The Official "Who Cares How They Look?" Thread

[IcyPatriot]

Many NFL fans watch the pre season games hoping for glimpses of what could be good a good season to come. We get to watch these games knowing ... except for perhaps Wheatley that we don't really need them to do much this year ... so ... it makes the pre season a bit more fun IMO because we get to play talent evaluator.

 

[SVN]

the biggest gripe i have against cassel is that he always looks to run as soon as he sees a defender 10 ft within him and doesnt like to stay in and try and make a pass and when he does , its like aiming throwing darts and whole world knows who he is throwing the ball to

 

[Patjew]

When can I start to care? Third preseason game? I do like to freak out, but not a moment too soon.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

the first preseason game....OK...let me repeat that...the FIRST preseason game...what Cassel did or didn't do in this game really doesn't mean much, as far as evaluating him...he didn't look sharp, but then it's hard to tell when the OL is a frickin' sieve like it was tonight. I'm GLAD Brady didn't play,and in that respect Cassel did his job.

That is what too many here fail to appreciate. His job is to do what Brady would have done, and believe it or not that's just what he did last night. Saved Tom the embarassment of playing with that offense. The other two operated from a different position - trying to show something versus the Ravens backups and roster fodder that might merit roster consideration. If you're going to base roster decisions on last nights performance, at least we know Guts would make it through waivers to the PS. And if not for the fact that it's his 3rd season in the league and he's ineligible, so would CJ.

Cassel can scramble but that wasn't his job last night. In a real game if that's the only option, it's one he's shown he can employ too. Last night wasn't about bailing out to make a play from behind center. It was about can the guys you're playing behind perform in this offense AS SCRIPTED versus Baltimore's starting D. The answer on offense last night was not nearly, at least not yet.

In the first preseason game here at least, the way Bill likes to analyze things, guys are in there or not for different reasons. Brady sat because the risk of injury was ridiculously high given the opponent and the OL we were left with due to injuries. Maroney was in there to knock the rust off. Jordan was in against the second and third stringers to prove he can handle 20 carries. BJEG was in there to show the coaches he's worth a PS spot. 2 of those 3 had to hang it all on the line against backups, the other would have cost the team dearly if he got hurt in the process of trying to prove he could run against #1's behind a makeshift line.

Harbaugh played more first stringers and he played them longer and he played to win. Silly perhaps but a confidence building exercise for a first year HC. Different strokes for different folks in different situations.

If Chad Pennington had flown in to take Cassel's snaps last night he'd be in surgery now.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

Pre Season means little to nothing to me as a fan, I'm sorry.

I know it could serve as a proving ground for some, maybe that's why I am not partial to it.

It's all about the regular season....

 

[Sean Pa Patriot]

the third preseason game is the one that counts the most, I remember in 2004 when the Pats were just enhilated by the Bengals in the second game..

The only thing that concerns me is inj, and tank williams and Aiken would be 2 key losses of depth..

 

[patchick]

So if we're not allowed to get worried about guys who looked bad, does that also mean we're not allowed to get excited about guys who looked good? Too bad, I was kind of psyched about Mayo and Crable. Oh well, easy come, easy go.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

So if we're not allowed to get worried about guys who looked bad, does that also mean we're not allowed to get excited about guys who looked good? Too bad, I was kind of psyched about Mayo and Crable. Oh well, easy come, easy go.

Settle down you impetuous wild woman! Patrick Willis was branded a stud last season because he could run down ball carriers from behind. Yeh he showed a very nice talent base, but I thought he was being over-hyped for his numbers - see Gosselin, Rich. I don't want to hear that about Mayo & the backer boyz, but they left a positive chatroom impression, I can't wait to record the replay on NFLN for digestion.

Joker and Mo nailed it, this was a BB choreographed game to take a look at individual performace as opposed to team performance. It also gives him some 18-1/preseason SB pick mind cleanser.

 

[patchick]

Settle down you impetuous wild woman!

Funny, men are always telling me that....

Joker and Mo nailed it, this was a BB choreographed game to take a look at individual performace as opposed to team performance.

Can't argue with that. But putting the overall team performance aside, it's frustrating to watch Cassel and Jackson continuing to look out of step in live action. I want to stay optimistic, but it's increasingly hard to picture either of them really fulfilling their physical potential.

OT, but some folks here wonder why so many of us are still excited about David Thomas, who can't seem to stay healthy for 2 weeks at a time. The reason is the precise reverse of the Cassel/Jackson situation: his measurables are underwhelming, but every time he steps on a football field he just seems to have "it."

 

[marty]

Joker and Mo nailed it, this was a BB choreographed game to take a look at individual performace as opposed to team performance. It also gives him some 18-1/preseason SB pick mind cleanser.

Couldn't agree more but I'm with patchick in enjoying the view of some of our new rooks!

 

[Sting]

It's only Patroits pre season. BB has his own thing going on he uses pre season games for his benefit.

 

[PaulRevere]

I missed most of the first half and when I tuned

in the score was 16-9. I was a little concerned till I saw Bruschi on the sideline without a drop of sweat. I relaxed. The whole point of the game is to see who's number 3 and 4 on the depth chart.

 

[PATSNUTme]

I care about watching individual players and seeing if they are doing good or bad. It really doesn't matter what group they are playing with or what the score is.

As BB says to the players "do your job". That's what I am looking at with my limited knowledge of what their job is.

One thing that both surprised and pleased me was Crable doing well in coverage. I noticed this early on in the game well before he made the int. I had him pegged as being a sittuational pass rusher this year. so, this was a pleasent surprise. I didn't notice him againts the run. If he does well in future games againts the run, we may have found us a real keeper.

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

18 regulars did not even suit up. Including some guys named Brady, Moss, Vrabel, Light, Welker, Neal.....................

I have to wait unitl Saturday to watch it on the NFLnetwork, did Slater play any defense? How did Mayo look? Was Cassel really that bad?

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Bengals 31, Patriots 0.

That was the first preseason game score in August 2004.

Tough to take a lot away from the preseason, let alone the first game.

Regards,
Chris