Clark Judge loves Matt Cassel, and so should you.

[Hammock Parties]

Cassel proving to be difference-maker in K.C.

By Clark Judge CBSSports.com Senior Writer Nov. 30, 2010

Let's get this out of the way up front and admit what we should know -- namely, that the Kansas City Chiefs made the right move when they acquired quarterback Matt Cassel.

Matt Cassel's 2010 numbers put him among the league's elite passers. (Getty Images)

They thought they were getting someone who could stabilize the most important position in the game, and they did. They thought they were getting someone who was smart, accurate and reliable, and they did. They thought they were getting someone who could win, and they did. In short, they thought they were getting a quarterback they could trust. And they did.

Matt Cassel is having the best season of his career a year after he, the Chiefs and general manager Scott Pioli took heat for Cassel's underwhelming play -- with one local columnist so outraged that he characterized Cassel as "horrible."


Um, maybe not. Cassel has the Chiefs on top of the AFC West. He's won more games (7) in 11 starts than the club won the past two seasons (6). He hasn't lost at home. He leads the league in touchdown percentage. He's second only to Tom Brady in ratio of touchdowns-to-interceptions. And he's fourth overall in passer rating, ahead of luminaries like Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan.

"Matt Cassel keeps setting the bar higher and higher," coach Todd Haley said after Kansas City's latest victory.

I'll second that. It's not just that the Chiefs continue to win under Cassel's direction; it's what Cassel's done to put them in that position, and the envelope, please: Over his last seven starts Cassel has 18 touchdown passes and one interception. Let me repeat: 18 and 1, a ratio that is better than anyone -- including Tom Brady -- over that period, and tell me that shouldn't put this guy front and center of the national spotlight.

It should. Only it hasn't. And one reason it hasn't is because there's a lingering feeling that Kansas City is overachieving and, well, that the Chiefs will eventually get caught by San Diego anyway. I don't buy into the overachieving argument, but after watching San Diego dissect Indianapolis the other night I do believe the Chargers, not the Chiefs, are the team to beat in the AFC West -- basically because the schedule falls their way in December, a month where they have won their last 18.

But that's a projection. Let's look at what we know, and what we know is that Matt Cassel is everything Pioli and the Chiefs envisioned when they acquired him. OK, so it took offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and a system with which Cassel was comfortable for him to flourish. But that happens. It took Brees four seasons before he started to feel comfortable in San Diego.

No question about it, Cassel struggled last season, but let's be honest: There were an abundance of reasons. One was the change of offensive coordinators immediately prior to the season, with Cassel forced to learn on the fly. Another was the Chiefs' mistake-prone receivers, with Kansas City two flubs away from tying an unofficial record for most drops in a year (51). Still another was the team's inability to run the ball until Jamaal Charles stepped into the huddle midway through the schedule.

Now fast forward to 2010, with Weis refining Haley's system to add a few wrinkles that Cassel might have known or practiced when he was with New England. It was there that Cassel first became a starter, stepping into the lineup for the first time in nine years when Brady was hurt in the 2008 opener. And it was there he was supposed to flop. Only he didn't, leading the Patriots to an 11-5 finish.

Surprising? Yes. But that was the guy Kansas City thought it was getting when it traded for Cassel. And that is the guy it has.

Look, I don't know that kicked in this season, but it's hard to ignore the results. What I do know is that Haley worked with Cassel on being more precise in his drops within the pocket, and Cassel has responded. I also know that having the league's top-ranked running game -- with the Chiefs shredding Seattle for 270 yards -- has helped. And I know the emergence of wide receiver Dwayne Bowe -- one of those guys who last season looked more like a backboard than a pass catcher -- has been a huge plus.

In the end, though, it comes back to Matt Cassel. The Chiefs had Larry Johnson to run the ball in 2007-08, and they couldn't win. They had Tony Gonzalez to catch it then, too, and they couldn't win. And they couldn't win because they didn't have someone, anyone, at quarterback to throw the right passes, avoid the big mistakes and make the smart decisions.
Now they do.

"I think he's an NFL starting quarterback you can win with and win championships with," Pioli said at training camp last summer. "Matt adjusted to a lot of change, showed his competitiveness, resiliency and his ability. Beyond the mental and emotional (aspect) and his competitiveness, he showed the physical ability to be able to win."

Pioli was right. Kansas City is not where it is today without Matt Cassel, and it's high time the club, its G.M., its head coach, its assistants and Matt Cassel himself are recognized for what is working with the Chiefs. And what is working is their quarterback.

Adding Matt Cassel not only was a good move; it was a necessary one. And it has the Chiefs where they haven't been in years. Good for them. Good for Pioli. And, most important, good for Matt Cassel.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

Oh ok. Youre right....I just asked everyone who knew and they told me you were correct and Cassel sucks, Pioli is a moron etc...

I will never question you again.

I'm looking for a post in which anyone said Cassel sucks, or that Pioli is a moron.

I'd ask for a refund from the Meat Dragon School of Trolling, if I were you.

[ToxSocks]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

But the standard has to be clear. We have to get on Cassel's case for the right reasons.

Because an unfair standard is to expect him to continually carry a bad defense and special teams unit and expect him to consistently win games. I ripped on Cassel for his performance against Denver--thought he didn't make plays when he needed to. On the other hand, I think a LOT of people were very unfairly critical of Cassel's performance in Oakland even though the Chiefs got crushed in the running game, on defense, on special teams, and with stupid penalty mistakes. So I don't agree that it's fair to say that we go as Cassel goes. Cassel needs to be sharp in the remaining games, but if he's sharp and the defense gives up 30+ points, there's only so far you can take the blame.

