Matt Cassel has far exceeded expectations

[PatsWickedPissah]

I call bullsh*t. I have been as big a Cassel supporter as any and I hardly recall any passionate defense of Cassel from you in the past half year. Perhaps a post or two, but hardly the genius eye for talent you are claiming to have, in hindsight.

You are basically just a huge homer who dismisses *any* criticism of the team.

Uh, you REALLY need to read someone's posts more carefully. MLR has been consistent in his analysis of Cassel's potential and development. Others of us were more critical of Matt this pre-season. Fortunately, some 25% of those polled were astute observers of BB and agreed that Gutz would be cut (sorry Reiss) and Cassel kept. The other 3/4ths mistakenly listened to the pundits, almost always a mistake.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I wouldn't choose Ben Roethlisberger over Cassel.

LOL. Big Ben has won a Superbowl. What has Cassel done? Nothing yet. BTW I did see the Colts/Steelers game and according to the media, Ben was playing hurt. So those errant passes that turned into ints probably don't happen if he's fully healthy.

As for Cassel, he has shown steady signs of improvement, so I want to keep seeing that out of him. I like that they are opening up the playbook for him and he is showing more capability but imo Cassel has yet to have that coming out/breakthrough game where he throws for like 300 yards 3 tds and announces to the NFL world that he has arrived. I'm hoping that he has such a game soon. Until then, he's in the improving but still needs lots of work category.

 

[Jimke]

Except for one bad pass and the strip sack, Cassel had a very

good game. His stats would be even better had Watson and Gaffney

not dropped easy receptions.

 

[okterrific]

The only numbers I care about:

Cassel 6-3
Rodgers 4-5

So Kerry Collins is the best quarterback in the league? Don't be an idiot.

 

[SVN]

there were threads started here at one point when posters said they will root against the team if cassel started the week after the SD loss so they can get a high draft pick..
he has far exceeded what someone couldve expected especially because his preseason play was horrendous

 

[Jimke]

LOL. Big Ben has won a Superbowl. What has Cassel done? Nothing yet. BTW I did see the Colts/Steelers game and according to the media, Ben was playing hurt. So those errant passes that turned into ints probably don't happen if he's fully healthy.

As for Cassel, he has shown steady signs of improvement, so I want to keep seeing that out of him. I like that they are opening up the playbook for him and he is showing more capability but imo Cassel has yet to have that coming out/breakthrough game where he throws for like 300 yards 3 tds and announces to the NFL world that he has arrived. I'm hoping that he has such a game soon. Until then, he's in the improving but still needs lots of work category.

Cassel doesn't deliver the ball as quickly as Tom Brady and as a result

Randy Moss takes quite a beating at times.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Matt Cassel has played really well the past 2 weeks. I notice that someone mentioned the OL; they did a fantastic job against Buffalo and Cassel took advantage of it. The only real mistake I saw yesterday was thinking about getting rid of the ball to Faulk(?) when he was getting sacked; this ended up being a fumble. Given that his primary role has to be avoid the turnover, that was a poor decision.

The difference between pre-season and now is like night and day. Finally the Patriots are allowing him to look down the field and he's done better than average. There are still underthrown balls, but he's also not throwing the interceptions that would be killers.

 

[richpats]

So Kerry Collins is the best quarterback in the league? Don't be an idiot.

I wasn't declaring QB's the best based on record. I am just glad that Cassel has a better record than Rodgers. What an idiot you are.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

Some here were calling for his head after the Miami game last season when he threw a pick to a HOF DE... I knew he'd be OK after the other Miami game in week 17 of 2006. I figured he'd need a series or two to knock the rust of backing up an iron man for 3 seasons off. But i'd watched him do that and improve over just the course of a game against a first string D that always gave Brady fits leading a come from behind effort against a team playing for pride and determined to top .500...

I said from the outset O'Connell was drafted in 2008 for two reasons - they needed a developmental backup on the roster after 2008 and 2009 was projecting as a draft devoid of NFL caliber QB's. The guy whose job was most at risk was Gutierrez and that he had realized that was the case even as the mediots and idiots did not showed in PS.

I always understood that what Bill saw in Cassel was the same thing that Pete saw in him when he recruited him for USC. A smart kid with all the tools. Pete attracted a lot of those at USC - each of whom could have done what Gutz did (and Brady did not) and step down competitively to play. Bill likes the guys with no quit in 'em.

I knew that what we were watching in PS was the #2 trying to run this offense as opposed to trying to impress the masses. I realized the offense had issues that required some work that making plays with roster fodder vs. the other guys 2nd and 3rd stringers was not going to impact.

