Matt Cassel's first full game and a hi-pressure situation...

[JSn]

ALREADY FREAKING HAPPENED!!

Ok, I feel better. This thread may get buried, it seems busy tonight. Still, why are talking about the ?'s he's already answered like we've already spent a lifetime outdoors and cannot honestly think of what else to say?

He came into a game he didn't expect to, SUDDENLY, and won it. PLayed almost the whole game and worked with a UNQUESTIONABLY shaken up team.

Don't tell me you weren't positive he'd throw a pick and hand the game over the whole time. That HAS to be 80% of us.

He threw a long ball after a PA and adjustment.

He threw a dead-on strike in the endzone.

He fumbled no hand-off's. He fumbled on NO sacks.

His passer rating, keeping the circumstances in mind, was pretty freaking amazing. Not a lot less than the bean man, Favre. And in comparison he played a MUCH more controlled game.

He QB'd the only successful drives in that game. Tommy did not (and yes, I still love the Tominator).

He's got no history of starting games, so I really can't imagine how he's more likely to feel the away pressure against the home pressure. He knows the sonic difference from being at every game for three years and has to take notes and watch plays in all the chaos.

His Coach has openly put his stock in Matt. So has Tom. And with those guys, there are ALWAYS options.

Now he has a week of pep-talks from Brady, and planning, knowing what he's going to be doing - not yawning at the odds he gets anything beyond trash time. He's having a substantial increase in practice time.

I just don't get why game #2 is the prove-it game. I know one game is a small sample size, but anyone that's honest knows the evaluators are talking about it in terms of one game. Their talking about it in terms of snaps.

I will defer to the higher wisdom of many here, but to the average Joe (me) he's done all the things we think he has to do this week. Hand off cleanly, pass deep and deliver fast and hard to intercept balls (endzone TD pass).

That tells me no-one will shut up until he lofts a Lombardi for cripes sake.

If there was ever a situation for panic, it was LAST Sunday. Now it's time to punch in and do the job.

/rant - I hope you all really heard what I'm saying. I'm not trolling, just trying to string all my thoughts in various convos across this wicked busy place together in a one spot.

 

[skri65]

ALREADY FREAKING HAPPENED!!

Ok, I feel better. This thread may get buried, it seems busy tonight. Still, why are talking about the ?'s he's already answered like we've already spent a lifetime outdoors and cannot honestly think of what else to say?

He came into a game he didn't expect to, SUDDENLY, and won it. PLayed almost the whole game and worked with a UNQUESTIONABLY shaken up team.

Don't tell me you weren't positive he'd throw a pick and hand the game over the whole time. That HAS to be 80% of us.

He threw a long ball after a PA and adjustment.

He threw a dead-on strike in the endzone.

He fumbled no hand-off's. He fumbled on NO sacks.

His passer rating, keeping the circumstances in mind, was pretty freaking amazing. Not a lot less than the bean man, Favre. And in comparison he played a MUCH more controlled game.

He QB'd the only successful drives in that game. Tommy did not (and yes, I still love the Tominator).

He's got no history of starting games, so I really can't imagine how he's more likely to feel the away pressure against the home pressure. He knows the sonic difference from being at every game for three years and has to take notes and watch plays in all the chaos.

His Coach has openly put his stock in Matt. So has Tom. And with those guys, there are ALWAYS options.

Now he has a week of pep-talks from Brady, and planning, knowing what he's going to be doing - not yawning at the odds he gets anything beyond trash time. He's having a substantial increase in practice time.

I just don't get why game #2 is the prove-it game. I know one game is a small sample size, but anyone that's honest knows the evaluators are talking about it in terms of one game. Their talking about it in terms of snaps.

I will defer to the higher wisdom of many here, but to the average Joe (me) he's done all the things we think he has to do this week. Hand off cleanly, pass deep and deliver fast and hard to intercept balls (endzone TD pass).

That tells me no-one will shut up until he lofts a Lombardi for cripes sake.

