One football expert's analysis of Matt Cassel

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

It's always amusing how us fans fall for the newbie rookie QB playing against the September Home Depot employees in the 2nd half of the game. Flashback to a couple years ago where myriad posts speculated on how high a Day One draft pick we'd get for Cassel before his contract was up. Now it's O'Connell who 'looks' like an NFL QB, despite an absolutely horrendous decision that resulted in a turnover.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

It's always amusing how us fans fall for the newbie rookie QB playing against the September Home Depot employees in the 2nd half of the game. Flashback to a couple years ago where myriad posts speculated on how high a Day One draft pick we'd get for Cassel before his contract was up. Now it's O'Connell who 'looks' like an NFL QB, despite an absolutely horrendous decision that resulted in a turnover.

On a horrendous-decision-per-quarter basis, he's still well ahead of anybody Chicago can put on the field. And his poor decision making hasn't cost the Pats any playoff games (*cough* Favre *cough*).

 

[JSn]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

It's always amusing how us fans fall for the newbie rookie QB playing against the September Home Depot employees in the 2nd half of the game. Flashback to a couple years ago where myriad posts speculated on how high a Day One draft pick we'd get for Cassel before his contract was up. Now it's O'Connell who 'looks' like an NFL QB, despite an absolutely horrendous decision that resulted in a turnover.

Yeah, he made a mental error RIGHT AFTER an awesome slip.

After that he threw decisive passes or scrambled early. I don't think he's NFL calibre today. But think if th team will spend time on him instead of score run-ups (those are fun too) we can develop something there.

 

[RayClay]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

Those were Tom Brady's words on WEEI yesterday.

When would Brady ever criticize a teammate though?

I'm shocked! I expected him to say " that guy blows, I can't believe how much better I am than him. We're really screwed if I don't play".

Why can't he just be honest, I'm sure the organization wouldn't mind.

 

[patchick]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

It's always amusing how us fans fall for the newbie rookie QB playing against the September Home Depot employees in the 2nd half of the game. Flashback to a couple years ago where myriad posts speculated on how high a Day One draft pick we'd get for Cassel before his contract was up. Now it's O'Connell who 'looks' like an NFL QB, despite an absolutely horrendous decision that resulted in a turnover.

There's plenty of truth to that, but yet...

I got on the early Cassel bandwagon way-back-when after seeing him in training camp. There were quite a few young QBs in camp, and Cassel looked head and shoulders above them all. He seemed to have "it" -- the presence and poise that form building blocks of an NFL QB. But in more recent practices and games, that seems to have vanished. Lack of confidence just oozes from him. He really did look promising as a late-round rookie, but for whatever reason he never got there.

So I don't think it's as simple as just falling in love with rookie potential. (I don't remember any such starry-eyed reactions to Kliff Kingsbury!)

 

[RayClay]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

Here is another expert's opinion. From Mike Reiss' mail bag:




I'm taking a snippet, but you really should read the whole Reiss quote in Rob's post.

Griff, the main thing I took from Cassel’s performance is that the offense doesn’t seem to respond to him. The quarterback is the primary catalyst to an offense, and I just don’t see the spark when Cassel is in the huddle.

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extras/askreiss/08_19_08/?page=full

I'm no football expert, but when you watch a sport for many years you see things that don't end up on the stat sheet.

Cassel doesn't want to be there. He doesn't want the pressure or the responsibility, he wants to get it over with so he can have his job back talking with his friends Tom and Josh on the sideline.

Gutz hasn't performed much better, but he is frustrated, he's slamming his helmet, taking deep breaths, forcing himself to focus to try and make his next series better.

I saw it in the Robb Johnson, Flutie competition. As much as they wanted to give Johnson the job, he didn't want it while Flutie wanted it desperately. You can't coach desire.

People don't develop desire once they've lost it. He might put on a good enough show to hold his job, but where does that leave us?

Cassel is done IMO, put a fork in him.

 

[wdkantro2]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

He's right, Cassel is very decisive: too decisive in the sense that he locks onto one WR and forces the ball in every play...

