Teicher: Cassel’s first game for Chiefs is not a memorable one

[Tribal Warfare]

Cassel’s first game for Chiefs is not a memorable one
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

Matt Cassel may yet achieve great things in his Chiefs career, but either way he won’t recall his first game fondly.

Not only did the Chiefs lose 13-10 to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium, but Cassel was part of the problem.

He made a big-time throw for the Chiefs’ only touchdown, a 29-yard pass to Dwayne Bowe in the fourth quarter. But Cassel also threw two interceptions and was unable to make plays at the end of either half.

“With the situation where he’s not 100 percent, there were a lot of positives,” said coach Todd Haley, referring to the knee injury that forced Cassel to miss last week’s season opener in Baltimore.

“At the same time, he’s the quarterback of the team, and he can’t give the ball to them at any time. That’s never going to be all right.”

Cassel said he received word from Haley on Saturday that he would start against Oakland.

“It felt good, and that’s why I was out there playing,” Cassel said. “I wish I would have hit a few more throws. Some of those I think I was a little rusty on.”

Cassel was intercepted twice by Oakland safety Michael Huff. The first led to Oakland’s go-ahead field goal in the third quarter. The other took the Chiefs out of scoring range in the fourth quarter.

Cassel might have been guilty of a bigger sin near the end of the first half. The Chiefs were at the Oakland 9 with 14 seconds left and no timeouts remaining. Instead of throwing into the end zone or throwing the ball away, Cassel threw to Dantrell Savage in the flat. Savage gained only 1 yard and didn’t get out of bounds.

The Chiefs couldn’t line up quickly enough, and time ran out. The field goal they forfeited would have come in handy later in a three-point defeat.

“The play was kind of designed (to go into the end zone), but it just didn’t work out,” Cassel said. “Unfortunately, that’s something that I’ve got to take responsibility for and throw that ball away or do something to (keep) us in field-goal range.”

Haley said: “It’s an out-of-bounds or incomplete situation. If the ball is completed, it must be out of bounds, or if it’s not, the ball has to be incomplete, whether it’s intentionally dropped or not thrown. That’s stuff that can’t happen.”

But it did, and as a result, Cassel was the losing quarterback on a team that outgained its opponent 409 yards to 166.

“That’s football for you,” Cassel said. “It’s game No. 2. Right now, we know we’re 0-2, but then again we have 14 more of these games. We’re optimistic. We know we can play better football, and that’s what we’re shooting for.”

[T-post Tom]

Guess the coaching staff is off the hook for the end of the first half mistake. I hope Cassel & Savage learn from their mistakes.

[Warrior5]

Originally Posted by T-post Tom

Guess the coaching staff is off the hook for the end of the first half mistake. I hope Cassel & Savage learn from their mistakes.

Unless Cassel audibled to change the play, it's squarely on Haley's shoulders. Whoever is to blame, that was one of the most bush-league decisions I've seen in football.

[wild1]

He was still 24 of 39, completing >60% of his passes despite getting a lot of pressure. He made a few mistakes, but the second pick a better reciever might have bailed a QB out from, and it seemed like there were a pretty good number of balls that should have been caught but weren't. I think he looks like he'll be a high efficiency guy. When someone is doing the right things like Wade was, he is good at getting them the ball.

[Mr. Arrowhead]

anybody else getting the feeling that Bobby Wade will lead our team in catches this year

[suds79]

Originally Posted by Mr. Arrowhead

anybody else getting the feeling that Bobby Wade will lead our team in catches this year

After yesterday's game yeah.... And I have a problem with that.

If we're going to feed a WR with a lot of balls thrown his way, why not our biggest playmaker in Bowe? Outside of the TD catch, I don't think he was utilized enough yesterday.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by Warrior5

Unless Cassel audibled to change the play, it's squarely on Haley's shoulders. Whoever is to blame, that was one of the most bush-league decisions I've seen in football.

I totally agree Warrior.

It wasnt a Haley/Cassel? shining moment, but it wont be their defining moment either IMO.

[donkhater]

Originally Posted by Warrior5

Unless Cassel audibled to change the play, it's squarely on Haley's shoulders. Whoever is to blame, that was one of the most bush-league decisions I've seen in football.

It's up there with the Vermiel blunder before halftime of the Seattle game in 2002, I beleive.

Priest literally is running for 5-6 yards a carry the entire first half. They get to the goal line with ~1:00 to go in the half up by 7 and call timeout. Why? I don't know. After the TO, Trent passes to the BACKUP TE Jason Dunn. He pops the ball the air, gets intercepted, returned ot the 50. 1 or two plays later, Seattle scores a TD on a long pass. Tie ball game. KC goes on to lose.