If there was ever a situation for panic, it was LAST Sunday. Now it's time to punch in and do the job.

/rant - I hope you all really heard what I'm saying. I'm not trolling, just trying to string all my thoughts in various convos across this wicked busy place together in a one spot.

Agreed that last week was the first full game and hi-pressure situation. But for a qb as inexperienced as Cassel, the second (and third and fourth, for that matter) is still incredibly hi-pressure.

 

[BelichickFan]

I just don't get why game #2 is the prove-it game.

I agree with a lot of what you said but this game is on the road in front of a hostile crowd. Tougher to get audibles out, may get closer to the clock running out trying to get adjustments made, it's not necessarily more pressure than a home game but it's different and causes different problems. Until I see him get through it I'll be wondering at least a little.

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

One difference is with KC, Cassel didn't have time to get nervous.

The night before he probably slept pretty well confident that his grip was sure enough that the clip board would not slip out of his hands. Prior to the game he did not have butterflies worrying if he would be able to warm the bench properly.

This week he might not sleep so well. He might be a bit more nervous in the locker room before the game.

 

[dhamz]

It is different going through the whole week preparing to start - something Cassel did last 9 years ago.

It is different playing on the road.

It is different playing a team that spent all week breaking down every pass you have thrown since HS and is scheming on how best to disrupt your game.

It is different playing a division rival.

All those things are different than last week and that is before you consider it is different playing a team that fields a legitimate NFL roster as opposed to KC.

 

[JSn]

All those things are different than last week and that is before you consider it is different playing a team that fields a legitimate NFL roster as opposed to KC.

Didn't they win three more games than the Dolphins last year?

 

[spacecrime]

I just don't get why game #2 is the prove-it game.

It's not. It'll be a very tough game, and maybe that's what people mean when they say it's a prove it game.

Certainly it's a game teh Pats could easily lose. The Pats. Not Cassel.

If winning all your games is an absolute requirement to be a good QB, then Carson Palmer isn't close to being a decent QB.

If Cassel plays like he did against the Chiefs, then win or lose, he'll have shown he can play. Like most players do, he'll get better week by week and sometime in mid-season, he'll be in mid-season form.

I know that no one advocates cutting Manning or Rivers because the Colts and Chargers lost at home to dog teams, but just wait for the screaming and crying to commence if Cassel loses to an alleged decent team away.

We'll know by Sunday night. My money is on the Pats.

 

[PatsFan37]

Watch the tape. He found the open receivers, but he stared them down. He threw cautiously and well but was not particularly accurate (often throwing to the wrong shoulder). He threw a beautiful long pass, but most everything else was short. He was nicely in sync with Moss on the bomb and out of sync with Welker near the goal line.

So what will it look like this week? I don't know. None of us do. But there's no denying there's plenty of pressure on him. He is just waking up to the kind of pressure that will be on him week after week.

It ain't high school anymore.

 

[Patriot Missile]

This is going to be a huge measuring stick for Matt this Sunday. Even though this game was supposed to be the top bill this weekend as far as ratings and interest,Favre Brady etc. It really has picked up steam. Alot of venues are turning this game on to see Cassel fall flat on his face and declare a dead year for the Pats.

If Cassel can pull this game out he will pull alot of support from the doubters.Probably decrease them by half. In essence this could be one of the biggest games of his entire career. The game that started his career.

I realize this shouldn't be his trial by fire game but it is. This world is a win now or move on type of place. If he is not ready now, than he may never be. In BB's famous words. "It is what it is." Or rather. "He is what he is." We will find out this Sunday.

 

[102 Pat]

Having the week to practice as the starter will make a big difference for him.

 

[captadamnj]

He's probably better off playing this game on the road than at home. It lowers the expectations (playing a road game) and, based on the negative reaction many Pats fans have had to Cassel through the pre-season, there is no concern about the home crowd turning on him. I think he will be a lot looser then if they were playing the 'Fins at home this week, when he would likely feel more pressure playing against a "lesser" team in front of fans that have shown a willingness to turn on him.

