Schefter: Patriots ahead of their time, again

[bitsygirl]

I don't think BB is all of a sudden warm and fuzzy. He could care less about Matt's feeling. Give me a break!

 

[Res5Cue]

Maybe Chris is home studying a playbook right now, to come back in a few weeks when its memorized to start practice. So everything is true, they were sent away to show confidence in Cassel. Once he is established, they bring in Chris to back him up. Now we are back to 3 qb's on the roster and you have a Cassel replacement for the year end.

 

[stcjones]

this makes no sense at all.

With a healthy Tom Brady, you schedule these guys to come in for a visit to test the waters (as backups).

then, when Tom Brady goes down for the season, you tell those guys that the situation changed and you don't need them?

What the?

Barring a FA signing or trade in the near future, this just doesn't make sense. I'm not buying that Cassell looked so good that they no longer needed to work these guys out. When Brady was still healthy and Cassell was the #2, they wanted to work them out.

You know, I think all these ESPN guys and mediots are trying set us up here....No matter how many times you try to put a shine on cow manure (so my country bumpkin friends down south here tell me) it's still going to be a dull brown color.....and it's going to smell like sh#t!!! Now, you can try to be positive and hope that McD can design a dink and dunk passing offense with low risk.....and hope that you can get your running game going to carry the load (this is a HUGE stretch because A) McD is limited......and B) Our OL has poor run blocking/hole opening skills........and somehow.....Matt Cassel.....who other than this past weekend's decent showing against a pretty weak KC team.......has shown poor skill level........and poor decision making ability.....is going to throw this team on his back and lead us to the SB........Think REALISTICALLY....and you will be prepared for the inevitable....

A VET QB needs to be signed Asap.....Simms is already off the board....Not sold on Rattay.....Culpepper could possibly get it done with the talent we have here.....not sure who else......but we NEED ANOTHER BACKUP plan here.......Because when or if Cassel stinks up the joint....better have someone capable ready to come in.......

 

[JoeSixPat]

http://blogs.nfl.com/2008/09/09/patriots-ahead-of-their-time-again/

Schefter is reporting that the Pats were simply setting their emergency board with the Simms and Rattay visits.

As with the rumor of Lynch returning after the first game so that they wouldn't have to pay a full year salary, it seems clear they were interested in other backup QBs.

I guess this begs the question of how long Cassell would have been kept since they'd likely not have cut O'Connell.

but after Brady went down they didnt want them????


HUH?

Well, perhaps the idea was to sign them and integrate them and let them learn the system for nearly a full season, with the veterans being insurance for the playoffs. Now, with just 1 backup QB, Belichick may feel the need to bring Gutz back since he knows the system.

Maybe Chris is home studying a playbook right now, to come back in a few weeks when its memorized to start practice. So everything is true, they were sent away to show confidence in Cassel. Once he is established, they bring in Chris to back him up. Now we are back to 3 qb's on the roster and you have a Cassel replacement for the year end.

This was a thought I had as well, though I'm unclear if coaches are in the habit of sharing playbooks with guys not on the team. Still, if there's a family who one might trust to act honorably, its the Sims family.

 

[Bella*chick]

Well, perhaps the idea was to sign them and integrate them and let them learn the system for nearly a full season, with the veterans being insurance for the playoffs. Now, with just 1 backup QB, Belichick may feel the need to bring Gutz back since he knows the system.

This is exactly what I think. I'm not sure what this says about Cassel though, but I'm not sure it's confidence-inspiring.

 

[Dragda]

says good things about Cassel

The more I think about this the more excited I am to see how it will unfold.

I have a similar reaction but replace the word "excited" with "curious like when I drive by a fatal accident"

 

[JoeSixPat]

Chris Sims apparently is off the table, reportedly signed by the Titans.

 

[brdmaverick]

I don't think BB is all of a sudden warm and fuzzy. He could care less about Matt's feeling. Give me a break!

While he may not REALLY care about Matt's feelings, I think there is something to be said for a quarterback to actually play better when he doesn't have to continously look over his shoulder. I'm pretty sure that's what Jack Del Rio was thinking when he cut Byron Leftwich last year. Ended that QB controversy pretty quickly.

 

[BPF]

While he may not REALLY care about Matt's feelings, I think there is something to be said for a quarterback to actually play better when he doesn't have to continously look over his shoulder. I'm pretty sure that's what Jack Del Rio was thinking when he cut Byron Leftwich last year. Ended that QB controversy pretty quickly.

Nicely put.

Physically Cassel has what you look for in a QB in this league but, like every player, he needs confidence to give him a chance to be succesful. He also needs to be 100% mentally and not looking over his shoulder at the new competition trying to take his job. All the coaching staffs focus needs to be getting Cassel ready to face the Jets and bringing in another QB would divert some of the assistant coaches attention to helping that new player learn the system. Maybe the Pats bring back Gutz or maybe they sign another vet right after the Miami game and use the bye week to get him ready just in case something were to happen to Cassel. At this point there isn't much difference in signing Harrington, Simms or Rattay-the're all on the same boat as far as I am concerned and one of them will still be available in a couple of weeks.

