Gretz: No new QB...

[Coogs]

...sounds like 3 more weeks of Cassel at least.

http://www.bobgretz.com/


September 21, 2011 - Bob Gretz | Comments (3)

From the Truman Sports Complex


Todd Haley said Wednesday afternoon it was too early to judge the performance of starting QB Matt Cassel, other than to say it must improve.

“Two games is too early to recognize an identity of a team,” Haley said. “We obviously need to change things here pretty quick to keep our identity from being something we don’t want it to be. It does take four or five games. The same goes for players.”

Statistically, only Jacksonville’s starting QB Josh McCown has gotten off to a worse start than Cassel. His passer rating is 50.4, a full 20 points behind the next guy above him in the league rankings. His 4.3 yards per passing attempt is the worst in the league. In 10 statistical areas for quarterbacks, Cassel’s highest ranking is No. 13 for completion percentage. Otherwise, he’s ranked 22 and below and in half of those categories, he’s ranked No. 30 or lower.

[whoman69]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Yeah, cause he was so good in practice all through camp that he never pushed past 3rd on the depth chat behind Tyler freaking Palko.

I can't agree. He's # 3 on the depth chart because he had no offseason to learn the playbook. Unless you're Carolina and expecting the rooking to come in game one he's not going to get the reps in practice to learn it. Putting him in a game is going to mean only using a portion of the playbook. We're getting to the point that he has to get his feet wet.

For this game it might be rough to bring him in. OK, wait a game and put in Palko this week. I can't see anymore of Check Down. At some point in this season if this continues we are going to have to look to the future of the franchise. A 30 year old QB that can't get it done is not going to get better. He may play better in spurts. You can't say Stanzi will fail until he is given an opportunity. It may not be the best situation, but putting him in when were 0-12 is going to be too late.

[Okie_Apparition]

Horne was elevated so he can be not dressed game day

[Ace Gunner]

Originally Posted by Okie_Apparition

Cassel is going to have to push the ball down the field or get benched. Of course that will get him benched for the turnovers. His time as KC's starter can be counted in quarters

I was on that bandwagon last week. Nobody believed it

[milkman]

Originally Posted by BossChief

Playbook

Every single practice in training camp Stanzi was reportedly throwing touchdowns and Cassel struggled...the preseason games came along and Cassel struggled more and more and the moment Stanzi got in the games, he threw it downfield effortlessly and with far better accuracy than any quarterback in KC since Green. He was behind a line that was complete jailbreaks nearly every play and still showed the poise to slide and keep his eyes downfield and folow through on his passes to deliver a nice, accurate and catchable ball nearly every single time.

That is exactly what a QB has to do to be known as one of the guys that "beats the blitz"

That's not my opinion, those are facts.

While I disagree with Keg's assessment of the situation, and agree that Stanzi impressed during the preseason, let us not forget, Max Hall and John Skelton impressed during the preseason for the Cardinals last year.

[ILChief]

If they bench Cassel, Palko will start.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by ILChief

If they bench Cassel, Palko will start.

That would be 100% proof they are playing for Luck.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by milkman

While I disagree with Keg's assessment of the situation, and agree that Stanzi impressed during the preseason, let us not forget, Max Hall and John Skelton impressed during the preseason for the Cardinals last year.

Im trying to keep my takes on Stanzi reasonable, but the conversation of Palko being #2 and therefore better than Stanzi is horribly misguided if not for the playbook aspect.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by ILChief

If they bench Cassel, Palko will start.

Depends. If it happens at the bye week...absolutely ...if he doesn't get benched till like week 8 or 9, Stanzi will take the field.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by milkman

While I disagree with Keg's assessment of the situation, and agree that Stanzi impressed during the preseason, let us not forget, Max Hall and John Skelton impressed during the preseason for the Cardinals last year.

Well, my assessment of the situation is that it probably would not take a whole lot for Stanzi to move past Palko on the depth chart, so I think it's probably meaningful that he hasn't. But that's just speculation on my part.

As far as how impressive Stanzi was in the preseason, as I recall, he was actually quite unimpressive for two games, then quite impressive for the third, and then didn't even play in the fourth. My point being: I think people tend to remember the positive much more than the negative when they're talking about a favorite backup quarterback. It's sort of the opposite of the way we treat starting quarterbacks. We remember the backup's good plays and tend to forget the struggles.

I do also, however, think it's meaningful that he was kept on the roster in the first place and not waived and moved to the practice squad. Although if I had to guess, I'd say that's more of a statement about the future than about 2011. I think they saw enough to believe they would have to protect him (from other teams) and that he has shown enough that they believe it worth doing so.

[NJChiefsFan]

This seemed positive to me in regard to getting Matt out. I was expecting an answer to the tune of "Matt isn't the problem" or something like that. I would be more than glad to wait this out a few weeks. Even if Palko starts a week or two, I would just ideally like to give Stanzi 8 games if possible.

Either way, even if Stanzi lights it up, you can't pass Luck up.

[Bewbies]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

That would be 100% proof they are playing for Luck.

THEN WHAT THE **** ARE WE WAITING FOR??

[milkman]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Well, my assessment of the situation is that it probably would not take a whole lot for Stanzi to move past Palko on the depth chart, so I think it's probably meaningful that he hasn't. But that's just speculation on my part.

As far as how impressive Stanzi was in the preseason, as I recall, he was actually quite unimpressive for two games, then quite impressive for the third, and then didn't even play in the fourth. My point being: I think people tend to remember the positive much more than the negative when they're talking about a favorite backup quarterback. It's sort of the opposite of the way we treat starting quarterbacks. We remember the backup's good plays and tend to forget the struggles.

I do also, however, think it's meaningful that he was kept on the roster in the first place and not waived and moved to the practice squad. Although if I had to guess, I'd say that's more of a statement about the future than about 2011. I think they saw enough to believe they would have to protect him (from other teams) and that he has shown enough that they believe it worth doing so.

Here's what I remember.

In the first two games, Stanzi had to play behind guys on the line that couldn't block my dead grandmother.

He had maybe two plays that he didn't have someone on him almost before the snap, and one of those was great pass on the sideline that Horne dropped.

I also saw a guy that showed some moxie.

In the third game, he showed some ability, mixed in with a couple of bad decisions.

I don't think anyone saw enough to make a fair assesment, so I'm not ready to hand the keys over to him, but I am also not ruling out the possibility that he might be the best, most polished, QB on this roster in terms of mechanics and reads.

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

Either way, even if Stanzi lights it up, you can't pass Luck up.

That's what I'm worried about. I'd love to see Stanzi play but I worry that if he plays decent they'd pass on Luck. Or he wins just enough games to drop us out of the top pick.

[NJChiefsFan]

Originally Posted by ILChief

That's what I'm worried about. I'd love to see Stanzi play but I worry that if he plays decent they'd pass on Luck. Or he wins just enough games to drop us out of the top pick.

In that line of thinking my fear would be that he plays well enough that if we finish say 2nd or 3rd that his play makes them shy away from trading for Luck.

[ILChief]

Originally Posted by NJChiefsFan

In that line of thinking my fear would be that he plays well enough that if we finish say 2nd or 3rd that his play makes them shy away from trading for Luck.

I doubt there will be any trades for Luck. It's going to come down to us, Seattle, and Indianapolis (if Manning doesn't play). No way any of those three should trade out of #1.