I'm looking for a 19-for-28, 210 yard game from him with w/2 TD's (maybe 1 passing and 1 rushing). 2 sacks, no fumbles and maybe a pick (thrown around mid-field). I would feel very good about a performance like that.

 

[O.Z.O.]

All those things are different than last week and that is before you consider it is different playing a team that fields a legitimate NFL roster as opposed to KC.

The Jesters won one more game then the Queefs did last year, and that was with the Queefs losing LJ for the year early on. I don't see that much of a difference.

 

[dhamz]

The Jesters won one more game then the Queefs did last year, and that was with the Queefs losing LJ for the year early on. I don't see that much of a difference.

That was last year.

The Jets added to their roster. How much remains to be seen. They are not a 11-12 win team but realistically they probably win between 7 and 10 games this year. You won't find anyone who thinks it is worse than last year's team.

The Chiefs traded their best football player to Minnesota. They are in complete rebuilding mode - even going so far as to consider using a 2 QB system like they are a college team. They are going to need luck to win 4 games this year.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

This is going to be a huge measuring stick for Matt this Sunday. Even though this game was supposed to be the top bill this weekend as far as ratings and interest,Favre Brady etc. It really has picked up steam. Alot of venues are turning this game on to see Cassel fall flat on his face and declare a dead year for the Pats.

Case in point: given the choice of SD@DEN, MIA*@ARI, and NE@jest, CBS decided that everyone that was going to get BAL@HOU this weekend will get NE@jest.

*MIA about sums up the 'lphins, don't it?

 

[NYCPatsFan]

I like the OP summary and also agree with the other posts that pointed out that MC didn't have too much time to be nervous in the previous game and that his other throws were not great and worse, he seemed to stare down his potential target and giving valuable info away.

That said, I have a feeling that the whole week of preparation would have altered him to many things that he was possibily not aware off because he has not played under this kind of an intense examination before.

Given his fundamentals and his abilities, I am happy to rest in my conviction that BB was convinced with MC and am going to shout my lungs out supporting MC and our Pats.

Honestly, it is our defense that I am a bit more worried given the kind of plays we have given up in the middle. Hopefully we can do enough to make Favre make his amazingly consistent errant throws to the defense.

GO PATS!!

 

[Rhodey]

Let's face it, Pats fans do not want to grant Cassel the standard first season grace. Instead, he's expected to do what Tom and the team did not finish off last year. Remember: this year was supposed to be pay back.

Somebody mentioned on the Globe forum that this situation might be good for the Patriots offense as it will challenge McDaniels to think differently, while utilising Cassel. Perhaps, this is what the team needed toward the end of last year?

 

[JoeSixPat]

The story that no one is paying attention to is the high pressure situation that MangIdiot and the Jets are facing.

MangIdiot's job was on the line before, but if the Pats had a monster year, Woody Johnson might not blame him for failing to make the playoffs this year.

That's gone now - no excuses. If MangIdiot can't win now, he'll never win. Period. Fired. Career over for the snitch.

 

[neuronet]

This is higher pressure psychologically for him I think, for all the reasons stated.

However, we don't have any idea how he handles high pressure situations except last week, and he did pretty well. Some people crumble in such situations, some excel. He is likely an extremely competitive guy, and only time will tell how he performs under pressure. No doubt he has been well-groomed for this by the absolute best in the business. Imagine working under Brady and Belichick for four years!

Also, the rest of the team will be ridiculously motivated. No scrounging for locker-room material this week. The defense will punish Favre's carelessness.

This is going to be a great game.

 

[JoePats]

Case in point: given the choice of SD@DEN, MIA*@ARI, and NE@jest, CBS decided that everyone that was going to get BAL@HOU this weekend will get NE@jest.

*MIA about sums up the 'lphins, don't it?

Well, that's not surprising since it's the Nantz/Simms game.