- Joined
- Jul 11, 2005
- Messages
- 15,517
- Reaction score
- 27,504
….this was not a significant win for the Pats. Not that ANY win isn’t significant, but it still doesn’t give us, the fans, a real clue as to how good or bad this team will end up being. Just like the preseason, this team is pretty much still a mystery. Based on yesterday’s performance we can just a easily see this as a serious playoff contender, or a team that could run off 3 or 4 losses in a row. Here are some of my specific thoughts
1. Here’s what I think I KNOW about Matt Cassell:
a. He has a major league arm that opens up the entire field to him
b. He is more than willing to stand in there against a hard pass rush
c. He’s a good tough athletic QB who has some relative speed for the position
d. ….and here’s the rub….he has absolutely NO pocket presence when he drops back.
2. On of the things that make Brady the QB that he became was his ability to move within the pocket to by an extra few seconds to find the open receiver. Now Brady was elite in this. There hasn’t been a QB with his pure pocket presence since Dan Marino. I never expected Cassell to match Brady’s gift in the pocket, but I had hoped he’d approach it. Too often we are seeing replays where just a Cassell is starting to scramble, receivers are coming open in the secondary and he’s missing them. There was one involving Moss in the end zone in the first half that was particularly galling.
3. That being said, how in the world could we possibly expect Matt to HAVE any pocket presence when he started a grand total of 3 games in the last 8+ years. Pocket Presence isn’t something you can coach, though it can be developed by coaching or making the player aware of what might be happening around him so he can anticipate where attackers might be. However that will take you only so far. Beyond that there is only instinct and EXPERIENCE that will allow a QB have pocket presence. And how in good faith could we fans expect Matt Cassell to be anything but what he’s show after just 3+ games at this level The fact he’s done as well as he has, is to his great credit.
4. The good news is that we should have every reason to believe that over the next several games that Lack of pocket presence CAN BE improved, as be becomes more experienced
5. Now in view of that I think there are several things that the Coaching staff can do that will help him.
a. Limit the number of short drops that he takes. Its my feeling that most of his sacks come when he makes a 3 step drop and his first read doesn’t come open right away. He then gets stuck trying to scramble at that point and rarely finds any room. The 3 step drop also reduces the margin for error from the offensive line. The result is Matt ending up trying to get back to the LOS, and ultimately a botched pass play and a 3 yd loss.
b. He seems to fair better when he drops back the full 5 steps and creates more space between himself and the rushers
c. I’d like to see us use more crossing patterns that I see being used so effectively AGAINST US! We never seem to use that kind of patterns.
d. I would like to see the OC get Cassell moving in the pocket with half roles and the occasional bootleg to take advantage of his relative foot speed, add to his protection and create a little misdirection in the Pats offense
6. It was good to see Randy break out. His TD was a thing of beauty, but there was another play were he was just starting to get separation and Cassell under threw him. However the very fact that the TD pass occurred will bode well for the rest of the Pats offense
7. Other things I’d like to see from the offense:
a. The TE getting involved with the passing game. We have 2 good receiving TE’s. I would think that there would be some space down field in the middle of the field with Moss getting the attention he’ll get……and not just deep seam passes. I want to see 12 yd hooks and crossing routes BEHIND the LBs that by all rights should be open.
b. I’d like to see better offensive blocking for the run game. Do we miss Steven Neal SO much that the running game has gone off the radar. Its been VERY RARE that there have been any holes for the RBs to exploit.
c. Better play calling: More PAPs on first down. I don’t want to see Randy Moss running 5 yd outs when 12 yd outs, hooks and ins would be just as open and more productive.
d. Whatever happened to the toss sweep. We have some speed in the backfield yet we never seem to threaten the edges of the defense with sweeps or stretch plays. The swing pass is another way to to get a RB out on the edges. IMO, this would help Moroney.
8. The defense clearly played better than the 21 points they gave up indicated. The PI call against Mayweather was a JOKE IMO. It looked to me that it was the RECEIVER who had a hold of Brandon’s arm as they went for the ball, not the other way around. Granted, I only got 2 looks at the replay. If anyone TIVO’ed it and saw something different, feel free to correct me
9. The LBs had a particularly good game with Thomas and Mayo standing out IMHO
10. MSC. THOUGHTS:
a. Yes it was a penalty when Cassell was hit in the head on that pass to the 2 yd line….and YES I was glad that the refs didn’t call it. It wasn’t intentioinal, It wasn’t hard, and its WHY they give the QBs helmets too. Defensive player have a right to keep their hands up as they rush. Incidental contact to the helmet SHOULDN’T be a penalty. I thought they were going to be more flexible on that this year and clearly they were in this play.
b. Watching the Houston game was particularly painful. That was a MUCH worse loss than the one the Pats suffered vs Miami. Indy is SO damned lucky.
c. Hey how about those Dolphins. The AFCE is going to be very competitive this year.
d. File under "this is sort of Ironic: Lots of surprises EVERY week. It seem EVERY team looks vulnerable at times….except the Champion NY FOOTBAL GIANTS. But its still early.
