Reiss on inevitable O'Connell move

[BadMoFo]

Well, if they are going to make a QB move, they should do it soon as it's still early in the season and everything is still up for grabs.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Reiss quotes other NFL experts on the Pats & Cassel...
Theissman, "To me, I don't think Matt Cassel is that bad of a football player. He throws the ball around pretty good...There is no doubt they miss Tom. When Tom took a snap, it was like Michael Jordan going up for a jumper. You expected Michael to make it, and you expected something good to happen with Tom."

But there are more issues than the quarterback spot, and Theismann pointed to "exceptionally poor tackling in the secondary" against the Dolphins as one of them.

Solomon Wilcots, focuses on the offensive line. "That's the area I'd be concerned about, because while the Dolphins might have got the Patriots with a tricky offense, there was no tricking them in that area.
"I go back to Tom Brady in the Super Bowl; you get him beat up like that, you're not going to win. They got Matt Cassel beat up the same way [Sunday] and they couldn't block Joey Porter.

"The strength of the line is in the pack, but as we saw in the Super Bowl, when the pack is divided and you can get some isolations, they can struggle a bit. I think more and more opponents are going to look at this offensive line now. They couldn't get the running game going and because of that, they couldn't force a safety to come down in the box. That took away what they could do in the passing game, which meant no explosive plays for the offense."

Longtime NFL defensive coordinator Steve Sidwell, who is now retired and lives in Massachusetts, predicts the Patriots will "get their problems straightened out."

"Obviously, offensively they're not as potent a team because they don't have their starting quarterback," he says. "[Cassel] isn't as accurate. But their huge problem in the last game - and I don't foresee it happening again - is that they couldn't stop the run. Any time you have those problems, it makes it incredibly difficult."
***************

Strange, not one of these guys focused on Cassell as the main problem or on replacing Cassel with rookie O'Connell as a solution. How can they know SO much less than the loud minority of PatsFans obsessed withh being Pats GMs? Remember people, the dropoff from a HOF QB to a backup is HUGE.

 

[BradyManny]

Strange, not one of these guys focused on Cassell as the main problem or on replacing Cassel with rookie O'Connell as a solution. How can they know SO much less than the loud minority of PatsFans obsessed withh being Pats GMs? Remember people, the dropoff from a HOF QB to a backup is HUGE.

A lot of posters on here had some kind of dillusions that Cassel could step right in and make us forget we were missing the best QB in the game. Likewise a lot of posters thought Cassel was pure crap from the getgo.

Members of either of those groups are naturally going to focus in on Cassel after Sunday's loss, even though he was about as low on the blame chart as it can get for that specific game. I think its obvious to anyone who is not fixated on Cassel that the defense & offensive line were the reason we lost that game, and that Cassel had little to do with the loss.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

A lot of posters on here had some kind of dillusions that Cassel could step right in and make us forget we were missing the best QB in the game. Likewise a lot of posters thought Cassel was pure crap from the getgo.

Members of either of those groups are naturally going to focus in on Cassel after Sunday's loss, even though he was about as low on the blame chart as it can get for that specific game. I think its obvious to anyone who is not fixated on Cassel that the defense & offensive line were the reason we lost that game, and that Cassel had little to do with the loss.

I think we'd both agree that Cassel was sub-par Sunday but he was joined by the rest of the team which excepting STs played terribly.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

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.

No I don't understand. Apparently BB is equally dense. The fool.

 

[BradyManny]

I think we'd both agree that Cassel was sub-par Sunday but he was joined by the rest of the team which excepting STs played terribly.

Yeah I'd agree with that - but I think its worth noting that Cassel was - for at least portions of the game - not quite on the same level of suckiness that the rest of the team was. Then again, they weren't asking too much of him. As I said, I blame the OL more for the offensive issues.

 

[D-Money]

Cassel is still a problem.Yes the defense sucked against the dolphins but this team cant put up points with Cassel and thats a fact.I still would like to see a move for Jeff Garcia for the right price.

 

[satz]

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

I disagree here at look at the running game backing these guys up . we not nada running game how can you compare there.

 

[TheComeback]

More stupid people blaming the quarterback for a loss that certainly wasn't his fault. Cassel is a decent QB who will be getting better over time. There is no evidence at all that O'Connell is better than Cassel in a real NFL game against real starters. If he was, he would be starting.

Oh, but I forget that the geniuses of patsfans.com are more aware of player talent than the coaching staff themselves. Never mind that they watch and speak to these guys every day. If this board actually got together and tried to run the Pats personnel management, they'd lose every game.

Hey guys, let's place the weight of all our decisions on emotion instead of logic! Let's do what feels right, instead of what is right.

Cassel's completion rate through his first three starts since high school: 66.7%. Yards per attempt: 6.22. Touchdowns: 2. Interceptions: 1. QB Rating: 87.0. Record: 2-1. And you're calling for his head? Because of ONE loss, in which the defense couldn't stop anyone? And it's Cassel's fault that the D failed? What the ****?

Get a grip.

 

[JAYHAWKS34]

how about we sign Fakhir Brown, any takers

 

[D-Money]

Casssel is an average QB, what is everyone's fascination with this guy?Things will not be better.The guy neutralizes our best wr because he cant throw it down field.

 

[BradyToMoss]

More stupid people blaming the quarterback for a loss that certainly wasn't his fault. Cassel is a decent QB who will be getting better over time. There is no evidence at all that O'Connell is better than Cassel in a real NFL game against real starters. If he was, he would be starting.

Oh, but I forget that the geniuses of patsfans.com are more aware of player talent than the coaching staff themselves. Never mind that they watch and speak to these guys every day. If this board actually got together and tried to run the Pats personnel management, they'd lose every game.

