SteveBsFan
On the Game Day Roster
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2006
- Messages
- 311
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Re: Tom Brady/Matt Cassel. Doesnt matter.
The Pats secondary this year is definitely pretty bad, so it's really hard to say if the actual outcomes of the games would be different, but I know it's definitely not as simple as saying 'well Brady would have made this throw and changed this drive'.
Having a QB like Cassel opposed to a QB like Brady makes differences in so many aspects of a game. Here are a few off the top of my head..
1. Teams gameplan and prepare differently now. Now it's a lot easier for teams to prepare for the Pats. Opposing players also go into the week with a new confidence knowing they actually have a really good shot at winning.
2. Cassel throws a ton of short balls, they said something like 80% of his passes were under 10 yards. This allows defenses to creep up closer and closer making it extremely difficult to do anything against them. Defenses are also not scared to play much more aggressive than they would with Brady, so they're swamping the offensive line almost every play. Brady makes a lot of defenses stay honest.
3. A different offensive game leads to a different defensive game. Scoring more puts more pressure on the opposing offense making them try to play 'perfect' which often messes people up. Now they know they can do aggressive things like throwing it deep over and over without the fear of turning it over. Brady makes teams pay when they turn it over, so they take less chances like that.
Also, to a lesser extent and hopefully this one isn't true, players on the Pats lost their swagger. Even when they're driving down the field, the offense looks timid and scared from the QB to the receivers. Moss is dropping balls, Welker is dropping balls. It almost looks like they're already waiting for next season.
I love the Pats, but i'm confident almost everyone on that team saw any chances of winning a superbowl walk away early in week 1. I'll never stop rooting for them even if they lose every game the remainder of my life, but i'm not going to look at the QB situation through rose-colored glasses. Brady is an MVP, future hall of famer, and Cassel is a career backup at one of the most important positions in all of sports. The difference between the two and the importance of the role is a massive change for any team in any sport.
Picture Gretzky in his prime being replaced for some joe shmoe. Or Lemieux, or Jordan or Bird, etc.
The Pats secondary this year is definitely pretty bad, so it's really hard to say if the actual outcomes of the games would be different, but I know it's definitely not as simple as saying 'well Brady would have made this throw and changed this drive'.
Having a QB like Cassel opposed to a QB like Brady makes differences in so many aspects of a game. Here are a few off the top of my head..
1. Teams gameplan and prepare differently now. Now it's a lot easier for teams to prepare for the Pats. Opposing players also go into the week with a new confidence knowing they actually have a really good shot at winning.
2. Cassel throws a ton of short balls, they said something like 80% of his passes were under 10 yards. This allows defenses to creep up closer and closer making it extremely difficult to do anything against them. Defenses are also not scared to play much more aggressive than they would with Brady, so they're swamping the offensive line almost every play. Brady makes a lot of defenses stay honest.
3. A different offensive game leads to a different defensive game. Scoring more puts more pressure on the opposing offense making them try to play 'perfect' which often messes people up. Now they know they can do aggressive things like throwing it deep over and over without the fear of turning it over. Brady makes teams pay when they turn it over, so they take less chances like that.
Also, to a lesser extent and hopefully this one isn't true, players on the Pats lost their swagger. Even when they're driving down the field, the offense looks timid and scared from the QB to the receivers. Moss is dropping balls, Welker is dropping balls. It almost looks like they're already waiting for next season.
I love the Pats, but i'm confident almost everyone on that team saw any chances of winning a superbowl walk away early in week 1. I'll never stop rooting for them even if they lose every game the remainder of my life, but i'm not going to look at the QB situation through rose-colored glasses. Brady is an MVP, future hall of famer, and Cassel is a career backup at one of the most important positions in all of sports. The difference between the two and the importance of the role is a massive change for any team in any sport.
Picture Gretzky in his prime being replaced for some joe shmoe. Or Lemieux, or Jordan or Bird, etc.