Reiss on inevitable O'Connell move

[Box_O_Rocks]

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.

One of the games recently had a color commentator remarking that the Pats were a team that found something that worked against you and ran it until you found a way to stop it. BB's most recent effort at taking a reserve QB and playing him as your starter would seem to be the template he wants to use - it worked. Ignoring our own opinions about Cassel, he's in BB's off the bench, young starters program. He's dinking and dunking, straight out of the manual of arms drill for introducing a youngster to the real NFL. Regardless of which of the three QBs on roster play, I don't see that changing - which makes sense - teams are trying to confuse Matt's reads and probably play some robber D against him. Get the ball into the playmakers hands short and quick and let them make a play. It's safer for now.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

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.

The ball Pace tipped away from Dave Thomas in the Jester's game was a great example of that. Cassel had good protection and you can see his head checking each route from left to right - it reminded me of the great TD throw Tommy-to-Givens in SB XXXIX. Cassel didn't have the patience to loft the ball a little on this play, but he seemed to do everything else correctly - now he knows that Orlando Pace is tall, quick, and that extra heartbeat needed to touch the pass over him is time well spent. Live and learn.

 

[Rob0729]

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.

Sorry, I forgot facts have no place on this board after a loss.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Sorry, I forgot facts have no place on this board after a loss.

Loss? OMG the PATS LOST!!!

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Reiss on Cassel and O'Connell
"I'm not sure how the Patriots truly view Cassel.

PWP: That is a fact. Mikey's not at all sure. Remember, infallible Reiss had predicted Cassel as a CUT and Gutz as a keeper. Those of us who listen to BB on football knew that Reiss was wrong. My surprise was when Gutz didn't even make the PS until after Tommy Boy went down.

At this time, after what I felt was a subpar performance Sunday, it's easy to pile on Cassel.

PWP: Another fact. Soon to be ignored.

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.

PWP: Opinion. I happen to agree. The operative issue is WHEN O'C would be ready. Not now, in my opinion and I'll wager not in BB's.

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."

Again, the isue of when. First of all many of us, myself included, always fall for the new guy if he shows anything right off the bat. I see O'C as a project for NEXT year. O'C may possibly play this year (a) If/when (given the OL play) Cassel gets injured, or (b) late in the season if we're eliminated from the playoffs, likely by Buffalo's emerging season and if the TEAM as a whole plays several more games as poorly as Sunday. As an original Brady's Lady I say that Tom would lost Sunday too, just by a closer score since he's a HOF QB.

 

[Cannon Arm]

As an original Brady's Lady I say that Tom would lost Sunday too, just by a closer score since he's a HOF QB.

Baloney. Tom Brady would have put up 40 points on the Dolphins and the Dolphins would have been on the field on offense for 18 minutes, not nearly 33 minutes.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

As an original Brady's Lady I say that Tom would lost Sunday too, just by a closer score since he's a HOF QB.

I don't agree. With Brady, the chances of us losing that game are less than 5%.

You have to recognized that SOME of the bad play from the rest of the team is due to the fact that Tom Brady will not be under center all year.

Momentum, confidence, etc... these play a part. Psychologically, the Pats are down. I only hope that beating from the lowly Dolphins was the event that can turn that around.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Baloney. Tom Brady would have put up 40 points on the Dolphins and the Dolphins would have been on the field on offense for 18 minutes, not nearly 33 minutes.

Given the way the D was reacting to the wildcat offense, that still might not have been enough. . . .

 

[JAYHAWKS34]

O'Connell will have the starting job if Cassel does poorly in San Fran.. which leads me to believe Cassel will still be the starter

 

[billdog3484]

I think Reiss may be correct on some fronts, but incorrect on others. I dont think the problem is Cassel's inability to throw to the deep third, rather his inability to read the defense and trust his body to hold up after a huge hit. Cassel has all the physical tools; arm strength, accuracy, height, weight, etc. I think its his ability to undersand the game and step up and make big plays. I would like to see Oconnell soon, but who know when he will be ready. We definitely could use him

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

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.

Well, no offense, but I wouldn't exactly hang my hat on that "fact".

If Reiss made a mistake, it was in his evaluation of Gutierez. If we had had a decent vet QB on this roster (and we should have), Cassel would have been cut just as Reiss predicted.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I don't agree. With Brady, the chances of us losing that game are less than 5%.

