Cassel Is Failing Chiefs
 

http://kan.scout.com/2/912917.html

It’s easy to blame the Chiefs’ terrible pass defense or rotten, handicapped offensive line play for Sunday’s 37-7 blowout at the hands of the San Diego Chargers. But you can do that every week. At some point you have to call out the highest-paid player, so it’s time to lay it at the feet of Matt Cassel.

There’s no question Cassel shares some of the blame for the Chiefs’ 1-6 start. He blew a game against the Oakland Raiders in Week 2 but it was nothing compared to what transpired inside a soggy Arrowhead Stadium Sunday. The Chiefs had 19 net passing yards and zero passing first downs at halftime against the Chargers, and even that total was “inflated” by a two-minute drill. At one point, Cassel had dropped back to pass eight times and completed one pass for a grand total of two net yards.

When it was all over, Kansas City had only three passing first downs despite Cassel’s 25 attempts. His 25.3 quarterback rating, a horrifying statistic in a vacuum, appears even more revolting when you consider that it was the lowest rating a Chiefs’ starter has posted since Tyler Thigpen melted down in Atlanta a year ago.

Yes, we’re now revisiting a level of incompetence from KC’s passing game that we haven’t seen since Herm Edwards was trying to save his job by throwing Thigpen to the wolves.

Sunday’s game was that bad. The Chiefs appeared to be a team that cannot field even an average passing attack, and this came at home against a San Diego team with a mediocre secondary and a terrible pass rush. I’m not sure Shaw-knee Merriman touched Cassel, but it really didn’t matter.

As soon as his pocket became congested against the Chargers, Cassel looked lost. The play was dead. And when Cassel did throw, the results were less than inspiring. Specifically, his accuracy hit the bottom of the barrel against the Chargers.

In the second quarter, Cassel threw an awful pass that was intended for newly-activated wide receiver Lance Long. It was underthrown and nearly intercepted. On the next play, Long got a step deep on his coverage, but once again the pass was underthrown and Long was forced to reach back awkwardly in a failed attempt to catch it.

Were they difficult throws? Sure. But Cassel is the highest-paid Chief. He’s supposed to be a difference maker. He failed to make a difference. The Chiefs, already down 14-0 at that point, couldn’t really afford to punt again, but had to because they simply couldn’t move the ball through the air. At all.

A few plays later, Cassel badly skipped a ball to a wide-open Dwayne Bowe, who would have picked up a first down. It wasn’t a difficult throw, and Cassel had a perfect pocket to pass from. He just dumped the ball right in the dirt. Is there really any excuse for that from the highest-paid Chief?

But what really stings is, at one point, Kansas City had a chance to get back in the ball game. They were down 13 points, had been out-gained 2-to-1, and Arrowhead Stadium was a drippy, depressing, scene. But on their first possession of the third quarter, the Chiefs had scored, then KC’s defense had stuffed San Diego’s offense, and all the momentum was on Matt Cassel’s side.

It was at that point that he dropped back to throw, stepped up and heaved one of those long, graceful, arcing spirals you always see in slow motion on NFL Films highlights. For a brief second, Chiefs fans may have seen Jamaal Charles breaking open, seen the ball sailing through the air and thought – this is it! Matt Cassel is about to throw a 65-yard touchdown pass, no one can run down Charles, and this place is about to go crazy! We’re back in this game!

And then the pass fluttered off to the right as Charles made a hopeless stab at an over-the-shoulder miracle catch. The ball thumped into the wet grass and slipped away, just like the opportunity.

Cassel blew it, and he blew the next play when he badly overthrew a wide, wide open Bobby Wade streaking down the right sideline for what was, at least, a 20-yard gain and potentially a touchdown. The pass wasn’t even close. Wade would have needed a last-second gust of hurricane-force wind to catch up to it.

And that was it. On third and long, Cassel scrambled for two meaningless yards, the Chiefs punted, the Chargers torched KC’s defense for another long touchdown. Game over.

The Chiefs had missed their window of opportunity to get back in the game. When you’re a 1-6 team, those chances don’t come along that often. The highest-paid player on the team has to seize the moment. Matt Cassel failed to do that, and right now he is failing the Chiefs. His performance Sunday was as bad as anything we saw from Thigpen a year ago, and could have been worse. Cassel’s three interceptions could have easily been five. If Bowe doesn’t make a sensational play on the end-zone boundary, the Chiefs don’t even score.

Chiefs fans love to laugh at Oakland’s JaMarcus Russell, who is completing only 45.6 percent of his passes. But Cassel is now keeping him company, just four spots above at 54.8 percent. Cassel is 34th in the NFL in yards per attempt (note that there are only 32 starting quarterbacks) and the Chiefs have the league’s worst third-down conversion rate.

