Bledsoe or Cassel

[LuthierJr]

I always liked Drew. He had a heck of an arm.

 

[upstater1]

Bledsoe gets the nod for the two great throws he made in the 2001 AFCCG - the TD to patten and the 3d down completion to Faulk that iced it.

His best throw that game was an incredible touch throw while scrambling to Troy Brown on the sideline.

I thought it was the best throw Bledsoe had ever made.

I have to say I'd want 2001 Bledsoe playing behind Brady on the all 2000s team rather than the 2008 Cassel. Though it would be very very close.

And no, I'm not basing this on stats. I'm basing it on the caliber of play.

Put it this way, let's say we're playing the Steelers tomorrow in the championship game. We get to use all our best players of the decade in the years in which they were at the top of their game (Ty Law 2003, Ted Johnson 2003, Rodney Harrison 2004, Tedy Bruschi 2004, Deion Branch 2004). Who would you choose for that one game? Bledsoe 2001? Cassel 2008?

I would take Bledsoe.

 

[BradyManny]

Who would you pick as your second string QB on the all-decade (00s) team?

Cassel wins on the technicality of it being 2000s. Cassel had more success in this decade as a Patriot than Bledsoe did. Though Bledsoe's play in the AFCCG as noted above is a factor.

Of course, even saying that feels a little blasphemous as a huge Drew fan. If you take away the "all-decade" team aspect, then obviously Bledsoe blows Cassel away without question.

 

[Ryan]

I think the numbers favor Cassel a little bit, but Drew wasn't throwing to Moss and Welker either. Even so, I'd pick Drew for his contributions to that huge win over Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship. Cassel hasn't been a significant part of a win that big in his career yet. Drew was also classy enough not to whine and cry about not getting his job back like a lot of other high profile guys would have.

Another thing, Drew played pretty well in 2000, especially when you consider that the Pats had a pretty poor running game and not many playmakers on offense (Brown & Glenn were basically it). I don't see why he gets crapped on so much for his play toward the end of his Patriot run. I'd say the only year he deserved to get heat for toward the end was 1999 when he was throwing so many picks the 2nd half of the year.

 

[BradyManny]

I think the numbers favor Cassel a little bit, but Drew wasn't throwing to Moss and Welker either. Even so, I'd pick Drew for his contributions to that huge win over Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship. Cassel hasn't been a significant part of a win that big in his career yet.

True. Ultimately, Cassel didn't really accomplish much as a Patriot in the way we judge QBs. Thanks to the standards Brady (and also Bledsoe) has set, Patriots QBs are now ranked by rings, playoff appearances, big wins, etc.

 

[Rob0729]

What?!? No Rohan Davey?!? Where's the love?

I'd give the nod to Cassel. Other than Brady, he is the only New England QB who led the team to a winning season this decade. Bledsoe didn't do much for the Pats this decade other than one drive in the AFC Championship game where Brady had gotten the Pats part of the way before going out. Bledsoe's accomplishments were in the 90s for the Pats. His biggest value to the Pats this decade was netting them Ty Warren in a trade.

 

[NumenorBlader]

Let's see where Cassel takes KC this season. If he barks, then maybe Cassel. He just hasn't done enough in the league right now to warrant us saying anything about his NFL caliber/longetivity... for all we know he is a system QB that excelled under the tutelage of BB/JMcD, and in reality he's another scrub.

Or he's some great QB that no one knew about... either way we're better placed to answer the question above at the end of the next year, at the end of the decade ironically

But ATM Bledsoe for his little playoff experience, but more by default because of Cassel's lack of experience...

Blader.

 

[Bring Back Antowain!]

If I remember correctly, some people on this board wanted a 36 year old Bledsoe to replace Cassel early in the season.

Look, I am a huge Cassel fan, but this isn't even close. Put Cassel, who had his own troubles holding on to the ball to long, on that 2000 team, he'd be lucky to garner comparisons to Bledsoe.

This is how I'd look at it:

Take Drew Bledsoe from 2001, give him the team of the decade offense.

Take Matt Cassel from 2008, give him the team of the decade offense.

Without a doubt, Bledsoe would put up bigger and better numbers. Who wouldn't want to see Drew chucking up some long balls to Randy Moss? Hell, Drew was great chucking long balls to Shawn Jefferson.

As far as I'm concerned this isn't even a debate.

 

[Deus Irae]

Pretty loaded question, really. Who do we want, the guy who didn't fit Belichick's system, or the guy who fit it well?

If it's backing up Brady with the current offensive line and receiving corps, I'll take the Bledsoe of this decade. If it's backing up Brady with the offensive line and receivers of 2000-2002, I'll take Cassel.

It should also be noted that Bledsoe to Moss would have been a blast to watch, and that Bledsoe would have been a lot more comfortable in a system that had a Welker (or even a Watson) replacing Coates as his emergency option rather than having Rod Rutledge and Eric Bjornson as his bailouts.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Let's see where Cassel takes KC this season. If he barks, then maybe Cassel. He just hasn't done enough in the league right now to warrant us saying anything about his NFL caliber/longetivity... for all we know he is a system QB that excelled under the tutelage of BB/JMcD, and in reality he's another scrub.

Or he's some great QB that no one knew about... either way we're better placed to answer the question above at the end of the next year, at the end of the decade ironically

But ATM Bledsoe for his little playoff experience, but more by default because of Cassel's lack of experience...

