Is McDaniels a HC if Cassel didn't play well or at all in 2008?

[PATRIOT64]

Apparently this guy thinks Cassel's success led to the hiring of McDaniels who may have otherwise still been with the team if Brady had started or if Cassel had sucked in 2008 and I think could also have led to the dismissal of Shanahan since it was apparent that Denver was very impressed with Matt and dumped the old coach quickly before KC or Detroit had a shot at him.

Klis: Cassel is McDaniels' best evidence - The Denver Post

Agree or disagree?

 

[JoeSixPat]

I'm not sure we could say that he wouldn't have gotten any HC offers - but showing what his offense can do even without Tom Brady helped him get one of the more choice HC gigs

 

[kas]

If Brady stayed healthy and the O lit the league up again, McD would have gotten a HC somewhere. The fact that Cassel performed the way he did definitely helped. The only possibility of him not getting a shot would have been if Cassel struggled all year because then some might have believed that it was more the players than the coaching.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

If Brady stayed healthy and the O lit the league up again, McD would have gotten a HC somewhere. The fact that Cassel performed the way he did definitely helped. The only possibility of him not getting a shot would have been if Cassel struggled all year because then some might have believed that it was more the players than the coaching.

Exactly! Looking how the entire league shaped up this year, it wouldn't have been very difficult for the Pats to make it out of the AFC. As much as I hated the Pats defense this year, they would have been able to do just enough to win games. I would have loved to see how the Pats with Brady would have done against that "great" Pittsburgh defense. Maybe we will see next year.

 

[Brettlax3434]

Exactly! Looking how the entire league shaped up this year, it wouldn't have been very difficult for the Pats to make it out of the AFC. As much as I hated the Pats defense this year, they would have been able to do just enough to win games. I would have loved to see how the Pats with Brady would have done against that "great" Pittsburgh defense. Maybe we will see next year.

TB would have lit them up baby!

 

[captadamnj]

The play of Cassel, IMHO, increased the spotlight on McDaniels. Another great offensive season from Brady/Moss/Welker, et. al. would have been a feather in Josh's cap, but most would have pointed to the players as the reason behind the success. Cassel's success, and specifically his steady improvement through the year, was a huge credit to the coaches.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

It probably helped with the Denver gig. It seems logical the Denver mgmt is sitting there with Jay Cutler and they look at what MC did and start to wonder.

Besides, shouldn't a record of performance help in getting a promotion?

 

[WhiZa]

If Cassel met or exceeded expectations like he did last year McDaniels would have gotten a job, and his expectations were very low.

 

[Kontradiction]

No, he still gets hired regardless. People were *SORT OF* looking at him after '06 when he guided an offense with Jabar Gaffney and Reche Caldwell as the primary threats to the AFCCG and then again in 2007 when he helped guide our offense to the best in the history of the league. The only reason he didn't leave after 2007 was because neither he nor BB thought he was ready. Did Cassel help McDaniels stock? Absolutely. Was Cassel's play the one and only reason McDaniels got plucked? Absolutely not.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

This is pretty darn hypothetical, but it's the silly season between the SB and Draft Day, so I'm in...

My view is that Josh was OC for a team that went 18--0 with an MVP QB and an historically productive offense and that would have been 19--0 if the D could have made a stop and some guy who will never again play another down in the NFL trapped a ball on his helmet by sheer luck.

All the Pats had to do was have a reasonably successful year this year with Brady, and McDaniels would have been considered HC material without a doubt. That his O went 11--5 with a backup who hadn't started a game since High School was just icing on the cake. IMO, at least.

 

[Rob0729]

McDaniels was a hot candidate last year. Cassel's performance made him the hottest candidate this year. He would have gotten a head coaching job if he wanted if Cassel didn't play well.

It wasn't like meltdown in Dallas that killed Jason Garrett's stock was going to happen.

The only way I can see McDaniels staying is if he felt that since Cassel didn't perform well that he might want to wait another year to get another year of experience. Look at the guys who got jobs this year. There was no way McDaniels was not going to get job offers.

We can also turn this question around. If Cassel didn't have McDaniels as an OC, QB coach, and mentor; would he be a multimillionare today?

 

[ScottieC]

Apparently this guy thinks Cassel's success led to the hiring of McDaniels who may have otherwise still been with the team if Brady had started or if Cassel had sucked in 2008 and I think could also have led to the dismissal of Shanahan since it was apparent that Denver was very impressed with Matt and dumped the old coach quickly before KC or Detroit had a shot at him.

Klis: Cassel is McDaniels' best evidence - The Denver Post

Agree or disagree?

If they did not do well last year, he would still be here.

Look at Jason Garrett - Everyone loved him last year and wanted him, Jerry Jones had to pay him MEGA cash to keep him and then after this year and the train wreck in Dallas, the dude did not even get an interview in ALL of those job openings.

It is what it is, but this is a "What have you done for me lately league".

 

[tanked_as_usual]

mcdaniel proved his worth prior to this season..........

it remains to be seen if he can run the big machine himself........

 

[Rob0729]

Peter King addressed this question today in his MMQB sorta:

5. I think Josh McDaniels was being far too modest here when he said of Matt Cassel: "I was a small part of his success. He was a big part of my success.'' Coach, coach. The next 346 times you and Cassel go to Capital Grille, he's picking up the check.

Ray Lewis*a Cowboy? Matt Cassel a Chief? Free agency thoughts - Peter King - SI.com

So King believes Cassel benefitted more from McDaniels than the other way around. But that is just one opinion and King is far from always on the money.