Are the questions that arose around Cassel last season in New England still an issue? It’s hard to argue otherwise. The Patriots had a woeful deep passing game a year ago and Sunday, Charles might as well have been Randy Moss getting wide open down the field only to watch the ball sail over his head. There are no shortage of plays where Cassel holds onto the ball and takes a sack, and at this rate, after taking 47 sacks with the Patriots and already another 23 this season, he may wind up as the most-sacked quarterback in the league over the last two seasons. These are not trends that should be ignored.

The saddest part may be that at times, Cassel actually shows signs of being the franchise quarterback he’s paid to be. Sunday, he made a spectacular throw to Long that would have gone for a touchdown had it not been dropped. He threw gorgeous passes to Bowe for clutch, game-tying touchdowns against the Raiders and Cowboys. He has protected the ball well, been a good teammate, played with heart and determination and said all the right things.

But the Chiefs are 1-6, have one of the league’s worst passing games, and here we are comparing Cassel to Thigpen and Russell. After Sunday, it’s hard to argue he hasn’t been a giant disappointment. The Chiefs had a chance, if only for the briefest of moments, and Cassel failed them. His contract demands success.

I hate it for him I really do.Even as much as I cant stand him,he wasn't dealt a very good hand here in KC.

Oh Bull****. He was dealt a 60 million dollar hand before he'd shown anything. He's the last guy in the world who gets to bitch about anything, especially given the fact that he made his entire contract on the YAC of Welker and Moss because he can't throw the ball more than 10 yards down the field with any accuracy.

This is the most troubling part about Cassel, IMO.

I still can't believe that deep ball to a wide open Charles that fell two yards out of bounds.

i like cassel, and this team really sucks, but he can't play that way...accuracy is a minimal requirement and he blew it

go chiefs I told you after the raider game this guy wasn't the answer and you told me I was wrong. I can't wait till next week when you write a column about how LJ is beginning to lose a step. Welcome to 6 weeks ago.

he is mitch's guest tomorrow..I predict a "hang in there, we're gona get this turned around" show.

It is impossible to judge Cassel until he has a halfway decent offensive line, some WRs to throw to and a competent offensive coordinator

He should spend the week in solitary confinement with Haley and game tape.

He had halfway decent protection on several throws and blew them. Horribly.

Hold him accountable.

I agree now hold LJ and Brown accountable for their horrible play.

They are not key players. No one really cares.

Cassel is just wildly inaccurate down the field, he had the problem in NE and it's still with him. His other problem is when he hits his back foot on his drop if his first read isn't open his first instinct is to start moving. He never just drops back and progresses through his reads without running around even when he has a good pocket he does it.

LJ is not a key player? Do you say this shit before you type it? You are an amazing idiot.

This whole team needs to be held accountable... Cassel included, they all suck at this point

Welcome to 6 years ago.

Cassel has been scared to death ever since he got hurt.

He is so scared that is footwork is crap and about 2 seconds after every snap he stops looking down field and starts looking for a place to hide.

Did Nick write this? Because whoever wrote this needs to know that it is "Passer Rating" NOT "Quarterback Rating."
So much for being a legit media source. Get the simple terms correct.

This... it's almost like the Damon Huard fetal position only a little more active

DAMMIT!!!!

No it isn't!

He had an all-world WR corps and a great line in NE and he STILL couldn't throw downfield. I'm not even talking deep balls, I'm talking simple 15-20 yard patterns. He wasn't even strong on intermediate routes.

Why do people act like he just materialized from the ether? Matt Cassel played football last year and anyone that watched those games realized that he wasn't an accurate passer, especially so on anything beyond 10 yards. He had great WRs that could go get the ball and they made him look decent.

He will never be an accurate passer. He is what NE knew he was - a backup QB.

Then why did Pioli and that douche in Denver want him?!? lalalalalalalalalalal

That's not true.

Cassel, after he became more comfortable in the offense, the one that was adjusted to his skillset, was far more accurate than people ar giving him credit for on short to intemediate routes.

But the problem is, much like Thigpen, he only really played well when they put him in the shotgun/spread for the majority of snaps.

That same problem still exists.

I am not sure which pisses me off more, Cassel missing WIDE open receivers, or wide oepn receivers "BOWE" dropping passes that hit them right in the hands. I think we call this the perfect storm...perfectly terrible. I was too disgusted to yell at the TV, and thathas to be pretty disgusting for me NOT to yell at the Chiefs on TV!!:cuss:

How long until we hear the "Start Croyle Again" movement?

Hey, guys. Cassel gets $60,000,000. Let's not even line up 5 fat guys in front of him. He should still win every game 45-7. :shake:

yeah let's start Croyle... everyone knows we are just a good QB away from being a playoff team ROFL

Define "pocket." Today was one of the first days I've seen a pocket to step into. And on most plays when a pocket formed, he did a real good job of stepping into it. There usually isn't a pocket because the blockers do such a poor job that there's a logjam in the middle. In the first half, about 75% of the snaps he was moving out of necessity, not out of panic. His offensive line protection was apalling.

