Bledsoe or Cassel

[spacecrime]

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.

I dislike choosing a player of the decade based on two throws, but anyway neither of two passes can compare to Cassel's game-tying TD at the end of regulation against the Jets.

Besides, in the Steeler game I remember Bledsoe hitting that Steeler LB in the guy with a pass. Lucky the guy was too surprised to hold on.

Plus that one hook shot pass he just tossed up that fell harmlessly to the turf but reminded me why he drove me nuts.

I loved him while he was here, he helped turn around the franchise, but I don't want him back under any circumstances.

 

[BradyFTW!]

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.

Or it proves that many of the people on this forum actually read the question before answering it. Bledsoe rocked in the '90s, and was a very good, if frustrating, QB for us, but the poster specified for the 2000s. And let's be honest, the best thing that Bledsoe did for the Pats in the 2000s was almost get killed by Mo Lewis, forcing Brady to take over.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I dislike choosing a player of the decade based on two throws, but anyway neither of two passes can compare to Cassel's game-tying TD at the end of regulation against the Jets.

Besides, in the Steeler game I remember Bledsoe hitting that Steeler LB in the guy with a pass. Lucky the guy was too surprised to hold on.

Plus that one hook shot pass he just tossed up that fell harmlessly to the turf but reminded me why he drove me nuts.

I loved him while he was here, he helped turn around the franchise, but I don't want him back under any circumstances.

Glad to see that someone else actually watched that game.

 

[upstater1]

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.

There was a flag on that play where Bledsoe flipped the ball. It was a free play.

As for your last sentence, here I was assuming the thread was about Bledsoe v. Cassel, not v. Brady.

Yeah, I think you're right. Belichick liked Brady more than Bledsoe.

 

[upstater1]

I dislike choosing a player of the decade based on two throws, but anyway neither of two passes can compare to Cassel's game-tying TD at the end of regulation against the Jets.

Besides, in the Steeler game I remember Bledsoe hitting that Steeler LB in the guy with a pass. Lucky the guy was too surprised to hold on.

Plus that one hook shot pass he just tossed up that fell harmlessly to the turf but reminded me why he drove me nuts.

I loved him while he was here, he helped turn around the franchise, but I don't want him back under any circumstances.

I'll say it again, there was a flag, Bledsoe had a free play there.

 

[eagle eye]

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.

I said he never had a offense around him like Bledsoe had under the big fat dolphin tuna.

And get a clue? I would say I've forgotten more than you know at this stage.

I might be new here but I'm not a kid, I've been following our beloved team since the early 70's.

And just a note, we were discussing this decade and thats why I went for Cassel, but imo Bledsoe ranks third of all the guys that have played for New England since I've been around, but hey stats say otherwise.

I'm not here to trash Bledsoe, but for me Grogan was very special. Who knows if he hadn't suffered injury we might have had a superbowl back then.

 

[tanked_as_usual]

bledsoe.......the pats would have had 1 or 2 wins in 2000 and 4 or 5 in 2001 with cassel at QB

 

[PittPatriot]

I acknowledge the stats favoring Cassel, but I'd still take Drew.
Let us also not overlook the sieve OL that allowed Drew to get slaughtered game in and out. Cassel had and OL coming off a Pro Bowl year.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

How do you not pick Bledsoe? Not a very good question.

 

[farn]

How do you not pick Bledsoe? Not a very good question.

To be honest it's not as clear cut as you seem to suggest. It does, however, show us how strong the Pats have been in the decade with Brady as #1... we've never needed to rely on another except for this past season and the 2000 season (which, if I remember correctly, was not NE's finest).

Cassel's 08 season is better than Bledsoe's 00... and those are the only one's in which either was the main starter.

Yet... because of the 01 season's dependance on Bledsoe int he playoffs, I can understand people liking BLedsoe here. But I'll go with Cassel.

