Metaphors
In the Starting Line-Up
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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.
Interesting numbers. When looking at Cassel, I like to look at his development since he has been a moving target through the year.
- First couple of games, he had a pretty restricted gameplan to work with so he was starting from zero.
- Through the SD game, the offense expanded a little but he was reluctant to throw through or over coverage. The volatility on the offensive line didn't help.
- Against Denver and the Rams, he started to loosen up. His footwork stabilized and his throwing motion became more repetitive.
- He made the turn in the Indy and Buffalo games. The offensive line play improved and he really found his comfort level. He was on time and decisive with his throws...even into coverage. His sense in the pocket made a huge leap and the sacks came down as a result.
- The first half of the Jets game found the same lousy playcalling that lost the Indy game. Putting Cassel almost exclusively in the shotgun and letting him wing it around was a huge step in his development. He started attacking all areas of the field. Huge days from Watson and Gaffney meant that Cassel was able read the field quickly and accurately instead of locking in on Moss trying to come back in the game.
- Obviously the game yesterday was tremendous. Continuing the attack mentality from the Jets game, Cassel was a rock in what effectively was his first playoff game...on the road no less. The thing that struck me was that his throws all had the correct pace and altitude for the situation. Take the TDs to Moss...rocket that gives Moss an opportunity for YAC, lob to the back of the end zone and a jump ball slightly underthrown to give Moss a chance to get position and elevate. Really a stellar effort.
While the defenses on this list are not top-notch, you can see how Cassel has made leaps and bounds to get where he is today. That being said, Cassel still has a fatal flaw that needs to be corrected. When pressured, he prematurely takes his eyes from downfield and tucks the ball away. The sack on 3rd and 2 after the Meriweather int was a prime example of this. That could be problematic against the Steelers. If Cassel can hang in that extra half-second against a big blitz, someone will almost certainly come free for an easy gain.
If Cassel comes up big against the Steelers, limiting the sacks while getting TDs instead of FGs early, then I think you can reasonably project that he should be effective in the remaining 4 games and into the playoffs. A stinker against Pitt could indicate that he still has some holes that a pressing defense can expose and exploit. Needless to say this is a huge game for both the Pats and Cassel.