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

There's plenty of truth to that, but yet...

I got on the early Cassel bandwagon way-back-when after seeing him in training camp. There were quite a few young QBs in camp, and Cassel looked head and shoulders above them all. He seemed to have "it" -- the presence and poise that form building blocks of an NFL QB. But in more recent practices and games, that seems to have vanished. Lack of confidence just oozes from him. He really did look promising as a late-round rookie, but for whatever reason he never got there.

So I don't think it's as simple as just falling in love with rookie potential. (I don't remember any such starry-eyed reactions to Kliff Kingsbury!)

Kliffey was the exception that proves the rule.
Michael Bishop king of the 4th QTR pre-season comebacks had his cult of followers. Not as irrational as the Chad Jackson cult but rabid nonetheless.
Rohan Davey was popular for a while. He's the guy who started the fan talk about eventually trading the developing QB for a nice draft pick.
Then there was Cassel, our ticket to a high Day One pick.
Gutz has had his supporters. Many here blithely ignore Gutz's rather poor 2008 training camp performance because of the penchant for developing QBs.
And now it's the mick O'Connell who's a fav. Why? Because he's had the least opportunity to disappoint us. Don't get me wrong, I liked the draft pick. But once fans get to see considerable video of the guys, irrational expectations wane. Some day a developing QB really WILL emerge and confirm the expectations. Could even be O'Connell.

 

[RayClay]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

Some day a developing QB really WILL emerge and confirm the expectations.

Do you want to have that line back?

There was a lowly sixth rounder.....

 

[TheGodInAGreyHoodie]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

Do you want to have that line back?

There was a lowly sixth rounder.....

I heard he went to school in the midwest but didn't see much playing time cause he was playing behind some other future NFL QBs.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

Here is another expert's opinion. From Mike Reiss' mail bag:




http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extras/askreiss/08_19_08/?page=full

Whoa...time out. Mike is a great guy, albeit just a tad beyond kid, and an excellent reporter. He is not an expert. In fact his personal/pure opinion, like ours based on limited observation, is often well off the mark. Edited to add if he thinks Simms would be an upgrade he just proved my point...he can't run an offense he's been in for 4 seasons...or battle past 2 injury prone journeymen and another journeyman in the making...on a team with an excellent D just desperate for a starting QB and/or a backup they could count on.

I can also guarantee you that if the offense isn't responding to Cassel BB would be inclined to take that up with the responders. They are being paid to play as professionals, and while Brady commands and in his own way demands respect, Bill expects every guy whose paycheck Mr. Kraft signs to perform irrespective of whether Tom Brady or Bill Smith is sent in to run the offense. Self motivated self starters only, excuse makers and those in search of greater motivation need not apply.

 

[RayClay]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

I can also guarantee you that if the offense isn't responding to Cassel BB would be inclined to take that up with the responders. They are being paid to play as professionals, and while Brady commands and in his own way demands respect, Bill expects every guy whose paycheck Mr. Kraft signs to perform irrespective of whether Tom Brady or Bill Smith is sent in to run the offense. Self motivated self starters only, excuse makers and those in search of greater motivation need not apply.

So if the quarterback isn't confident and decisive it's the rest of the teams fault?

Sounds like you already had your mind made up.

 

[RayClay]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

I heard he went to school in the midwest but didn't see much playing time cause he was playing behind some other future NFL QBs.

Apparently because of his confidence, determination and fanatical hard work he managed to outshine the highest paid QB in football and go from 4th string to starter.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

So if the quarterback isn't confident and decisive it's the rest of the teams fault?

Sounds like you already had your mind made up.

Please tell me you grasp the irony in your post....

 

[Lampshade]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

Cassel played very poorly against Baltimore, but I think Brady is 100% correct on this one, whatever his reasons for saying it. The announcers were atrocious against Tampa. They had their pre-game analysis that the Pats are doomed without Brady, had it confirmed with Cassel's first pass, and subsequently ignored everything else that happened.

