A disclaimer about Cassel's back to back 400 yd games

[BradyManny]

I do this only to combat the morons who want to trade Brady (who, ironically, are the same folks who wanted to cut Cassel a couple months ago). I don't do this to take anything from Cassel, who has been a hero...

But take the 400 yard passing games with a grain of salt, it was done against 2 of the worst passing defenses in the league:

ESPN - NFL Football Statistics and League Leaders - National Football League

Jets are 26th and Miami is 28th in the league in passing yards allowed. Of course, Cassel made those #s worse by himself, but you get my point. The biggest test comes this weekend against the top passing defense in the league. I think Cassel and McD will pass that test, and we'll probably hear more clamoring for shipping Brady, but in the meantime, curb your enthusiasm.

Oh, and while you're all there on that stat page, take a look that the Patriots much maligned passing defense is far better than Miami or NYJ at 18th in the league.

 

[BlitzFritz]

[i have not seen a single post where anyone WANTS to trade Brady.
i have seen some posts suggesting it as a topic of discussion.]

anyway, good pt about Cassel.
hes not hte second coming (yet) but he is better than anyone ever thought he would be. and hes improving

 

[BelichickFan]

They aren't great pass defenses, they're ranked 19th and 21st in passer rating allowed.

But still :

Jets defense allows 87.7 passer rating, Cassel had a 103.4.
Dolphins defense allows 89.9 passer rating, Cassel had a 114.0.

Pittsburgh allows a 71.1, we'll see what happens.

 

[upstater1]

That's a phony stat.

The Jets are on a big roll. You will give up passing yards if you're playing from in front, especially with Mangini as coach because he plays prevent with 3 score leads.

The Patriots and the Titans were not running the ball in the second half against the Jets.

what does that tell you?

 

[BradyManny]

That's a phony stat.

The Jets are on a big roll. You will give up passing yards if you're playing from in front, especially with Mangini as coach because he plays prevent with 3 score leads.

The Patriots and the Titans were not running the ball in the second half against the Jets.

what does that tell you?

It tells me the Jets have a suspect pass defense that can't stop the Pats or the Titans when they know we're running. The Jets have a great run defense, but I don't think their pass defense scares anyone.

 

[BradyManny]

They aren't great pass defenses, they're ranked 19th and 21st in passer rating allowed.

But still :

Jets defense allows 87.7 passer rating, Cassel had a 103.4.
Dolphins defense allows 89.9 passer rating, Cassel had a 114.0.

Pittsburgh allows a 71.1, we'll see what happens.

Cassel has played great, I'm not trying to argue that. I'm just trying to frame his performance with some perspective when you have about 1 out of 5 posts on here right now contemplating trading Brady.

 

[AStack75]

Seattle has the 31st ranked passing defense right now so we may see some more fireworks from Cassel in a couple weeks.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

It tells me the Jets have a suspect pass defense that can't stop the Pats or the Titans when they know we're running. The Jets have a great run defense, but I don't think their pass defense scares anyone.

This is what McDaniels did with the vaunted Vikings D in '06. . . . Their pass D was a FAIL, and the Patriots utterly embarrassed them.

 

[BradyManny]

This is what McDaniels did with the vaunted Vikings D in '06. . . . Their pass D was a FAIL, and the Patriots utterly embarrassed them.

Exactly, McD doesn't even both trying to run against teams with good run Ds and bad pass Ds. He just exploits them. Kind of like when Brady dropped 41 points on this Miami team in 30 minutes last season.

 

[CheerforTom]

Oh, and while you're all there on that stat page, take a look that the Patriots much maligned passing defense is far better than Miami or NYJ at 18th in the league.

A disclaimer about that stat: the only reason that's the case is because of the start of the season and the ability of Pats' offense to hold the ball forever and keep the opposing offense off the field. Right now we are as bad defending the pass as any team in the league. It needs to be fixed quickly.

 

[emoney_33]

Cassel has done a great job. The reason Brady has never done the back to back 400 yard thing is two-fold really. He hasn't really needed to and when he has, he hasn't really had the offensive weapons. It is definitely not that he is incapable, of course.

A struggling defense and an amazing group of WR, along with a depleted backfield leads to...

But take nothing away from Cassel, he is playing very well and I hope it continues.

 

[wistahpatsfan]

What difference does who the Pats played make when considering Cassel's accomplishment? It's only been done five times! Think maybe Brady and Montana faced two crappy pass defenses in a row before?