Hey guys, let's place the weight of all our decisions on emotion instead of logic! Let's do what feels right, instead of what is right.

Cassel's completion rate through his first three starts since high school: 66.7%. Yards per attempt: 6.22. Touchdowns: 2. Interceptions: 1. QB Rating: 87.0. Record: 2-1. And you're calling for his head? Because of ONE loss, in which the defense couldn't stop anyone? And it's Cassel's fault that the D failed? What the ****?

Get a grip.

You conveniently forgot to mention a few things:

3 legitmately dropped interceptions (2 of which bounced miraculously into the hands of our WRs and Kevin Faulk)

1 lost fumble

17ppg against what have to be 2 of the 5 worst defenses in football and 7 of those points were courtesy of an Ellis Hobbs 80 yard return

 

[Kontradiction]

I disagree here at look at the running game backing these guys up . we not nada running game how can you compare there.

Huh???????

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

You conveniently forgot to mention a few things:

3 legitmately dropped interceptions (2 of which bounced miraculously into the hands of our WRs and Kevin Faulk)

1 lost fumble

17ppg against what have to be 2 of the 5 worst defenses in football and 7 of those points were courtesy of an Ellis Hobbs 80 yard return

Definetly a sub-par Favre like performance. You did watch Favre throw several 'legitimately dropped INTs' monday as well as two REAL INTs. Favre score after a 95 yd KR. Obviously that didn't count either. Call the NFL and have them revise their stat sheets.

Deal with the fact that Cassie is our best realistic option. No fantasy football here.

 

[BradyToMoss]

Definetly a sub-par Favre like performance. You did watch Favre throw several 'legitimately dropped INTs' monday as well as two REAL INTs. Favre score after a 95 yd KR. Obviously that didn't count either. Call the NFL and have them revise their stat sheets.

Deal with the fact that Cassie is our best realistic option. No fantasy football here.

I don't have to deal with anything, it's clear to me and apparently clear to guys like Mike Reiss and from other accounts people in the FO that Kevin O'Connell is actually the guy and it really is just a matter of time.

Speaking of the SD game. What do you honestly think Matt Cassel is going to do when he trots into Qualcomm or Lucas Oil Stadium ? Two teams that want to annihilate us for past endeavers. I'll tell you right now what he's going to do, he's going to crap his pants, those games are going to be freakin ugly, tellin you right now.

 

[Rob0729]

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.

No. Reiss has been down on Cassel a lot during the preseason. He predicted that Guttierez would start the last game because he felt Cassel had played his way out of the #2 spot and he felt Cassel played his way off the 53 man roster. He wasn't all that high on Guttierez, but he felt he had more upside. He completely gave up on Cassel and expressed surprise when he made it onto the roster as the #2.

Reiss is generally pretty good in his evalution, but he is not perfect. He has his flaws. Some people want to take his word as God on this site, but although he may be better than most in the media, he is not the authority on all things Patriots.

 

[D-Money]

Are u trying to compare the jets offense to our offense?I still think none of the guys we have now is the best option.Need to go out and get a QB if one is available.I do agree, its gonna be an ugly game against the Chargers.

 

[Rob0729]

Casssel is an average QB, what is everyone's fascination with this guy?Things will not be better.The guy neutralizes our best wr because he cant throw it down field.

I don't think Cassel is anything more than average, but I think he will get better over the course of the season. They guy needs experience. He has the tools to be a very good QB. There are far from any guarantees that he will ever be a good QB, but the Pats are reeling him in until he gets the basics down and will eventually open up the playbook for him. I expect him to be better by midseason.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I don't have to deal with anything, it's clear to me and apparently clear to guys like Mike Reiss and from other accounts people in the FO that Kevin O'Connell is actually the guy and it really is just a matter of time.

PWP: Please cite specifics. What other folks in the FO said what regarding O'C taking over from Cassel. I musta missed it.

Again, Reiss already blew his FO street cred on the Cassel issue saying Cassel would be CUT and Gutz kept.

Speaking of the SD game. What do you honestly think Matt Cassel is going to do when he trots into Qualcomm or Lucas Oil Stadium ? Two teams that want to annihilate us for past endeavers. I'll tell you right now what he's going to do, he's going to crap his pants, those games are going to be freakin ugly, tellin you right now.

I was AT a SD game in 2002 where Brady stunk up the joint in Qualcomm, tossing INTs like Bret Favre. I have no idea how Matt will play against SD, nor do you. I can tell you that he won't 'crap in his pants'. You do know that Steroid Boy is out for the season, right? As to SD, based on Sunday and over reacting I'm more concerened with Phil Rivers vs our pass D and a healthy LT runing through our somulent Front Seven.

Learn the game. It will improve the quality of your posts.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

It's obvious other teams are going to gameplan around pressuring Cassel,so thoughts of throwing O'C out there to face the exact same gameplan with the exact same OL could get that boy mangled. Yes he looked good in preseason,yes he seems to possess more pocket presence and poise but who's he actually faced so far? Check some of the defenses around the league and whether it's Cass, O'C or Gutz, the plan is probably to go at ___fill in the blank with everything they've got. Is Gutz or O'C going to fare any better than Cass? I dunno....one thing we DO know is that our enemies sense discord and disarray in this franchise right now and imo they'll go right for the jugular. If they manhandled Cass, what will they plan for O'C or Gutz, our 2 preseason heroes?

The league smells blood here and my uninformed opinion is that BB shows as little weakness as possible and sticks with Cassel. I hope he's more focused on fixing the OL issues before playing QB roulette. Teams were out to get Brady who seemed invulnerable. Now we're perceived as everything BUT invulnerable and that's with a backup who's been at Brady's knee for 4 years.