|
Here are the things I don't like about Cassel when I watch him play:
1. He doesn't look natural. This sounds arbitrary, but good mechanics and fluid athleticism matter. Trust your eyes. When Cassel makes a good throw, in terms of on target with good zip, he takes a big stride and throws his whole body forward. He looks more like a pitcher with his delivery than a QB. When he scrambles, he doesn't look fluid. He has good speed, but again he is a long strider and always seems to be on the verge of falling down.
2. Poor accuracy. Can you count on him to consistently make a high percentage 3rd down throw for 4 yards? Would you be comfortable with him passing on a critical 3rd and 1 or 4th and 1? If not, you are one dimensional and very easy to defend.
3. Bad touch on short passes. On a short pass it is essential to get the ball to a player so they can run with it. We've all seen the passes that sail over the head of the guy in the flat. Or bounces in front of the player 10 yards away. Or the pass that strings someone out so they get cut in half.
4. Can't progress through his reads. He's a one read QB.
5. Looks at the pass rush instead of down field. Reacts to the pass rush before it gets there.
6. Seldom makes big time throws. His best passes are to receivers that are open and usually toward the middle of the field. Take the TD pass to Bowe against Oakland. It was one of the better throws that we've seen Cassel make. But it wasn't a particularly difficult pass. Bowe was open and the pass was in the middle of the field. Good pass, but it was a routine NFL throw. When I watch the best QBs, they make throws that amaze me. They hit a very tight window. Or they throw a clothesline 30 yard out. In watching other games you see other QBs make throws every week that we've never seen Cassel make.
7. Poor deep ball. It's obvious he just heaves it up there and hopes the ball ends up where the guy can catch it.
8. To quote Solomon Wicotts "When Cassel holds the ball, bad things happen." When Manning holds the ball, or Brady, or even Michael Vick last night, good things generally happen. If you are saying that about your QB, you are not in a good situation. You want someone who can make plays.
9. He doesn't use his mobility to make plays with his arm. If you get him scrambling around, he seldom makes a big play out of it. There have been a couple of exceptions.
10. If he is progressing as an NFL QB, it is very slowly. He isn't on a trajectory that is going to get him to franchise level.
To be fair, here are the things I like about him:
1. He makes relatively few mistakes. A lot of this has to do with coaching and the game plan, but not too many QBs have the temperament to follow through with that as well a Cassel does. He follows instruction well.
2. He is resilient. He can play bad the whole game but he doesn't seem to let that get to him. He can have a good drive after playing like crap the whole game.
|