Reiss on inevitable O'Connell move

[DaBruinz]

The only way to get O'Connell ready is to play him, it's really that simple. See Joe Flacco..........

Sorry, but Aaron Rodgers, would disagree with you. So would Phillip Rivers, Matt Hasselbeck, and Tony Romo. So would a host of other young QBs who weren't ready in their rookie years and needed that time to get used to the speed of the game and learn how to view film properly and inundate themselves effectively.

BTW, Joe Flacco has an abbreviated play-book and they also imported many plays that he ran previously.Not really a good example on your part.

 

[DaBruinz]

Next July????, how about now, right now, he can play right now, is that hard for you to understand ? Right now without the same amount of time as Cassel has had in this offense, Kevin O'Connell is the better QB.

And you are such an amazing talent evaluator that you can see this just by a few series against 3rd and 4th stringers in pre-seasons and against 2nd and 3rd stringers for 2 series in a single game?

Sorry, but O'Connell hasn't proven to be the better QB. And its only ineptitude that brings you to that conclusion.

 

[DaBruinz]

A lot of posters on here had some kind of dillusions that Cassel could step right in and make us forget we were missing the best QB in the game. Likewise a lot of posters thought Cassel was pure crap from the getgo.

This is BS on your part. No one. Not one single poster has said that Cassel could step in and make people forget about Brady. Most posters said that Cassel would come in and do what a back-up should do. Not be the cause for the loss. And he's done that.

Members of either of those groups are naturally going to focus in on Cassel after Sunday's loss, even though he was about as low on the blame chart as it can get for that specific game. I think its obvious to anyone who is not fixated on Cassel that the defense & offensive line were the reason we lost that game, and that Cassel had little to do with the loss.

This is what I have said. I've said Cassel didn't play well, but that there were bigger issues with the O-line and the defense. Its been very few people who have agreed with that.

 

[DaBruinz]

Cassel is still a problem.Yes the defense sucked against the dolphins but this team cant put up points with Cassel and thats a fact.I still would like to see a move for Jeff Garcia for the right price.

If the O-line was performing even at an average level consistently, this team could put up points. The problem is that the O-line isn't performing consistently.

You only have to watch the run game to figure that out.

 

[DaBruinz]

Casssel is an average QB, what is everyone's fascination with this guy?Things will not be better.The guy neutralizes our best wr because he cant throw it down field.

This is just BS. Cassel has shown he CAN throw downfield. But, like any QB on the longer throws, he needs time. You don't give the QB time and even Brady won't make those long throws.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

This is just BS. Cassel has shown he CAN throw downfield. But, like any QB on the longer throws, he needs time. You don't give the QB time and even Brady won't make those long throws.

You'll never win with these guys. 'Briz', and 'BradytoMoss' have already gotten matching "cassel sucks" tattoos on their asses

 

[DaBruinz]

You conveniently forgot to mention a few things:

3 legitmately dropped interceptions (2 of which bounced miraculously into the hands of our WRs and Kevin Faulk)

1 lost fumble

17ppg against what have to be 2 of the 5 worst defenses in football and 7 of those points were courtesy of an Ellis Hobbs 80 yard return

Why do you insist on using stats from LAST YEAR? Its ignorance like this that eliminates any potential credibility you try and bring. You can't say that the Pats have played 2 of the 5 worst defenses because they aren't 2 of the 5 worst. Not this year.

Also, did you ever stop to think that maybe your expectations are unrealistic? Just stop and think about it for a second. You have the #2 QB coming in and playing behind an O-line that has been mediocre at best so far this season. The running game hasn't gotten on track because of it.

How come you aren't slamming Randy Moss for the fumble in game 1? Or Welker in game one? That's 14 points that the Pats would have had on the board.

You are picking and choosing your stats at a poor attempt to build up a weak case.

 

[DaBruinz]

17,19 & 13 those are the only stats that matter! Whats worse is we started almost at mid field every drive against the Jets thanks to great ST play.

QB rating & completion % are the most over rated stats in the NFL. All those short completions dont mean jack when you cant finish drives with points.

This is the same Miami D we absolutely TORCHED last year ( minus Jason Taylor ) I don't know why you Cassel apologists have the bar set so low that averaging 16 points per game against the worst defenses in the league is doing well.

Atlanta scored 38 against the Chiefs last week!

1) Moss and Welker committed 2 driving killing fumbles in week 1. Why aren't you complaining about that.

2) This is not the same Miami D that the Patriots torched last year. Thank you for proving how ignorant you are. Last year, they were running more a 4-3 with Matt Roth and Jason Taylor lining up as bookend DEs. This year, Matt Roth is at OLB opposite Joey Porter. Akin Ayodele is lined up inside next to Channing Crowder. They are playing a much more aggressing 3-4. You just lost most, if not all of your credibility.

