2008 Patriots Game Thread

[Dojji]

Fact: Matt Cassel finished up with dang near 500 yards combined rushing and passing tonight.

 

Fact: Cassel was our lead rusher as well as our lead passer

 

Conclusion: Cassel was the reason we were even in the game in the first place.

 

Cassel looked like an elite QB out there, at least for this one game, and since we know the Jets defense is actually pretty good this game should be a huge credit for him. Even ESPN took a few microseconds away from their 24/7 ballwashing of Favre to notice that Cassel had been pretty good.

 

This game really increased the chances that some QB-depleted squad is going to take a flier on him as a starting QB next year.

 

I haven't seen a Patriots' QB use his feet to make plays the way Cassel did, not just rushing for gains but also running around in the pocket and throwing accurately on the move, in a long, long time. Brady makes great quick decisions so that he doesn't really have to escape, but since Cassel's a bit slower it's great to know that he can extend the play with his feet and get things done on a good night.

[TheKilo]

Fact: It was one freakin game.

[Dojji]

BUt one game in the NFL isn't just one game. You know that probably better than I do.

[Cocos Disciples]

BUt one game in the NFL isn't just one game. You know that probably better than I do.

 

:dunno:

[TheKilo]

:dunno:

 

A scout said that one game is more than one game because once you see it it's there!!!!!

[Cocos Disciples]

A scout said that one game is more than one game because once you see it it's there!!!!!

 

And here I was thinking that 1=1. Foolish.

[Dojji]

What I said is fairly clear. The NFL season is a short season and one win or one loss makes a huge difference, and as well, a very good or very bad performance in one game makes a huge difference. In baseball or hockey or basketball a bad day at the office is a bad day at the office, in football being individually responsible for a single loss is a very big thing. So is carrying the team to a single win.

[redsoxrules]

so far in his first 10 games , 5 have been good and 5 have been bad .

[See Red]

so far in his first 10 games ' date=' 5 have been good and 5 have been bad .[/quote']

 

Are you considering the Broncos game a good one? Because they may have won that game in blowout fashion, but it wasn't because of him. I don't think he looked good at all in that one, lots of YAC helped his numbers.

 

I'd say none of the teams in the AFC East are all that good. I look at their records, and I look at their schedules and I come away very unimpressed.

[Dojji]

so far in his first 10 games ' date=' 5 have been good and 5 have been bad .[/quote']

 

When you consider you're dealing with what amounts to a well-trained rookie, I'd call that not bad.

 

Also that last performance was not just "good." According to ESPN there are only 3 quarterbacks in NFL history that threw for 400+ and ran for 60+. One is Matt Cassel, and another is Steve Young. I can't remember the third, but when a performance puts you in the same gategory with Steve Young, even if just for one week, that just puts a highlight on just how great a night Cassel had.

[redsoxrules]

Are you considering the Broncos game a good one? Because they may have won that game in blowout fashion, but it wasn't because of him. I don't think he looked good at all in that one, lots of YAC helped his numbers.

 

I'd say none of the teams in the AFC East are all that good. I look at their records, and I look at their schedules and I come away very unimpressed.

 

number wise he had a good game , so eventough the Broncos D was bad that game I still have to give him credit for the numbers he put up

 

18 for 24 , only had 185 yards but 3TD pass QB rating of 136

 

I have his 5 good game as

Chiefs , both games against the jets,broncos and bills

 

and his 5 bad ones as

Dolphins,49ERS,Chargers,Rams and the Colts

 

also by looking at his splits , he's been real awfull on the road , so it will be interresting to see what he does VS the dolphins in his next game

[See Red]

I think saying he's 5 for 5 in terms of "good" games is inaccurate, and very generous. There's a distinct difference between "good" and "not bad". He's had a number of bad games, a few games where he didn't do anything to lose the game against bad teams, and two good games -- though as I mentioned before, one of those (the Denver game), he didn't even look all that good.

[Dojji]

I think saying he's 5 for 5 in terms of "good" games is inaccurate' date=' and very generous. There's a distinct difference between "good" and "not bad". He's had a number of bad games, a few games where he didn't do anything to lose the game against bad teams, and two good games -- though as I mentioned before, one of those (the Denver game), he didn't even look all that good.[/quote']

 

I think that's "used to Tom Brady" speaking there.

 

Pop quiz, fellas: What's Bill Belichick's mantra when dealing with his players

 

A: Do Your Job

B: Be dazzling superstars that dominate opposing teams every day.