1. Here’s what I think I KNOW about Matt Cassell:
a. He has a major league arm that opens up the entire field to him
b. He is more than willing to stand in there against a hard pass rush
c. He’s a good tough athletic QB who has some relative speed for the position
d. ….and here’s the rub….he has absolutely NO pocket presence when he drops back.
2. On of the things that make Brady the QB that he became was his ability to move within the pocket to by an extra few seconds to find the open receiver. Now Brady was elite in this. There hasn’t been a QB with his pure pocket presence since Dan Marino. I never expected Cassell to match Brady’s gift in the pocket, but I had hoped he’d approach it. Too often we are seeing replays where just a Cassell is starting to scramble, receivers are coming open in the secondary and he’s missing them. There was one involving Moss in the end zone in the first half that was particularly galling.
3. That being said, how in the world could we possibly expect Matt to HAVE any pocket presence when he started a grand total of 3 games in the last 8+ years. Pocket Presence isn’t something you can coach, though it can be developed by coaching or making the player aware of what might be happening around him so he can anticipate where attackers might be. However that will take you only so far. Beyond that there is only instinct and EXPERIENCE that will allow a QB have pocket presence. And how in good faith could we fans expect Matt Cassell to be anything but what he’s show after just 3+ games at this level The fact he’s done as well as he has, is to his great credit.
4. The good news is that we should have every reason to believe that over the next several games that Lack of pocket presence CAN BE improved, as be becomes more experienced
5. Now in view of that I think there are several things that the Coaching staff can do that will help him.
a. Limit the number of short drops that he takes. Its my feeling that most of his sacks come when he makes a 3 step drop and his first read doesn’t come open right away. He then gets stuck trying to scramble at that point and rarely finds any room. The 3 step drop also reduces the margin for error from the offensive line. The result is Matt ending up trying to get back to the LOS, and ultimately a botched pass play and a 3 yd loss.
b. He seems to fair better when he drops back the full 5 steps and creates more space between himself and the rushers
c. I’d like to see us use more crossing patterns that I see being used so effectively AGAINST US! We never seem to use that kind of patterns.
d. I would like to see the OC get Cassell moving in the pocket with half roles and the occasional bootleg to take advantage of his relative foot speed, add to his protection and create a little misdirection in the Pats offense
6. It was good to see Randy break out. His TD was a thing of beauty, but there was another play were he was just starting to get separation and Cassell under threw him. However the very fact that the TD pass occurred will bode well for the rest of the Pats offense
7. Other things I’d like to see from the offense:
a. The TE getting involved with the passing game. We have 2 good receiving TE’s. I would think that there would be some space down field in the middle of the field with Moss getting the attention he’ll get……and not just deep seam passes. I want to see 12 yd hooks and crossing routes BEHIND the LBs that by all rights should be open.
b. I’d like to see better offensive blocking for the run game. Do we miss Steven Neal SO much that the running game has gone off the radar. Its been VERY RARE that there have been any holes for the RBs to exploit.
c. Better play calling: More PAPs on first down. I don’t want to see Randy Moss running 5 yd outs when 12 yd outs, hooks and ins would be just as open and more productive.
d. Whatever happened to the toss sweep. We have some speed in the backfield yet we never seem to threaten the edges of the defense with sweeps or stretch plays. The swing pass is another way to to get a RB out on the edges. IMO, this would help Moroney.
8. The defense clearly played better than the 21 points they gave up indicated. The PI call against Mayweather was a JOKE IMO. It looked to me that it was the RECEIVER who had a hold of Brandon’s arm as they went for the ball, not the other way around. Granted, I only got 2 looks at the replay. If anyone TIVO’ed it and saw something different, feel free to correct me
9. The LBs had a particularly good game with Thomas and Mayo standing out IMHO
10. MSC. THOUGHTS:
a. Yes it was a penalty when Cassell was hit in the head on that pass to the 2 yd line….and YES I was glad that the refs didn’t call it. It wasn’t intentioinal, It wasn’t hard, and its WHY they give the QBs helmets too. Defensive player have a right to keep their hands up as they rush. Incidental contact to the helmet SHOULDN’T be a penalty. I thought they were going to be more flexible on that this year and clearly they were in this play.
b. Watching the Houston game was particularly painful. That was a MUCH worse loss than the one the Pats suffered vs Miami. Indy is SO damned lucky.
c. Hey how about those Dolphins. The AFCE is going to be very competitive this year.
d. File under "this is sort of Ironic: Lots of surprises EVERY week. It seem EVERY team looks vulnerable at times….except the Champion NY FOOTBAL GIANTS. But its still early.