3) People like yourself who have no creidibility shouldn't be calling people Cassel apologists. Its dumb and ignorant. People like yourself gloss over some mighty big issues. Like the poor play of the O-line this year and the poor play of the Defense against the Dolphins. Cassel is just one part of the cog. If the other parts don't perform, that isn't Cassel's fault.

 

[DaBruinz]

Throw in the 3 picks that should have happened and were dropped

The lost fumble

combined with what you've correctly wrote and we have a real problem on our hands because the defenses we see are only going to get better and better.

So, you're ignorantly saying that Cassel can't improve?

They weren't picked. So would you please stop harping on them. They don't prove your point.

Moss and Welker lost fumbles that were much BIGGER than Cassel's as they both killed drives.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

You'll never win with these guys. 'Briz', and 'BradytoMoss' have already gotten matching "cassel sucks" tattoos on their asses

Is that anything like the "I 'heart' Matt Cassel" tattoos Jerry Thornton of Barstool Sports forecast for Peter King and John Madden?

 

[NYCPatsFan]

You'll never win with these guys. 'Briz', and 'BradytoMoss' have already gotten matching "cassel sucks" tattoos on their asses

Plus, they have donned a victim syndrome and happily think that the following are homers incapable of thinking because of the steady dose of Pats koolaid

(1) anyone who acknowledges BB might be knowing more about the Pats than average fans and so think BB might have seen more of MC and Chad Jackson to have one as the QB and cut the other

(2) anyone who thinks MC should be given a bit more time to prove himself and not rate him purely on his pre-season performance

:bricks:

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

Don't forget about the salary cap. The better a veteran backup is, the more the Pats would have to pay to keep him behind Brady. For better or for worse, the Patriots decided that there wasn't any veteran available worth the investment in capital (financial, draft, etc.).

This isn't the 80s, when the 49ers could trade for a former first-round draft pick (supplemental, but still 1st round) and keep him behind Joe Montana.

Maybe something like that will happen in 2010-2011, if/when the salary cap goes away, but until then, get used to stuff like this. [And, BTW, how nervous do you think Colts fans are right now about their QB situation?]

I get your point, but I'm not asking that we signed a Steve Young behind Brady, I would have been happy with a Damon Huard-caliber vet. And yes, I consider him a better QB than Cassel at this point, at least in the Pats system.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

BS.. Sorry Lloyd, but that is complete manure. With how poorly the o-line played and how poorly the D played, it didn't matter if Jesus himself was the QB, the Pats weren't going to win.



Again, more manure.

Point is, that Tom made the Oline look better than it was because of fantastice awareness and getting rid of the ball quickly because he had confidence in what he was doing. The Oline has been questionable in my opinion for a very long time.

You can throw the manure around all you want, but anyone that wants to argue that the team wouldn't have played better with Brady in the game is full of manure. I believe the team would have won the game handedly with brady under center.

The O-line was playing poorly prior to Brady going down. What's your excuse for that?

No excuses for them. Brady has made them look better than they really are for a long time. Of course, I think the current line is worse than it has been in the past few years.

 

[Lloyd_Christmas]

And you know this how?


You don't. Its pure fabricated speculation on your part.

Actually, it's called an opinion.

Clearly we don't agree on Cassel's abilities to lead this team to any semblence of a good season.

Around here lately, any opinion that doesn't involve sticking your head in the sand and pretending everything is ok is met with frenzied disdain.

 

[emoney_33]

I get your point, but I'm not asking that we signed a Steve Young behind Brady, I would have been happy with a Damon Huard-caliber vet. And yes, I consider him a better QB than Cassel at this point, at least in the Pats system.

He may be a better QB in the Pats system today. But today is not the ultimate goal. Who will be the better QB in January? MC hasn't reached his ceiling, Huard has.

 

[MassPats38]

And I would not put too much weight on the obvious yet ambiguous statement that the question of whether Cassel will be replaced on this team is a "question of when."

His contract is up this year and he becomes a free agent. If he actually surprises all his haters and proves he can start, he will start next year - on another team.

If he proves he cannot capably perform his role and fill in for Brady, he will not be on the team.

Either way, I do not see him on this team past this year. As such, saying he will be replaced is about as insightful as predicting the sun will rise and set tomorrow.

As for those advocating throwing a rookie into the starting role, anybody want to sift through Belichick's coaching history and enlighten us as as to when he has started a rookie in his coaching career? In the event you do not want to search the link and his history, the answer would be never. Not once. In fact his tendencies have demonstrated a preference for veterans and veteran back-ups. Might there be a reason for that? Anything different about college football and professional football?