 

[Lampshade]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

I'm no football expert, but when you watch a sport for many years you see things that don't end up on the stat sheet.

Cassel doesn't want to be there. He doesn't want the pressure or the responsibility, he wants to get it over with so he can have his job back talking with his friends Tom and Josh on the sideline.

Gutz hasn't performed much better, but he is frustrated, he's slamming his helmet, taking deep breaths, forcing himself to focus to try and make his next series better.

I saw it in the Robb Johnson, Flutie competition. As much as they wanted to give Johnson the job, he didn't want it while Flutie wanted it desperately. You can't coach desire.

People don't develop desire once they've lost it. He might put on a good enough show to hold his job, but where does that leave us?

Cassel is done IMO, put a fork in him.

I know baseball talk is frowned upon here, but this is just so close to the criticism of JD Drew last year. Turns out you actually can perform without smashing helmets and water coolers.

 

[Deus Irae]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

I know baseball talk is frowned upon here, but this is just so close to the criticism of JD Drew last year. Turns out you actually can perform without smashing helmets and water coolers.

People will use anything they can to bolster their opinion. If it were Cassel slamming helmets and the like, all you'd hear was that the pressure was getting to him and the proof was that he was abusing the equipment.

 

[Rob0729]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

Whoa...time out. Mike is a great guy, albeit just a tad beyond kid, and an excellent reporter. He is not an expert. In fact his personal/pure opinion, like ours based on limited observation, is often well off the mark.

I can also guarantee you that if the offense isn't responding to Cassel BB would be inclined to take that up with the responders. They are being paid to play as professionals, and while Brady commands and in his own way demands respect, Bill expects every guy whose paycheck Mr. Kraft signs to perform irrespective of whether Tom Brady or Bill Smith is sent in to run the offense. Self motivated self starters only, excuse makers and those in search of greater motivation need not apply.

I agree that Reiss is not a be all an end all for football analyst, but he gets paid to give his opinions on the Patriots. That makes him an expert. He is only one opinion among thousands, but it is fair to give his response.

I could give you Don Banks' from his Snap Judgements:

Oh, so that's why Matt Cassel hasn't started a meaningful game since high school. Anyone care to debate the issue of whether Tom Brady is more valuable to his team than any other player in the NFL, Peyton Manning included? (Would you trade Cassel straight up for Jim Sorgi? I wouldn't). Next contract negotiation with the Patriots, Brady's agents should pop in the video of New England's first two 2008 preseason showings on offense.
Case closed.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/don_banks/08/18/snap.judgments/2.html

The general consensus among the media experts is that Cassel sucked the first two preseason games. Personally, I don't think they alone are enough to cut him, but his history along with those two games are enough for me to get off the bus for the Cassel experiment.

 

[Rob0729]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

Edited to add if he thinks Simms would be an upgrade he just proved my point...he can't run an offense he's been in for 4 seasons...or battle past 2 injury prone journeymen and another journeyman in the making...on a team with an excellent D just desperate for a starting QB and/or a backup they could count on.

Simms is an upgrade in the fact that he has real game experience in the NFL and has played more in the NFL than Cassel has played in both college and in the pros combined. He did have a fairly productive 2005 season at least for a guy you want as a back up. I would agree with Reiss that he is an upgrade to Cassel. I don't know if he would be my ideal #2 QB, but an upgrade to Cassel.

BTW, Simms' inability to compete in Tampa has in part to do with some well documented personal issues between him and Gruden. Gruden has been trying to get rid of Chris Simms for two years now, but the Glazier family won't let him cut him or trade him. Gruden hates Simms and Simms hates Gruden. Not exactly the right dynamics for Simms to have a legitimate shot at starting for the Bucs.

 

[RayClay]

Re: One football experts analysis of Matt Cassel

Please tell me you grasp the irony in your post....

I do not.

The quarterback leads the team. The point of replacing the other 10 players instead of the qb evades me, I'm kind of dumb,you need to spell it out for me.