Reiss on inevitable O'Connell move

[BlitzFritz]

Reiss on Cassel and O'Connell, in this week's mailbag

"I'm not sure how the Patriots truly view Cassel. At this time, after what I felt was a subpar performance Sunday, it's easy to pile on Cassel. But taking into account the big picture, if I had to guess, I'd say that the team was a bit concerned with what it saw in the preseason - but based on the three-year investment and the lack of other options -- hoped that it could get by with him for a stretch until O'Connell was ready to take over the No. 2 spot. Then the disaster struck with Brady's injury in the opener. So as for the future, I do think O'Connell will eventually leapfrog Cassel, who I'm not sure can consistently throw the ball to the deep third of the field. I have been impressed with what I have seen from O'Connell. The way I view it, it's not a matter of if he passes Cassel, but more when."

Ask Reiss: Readers can't forget this forgettable loss - Boston.com

 

[Tyler.Durden]

I thought that was obvious, he looks comfortable under center, whereas cassel doesn't look like he belongs, doesn't recognise when receivers are open, and when he does its a delayed reaction and then rushes his passes. He has a gun of an arm but at the moment he is using it to catch up to his slow reads.

 

[dtbrks]

well, that will be interesting to watch.

Even though it was total junk time last sunday I think they wanted to see O'Connell in some more real action.

I don't know what to think about Matt. We hear BB build him up but see on the field that he is more of a game manager than anything, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall during closed portions of the practice

 

[Rob0729]

O'Connell could end up winning the starting job, but Reiss has been down on Cassel for a while now. I don't know if I trust his judgement in this case.

 

[dtbrks]

O'Connell could end up winning the starting job, but Reiss has been down on Cassel for a while now. I don't know if I trust his judgement in this case.

I don't know all of the stats
BUt I think he is right more than wrong in regards to feeling out the pats

 

[Patjew]

I do not think that "inevitable" is apropos in this case.

 

[dtbrks]

I do not think that "inevitable" is apropos in this case.

You're correct, he is speculating just like most people on this site, although he has more access to the pats than they everyday fan does. Don't know what it's worth to be honest

 

[BradyToMoss]

Hey BRiz, sounds like you, myself and Reiss are all on the same page. We got lambasted for even mentioning O'Connell as a potential starter over Cassel, as we did in the Miami game day thread. I am not surprised about their views on Cassel one bit. He has regressed each year he's been here and he's clearly not the answer. Hey DaBruinz, you have any thoughts on Mike Reiss's statements?

If we are not planning on getting Jeff Garcia, then like I mentioned on Sunday during the game. "Let the Kevin O'Connell era begin, let's get it started".

In all honesty, I think the Pats wanted to cut Cassel after the horrible pre-season, but I think TB put a stop to it and talked the FO and CS into keeping him around this one last season. TB and Cassel are tight.

 

[lorijean]

If the roster stays the same then O'Connell wil be starting by the end of the year. I like Cassel but don't think he's the right man for the job. IMO

 

[Rob0729]

I don't know all of the stats
BUt I think he is right more than wrong in regards to feeling out the pats

Reiss predicted there was no way Cassel was going to make the final 53 man roster. So the stats on his success rate with Cassel isn't all that great.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Reiss predicted there was no way Cassel was going to make the final 53 man roster. So the stats on his success rate with Cassel isn't all that great.

You're cruel! There they are, drowning critics grasping at the slender straws of hope, and you have to sneak fact into the dialogue. Harumph sir, harumph.

 

[satz]

I think we are shooting the wrong bird. if the OL cannot protect and offer no running game does it matter who the QB is? I wish they take some stuff from green bay book and use watson and heath in the backfield as H Back set releasing on snap or staying in to protect.

 

[scout]

In all honesty, I think the Pats wanted to cut Cassel after the horrible pre-season, but I think TB put a stop to it and talked the FO and CS into keeping him around this one last season. TB and Cassel are tight.

LMAO! Yea, Tom overuled BB.

 

[Cannon Arm]

I think we are shooting the wrong bird. if the OL cannot protect and offer no running game does it matter who the QB is? I wish they take some stuff from green bay book and use watson and heath in the backfield as H Back set releasing on snap or staying in to protect.

Bad QBs make OLs look bad.

 

[Dagg]

Yes it matters since O'Connell is an excellent scrambler (did you watch any pre-season??) With our Oline poor play he is the best choice at QB.

 

[BelichickFan]

I think we are shooting the wrong bird. if the OL cannot protect and offer no running game does it matter who the QB is?

You're right - but I think the bad OL play is largely because Cassel hasn't gone downfield since the pass to Moss from the 1 vs. KC. A long pass for him is 10 yards - of course teams can start blitzing and abusing the OL with no fear. Not saying it would be different with O'Connell and none of us know if Cassel is choosing to go short or if he's been told to - but the total lack of a downfield game makes it very hard on the OL.

 

[DefenseRules]

well, that will be interesting to watch.

Even though it was total junk time last sunday I think they wanted to see O'Connell in some more real action.

I don't know what to think about Matt. We hear BB build him up but see on the field that he is more of a game manager than anything, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

I wish I could be a fly on the wall during closed portions of the practice

Well thanks to my stupid electric company, I didn't get a chance to see all of the game. I had no idea that he even played. How did the kid look out there? Did he look overwhelmed? The Pats really kept him under cover during the preseason. Didn't he only play once during the preseason? We really didn't get a good look at him. The only thing that I remembered about him was that I liked his mechanics.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

You're right - but I think the bad OL play is largely because Cassel hasn't gone downfield since the pass to Moss from the 1 vs. KC. A long pass for him is 10 yards - of course teams can start blitzing and abusing the OL with no fear. Not saying it would be different with O'Connell and none of us know if Cassel is choosing to go short or if he's been told to - but the total lack of a downfield game makes it very hard on the OL.

Don't you have this a bit backward? Moss needs about 4 seconds to run upfield 15 yards and fake himself open. The O-line has been shredded a few times with guys running short routes and Cassel on a 3 step drop. Stretching the field is so much easier when you can step back and look like a statue - just think about how long Tommy had for some of his deep throws last season. Michael Lombardi's observations on the Pats preferences is in a couple threads here - 62% pass plays in the first half. Josh may be calling them short, but he's using the passing attack - which makes that new WR signing so interesting - where does he fit?

 

[BelichickFan]

Don't you have this a bit backward? Moss needs about 4 seconds to run upfield 15 yards and fake himself open.

It's a chicken and egg for sure. But as the old saying goes, you blitz the bad QB and cover against the good ones. Although teams resorted to blitzing Brady last year when nothing else worked, there was always the fear they would be burned if they did it too much - now, there's no fear.

I don't think I have it backwards, although I can see that argument.

 

[JR4]

It seems to me without access to coaches game film and a knowledge of the play book it would be very hard if not impossible to have a very precise
reading of how Matt Cassel is performing.

I wonder if BB thinks he is making bad reads or is not seeing what is there.

BB often use to comment on Tom in the early days how he could see
many things which on film was shown to be accurate. Matt isn't Tom
but I wonder how much he is really missing. Because we as fans see an open
receiver doesn't mean Matt missed him. If that receiver came open
after Matt made his correct read of him and was on to another receiver then
that doesn't count against Matt.