Broncos: Mike Shanahan Conference Call
Nothing that is obvious but a good reminder for all the comparisons made.
Nothing that is obvious but a good reminder for all the comparisons made.
Q: What do you see from the Patriots offense since quarterback Matt Cassel took over for Tom Brady?
MS: We all know what Tom Brady has done and what he has meant to the Patriots and the National Football League in general. [Facing] Tom, you could never make the right call. Tom would get you in protections with the long counts. No matter what blitz you had he would be able to redirect the offensive line to the right blitzer. If you did get a guy free, he would know where his third or fourth wide receiver was. That just takes some time. One of the reasons he is arguably the best in the game is just how he has played and how many games he has won. It takes quarterbacks time. That just doesn’t happen over night. Matt [Cassel] will just keep on getting better and better as he experiences the offense. I am just hoping he doesn’t do it Monday night.
Q: Could you talk about the difficulties of a quarterback taking over for a franchise icon like you had with John Elway. Matt Cassel is in a different situation but how difficult is it to always be compared to a franchise icon?
MS: Yeah and it is impossible to do. Especially with the three Super Bowls and how he [Tom Brady] has played and how many games New England won in a row. Anytime you play behind a legend it is almost impossible. At least with the interviews I have seen with Matt [Cassel] he seems like he handles it really well. Tom has helped him. You have to understand you have to forget about the critics and just concentrate on the job at hand and that is what he is doing