My Bottom Line On QB's

[fgssand]

1) I would rather that we signed a veteran in Cassel's place.
2) I would rather that we kept Gutierrez in Cassells place.
3) I would like us to sign or trade for a veteran QB to start after the bye (Garcia anyone?).
4) I would like us to sign a backup veteran as insurance if we can't get a starter.
5) I think we can win with Cassel (Garcia would be better I think)

For now, we have Cassel is our QB. We will be playing two more aweful teams in the next two weeks and then a bye, but division game are always tough. Cassel couldn't ask for a better situation. The team couldn't ask for better either: a soft schedule and an early bye.

With Cassel I expect 10-6, enough to win the division. With Garcia, I would expect 12-4 and home field advantage.

Those that wanted Cassel out before pre-season ended ( I was not one) and those that think we are better off with him staying as a back up are simply not giving any or enough credit to BB & SP's ability to evaluate talent and make decisions that are in the best interest of the football club.

They determined Cassel was the best not just last week, or in the pre-season, but over the past couple of seasons when he went from raw rookie to the #2 back up. We do not see what happens in practice where evaluations truly happen. We have not yet seen his timing with the receivers, knowledge of the playbook, familiarity of the total offense which I guarantee has been practiced for a long long time now. No way can new, journeyman or disgruntled QB come in here and come close to playing at Cassel's level.

Trust your management - they see and they know that which we will never know or can even pretend to understand. If he falls on his face, there will be plenty of time to make a change and still save the season. For right now and hopefully for the season, it is obvious this is the right move.

Our best hope for playoffs and beyond lies with Matt Cassel. Let's hope the kid can parlay a golden opportunity into a successful season and huge starters contract for himself.

 

[JSn]

If the team goes horrid like 3-4 by mid season then maybe the team puts ther clipboard back in Cassel's hand but probably not at this point - BB is stubborn when he makes decisions and usually keeps what his plans were for the season unless for some reason they get steamrolled

Like the New England Patriots at week 7 in 2001?
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/nwe/2001.htm

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Why, why did you leave us, Rohan?



Well, there are predictable niches in this board, and we shuffle around and fill them I suppose.

One niche is pretty simple: see if the kid can play, since we really don't know. Evidently BB likes what he sees, but hell, he doesn't know either.

Then there's a niche for each possible alternative quarterback.

Then there's the "anybody except the guy who's got the start" niche. Sadly that niche has disappeared for NE for years and years... but now it's back!

Okay, put me in the simple "see if the kid can play" niche. Best outcome for everybody, of course, is the coach being right... so there's one more reason I'd like the OP here to end up looking silly. It would mean the team's winning

By the way I kind of like the Garcia speculation, because I am tired of the name "Matt" in connection with the Pats. They only hire video assistants and backup QBs named "Matt." It makes me queezy.

PFnV

 

[mgteich]

I STRONGLY ACCEPT AND SUPPORT CASSEL (NOW)
I have almost always accepted Belichick's judgements with regard to choosing one player over another. This time is no exception. At the time, I wanted Gutierrez or a free agent quarterback instead of Cassel. Belichick chose otherwise. Therefore, I was wrong. Belichick has lots more information than I do, from practice, and from watching tape of Cassel, Gutierrez and the other possibilities. Obviously, Belichick also has much more experience and competence in making such judgements.

My support for Cassel is no different than it would be for Gutierrez or Sims or Rattay at this point. Belichick made his decision and Belichick is right. All I ever did was to make my guess at what decision Belichick would make, and support with the reasoning behind my judgement. Congratulations to the few who thought Cassel was the best choice.

IT IS TIME TO WAIT
I find it ridiculous for so many to now state that Cassel will be the QB for the season because no other QB could learn our system. The decision is Belichick's, but a guy named Favre learned a system pretty quickly, and I believe that there are QB's out there who can learn our system and be strong before the playoffs.

I don't know about Belichick's plans. I do know he has been looking at veteran QB's. Sims and Rattay were here. Do you guys REALLY believe that the events of the last game led Belichick to decide that the patriots didn't need a veteran QB? Did Brady's injury make so little difference? Was Cassel's performance so great? Or did Belichick just change his mind with regard the need to look at veteran quarterbacks? No, of course not! We don't know why he decided not even to have Sims and Rattay come to the stadium.

THREE CURRENT POSSIBILITIES
1) Cassel in the QB for the year. Belichick has to decided to stay with him, even with some aweful games, because in the end he give us the best chance at the playoffs and the Super Bowl. Gutierrez and O'Connell are the backups. That is why Gutierrez was brought back.
2) Belichick is working on a trade for QB who will at least be considered for the starting position by midseason (if not right after the bye). Perhaps Cassel will be left in if he does very well in the next two games, or not. The veteran could be Garcia, or not.
3) Belichick has a better option than Sims and Rattay for BACKUP quarterback, much as he brought in Vinny. That player could be Culpepper, or not.