The only way I see O'Connell in the starting role is if Cassel has a complete mental breakdown and physically cannot get the job done. The failing O-line on Sunday will give him a pass as it should. Brady has an incredible ability to sense pressure and step up, and Cassel does not appear to have it. Nor do most of the starting QBs in the NFL. As such, the expectation is he will get the necessary time to throw the ball and can get the ball to his target receiver. If he starts throwing the ball early when he has time, and only on a couple of occasions have I seen that in his 3 games, then you can start calling him gun shy and potentially replaceable this season.

 

[ChoWZa]

And I would not put too much weight on the obvious yet ambiguous statement that the question of whether Cassel will be replaced on this team is a "question of when."

His contract is up this year and he becomes a free agent. If he actually surprises all his haters and proves he can start, he will start next year - on another team.

If he proves he cannot capably perform his role and fill in for Brady, he will not be on the team.

Either way, I do not see him on this team past this year. As such, saying he will be replaced is about as insightful as predicting the sun will rise and set tomorrow.

As for those advocating throwing a rookie into the starting role, anybody want to sift through Belichick's coaching history and enlighten us as as to when he has started a rookie in his coaching career? In the event you do not want to search the link and his history, the answer would be never. Not once. In fact his tendencies have demonstrated a preference for veterans and veteran back-ups. Might there be a reason for that? Anything different about college football and professional football?

The only way I see O'Connell in the starting role is if Cassel has a complete mental breakdown and physically cannot get the job done. The failing O-line on Sunday will give him a pass as it should. Brady has an incredible ability to sense pressure and step up, and Cassel does not appear to have it. Nor do most of the starting QBs in the NFL. As such, the expectation is he will get the necessary time to throw the ball and can get the ball to his target receiver. If he starts throwing the ball early when he has time, and only on a couple of occasions have I seen that in his 3 games, then you can start calling him gun shy and potentially replaceable this season.

He has looked a bit gun shy already. He also seems to panic, and doesn't look off the DB's. It really is no secret where Cassel is throwing the ball...

I agree with your post but I think he could continue doing a mediocre job and not find a starting job in the NFL.

 

[BradyManny]

Not one single poster has said that Cassel could step in and make people forget about Brady. Most posters said that Cassel would come in and do what a back-up should do.

I disagree with this. I think the reactions on this board have been pretty polarized and not as level headed as you describe here. Plenty of posters here, and Pats fans outside of this board, went way too far in their hopes and expectations of Matt Cassel - simply b/c of the "similarities" to Tom Brady's story - and were bound to be let down. Think about all the "Cassel:Brady::Brady:Bledsoe" type stuff that was in the print for the first few weeks of the post-Brady injury aftermath.

I strongly believe that the media and Patsfans alike had far too bloated expectations of our young backup QB and particularly the days following Brady's injury. As I said at the time of Brady's injury, there was an overly positive and overly optimistic counter-reaction to the doom and gloom many posters had. This reaction went along the lines of "Brady did it in 01, why can't Cassel do it in 08", doing a disservice to how amazingly rare it is to have a QB of Brady's caliber. What was glossed over by so many is that we're not asking Cassel to be the Brady of 2008 or even the Brady of 2001 (who may not have had the numbers of his 2008 self, was equally special & clutch), we're asking him to be Matt Cassel, and what that ends up being, we'll find out.

The reaction you describe - of people expecting Cassel to come in and do his job well enough so that this talented team can win - is the rational line of thinking, but seemingly proved to be a minority amongst patsfans. Perhaps its just that the other lines of thought were louder.

 

[MassPats38]

He has looked a bit gun shy already. He also seems to panic, and doesn't look off the DB's. It really is no secret where Cassel is throwing the ball...

I agree with your post but I think he could continue doing a mediocre job and not find a starting job in the NFL.

Chiefs game he looked okay. Jets game had some chaotic moments/sacks but he looked okay. Dolphins he took some blind side shots so I thought he had moments of looking jittery (the commentators took pleasure of pointing out he missed a wide open Thomas in the second half). As a result of that game and the situation he was in, I'll reserve my opinion on whether it was a bad game or who he is. We will soon know.

If he is mediocre, I would still bet O'Connell will displace him after a year on the team and Cassel will not be resigned. I guess that mediocrity issue boils down to predictability - can Belichick anticipate his mistakes and work around them in limited appearances making him a cost effective addition to the team? Does he really want 3 QBs next year if Brady is good to go?

As for the original postings on Cassel throwing parallels to Brady's first season, I read that as "ra, ra", hopeful commentary in response to the "we're doomed, who are we going to take with the 1st pick in the draft" remarks also prevalent at the time. I did not seriously take those statements as Cassel is Brady II. If Cassel seriously were the Steve Young to Brady's Joe Montana, I suspect he would have been honking for the starting role about 2 years ago.

 

[BlitzFritz]

im sure BB thinks that Cassel gives him the best chance to win. Oconnell is just too green. and that kinda sucks