Did not having a veteran backup QB cross your mind when the 'Ankle' was reported?

sieglo · Jan 28, 2008

patchick said:
Is Cassel any good? Who the heck knows? But here's something I like about him: he's been with the team for three years. He knows the offense and the personnel, and the coaches know him. I'm sure BB & JD could put together a good competitive gameplan with Cassel at the helm.

Do you really think that if they thought Cassel sucked BB and Scott Pioli would have done NOTHING to develop a backup strategy? These are guys that think of EVERYTHING.

DarrylStingley · Jan 28, 2008

patchick said:
Conveniently, with two weeks to go before the Superbowl the Pats spent the week practicing with Matt Cassel as their quarterback.

Agree to disagree, utlimately, but I hear you about Cassel getting reps this week ....and let's hope we don't get a repeat of the AFC Champ game in 2001 and this concern is actually tested!

DarrylStingley · Jan 28, 2008

sieglo said:
Do you really think that if they thought Cassel sucked BB and Scott Pioli would have done NOTHING to develop a backup strategy? These are guys that think of EVERYTHING.

I am a big In Bill I Trust guy.

But he's not perfect, no one is.

Aguably, his decision to go into the 2006 season with Reche as his number one receiver was not consistent with perfect decision making and was not something you would say is emblematic of a guy who thinks of everything.

That said, maybe BB just knows that Cassel could do the job if need be.

I know that I'd be happier with a veteran back-up, but no one from Foxboro called me for my opinion!

patchick · Jan 28, 2008

sieglo said:
Do you really think that if they thought Cassel sucked BB and Scott Pioli would have done NOTHING to develop a backup strategy? These are guys that think of EVERYTHING.

Umm...I wrote a positive post about Cassel!

But since you insist: Matt Cassel's predecessor as #1 backup to Tom Brady was Rohan Davey. By your argument, it logically follows that Davey was a good NFL quarterback. Who knew?

baba booey · Jan 28, 2008

It would suck if Brady took himself out of the game, sitting on the bench with his helmet and black visor.

SteveTHEyankee · Jan 28, 2008

PATRIOTSFANINPA said:
I know the first thing I thought about when I heard Brady had a bad ankle was man,I wish we had a capable veteran backup we could use in an emergency which this could have been the case of emergency but of course its not now.

Actually, the first thing I though of as he was walking into her apartment was "I would wear a full body cast if I could get Tom's kind of rehabilitation therapy"

He will be in the game and he will be a big part of the win. :rocker:

AzPatsFan · Jan 28, 2008

FreeTedWilliams said:
Cassell would be OK. Don't forget Randy Moss made Dante Culpepper a Pro-Bowl QB. It is not like Cassell hasn't taken a snap since training camp. Cassell is charged with playing the other teams QB every week. He was Peyton Manning, he was Rivers, Garrard, et al.

Just because Brady isn't behind the center does not mean that the OL will suddenly forget how to block (granted Cassell is not going to spot the blitzes and change the protection the way Brady does), but if you bltiz him, he is going to throw the ball to Moss one on one with some not so good DBs.

Brady is going to play, that is for certain, but don't sell Cassell short he can play.

Those are my thoughts also.

We have a better WRs than the Giants. We have better runners than the Giants. We have a better Offensive line than the Giants. Cassell would do fine and hold his own and produce as much or more scoring as Manning is capable of doing.

We have a better Defensive line than the Giants or at least its equal. We have better LBs than the Giants. We have a better and deeper secondary than the Giants, and that is not close for either the LBs or Secondary. If push came to shove the Pats could win a defensive struggle with out any particular help from the Offense. Bu three Offense with Cassell would not be helpless. The Offense would pull its weight.

TheGodInAGreyHoodie · Jan 28, 2008

Experienced quality QBs that know they have almost 0% of starting don't come cheap and the Patriots don't have any cap room.

So the question really is who do you want to cut to make room in the payroll?

I would rather have Wes Welker on the field than an expensive insurance policy sitting on the bench.

tailwind · Jan 28, 2008

DarrylStingley said:
Aguably, his decision to go into the 2006 season with Reche as his number one receiver was not consistent with perfect decision making and was not something you would say is emblematic of a guy who thinks of everything.

That said, maybe BB just knows that Cassel could do the job if need be.

I know that I'd be happier with a veteran back-up, but no one from Foxboro called me for my opinion!

They clearly wanted Deion to be in the fold for the 2006 season, but he had other ideas with his contract demands, so they went to war with what they had (and in retrospect, it was clearly the correct decision not caving to Branch, even with the result of last season.) I'm quite sure they weren't sitting around saying "screw it, I'm happy with Reche and Troy."

As well, I'd rather have the unproven kid that knows our offense and the tendencies of every player around him as opposed to a veteran that was just picked up on the market. If BB and Pioli didn't think Cassell could play, he wouldn't be the primary backup.

DarrylStingley · Jan 28, 2008

tailwind said:
They clearly wanted Deion to be in the fold for the 2006 season, but he had other ideas with his contract demands, so they went to war with what they had (and in retrospect, it was clearly the correct decision not caving to Branch, even with the result of last season.) I'm quite sure they weren't sitting around saying "screw it, I'm happy with Reche and Troy."

As well, I'd rather have the unproven kid that knows our offense and the tendencies of every player around him as opposed to a veteran that was just picked up on the market. If BB and Pioli didn't think Cassell could play, he wouldn't be the primary backup.

Not paying Branch was right. Not having a better Plan B was not consistent with being ready for every contingency. Hey, I love Belichick as much as anyone. My point re Branch and last year was that not every decision is perfect.

As to your QB point, you're setting up a false dichotomy. I'm not looking for them to pick up a vet on the market now. I would have preferred that they had done that earlier.

Did not having a veteran backup QB cross your mind when the 'Ankle' was reported?

sieglo

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

DarrylStingley

Third String But Playing on Special Teams

DarrylStingley

Third String But Playing on Special Teams

patchick

Moderatrix

baba booey

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SteveTHEyankee

Rookie

AzPatsFan

Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal

TheGodInAGreyHoodie

Experienced Starter w/First Big Contract

tailwind

Rookie

DarrylStingley

Third String But Playing on Special Teams

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