 

Cassel isn't single-handedly cvarrying this football team, but he has done his job for the most part, which isn't to be Tom Brady, but is to be an above average QB who isn't a drag at the position.

 

Cassel hasn't been the problem when the team has lost games, he takes good care of the football, and he's combining with an injured running back corps to put up above average offensive numbers. He's also making measurable progress from week to week and he seems to find something else to bring to the team each new week.

 

The real issue that's killing the Pats is the inability to stop the run, and that's only going to get worse with Thomas out for the season. No rookie QB should be expected to put up 40 points a game, and that's the level Cassel's had to play at in order to get wins against good teams. Put Cassel on the Titans and they lose the first game and probably sweep the table thereafter.

 

And let me again repeat for the benefit of the Cassel bashers that Matt Cassel had a 60% completion rate, threw for 400 yards and ran for another 60 last night against an above average defense, which is one of the best individual quarterback performances in recent memory, loss or no loss..

[mtbykr]

I think that's "used to Tom Brady" speaking there.

 

Pop quiz, fellas: What's Bill Belichick's mantra when dealing with his players

 

A: Do Your Job

B: Be dazzling superstars that dominate opposing teams every day.

 

Cassel isn't single-handedly cvarrying this football team, but he has done his job for the most part, which isn't to be Tom Brady, but is to be an above average QB who isn't a drag at the position.

 

Cassel hasn't been the problem when the team has lost games, he takes good care of the football, and he's combining with an injured running back corps to put up above average offensive numbers. He's also making measurable progress from week to week and he seems to find something else to bring to the team each new week.

 

The real issue that's killing the Pats is the inability to stop the run, and that's only going to get worse with Thomas out for the season. No rookie QB should be expected to put up 40 points a game, and that's the level Cassel's had to play at in order to get wins against good teams. Put Cassel on the Titans and they lose the first game and probably sweep the table thereafter.

 

And let me again repeat for the benefit of the Cassel bashers that Matt Cassel had a 60% completion rate, threw for 400 yards and ran for another 60 last night against an above average defense, which is one of the best individual quarterback performances in recent memory, loss or no loss..

 

 

The pats problem is not stopping the pass, not the run. They have been very good recently at stopping the run. Cassel is doing what is asked of him, and seems to get better each week. He's not the reason we have lost these games, we have other problems.

[See Red]

I think that's "used to Tom Brady" speaking there.

 

Pop quiz, fellas: What's Bill Belichick's mantra when dealing with his players

 

A: Do Your Job

B: Be dazzling superstars that dominate opposing teams every day.

 

Cassel isn't single-handedly cvarrying this football team, but he has done his job for the most part, which isn't to be Tom Brady, but is to be an above average QB who isn't a drag at the position.

 

Cassel hasn't been the problem when the team has lost games, he takes good care of the football, and he's combining with an injured running back corps to put up above average offensive numbers. He's also making measurable progress from week to week and he seems to find something else to bring to the team each new week.

 

The real issue that's killing the Pats is the inability to stop the run, and that's only going to get worse with Thomas out for the season. No rookie QB should be expected to put up 40 points a game, and that's the level Cassel's had to play at in order to get wins against good teams. Put Cassel on the Titans and they lose the first game and probably sweep the table thereafter.

 

And let me again repeat for the benefit of the Cassel bashers that Matt Cassel had a 60% completion rate, threw for 400 yards and ran for another 60 last night against an above average defense, which is one of the best individual quarterback performances in recent memory, loss or no loss..

 

Hate to nit-pick, but the Jets pass defense is hardly above average. It was a great performance, without a doubt. Absolutely not denying that. But he's had exactly one other "good" game, and that was a game in which I thought he was sub-par, and was made to look better by his WR's against a defense that I've watched play every week that really can't stop anybody.

 

Whether or not he's been good for the Patriots, I guess, is dependant on what the Patriots expect from him, but with that schedule the Patriots have played, their record doesn't impress me much, and while Cassell's played well enough to NOT cost his team games against bad teams, those performances wouldn't have been enough to beat good teams, and he's not a good QB, and he won't be until he can throw the ball downfield and not just boost his completion % by passing underneath all game.

[ORS]

I thought at the beginning of the year it was, "he hasn't started since HS so he's not even adequate"? He's certainly that, and he's certainly trending the right way. The next 6 weeks will be more revealing than the bluster on both sides here.