THE BOTTOM LINE
The decisions are Belichick's. He will make the right decision for the team. The vast majority here will support Coach's decision.

 

[JSn]

Just remember Simms and Ratay were already booked to visit before Brady's injury.

Also, I think the general consensus is that Favre has NOT learned the Offensive system in NY. Just saying.

 

[mgteich]

Let me be clear and ask a simple hypthetical. What if Favre had waited and not signed with the jets, waiting for the first injury, as some thought he should have done.

1) Would Belichick have tried to acquire him?
2) If Belichick acquired Favre on this past Wednesday, would the patriots have a better chance for the playoffs and SB with Favre starting for us after the bye than with Cassel?

I have no doubts.
=======================================
But that scenario wasn't possible, and now we are discussing Garcia. If Garcia were signed today, would we have a better chance at the SB or not?

Just remember Simms and Ratay were already booked to visit before Brady's injury.

Also, I think the general consensus is that Favre has NOT learned the Offensive system in NY. Just saying.

 

[JSn]

But that scenario wasn't possible, and now we are discussing Garcia. If Garcia were signed today, would we have a better chance at the SB or not?

Maybe, because we'd have a better back-up plan than a guy cut and a rookie, but Cassel needs to be the starter until he works himself out of the job.

 

[mgteich]

Perhaps the best chance we have is to bring in Garcia or another veteran as the backup. After all, isn't reasonable to have three QB's on the squad? Is the Gutierrez the best choice?

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

No one listened to me when I defended CAssel all preseason and said he would make the team, not GUtierrez.

Now you have seen the truth but do you really see?

No, you are in denial.

This isn't fantasy football, where players are interchangeable. Did you learn nothing in 2001 aobut team?

BB rallied around Cassel, told the team he is the QB, showed faith in Cassel by sending Simms and Rattay home. The team has rallied around Cassel, and all have said they are moving on.

Do you have any idea what will happen to the team if BB waffles now and shows no faith in Cassel. A QB is 1/22 of a team. The team will be lost if BB drops Cassel at this point.

Regardless of who can show the best stats, this TEAM has a better chance of winning with Cassel because he is the BEST QUARTERBACK for this TEAM.

Admit you were wrong. Get on the bandwagon before you destroy your rep.

I think we should fire Pioli and put Mgtech as GM.

 

[mgteich]

Hysterical!!!

Most times I am criticized for blindly supporting the choices of Pioli and Belichick on player choices. I support the choice of Cassel. And I will support the choice of someone else if Belichick brings him in to start after the bye, even if Cassel has a 116 paser rating. IMHO, Pioli is the best GM in the history of the NFL.

I think we should fire Pioli and put Mgtech as GM.

 

[JSn]

Hysterical!!!

Most times I am criticized for blindly supporting the choices of Pioli and Belichick on player choices. I support the choice of Cassel. And I will support the choice of someone else if Belichick brings him in to start after the bye, even if Cassel has a 116 paser rating. IMHO, Pioli is the best GM in the history of the NFL.

Here is an ACTUAL PICTURE of MGTEICH:



Someday when the rent drops by a billion in Boston I'll be having this done as well.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Hysterical!!!

Most times I am criticized for blindly supporting the choices of Pioli and Belichick on player choices. I support the choice of Cassel. And I will support the choice of someone else if Belichick brings him in to start after the bye, even if Cassel has a 116 paser rating. IMHO, Pioli is the best GM in the history of the NFL.

I'm kidding of course. We can't really make any assessments until a few game sampling to evaluate. Of course I know it's a message board and we're here to talk football and look at it from different points of view. And of course we're just worried about tomorrow at this point.

The one good thing... if Cassel does play poorly or plays great he'll be booed either way. He doesn't have to worry about being home and the crowd turning on him.

The train has left and I'm on board. It's gonna be an interesting ride.

I understand where you're coming from mgtech. I've just take my stance as there is no use in complaining about it. Just savour it and hope it turns out well.

 

[mgteich]

Yup, accept the past, plan for the future, and play one game at a time! And most of all, enjoy!!!!

I'm kidding of course. We can't really make any assessments until a few game sampling to evaluate. Of course I know it's a message board and we're here to talk football and look at it from different points of view. And of course we're just worried about tomorrow at this point.

The one good thing... if Cassel does play poorly or plays great he'll be booed either way. He doesn't have to worry about being home and the crowd turning on him.

The train has left and I'm on board. It's gonna be an interesting ride.

I understand where you're coming from mgtech. I've just take my stance as there is no use in complaining about it. Just savour it and hope it turns out well.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Yup, accept the past, plan for the future, and play one game at a time! And most of all, enjoy!!!!

and hope tomorrow has more good plays than bad!!