That depends on what your expectations are. If the Chiefs are going to be perennial contenders, he absolutely must develop into a guy who can carry the team. See Manning, Rivers, Brady.

Our running game wont always be great. We can't always depend on our D. And Special teams will make their mistakes.

But the best teams, the perennial teams have a Qb that can constantly overcome those mistakes and keep their teams in it.

Cassel has to become that guy.

[007]

Originally Posted by stevieray

sure you do.. you keep repeating it...and you expect him to overcome subpar play from the rest of the squad. in year two of a rebuild...

excel, despite like the defense played against Houston?

hey matt, the defense just gave up four consecutive TD's in the forth qtr....it's your fault if we lose.

OK, you win. I'm not supposed to defend my position. Got it.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by DeezNutz

Denver is a floundering team right now, in large part because of a lot of internal problems, and we should absolutely piss pound them at Arrowhead.

Cassel will need to play well in SD. Not doing so should be grounds for legitimate criticism because this will, essentially, be a playoff game for this team. All players, especially our most important ones, will need to elevate their game.

I expect to see the best from the likes of Bowe, Charles, Cassel, etc.

Spot on.

Every game from here on out is a playoff game, IMO, and should be treated as one.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by Gif Horse

Is he the big spoon or the little spoon?

you tell me, spork.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by Guru

OK, you win. I'm not supposed to defend my position. Got it.

assuming the worst is a position?

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by Gif Horse

Wins over NFC West teams do not prove that the Chiefs are not frauds.

They remain frauds until they make the playoffs and prove they belong in the playoffs.

They have exceeded ALL expectations. They are a very much improved team. Even if they don't make the playoffs, how can they be frauds? It's not like they are claiming to be SB contenders.
It's crazy how people can look at a team that was supposed to win 6 games win 7 out of 11, and then call them frauds because they are not as goos as the Patriots.

[philfree]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

I agree that San Diego is a huge test for Cassel but I also believe that if he fails, that doesn't mean that he won't get "it" later this year or before next season.

Like I mentioned earlier, the guy was on the roster at USC and with the Patriots but he hasn't been put in that type of a situation before. He's getting better each week but it won't shock me if he falters because he's really never been in "playoff" type atmosphere in college or the NFL. He may not be prepared for that type of pressure.

If he doesn't perform at a higher level in San Diego but comes back to play at a high level against the final three opponents, I'll have more faith in him the next time he's put in that situation. He's still got a lot to learn but he's most certainly heading in the right direction.

I believe those last games he won in NE were playoff type games for the Patriots. They didn't make the playoffs but coming down the stretch they won the games trying like hell to get into the playoffs. Those were important games that the Patriots had to win if they were going to get into the playoffs.

I think that's one thing Pioli saw in him.


PhilFree

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

I'm looking for a post in which anyone said Cassel sucks, or that Pioli is a moron.

I'd ask for a refund from the Meat Dragon School of Trolling, if I were you.

Oh thats right you always knew he was going to be a solid QB...



This is fantastic.....was "school" a hospital for amnesia?

Youre right no one on this board would ever say Cassel Sucks


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Guru

OK, you win. I'm not supposed to defend my position. Got it.

No, you're just supposed to pass the blame to anyone but Cassel.

I mean, the guy that touches the ball on every offensive play has zero bearing on the game, right?

I don't give a flying **** if the defense gives up 60 points.

That means that Cassel's job is to lead the offense to 61.

[007]

Originally Posted by stevieray

assuming the worst is a position?

Being cautious is not assuming the worst. You haven't been reading my posts or you are just assigning your own meaning to them. I think your beef is more with OTW than with me.

[007]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

No, you're just supposed to pass the blame to anyone but Cassel.

I mean, the guy that touches the ball on every offensive play has zero bearing on the game, right?

I don't give a flying **** if the defense gives up 60 points.

That means that Cassel's job is to lead the offense to 61.

Lets not forget that Cassel had the opportunity to win that game in the end.

[OnTheWarpath15]

Originally Posted by Pawnmower

Oh thats right you always knew he was going to be a solid QB...



This is fantastic.....was "school" a hospital for amnesia?

Shocking that you're moving the goalposts, but show me where I was wrong?

I said that he'd have a solid year statistically because of Weis masking his deficiencies.

That's exactly what's happened, up until the 2nd half of the Denver game.

Since then, they've actually opened up the playbook and let him try to stretch the field.

And he's been successful doing so. Let's hope the string of solid play continues.

[stevieray]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

No offense, Steve, but that's ridiculous, and you know it.

Peyton Manning answered all the questions we have about Cassel in his rookie year, and is nothing less than a Top 5 QB in the history of the NFL.

Sorry, but he gets the benefit of the doubt for having a bad game or two every three years.

Maybe if Cassel shows, just once, that he can do any of the things Manning has been doing consistently for over a decade, you can make that comment again, and I'll only snicker instead of laughing so hard it hurts.

you constantly compare him to franchise qb's, and expect him to be one in year two (mainly based on contract).. then don't hold franchise qb's to the same standard.


just like you claimed they were gonna suck, and now expect them to be playoff contenders.

laughing so hard it hurts?

oh snap.

[Ming the Merciless]

Originally Posted by OnTheWarpath58

I don't give a flying **** if the defense gives up 60 points.

That means that Cassel's job is to lead the offense to 61.

FAIL

I hope there aren't any logic questions on your final exam....