[See Red]

I thought at the beginning of the year it was' date=' "he hasn't started since HS so he's not even adequate"? He's certainly that, and he's certainly trending the right way. The next 6 weeks will be more revealing than the bluster on both sides here.[/quote']

 

He is trending the right way -- but the kid's game is within' 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. He's terrible beyond that. That's fine in New England, where he's not being asked to win football games right now, but that doesn't make him a good QB since I don't think the Patriots are a legitimate Super Bowl contender right now anyway.

[mtbykr]

He is trending the right way -- but the kid's game is within' 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. He's terrible beyond that. That's fine in New England' date=' where he's not being asked to win football games right now, but that doesn't make him a good QB since I don't think the Patriots are a legitimate Super Bowl contender right now anyway.[/quote']

 

 

 

Up until the last few games I would agree with you, but he has shown the ability to throw the deep ball recently. I think the coaching staff is holding him back a little and making him progress slowly....they just had to speed it up once they were down big last night and he did well. He still has a long way to go, but he's moving in the right direction.

[ARod2212]

The Jets don't know how to be the favorite. They played as if they had nothing to lose early on, then played cautious. When they got their backs against the wall, they turned it on again.

 

Good to see resiliency, scary to know they won't put good teams away.

 

First place with essentially a 2 game lead on New England. I would probably kill to get a first round bye week.

[Gom]

The Gom school of thought comes into play here.

 

And what exactly does that mean, kind sir?

[Cocos Disciples]

And what exactly does that mean' date=' kind sir?[/quote']

 

Was it you who was talking about how watching games is more important than being knowledgeable about the sport? Not that you're not knowledgeable...

[Gom]

No...but to be knowledgeable about the sport, you have to be able to watch it and dissect what you see. It's not enought to just look at the numbers.

[Cocos Disciples]

Yes, but if you care enough about the game to look at numbers, you probably watch games anyway.

 

Eh, moot anyway.

[mtbykr]

The hits just keep on coming......I almost expect the weekly 'IR of a starter' routine, just crazy.

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2008/11/patriots_transa.html

 

 

The Patriots announced the following transactions today:

 

Rookie CB Terrence Wheatley has been placed on season-ending injured reserve with a wrist injury. Wheatley hurt the wrist Nov. 2 against Indianapolis and had not played since.

 

TE Tyson DeVree has been promoted from the practice squad to the active roster. He will wear No. 85.

 

Rookie LB Darrell Robertson has been signed to the practice squad. Robertson (6-4, 246) was signed as a rookie free agent by the Cowboys and was released Aug. 30. He then played in two games for the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League before being released.

[TheKilo]

Imagine the Pats' record if they had an easy schedule!

[mtbykr]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/11/22/league-officials-celebrated-with-jets/

 

 

 

Not long after we posted the video of Brett Favre’s triumphant tunnel-jog after the Jets defeated the Patriots to start Week Eleven, the video was removed from YouTube, apparently due to a “copyright claim.”

 

Initially, we thought that the video had disappeared because Lord Favre could be heard talking like a sailor (as, as the case may be, a Browns G.M.) But, as it turns out, it could be that the video disappeared because it contains images of one or more league officials apparently celebrating the win with Jets G.M. Mike Tannenbaum and others.

 

In the video, a portion of which is still available at Deadspin, V.P. of football operations Ray Anderson appears within the first few seconds, walking down the tunnel with a fedora on his head. He ducks away when he sees the camera.

 

We’re told that the first guy in the video — whom we’d swear was Red Auerbach wearing a headset if Red Auerbach weren’t presently smoking cigars with Groucho Marx — also is believed to be a league office employee, but we’ve yet to dredge up his name.

 

Later in the video, the unidentified (so far) league official reappears from the right of the lens and says to Tannenbaum, “Michael, I told ya.”

 

On the surface, none of this looks all that bad. But, as we understand it, it’s highly unusual for league officials to celebrate non-Super Bowl wins with the victorious team. And some league insiders believe that the longer version of the video promptly exited YouTube specifically because of the presence of Anderson and “Auerbach.”

[redsoxrules]

WOW...what a hit on welker , he got smoked !

[Dojji]

Cassel looking frickin' good.

 

At what point do we look at Brady vs. Cassel and actually have to make a judgement call?

 

Cassel's already looking brilliant, is approaching consistency, and he's still got room to grow.

[Dojji]

Here comes Pennington. Is the Patriots defense going to do.... anything useful?

 

EDIT: Message to Patriots D: LEARN HOW TO TACKLE!

[redsoxrules]

LOL @ the pats tackling