The bandwaggon frontrunners hyper-critical kneejerk mentality and weekly rush to message board judgement here over the last couple of seasons has been the most pathetic aspect of those seasons for me...

I'm not a genius, I just try to rationally assess what was there for anyone to see - provided they weren't too busy trying to stay ahead of the prediction curve for failure so they could say I told you so...

I love how some of them now want to make the case that no one could have known or seen it coming... because they didn't.

Nice analysis of Cassel and how he fit in here, going back even before he stepped front and center. Last year's SB Sack Party and TFB's injury really pointed directly to the need for giving Matt the preseason reins; that nightmare(turned reality) scenario was just a little too close for comfort and it was time to let Cassel test the waters.

I think there are times when the trees play a role but by and large if you look at the forest you'll better understand how BB rolls.9 times out of 10 it's all about the bigger picture and there are probably very few things that actually take BB by complete surprise. His methods are tried and true; the MattyIce decision is proving to be another one of them.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Cassel doesn't deliver the ball as quickly as Tom Brady and as a result

Randy Moss takes quite a beating at times.

Example: The long lofted pass to Moss in the EZ arrived too late with Moss then geting hit hard by 2 defenders. That said, Cassel was under pressure and did hit the target. Just looked like a Pennington pass.

 

[okterrific]

I wasn't declaring QB's the best based on record. I am just glad that Cassel has a better record than Rodgers. What an idiot you are.

Your logic is simple (for obvious reasons), but flawed. If Cassel had 13 touchdowns and only 5 INTs, would that not translate into at least one more win (the most important stat) for the Patriots? Don't get me wrong, I'm not so sure Rodgers is any better than Cassel, and I'm more than satisfied with Cassel's performance thus far. I just want you to know how foolish you sound.

 

[bakes781]

I wasn't one of those who called for his replacement by week 2. So I don't know if I can say he's exceeded MY expectations, but I think he has progressed as the season has gone along. That's to be expected though IMO. The success of this team come January depends on it.

 

[tombonneau]

For some perspective, I recommend watching Sage Rosenfels QB the Texans in this week's loss to the Ravens. Here is an example of a QB almost single-handedly costing his team a game by throwing bad pick after back pick. We should be thankful that Cassel already shows better decision-making skills than one of the better journeyman QBs in the NFL.

Alternately, I advise catching some of the Panthers-Raiders game where Jake Delhomme -- considering one of the better QBs in the league -- threw terrible pass after terrible pass en route to multiple picks and a 12.0 QB rating.

Those two performances alone will make you quite happy to have a QB that makes sensible decisions such as Cassel.

 

[richpats]

Your logic is simple (for obvious reasons), but flawed. If Cassel had 13 touchdowns and only 5 INTs, would that not translate into at least one more win (the most important stat) for the Patriots? Don't get me wrong, I'm not so sure Rodgers is any better than Cassel, and I'm more than satisfied with Cassel's performance thus far. I just want you to know how foolish you sound.

God you sound like an pompous ass. I appreciate a 6-3 record better than 4-5 and you say that's "flawed" logic? Grab a clue, or take off your "fantasy-team-owner" hat and put on your "Pats-fan" hat and appreciate what Cassel has accomplished for what it is.

By saying you don't appreciate 2 more wins - YOU SOUND FOOLISH.

BTW welcome back from your hiatus since the Matt Walsh meeting, glad to have you troll.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Some here...

I said from the outset...

I always...

I knew...

The bandwaggon frontrunners hyper-critical kneejerk mentality and weekly rush to message board judgement here...

I'm not a genius...

I love how some...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

For some perspective, I recommend watching Sage Rosenfels QB the Texans in this week's loss to the Ravens. Here is an example of a QB almost single-handedly costing his team a game by throwing bad pick after back pick. We should be thankful that Cassel already shows better decision-making skills than one of the better journeyman QBs in the NFL.

Alternately, I advise catching some of the Panthers-Raiders game where Jake Delhomme -- considering one of the better QBs in the league -- threw terrible pass after terrible pass en route to multiple picks and a 12.0 QB rating.

Those two performances alone will make you quite happy to have a QB that makes sensible decisions such as Cassel.

Ah, Sage. Gawd he's a game losing automaton. The Colts luv him.

Your examples illustrate why BB coaches HIS QBs not to hand the game to the enemy via gratuitous turnovers. I loved the video of him telling Cassel "Nobody ever lost a game because of an incomplete pass. Nobody."