow....never post here ever again.....

 

[JSn]

I think no matter who steps out there, the Pats are done. 9-7 at best. Good luck making a wild card now. KARMA is catching up with the Pats.

Super original. Go away.

 

[Tunescribe]

We have had cap room over the lst 4 years, particularly the last 2.
Testaverde was the #3 behind Cassel.
I wouldn't feel more comfortable with an old over the hill or never was player than the one that BB has HAND SELECTED.
It never ceases to amaze me that there is more interest among fans in signing a player who has experience at failing rather than put the guy on the field that BB feels will succeed.
Vinny Testaverde was a bad QB in his prime. Losingest QB in NFL history. He is now way too old to play in the NFL, and last year had to sit out because it body just hurt too much from playing football, and people are suggesting we sign him. I wonder what Tony Eason is doing?

You wouldn't feel better with the likes of Huard than Cassel? I'm not suggesting Vinny should be brought back, or that a veteran be inserted off the street at this late juncture. I merely was pointing out that a player with veteran experience reading defenses and familiarity with the Pats system probably would've gotten the nod with the season on the line, as now is the case. I guess time will tell if Cassel is more than just a bargain-basement insurance policy. Cassel was a developmental project and remains an unknown quantity -- this will be his rookie baptism by fire. I just hope he can keep his wits because if he starts chucking interceptions and gets rattled, there's nowhere else to turn. I hope they handle him like Brady in 2001 and running game/defense/special teams pick up the slack. It's a very delicate situation.

 

[MarvCook]

He's been here this long for a reason. He is ready and BB obviously thinks so. I'd rather have this guy at the helm with 4 years in the system.

 

[Ring 6]

You wouldn't feel better with the likes of Huard than Cassel? I'm not suggesting Vinny should be brought back, or that a veteran be inserted off the street at this late juncture. I merely was pointing out that a player with veteran experience reading defenses and familiarity with the Pats system probably would've gotten the nod with the season on the line, as now is the case. I guess time will tell if Cassel is more than just a bargain-basement insurance policy. Cassel was a developmental project and remains an unknown quantity -- this will be his rookie baptism by fire. I just hope he can keep his wits because if he starts chucking interceptions and gets rattled, there's nowhere else to turn. I hope they handle him like Brady in 2001 and running game/defense/special teams pick up the slack. It's a very delicate situation.

But you are saying lets play the guy with experience at not having success, instead of the guy BB thinks will have success.
TO US, he is an unknown quantity, to BB he is not.

Personally there is no way I'd throw a retread in there who has only proven he can fail, over the guy BB has spent 4 years preparing for this moment.

I dont know why we feel more comfortable with someone who played qB before and failed.

 

[JSn]

It should also be noted that game-planning is in our favour. Opponents don't really have any idea what he will/can do, especially once he gets rolling.

They already know, straight from his own mouth, that the playbook remains the same.

We're all nervous for the same reasons The Jets are: we don't know what this guy can do, but the ice-cold Belichick keeps this guy as the #2 and has made no QB moves. He is unproven, but could very well be a fantastic Quarterback, especially in this system with these players.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Tunescribe

Didn't Huard like ya know just play us? Isn't that the guy on 1st and goal not get it into the endzone?

 

[Krugman]

Agree 100% AJ,if you buy into the notion BB knows what he's doing,Cassel is still here because he can contribute,end of story.Love to see the NY Post headline when he beats the Jets Sunday.....

 

[Tunescribe]

But you are saying lets play the guy with experience at not having success, instead of the guy BB thinks will have success.
TO US, he is an unknown quantity, to BB he is not.

Personally there is no way I'd throw a retread in there who has only proven he can fail, over the guy BB has spent 4 years preparing for this moment.

I dont know why we feel more comfortable with someone who played qB before and failed.

To a certain extent Cassel must be an unknown quantity to BB and everyone else on the coaching staff, because he's never started a game in the NFL and hasn't experienced firsthand most of what defenses can throw at him under fire. As for veteran backups having failed elsewhere: That's where coaching makes the difference. This is a veteran team with Super Bowl aspirations, and history has shown what retreads can do with a strong supporting cast. But, it also shows what an unknown like 2001 Brady can do with the right coaching. Cassel's situation is quite unique, in that his last significant game experience was in freakin' high school. I just hope the faith that's been placed in him is well founded, because otherwise it'll prove a personnel blunder of monumental proportions.

Tunescribe

Didn't Huard like ya know just play us? Isn't that the guy on 1st and goal not get it into the endzone?

Huard was playing for the Herm-coached Chiefs, not the Patriots. One of his passes on the last series was on the money and dropped in the end zone.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Cassel was a no risk flyer on a blank slate (from the standpoint of bad habits or experiences) Pete Carroll felt was capable of running a pro style offense at the most competitive college level who had the intestinal fortitude to stay the course and continue to work hard even as it pitted him against potential back to back Heismans. BTW Holley just noted he beat out Leinart only to lose the job due to injury. He could have cut his losses and gone to a lesser team where he could start, as Gutierrez chose to. But like Tom who debated that more than once at Michigan, he didn't. He did the same thing here and opportunity knocked. His upside is he had 3 full seasons in this system when it did because he never quit on the opportunity, he focused on the goal of becoming Brady's backup rather than trying to make every snap a resume builder. Same damn thing Brady did when he was drafted late by a team with an entrenched franchise (and supposedly HOF bound) QB.

All the calls for veteran starting presence ignore the simple (as is often the case) fact that any limited success the available candidates may have had is far outweighed by their all to obvious failures and documented shortcomings. That is why they are available. That so many literally ignore that glaring fact just boggles the mind.

 

[happilute]

I think no matter who steps out there, the Pats are done. 9-7 at best. Good luck making a wild card now. KARMA is catching up with the Pats.

what a d-bag.

 

[Tunescribe]

Cassel was a no risk flyer on a blank slate (from the standpoint of bad habits or experiences) Pete Carroll felt was capable of running a pro style offense at the most competitive college level who had the intestinal fortitude to stay the course and continue to work hard even as it pitted him against potential back to back Heismans. BTW Holley just noted he beat out Leinart only to lose the job due to injury. He could have cut his losses and gone to a lesser team where he could start, as Gutierrez chose to. But like Tom who debated that more than once at Michigan, he didn't. He did the same thing here and opportunity knocked. His upside is he had 3 full seasons in this system when it did because he never quit on the opportunity, he focused on the goal of becoming Brady's backup rather than trying to make every snap a resume builder. Same damn thing Brady did when he was drafted late by a team with an entrenched franchise (and supposedly HOF bound) QB.

All the calls for veteran starting presence ignore the simple (as is often the case) fact that any limited success the available candidates may have had is far outweighed by their all to obvious failures and documented shortcomings. That is why they are available. That so many literally ignore that glaring fact just boggles the mind.

I personally am not among those calling for a veteran backup to be brought in NOW. It's too late for that. But there must be something to the practice of having one on the active roster as BB has in years past with Testaverde, Flutie, Huard, Miller, etc. I would assume if the right veteran candidate had been available for that specific role, BB would have him on the team.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I personally am not among those calling for a veteran backup to be brought in NOW. It's too late for that. But there must be something to the practice of having one on the active roster as BB has in years past with Testaverde, Flutie, Huard, Miller, etc. I would assume if the right veteran candidate had been available for that specific role, BB would have him on the team.

I assume BB will be shopping for someone who can mentor Mattyice the way past vets did Tommy, but there's no rush. I'd actually prefer BB find someone other than Tommy just to keep the comparison pressure off Matt.