2004 - Volek does it against Raiders (492) and Chiefs(426)

Can't find the teams Fouts et al played, but I bet their pass defenses sucked too.

 

[BelichickFan]

Here's a slightly sobering stat :

Cassel has a 90.5 passer rating. I just calculated the average of all the defenses we've faced and they allow an average of 90.6. Which puts Cassel exactly as a league average QB. Which is still good but it's shocking how bad the defenses we've faced have been this year.

 

[Lampshade]

Even with their low ranking, Cassel threw 150 yards over the Jet season average, and 160 yards over the Dolphin season average.

In my mind there is no disclaimer that can make back-to-back 400+ yard games less impressive.

 

[BradyManny]

Here's a slightly sobering stat :

Cassel has a 90.5 passer rating. I just calculated the average of all the defenses we've faced and they allow an average of 90.6. Which puts Cassel exactly as a league average QB. Which is still good but it's shocking how bad the defenses we've faced have been this year.

Some sobering is necessary. We're all happy for Matt Cassel. But it's crazytalk that you got fans on here wondering if Tom Brady has as a future as a Patriot. A nice good sobering thought such as that stat is a good thing right now - anything that adds perspective is welcome.

 

[ALP]

I do this only to combat the morons who want to trade Brady (who, ironically, are the same folks who wanted to cut Cassel a couple months ago). I don't do this to take anything from Cassel, who has been a hero...

But take the 400 yard passing games with a grain of salt, it was done against 2 of the worst passing defenses in the league:

ESPN - NFL Football Statistics and League Leaders - National Football League

Jets are 26th and Miami is 28th in the league in passing yards allowed. Of course, Cassel made those #s worse by himself, but you get my point. The biggest test comes this weekend against the top passing defense in the league. I think Cassel and McD will pass that test, and we'll probably hear more clamoring for shipping Brady, but in the meantime, curb your enthusiasm.

Oh, and while you're all there on that stat page, take a look that the Patriots much maligned passing defense is far better than Miami or NYJ at 18th in the league.

the passing yds are a testament to how bad our defense played...simple as that

 

[BelichickFan]

the passing yds are a testament to how bad our defense played...simple as that

No it's not. It's also a testament to how well the offense and Cassel are playing. To try to boil it down to one simple thought is silly.

 

[signbabybrady]

The worst Pass defenses play a game every week and yet still there are not 400 yard passers every week. I am not sure this is a fair disclaimer. You can only play who is in front of you and to take ones performance vs anyone and temper it is unfair.

 

[Pats726]

Some sobering is necessary. We're all happy for Matt Cassel. But it's crazytalk that you got fans on here wondering if Tom Brady has as a future as a Patriot. A nice good sobering thought such as that stat is a good thing right now - anything that adds perspective is welcome.

AND the Jets and Fins are not part of the NFL??? And what teams did Volek throw against or Fouts??? Sooo....it means nothing??? Time to take that disclaimer and put it where the sun don''t shine.....I Do think talk of replacing Brady is silly...but maling a disclaimer of something not done in the NFL in a bunch of years...by a QB who has not started a fgame before this year in this decade is just a LOT sillier...Sorry..If it was against strike players during a strike year I can SEE a disclaimer...but against 2 teams with winning records?? PLEASE.....

 

[BradyManny]

AND the Jets and Fins are not part of the NFL??? And what teams did Volek throw against or Fouts??? Sooo....it means nothing??? Time to take that disclaimer and put it where the sun don''t shine.....I Do think talk of replacing Brady is silly...but maling a disclaimer of something not done in the NFL in a bunch of years...by a QB who has not started a fgame before this year in this decade is just a LOT sillier...Sorry..If it was against strike players during a strike year I can SEE a disclaimer...but against 2 teams with winning records?? PLEASE.....

Um, OK.

I don't care what Billy Volek did. Billy Volek sucks, and no one cares that he threw back to back 400 yards game.

I care that Matt Cassel is good, and that his last two games have been amazing, but that he has not done anything to demonstrate that the Patriots have a QB controversy or should make some rash decision in the offseason. You need to calm down.

I was merely pointing out that Cassel has not yet demonstrated he can defeat a great defense. You have people wanting to keep Cassel next season either in addition to or at the expense of Brady, and he hasn't yet done something Brady has done over and over, and in pressure situations. Next Sunday is Cassel's oppportunity.