 

[matt1073]

I think we need to get gutierrez back on the roster pronto, he already knows the playbook and he performed better than cassel in the preseason. If something were to happen to cassel against the jets we are so screwed

 

[mmasterkillah]

Between the time we originally contacted these guys and the time we sent them home, we saw Cassel play football. I think BB and crew decided in part based on his performance that bringing in somebody now would in no way be an immediate upgrade in performance, and would only cause a possible chemistry issue.

 

[Res5Cue]

though I'm unclear if coaches are in the habit of sharing playbooks with guys not on the team.

Was just throwing the thought out there, you would have to have committment before you pass those babies out.

If something were to happen to cassel against the jets we are so screwed

Exactly, you need someone. The rook isnt going to run it right now.

 

[JSn]

Between the time we originally contacted these guys and the time we sent them home, we saw Cassel play football. I think BB and crew decided in part based on his performance that bringing in somebody now would in no way be an immediate upgrade in performance, and would only cause a possible chemistry issue.

That's a VERY good point, actually. Hadn't thought of that.

However, Matt's a free agent next year. I imagine they'll watch a game or two while lining up the ducks. They can't bank on Brady being ready to go, that's not smart. And they can't bank on Kevin being ready.

What they can bank on is Matty being gone next year. If he plays well enough to be a keeper, someone will want to sign him. If he stinks the place up enough, Kevin becomes the #2 or maybe even #1 for the first few weeks next year.

I don't think there's middle ground unless it becomes clear Brady is not going to be ready but is rehabbing well enough to be back as a #2 or #3 while getting ready again. If Matt has played well, you've got to extend him.

If he takes us all the way, win or no, you can bet Brady will have to win his job back. Bill is a great coach and his ability to unplug his heart is a part of that.

 

[marcus]

I agree 100% that having 2 inexperienced quarterbacks is NOT a good risk to take.


I understand not wanting to spook Cassel, but if he can't deal with a little presssure of a backup being around, he's probably not of starting caliber

 

[BPF]

I agree 100% that having 2 inexperienced quarterbacks is NOT a good risk to take.


I understand not wanting to spook Cassel, but if he can't deal with a little presssure of a backup being around, he's probably not of starting caliber

You couldn't be more wrong: http://www.star-telegram.com/636/story/879077.html

Read this article and you'll agree.

An execrpt:

That’s because NFL quarterbacks, more than any other position, are impacted not only by how they are brought into the league — but by whom.

These attention-grabbing pros in leadership roles also can be highly vulnerable.

"[They] have very fragile egos," said New York Giants’ quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer, who held a similar position with the 2006 Cowboys. "We just have to try to get them in stride, build their confidence, get them to believe in themselves, and to believe in the system."

 

[rookBoston]

I'm pretty sure they were sent back because Belichick wants to show Cassel that he has all the faith in the world in him.

Bingo. That's it exactly. One thing that BB *can* control is all the media speculation about an outsider coming in and taking the job from Matt. By turning those guys away, it solidifies the team behind Cassel and eliminates any QB controversy.

When Hernan Cortez reached the New World, he burned his ships. As a result, his men were very focused and very motivated. There's no going back to Spain, fellas. It's all here and now. There's no cavalry coming and there's no side door.

 

[Patriotis]

You couldn't be more wrong: http://www.star-telegram.com/636/story/879077.html

Read this article and you'll agree.

An execrpt:

Great read, thanks for the link.

 

[Brady'sButtBoy]

The Pats work out players all the time with no stipulations. They are here for BB's and Peoli's edification regarding possible future employment, that's it. So if Simms and Rattay were part of that everyday train of players then why make a point of sending them home without letting them go through the motions? As has been well documented, the Pat's work out dudes all season mindless of what we, the rest of NFL, or the media think is the reason for such tryouts. So why start now by sending home 2 QB's whose assistance might be pretty useful should Cassel or Conelly go down.

Thus, to cancel some of these typical tryouts, with the talent in town no less, smacks of a very specific intention. It seems kind of paranoid; and while in BB I trust, it would be nice if he'd speak more plainly for once. Why would we not have 3 QBs? With TB down and Cassel unproven, the need for a 3rd QB seems to scream from the practice field.

The mystery rolls on...

 

[ctpatsfan77]

If he takes us all the way, win or no, you can bet Brady will have to win his job back. Bill is a great coach and his ability to unplug his heart is a part of that.

Granted, that's putting the cart miles before the horse, but unless Cassel morphs into the second coming of Brady (which I guess would mean that O'Connell is the third coming or something), I don't find it all that likely that Cassel could beat out a healthy Brady for the starting job.