 

[Ring 6]

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 have been a fan since 1974. I think there is absolutely no question that the 2nd best QB on the Patriots from 2000-2008 was Matt Cassell.
Retrospect is an interesting thing. While Bledsoe was QB I liked him and thought, flaws and all he was a good QB. But as I watched the 2nd half of 1999 and all of 2000, into the beginning of 2001, I began to realize how desperately his limitations hurt the team.
When Tom Brady replaced him and started making sound QB decisions the kind I had watched Bledsoe not make for 9 years, it became more and more clear that Bledsoe was holding the franchise back, not making it better.
I know that for me it was tough to accept that I had overrated Bledsoe for quite a while, but in the end the truth is the truth.
Bledsoe had excellent ability to throw the ball, but his poor understanding of the QB position and decision making (as well as his lack of agility) limited his ability to take advantage of those skills, particularly in the most critical junctures.

Oh and just because he played in the AFCC game does not mean we wouldn't have won without him. He actually played poorly, so we may have won despite him.

 

[Ring 6]

bledsoe.......the pats would have had 1 or 2 wins in 2000 and 4 or 5 in 2001 with cassel at QB

I think the Pats would have won 4 or 5 in 2001 with Bledsoe at QB.
As far as 2000, you need to go back and check. The 5 games we won werent won because of QB play.

 

[eagle eye]

I have been a fan since 1974. I think there is absolutely no question that the 2nd best QB on the Patriots from 2000-2008 was Matt Cassell.
Retrospect is an interesting thing. While Bledsoe was QB I liked him and thought, flaws and all he was a good QB. But as I watched the 2nd half of 1999 and all of 2000, into the beginning of 2001, I began to realize how desperately his limitations hurt the team.
When Tom Brady replaced him and started making sound QB decisions the kind I had watched Bledsoe not make for 9 years, it became more and more clear that Bledsoe was holding the franchise back, not making it better.
I know that for me it was tough to accept that I had overrated Bledsoe for quite a while, but in the end the truth is the truth.
Bledsoe had excellent ability to throw the ball, but his poor understanding of the QB position and decision making (as well as his lack of agility) limited his ability to take advantage of those skills, particularly in the most critical junctures.

Oh and just because he played in the AFCC game does not mean we wouldn't have won without him. He actually played poorly, so we may have won despite him.

Well said Sir. I agree with everything you say there.

 

[RDS11]

Cassel's 08 season is better than Bledsoe's 00... and those are the only one's in which either was the main starter.

Sure it was, but the 2008 team was much, much better than the 2000 team.
Cassel was throwing to Moss, Welker, Gaffney and Watson while Bledsoe had Glenn, Brown, Tony Simmons and Eric Bjornson...

The running game averaged 3.3 yards per carry in 2000 for a total of 1390 yards. In 2008, the team avg was 4.4 yards, 2278 yards total. Don't you think it had an impact on what the defenses were preparing against ?

Also, people are quick to point out that Drew didn't have a good game against Pitts in the AFC Championship, to which I agree. However, he threw for 1 TD in just a little more than an half. Brady, during the entire 2001 playoffs, just threw for 1 TD too. I'm not saying I would have played Bledsoe over Brady, but it just shows that the 2001 and 2001 teams were not as gifted as the current team on offense. If we are to compare Bledsoe's 2000 season stats against Cassel's 2008 stats, then we should take a look at Brady's 2001 stats too. Based on that, the Pats should have kept Cassel, since he is younger and had better stats in his 1st year.

 

[Double G]

Or it proves that many of the people on this forum actually read the question before answering it. Bledsoe rocked in the '90s, and was a very good, if frustrating, QB for us, but the poster specified for the 2000s. And let's be honest, the best thing that Bledsoe did for the Pats in the 2000s was almost get killed by Mo Lewis, forcing Brady to take over.

I read the question.

The AFCCG was in the 2000's.

Without him, no super bowl vs the Rams.

The best thing he did was mentor Brady and not act like a two year old when a.) BB went with Brady when Bledsoe was fully healthy and b.) when Brady was named the starter in the Super Bowl.

 

[Ring 6]

I read the question.

The AFCCG was in the 2000's.

Without him, no super bowl vs the Rams.

The best thing he did was mentor Brady and not act like a two year old when a.) BB went with Brady when Bledsoe was fully healthy and b.) when Brady was named the starter in the Super Bowl.