Blader.

I don't see how what Cassel does in KC is even remotely relevent, anymore than what Bledsoe did or did not do in Buff or Dallas.

 

[Double G]

The way Bledsoe gets so easily brushed aside by many members here proves they were not Patriot fans prior to the 2001 Super Bowl.

Period.

Fact of the matter is if Bledsoe was not on the bench able to fill in after Brady got hurt in the AFCCG vs the Steelers, there would have been no Super Bowl that year.


Bledsoe gets the nod over Mr one year wonder.


Drew is the second best QB this franchise has ever had, he led the team to one two Super Bowl and had a big part in the second, yet he constantly gets ragged on.

Pitiful.

 

[eagle eye]

It has to be Cassel. Drew was mistake ridden in 2000 and Cassel replaced a legend and did a mighty fine job. QB rating for Bledsoe in 2000 was 77.3 and last year for Cassel was 89.4.
It would certainly be MC for me.

 

[eagle eye]

The way Bledsoe gets so easily brushed aside by many members here proves they were not Patriot fans prior to the 2001 Super Bowl.




Drew is the second best QB this franchise has ever had, he led the team to one two Super Bowl and had a big part in the second, yet he constantly gets ragged on.

Pitiful.

Well I'll brush him aside too, and Steve Grogan is a legend. Injury did not help him but he was a fantastic quarterback and never had a offense around him like Mr Bledsoe when the big fat lump of dolphin tuna was here.

 

[matt9071]

Tough choice, my pick is for Bledsoe

 

[BradyFTW!]

If we're just talking about the 2000s, then Cassel. If we're talking overall, then obviously Bledsoe.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Its Bledsoe by a monster mile

If Bledsoe had Welker and Moss in 2000 I guarantee you that team would NEVER have gone 5-11

Cassel benefitted from blending in well with all of the multitude of talent around him and did his job to garner respect, but Bledsoe had crap as an offensive unit 9 years ago and one year removed from the Carroll disaster and would have definately taken a team like last years into the playoffs.

 

[Double G]

Well I'll brush him aside too, and Steve Grogan is a legend. Injury did not help him but he was a fantastic quarterback and never had a offense around him like Mr Bledsoe when the big fat lump of dolphin tuna was here.

Thanks for making my point; Steve Grogan is a legend and he never had an offense around him? Stanley Morgan, Irving Fryar, Harold Jackson, Russ Francis, Sam Cunningham, Andy Johnson, Mosi Tatupu, Craig James, Robert Weathers, Don Hasselbeck, Mack Herron, Daryl Stingley, etc, etc.........

No offense?

Get a clue new guy.

Christ.

 

[italian pat patriot]

The way Bledsoe gets so easily brushed aside by many members here proves they were not Patriot fans prior to the 2001 Super Bowl.

Period.

Fact of the matter is if Bledsoe was not on the bench able to fill in after Brady got hurt in the AFCCG vs the Steelers, there would have been no Super Bowl that year.


Bledsoe gets the nod over Mr one year wonder.


Drew is the second best QB this franchise has ever had, he led the team to one two Super Bowl and had a big part in the second, yet he constantly gets ragged on.

Pitiful.

i agree 100% with you: very well said

there should be no discussion at all on this matter...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Put it this way, let's say we're playing the Steelers tomorrow in the championship game. We get to use all our best players of the decade in the years in which they were at the top of their game (Ty Law 2003, Ted Johnson 2003, Rodney Harrison 2004, Tedy Bruschi 2004, Deion Branch 2004). Who would you choose for that one game? Bledsoe 2001? Cassel 2008?

I would take Bledsoe.

I would not. And I believe that BB would not do so either. There have been reams written concerning BB's opinion of how Drew mis-managed a game.

In that Steelers game cited, before Drew steped in Brady had driven into Steelers territory and to his credit, Drew finished that drive, tossing a TD. That's where the heroics ends.

Has everyone forgotten that later in the game Bledsoe made two career typical plays, either one of which could have lost the game? Destroyed history?

On one play Drew turns to his right and throws a short ball that bounces off a Steelers LB's chest. Had the stiff caught the ball, it was a pick 6. Worse yet, on another play while going down Bledsoe mindlessly flips a 'no look' pass backwards over his head. Incomplete, and not picked but no thanks to Drew who had no clue that there weren't Squealers defenders in the area. BB's decision to play Brady in the next game and not the Drew of revisionist fan imaginings was easy.

 

[Deus Irae]

I would not. And I believe that BB would not do so either. There have been reams written concerning BB's opinion of how Drew mis-managed a game.

In that Steelers game cited, before Drew steped in Brady had driven into Steelers territory and to his credit, Drew finished that drive, tossing a TD. That's where the heroics ends.

Has everyone forgotten that later in the game Bledsoe made two career typical plays, either one of which could have lost the game? Destroyed history?

On one play Drew turns to his right and throws a short ball that bounces off a Steelers LB's chest. Had the stiff caught the ball, it was a pick 6. Even worse on another play while going down Bledsoe flips a 'no look' pass backwards over his head. Incomplete, and not picked but no thanks to Drew who had no clue that there weren't Squealers defenders in the area. BB's decision to play Brady and not the Drew of revisionist fan imaginings was easy.

Good point. It's not as if Brady's ever done anything as stupid as throwing the ball from the ground or anything.