[TRR]

I know most wouldn't agree, but I was extremely happy with what I saw in Cassel this Sunday. He kept drives alive with his feet, made some excellent throws under extreme pressure, and showed the ability of an elite QB to make the clutch throw at the end of the game after throwing two INT's. The great one's come back at the end after a rough outing, and he made the throw.

The issue I have with the play right before half is it falls on everybody. Savage should have never even been sent out to the flat (he should have stayed in and blocked) Cassel never should have thrown it knowing the situation, and Savage could have at least been alert enough to knock the pass down instead of catching it knowing the situation. He knew where he was on the field just as much as Cassel did, and before making the break, Savage had to see the Raider player behind him.

It's a team game.

[bobbything]

Originally Posted by donkhater

It's up there with the Vermiel blunder before halftime of the Seattle game in 2002, I beleive.

Priest literally is running for 5-6 yards a carry the entire first half. They get to the goal line with ~1:00 to go in the half up by 7 and call timeout. Why? I don't know. After the TO, Trent passes to the BACKUP TE Jason Dunn. He pops the ball the air, gets intercepted, returned ot the 50. 1 or two plays later, Seattle scores a TD on a long pass. Tie ball game. KC goes on to lose.

This was typical of Vermeil teams. I never understood it. Houston game in KC, 2004. Chiefs are on the 1 yard line. Instead of 3 straight plays of Priest Holmes, Vermeil/Saunders call for a pass. Green throws an INT in the endzone that is ran back ~105 yards. That would have put KC up by 14 points. Instead, the game is tied. Houston kicks a 50 yard field goal to win the game in the closing seconds.

Chiefs up 17-0 against Philly, 2005. Green had thrown 2 or 3 quick slants to Kennison already. Vermeil/Saunders call for another quick slant to Kennison. Philly reads it immediately, intercepts the pass, runs it back 50+ yards for the TD. After that, Chiefs collapse. Lose 37-31 at home. That game cost us the playoffs IMO. 17-0 leads at home you don't lose. After the game, Green even said something to the effect of, "Everyone knew we were going to throw that pass. But, we can't audible so I had to throw it." Implying that he adamantly didn't want to run that play, again.

[RippedmyFlesh]

Originally Posted by bobbything

Chiefs up 17-0 against Philly, 2005. Green had thrown 2 or 3 quick slants to Kennison already. Vermeil/Saunders call for another quick slant to Kennison. Philly reads it immediately, intercepts the pass, runs it back 50+ yards for the TD. After that, Chiefs collapse. Lose 37-31 at home. That game cost us the playoffs IMO. 17-0 leads at home you don't lose. After the game, Green even said something to the effect of, "Everyone knew we were going to throw that pass. But, we can't audible so I had to throw it." Implying that he adamantly didn't want to run that play, again.

To me that game was the start of the downward spiral. That was one of the most gut wrenching regular season loses.

[Chiefnj2]

I love it when people look back and rip on DV's offense. They had a top 3 offense for 4 years and people still bitch and moan about a questionable call or two.

[bobbything]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

I love it when people look back and rip on DV's offense. They had a top 3 offense for 4 years and people still bitch and moan about a questionable call or two.

It always comes down to a call or two. In 2005, up 17-0, that call changed the entire game. No, the entire season.

I'm not ripping on his offense. It was great. But, knowing how much suck was on the defensive side, I always thought the Vermeil/Saunders offense was more concerned with trickery than it was with protecting a lead. That's not to suggest that it wasn't productive. But, there was always one eyebrow-raising moment in every other game. Why pass on 1st and goal from the 1? Why run the same high-risk play over and over again when the defense has made an adjustment to negate that very play?

As good as that offense was, I always thought it could have done a better job at hiding the defensive flaws of the team.

[Chiefnj2]

Originally Posted by bobbything

It always comes down to a call or two. In 2005, up 17-0, that call changed the entire game. No, the entire season.

I'm not ripping on his offense. It was great. But, knowing how much suck was on the defensive side, I always thought the Vermeil/Saunders offense was more concerned with trickery than it was with protecting a lead. That's not to suggest that it wasn't productive. But, there was always one eyebrow-raising moment in every other game. Why pass on 1st and goal from the 1? Why run the same high-risk play over and over again when the defense has made an adjustment to negate that very play?

As good as that offense was, I always thought it could have done a better job at hiding the defensive flaws of the team.

Bitching about DV's offense is like complaining about having sex with Marissa Miller last night because she wore the same sexy nurse outfit a week ago.

[bobbything]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Bitching about DV's offense is like complaining about having sex with Marissa Miller last night because she wore the same sexy nurse outfit a week ago.

No it's not.