How's your confidence in Matt Cassel at the half-way point.

[PATRIOT64]

Wow! 90% of the fans polled think Matt is playoff caliber or better. What a huge change from pre-season thru the 1st few game weeks.

Then again, I just noticed that the former loud "Send Cassel to Walmart as a greeter" contingent is notably absent.

I'M RIGHT HERE - GOT A PROBLEM BUDDY?...Thought so

 

[stcjones]

Cassels has 2 problems:

1- He can't finish it when we are in the red zone.
2- He needs to improve his medium and long range throw.

Ding ding ding....we have a winner!!! Unfortuneatly, Matt and the offense have stalled in the red zone and have to resort to FG's so often this year....that will not win in this league much.....especially when you have weaknesses in your defense.....So as far as A) Getting into the playoffs.....and B) going deep in the playoffs......don't hold your breath......this could very well be an 8-8/9-7 season......that's the realistic outlook.

2) Yes....Cassel is not able to make the consistent medium to long range passes right now.....and not sure if he ever will.....He frequently throws behind receivers....still locks on one at a time....while others are open.....He has gotten BETTER at checking off and looking for other options.....but still needs work.........and.....when he does throw downfield....watch the INT ratio go up

Matt has done a very ADMIRABLE job coming in off the bench this year...and has played with alot of heart and fire.....I give him tons of credit.....but as far as him being able to LEAD This team into the postseason.....or (gulp)....the SB......just don't see it.....

 

[stcjones]

Cassel still has a lot to prove so I'm undecided. But he has shown some signs of improvement. Unfortunately the gameplan with Cassel is so conservative, he just has not shown any ability to connect on long passes and challenge the defense. The Colts game was the perfect opportunity to go long and get Moss involved, but we didn't go to him until the second half and by then it was too little too late.

The problem with Cassel is that he isn't good at reading the whole field yet and going through his progressions quickly enough to find the open man before the pass rush gets to him. He really needs to work on this if he is going to be able to throw passes over 10 yards, otherwise he's just gonna keep getting sacked. I think this weakness is one reason, though not the whole reason, why the playcalls went the way they did against the Colts.

good realistic post vjc

 

[Nunchucks]

Cassel has shown drastic improvement through game 1 to game 8. I was very concerned with his ability to deal with the pass rush but thankfully he has shown improvement in that area. We really could be looking at 6-2 if just a couple things went the Patriots way.

I think that if the Patriots as a team play well, Cassel certainly can do enough to win in the playoffs.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Cassel has shown drastic improvement through game 1 to game 8. I was very concerned with his ability to deal with the pass rush but thankfully he has shown improvement in that area. We really could be looking at 6-2 if just a couple things went the Patriots way.

I think that if the Patriots as a team play well, Cassel certainly can do enough to win in the playoffs.

Careful, you just interrupted an attempt to launch a we're still here negativity *********** thread segment with a rational post.

 

[Lifer]

Cassels has 2 problems:

1- He can't finish it when we are in the red zone.
2- He needs to improve his medium and long range throw.

sounds like somebody we knew 7 years ago.

 

[lostjumper]

He's been getting better every week. I think thats all you can ask of a backup QB thrust in the starters role.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

I was one of the guys who thought he wasn't good enough but hoped he'd do well for the Pats sake and he has shown improvement. His awareness is coming along which game time will improve anyway but my confidence in him depends where we are on the field. Now I think he can be trusted to help move the chains but when we get to the business end of the field, production halts more often than not. His inconsistancy in any throw over 15 yards is a little frustrating too. He can land an absolute inch perfect diamond like we saw to Gaffney or he can throw it totaly off. I was pretty confident we would make the playoffs but in those games it's do or die. You put up numbers or your lose and thats where everyones confidence in him will be tested.

Still, if we do make the playoffs I think we've done very well this season considering certain situations and Matt can be proud of what he's helped the team achieve.

 

[NEPatriot]

Still, if we do make the playoffs I think we've done very well this season considering certain situations and Matt can be proud of what he's helped the team achieve.

Without winning a AFC championship, he hasn't achieved anything. Cassel has a long way to go. Thank God for an easy schedule this season. Until he finishs his red zone, we are not going anywhere.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

Without winning a AFC championship, he hasn't achieved anything. Cassel has a long way to go. Thank God for an easy schedule this season. Until he finishs his red zone, we are not going anywhere.

If we make the playoffs I think it's fair to say we've turned a season were at the start an overwhemling amount though it was a write off into a decent one. There may not be any trophy to show but from a personal outlook I think he can be ok with himself.

 

[NEPatriot]

If we make the playoffs I think it's fair to say we've turned a season were at the start an overwhemling amount though it was a write off into a decent one. There may not be any trophy to show but from a personal outlook I think he can be ok with himself.

With an easy schedule, you should make an appearance in the playoff. Being in the playoff is not good enough.

 

[Scouse Patriot]

With an easy schedule, you should make an appearance in the playoff. Being in the playoff is not good enough.

Debatable it's easy in the current situation the team finds itself in. Infact, it's not debatable. It's not. Last years team sure. It's not about settling for second best here, realistically you just have to accept the situation we're in and make your conclusion from that.

 

[The Dog]

He has played very well all things considered. I know everyone remembers Brady from last year, but he didn't always play at that level. In 2001 the pats won as many games because of the defense and ST as they did because of brady.

 

[JoeSixPat]

"None of the above" would be my choice.

All those options miss the boat on what we need and expect from Cassel.

He's not intended or expected to "win" games per se.

The Patriots are currently in the mode where all Cassell needs to do is effectively what he did against the Colts. Be a serviceable, average QB, that makes simple passes, and doesn't make mistakes.

In short, we don't need Cassel to win games. We simply need him not to lose games - and for the most part, he's served that role very very well - and has the confidence now, not just himself, but also in his team to do their jobs so that they can win more games than they lose.

I submit that the "confidence" being demonstrated by Cassel is the confidence that his OL will protect him - that his RBs can be counted on to pick up yardage and that the entire offensive production is not dependent on him, and a confidence that the Defense will do their part to keep the score close so that he's not playing a "catchup" game having to make up multiple touchdown deficits.

Is that enough to win the Super Bowl should they make it to the playoffs? Maybe not - we all know that Brady DID have the ability to strap the team on his back and score 40+ points if he needed to...

But a quick look at the average QBs who have Super Bowl rings suggests that Cassel's performance is good enough to win the SB if indeed the rest of the team does their jobs as well.