I know everyone on CP hates Cassel.....

[Three7s]

So, after listening to Petro's weekly PMS rant about people unfairly bashing Cassel, I started wondering. What would it take for people to actually.....LIKE Cassel? I don't know if there's a thread on this or not because I'm way too lazy to go through all of the Cassel bashing threads.

FWIW, I don't think Cassel is all that great either, but he can, at least, complete a pass once in awhile, unlike guys like Campbell.

What I think would sway my feelings toward him is to do what he did against the Broncos, only when it REALLY matters. I know it would go against our offensive philosophy, but teams are stacking the box on us so much that it looks like it has to be done.......so how about you guys?

[Sully]

Originally Posted by cdcox

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.

This, the whole this, and nothing but the this.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by stevieray

not true.

It's absolutely true. It's becoming harder and harder to argue that he doesn't have predetermined reads on almost every passing play, and the only "big time" throws he's ever completed are generally post routes where the receiver has been open by a large margin. The one exception was the phenomenal catch that Bowe made against Dallas last year.

[tk13]

I think there are two major things.

1. As milkman points out, confidence. I do think he's seemed more confident than last year.

2. His accuracy to make simple throws. I don't understand why people criticize him like he can't make certain throws. He's not Manning, but he has the arm to make throws all over the field. He just doesn't do it consistently and accurately. Look at that bullet he threw for a TD at Houston, or that beautiful rainbow he threw to Tucker the other day. The guy can make the throws. He just doesn't. Every single QB in the NFL makes a couple overthrows on deep balls on a weekly basis. They just don't follow it up by winging it 8 miles over Charles' head from 5 yards away.

That won't make him a franchise guy necessarily, but it'd be enough to actually win playoff games with a running game and defense.

[jbwm89]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

I know Cassel isnt young, but what do you think his upside in a year or two or 3 if we keep starting him? Ive mentioned it before that i think its probably close to Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle. It took him 3 or 4 years there before he became truly solid and the team becane to gel.

I could see him developing into a Matt Hasselbeck type guy, meh

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

It's absolutely true. It's becoming harder and harder to argue that he doesn't have predetermined reads on almost every passing play, and the only "big time" throws he's ever completed are generally post routes where the receiver has been open by a large margin. The one exception was the phenomenal catch that Bowe made against Dallas last year.

whatever. watched him go through reads against denver.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by cdcox

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 delusional. 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, and then eschew all blame if we lose.

1. If he were a pitcher, the BA on BIP would be remarkably low for him. Remarkably low.

2. Fixed. He's Herm's son.

As I've said before, he lacks the necessary instincts and presence to be a high-quality QB. Unfortunate byproducts of not playing since high school, and he's not going to learn these traits in the NFL.

[Hammock Parties]

Whether or not he goes through his progressions is irrelevant.

The only thing that matters is that he does a poor job of it, because he misses open receivers.

[DeezNutz]

Where's the gif of Bowe getting lit the **** up because he's Cassel's primary read? Meanwhile, Brokaki is wide open at the next level.

Microcosm.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by stevieray

whatever. watched him go through reads against denver.

No, you didn't.

Watch his first pass attempt of the game. He throws it before the receiver has even turned around

Watch him on the sack-fumble that led to the defensive TD. He never sees the blitzer, nor does he stop from doing anything than looking at his primary receiver.

Watch him on any number of roll outs. The play that we almost exclusively run with Moeaki is a single read throw with a lot of noise. He never even attempts to go anywhere else with the ball. It's always a PA fake, a roll out, and a throw to Moeaki on the drag route.

You don't have to make reads against a prevent defense. That's why anyone can play against it. Everyone is back 12 yards, and as a result, everyone is open short. Thus, a series of short-intermediate throws over the middle of the field to wide open receivers who are held from large gains by the 4 deep shell.

When he had to "make reads" in the first half, he routinely shit himself and took a number of unnecessary sacks because he can't read a defense.

Stat lines =/= quality of play.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

He also had three passes that should have been picked off that were dropped last week, and two of them were inside the 10 yard line.

[Bugeater]

I suppose if he wrote me a check for a couple million I'd like him.

[notorious]

If he throws the ****ing ball away instead of taking a sack that will get me to calm my dislike of his QB skills.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

No, you didn't.

yes, I did.

have fun repeating yourself for naught..eventually the line will become tired and then the shift once agian will go to Haley or Pioli.

as tk said, it's about being right. it's predictable and boring.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Where's the gif of Bowe getting lit the **** up because he's Cassel's primary read? Meanwhile, Brokaki is wide open at the next level.

Microcosm.

I'm not sure what play you're talking about, unless you're mistaking Bowe for Charles, who also got lit up.

But if you want another example, on that deep ball to Chambers he overthrew by five yards, Moeaki was wide open over the deep middle. It would have been an easier throw.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by stevieray

yes, I did.

have fun repeating yourself for naught..eventually the line will become tired and then the shift once agian will go to Haley or Pioli.

as tk said, it's about being right. it's predictable and boring.

This is a whole lot of drivel. The least you could do is actually offer evidence to support your claim. Then it might actually have merit.