WHAT????????
I guess if we had to play an OL at QB there would have been no SB. Bledsoe played poorly, he wasnt the reason.
You need to do some research if you are seriously trying to give the whining, petulant, running up the backstairs to try to get Kraft to tell BB to play him Bledsoe credit for Brady's success by calling him a mentor. Bledsoe was a selfish divisive character when he was benched, not a mentor who helped the team.

 

[BradyFTW!]

I read the question.

The AFCCG was in the 2000's.

Without him, no super bowl vs the Rams.

The best thing he did was mentor Brady and not act like a two year old when a.) BB went with Brady when Bledsoe was fully healthy and b.) when Brady was named the starter in the Super Bowl.

You're basing an entire decade on 2 throws? Well okay then, although neither of those throws were absolutely incredibly or anything (good throws, but not unbelievable) which is what it should take to put some guy over the top on an all-decade team based on those throws alone.

As for mentoring Brady, none of that would have mattered if he hadn't cleared the path for Brady to play by almost getting killed by Mo Lewis, so my original point stands. And for the second part, I'm not sure how that makes him a better player. I guess I don't hold willingness to sit on the bench without complaining because someone else on the team is better than you in quite the esteem that you do. I'm thankful to him for not raising a fuss, but once again, that's a pretty minor point in the grand scheme of things. It certainly doesn't outweigh Cassel's 2008 contributions.

 

[Double G]

WHAT????????
I guess if we had to play an OL at QB there would have been no SB. Bledsoe played poorly, he wasnt the reason.
You need to do some research if you are seriously trying to give the whining, petulant, running up the backstairs to try to get Kraft to tell BB to play him Bledsoe credit for Brady's success by calling him a mentor. Bledsoe was a selfish divisive character when he was benched, not a mentor who helped the team.

Oh gee sorry, you are right; now that I think of it, Bledsoe was a HUGE distraction the week leading up to the Super Bowl crying to the media about how he should be starting.

And he was a huge distraction after the Rams loss in the regular season when Brady was named the starter for the rest of the year, so much so that the Patriot ripped off 6 strait wins, winning the division and the #2 seed.

Must have been some other guy who walked up to Brady after the Rams had scored to tie the Super Bowl when the offense was going to be conservative and said "**** that, go out there and chuck the ball" because Drew was too busy pouting about not starting.

Must have been some other guy who when Brady said "WE WON!!" and give him a bear hug, Bledsoe said "You are THE man, Tom, you are the man."

Yep, I was all wrong and need to do my research.............

 

[BradyFTW!]

Oh gee sorry, you are right; now that I think of it, Bledsoe was a HUGE distraction the week leading up to the Super Bowl crying to the media about how he should be starting.

And he was a huge distraction after the Rams loss in the regular season when Brady was named the starter for the rest of the year, so much so that the Patriot ripped off 6 strait wins, winning the division and the #2 seed.

Must have been some other guy who walked up to Brady after the Rams had scored to tie the Super Bowl when the offense was going to be conservative and said "**** that, go out there and chuck the ball" because Drew was too busy pouting about not starting.

Must have been some other guy who when Brady said "WE WON!!" and give him a bear hug, Bledsoe said "You are THE man, Tom, you are the man."

Yep, I was all wrong and need to do my research.............

You're a huge fan of making broad generalizations off of a simple size of two, aren't you?

 

[Double G]

You're basing an entire decade on 2 throws? Well okay then, although neither of those throws were absolutely incredibly or anything (good throws, but not unbelievable) which is what it should take to put some guy over the top on an all-decade team based on those throws alone.

Yeah, you're right too come to think of it.

I mean, any QB in the league could just walk off the bench after not playing all year, get absolutely clobbered and knocked on his ass and then deliver one of the sweetest passes I've ever seen to Patten for a TD.

Sure, any stiff could have done that.

Bledsoe helped the Patriots get to that Super Bowl.

Cassel couldn't get a team that was stacked offensively and one year removed from a 16-0 regular season to the playoffs.

Comparing the two is like comparing apples to hand grenades.

This Bledsoe love him/hate him debate is comical, reminds me of a redneck from down south who insists the Civil War is still going on, or like finding a Japanese soldier in a cave on Iwo Jima who didn't get the memo that the war is over.

Hate the guy all you want, it won't change history no matter how much you do......................