You have to recognized that SOME of the bad play from the rest of the team is due to the fact that Tom Brady will not be under center all year.

Momentum, confidence, etc... these play a part. Psychologically, the Pats are down. I only hope that beating from the lowly Dolphins was the event that can turn that around.

My case in point...who was the QB in 2006 when we played the Phins? What was THAT score? This season the Phins had the best QB (85% completion) that they had on the field in years. Far better than 2006. Brady woulda lost to the Phins...yet again.

Playing sports I never had use for whiners concerned that our best guy was out. Maybe I'm an old school abberation. The enemy is the enemy.

 

[BradyToMoss]

I think Reiss may be correct on some fronts, but incorrect on others. I dont think the problem is Cassel's inability to throw to the deep third, rather his inability to read the defense and trust his body to hold up after a huge hit. Cassel has all the physical tools; arm strength, accuracy, height, weight, etc. I think its his ability to undersand the game and step up and make big plays. I would like to see Oconnell soon, but who know when he will be ready. We definitely could use him

The only way to get O'Connell ready is to play him, it's really that simple. See Joe Flacco..........

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

The only way to get O'Connell ready is to play him, it's really that simple.

We agree.
I look forward to O'Connell geting lots of reps next July. Hope & believe he can become our backup.

Next topic...

 

[ctpatsfan77]

If we had had a decent vet QB on this roster (and we should have), Cassel would have been cut just as Reiss predicted.

Don't forget about the salary cap. The better a veteran backup is, the more the Pats would have to pay to keep him behind Brady. For better or for worse, the Patriots decided that there wasn't any veteran available worth the investment in capital (financial, draft, etc.).

This isn't the 80s, when the 49ers could trade for a former first-round draft pick (supplemental, but still 1st round) and keep him behind Joe Montana.

Maybe something like that will happen in 2010-2011, if/when the salary cap goes away, but until then, get used to stuff like this. [And, BTW, how nervous do you think Colts fans are right now about their QB situation?]

 

[Tunescribe]

Keep in mind that Reiss has seen a lot more of O'Connell in practice and in the kid's interaction with the coaching staff than we have. Kevin does seem to have a more intense "take charge" bearing to his approach in the little I've seen him play, compared to Cassel. He also appears to have the tools: 6-6, 225 and can run. His career college QB rating was 122.1. I'd be thrilled to see him in there and have some success this season.

 

[BradyToMoss]

We agree.
I look forward to O'Connell geting lots of reps next July. Hope & believe he can become our backup.

Next topic...

Next July????, how about now, right now, he can play right now, is that hard for you to understand ? Right now without the same amount of time as Cassel has had in this offense, Kevin O'Connell is the better QB.

 

[Cannon Arm]

My case in point...who was the QB in 2006 when we played the Phins? What was THAT score? This season the Phins had the best QB (85% completion) that they had on the field in years. Far better than 2006. Brady woulda lost to the Phins...yet again.

Playing sports I never had use for whiners concerned that our best guy was out. Maybe I'm an old school abberation. The enemy is the enemy.

This Dolphins team has a way inferior defense to the 2006 team, and don't use the fact that they shut future HOFer Matt Cassel down as evidence they are a strong defense. That was their best defensive team in the past 5 seasons. They allowed 7 TDs all season in 2006. They forced and recovered 19 fumbles. On top of that, the 2006 loss was a home game for the Dolphins. They lost when they came here. We let the 2008 Dolphins come into our home and let them ass rape us.

 

[Kontradiction]

The only way to get O'Connell ready is to play him, it's really that simple. See Joe Flacco..........

Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan are two exceptions to the rule.

 

[signbabybrady]

Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan are two exceptions to the rule.

Playing a rookie QB can be hit or miss some of them have success some don't for every Drew Bledsoe/ Peyton Manning there is a Rick Mirer/Ryan Leaf. Usually when a rookie is started it is with an eye toward developing him for the future and success this year is not quite as expected. The future for us is still Tom so why throw a rookie out there until you know the vet can't do it. I think Cassel has shown he can manage a game and win and through 3 weeks that is enough for me, now he needs to start doing more and showing that he is developing as a QB or maybe the time will come when the reins need to be handed over.