In the second half, he had protection, he had a pocket, he made good reads, he was just inaccurate and misfiring. That's not encouraging. But that's an entirely different issue from the token claim people keep bringing up that he holds on to the ball too long and has lousy pocket presence or that he assumes the fetal position at the first hint of pressure. You can't blame a QB when your offensive line gives you no options to move.

Halftime of week two.:D

I don't really think there's much argument about his holding of the ball and his taking to many sacks those are obvious.

eat a dick cassel hater you dont know your ass from a hole in the ground

It's a reeruned argument. In the first half, the ball was out within 3 seconds. If it wasn't out, it was because he was flushed by a defender within those 3 seconds.

It's an argument that people keep rattling off because they heard somebody else say it.

The accuracy issues are an issue. Claiming that a QB who doesn't have enough time to hold onto the ball too long holds the ball too long is ridiculous.

Maybe our recievers can't get separation in 3 seconds.

When they do he misses them just look at today.

Zilla, you might be the greatest excuse maker ever.

I hope to hell you're in public relations.

Where's SAUTO? Where is that little shit?

I can't WAIT to hear his ****ing take on this article.

"Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala"

yay Cassel sucks... Let's all celebrate cause we were right!!!!!1111eleventy!!!!111

I never made excuses for his inaccuracy today. When he had consistent protection and he can step into his throws, there's no excuse for missing. And yes, I'm concerned about it.

But people who claim he's had good protection are being reeruned. When your argument is that he should convert on the 3 out of 10 passes where he has a clean pocket, you know you have an o-line problem.

Please do me a favor and watch the first half. And count how long it takes for some defender to completely disrupt his pocket. It's within 2-3 seconds on about 75% of the plays. The remaining 25% of the plays, the ball was generally out within 3 seconds.

Holding on to the ball too long and inaccuracy are two completely separate issues.

Well, seeing as how we can't even BEGIN to compete for the division much less a wild card; I'll take it!


YAYYYYYYYY!!!!TWENTY-ELEVENTYBILLION-MILLION!!!!!!1111!!!!!@!

and we would be competing with anyone else at QB? I'm sorry this team just sucks too bad to be pinning it all on the QB....... he needs to play better no excuses but so does everyone else

Come on, WT; say the name. You know you want to say it. Let that straw man fall from your lips to the keyboard and out to teh intrawebs FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE!

LMAO

I went to the game today and sat in the rain for the whole game. Cassel to me just does not look like he has the "it" factor. He missed so many open recievers today. It just really bugs me how he can be so bad game after game after game like this.

They'll break out the Cassel roll against the Jags.

Shit, I'm already there

I can imagine that watching this guy play from the stands with a good view of the entire field would be enough to make ones head explode.

The only reason it did not explode was because of the rain. His reads are just as bad as a rookie

He held onto it it to long last year also, sure you have an excuse for that as well :spock:

LMAO

Here, you need a General Piolio's Fried Chicken Nappy Meal; works every time!


<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nqQTLgo_idc&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nqQTLgo_idc&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

But it's NEVER his fault.

Because you keep saying "as well." It's not a ****ing issue this year. You're basically recycling an argument you heard somebody else used and you're ignoring the piles of evidence that show otherwise.

That he holds onto the ball when he should throw it away, or that he can't hit a receiver?

I've said that his inability to hit an open receiver is a problem.

Holding on to the ball is NOT a problem. And in most cases, he can't throw the ball away because there is usually a pass rusher surrounding him in all directions. For as much shit as he takes for taking the fetal position, when you're surrounded, the only thing you can do is protect the ball. Unless people are recommending he move backward and take a 10-yard bigger loss.

Okay. He's played 6 games this year. At what point do we start looking at other options?

Complete the following sentences:

A _____ fell from a tree in the fall.

The Who broadcast a "farewell concert" in the early 80's from Toronto's Maple _____ Gardens.

I was raking my lawn, but I missed one single _____ that got caught in the sidewalk crack.


:D

Jay Cutler threw 3 INT's today and the Bears got crushed by the Bungles....does this mean that Cutler is terrible too?

This Cassel hate is ridiculous. He had a bad game...move on. The whole team sucks.
Posted via Mobile Device

If that option was on the roster, that'd be one thing. But it's not. Croyle could be a good QB but you can't count on him to play a healthy 16 games.

I don't know the answer to this. Unfortunately, I don't think you get much more options after this season either. No QBs on the open market and probably the worst QB class in the history of the draft. I think the best you can do is just surround him with better players in 2010 and see if that makes a difference. If he's not good then, then you have a 2011 draft class that could have two outstanding QBs that are legit top 5 picks.

It's not going to happen, that's Pioli's boy. They are tied, Cassel is starting for the next 3-4 years regardless of how bad he is.

Ah...dare to dream.

Are you joking?

Cutler ****ing sucks ass. I've been saying this for YEARS. Unlike all the other asswipes that thought Denver would fail without him, I've stated all along they'd be further ahead as a team with him gone.

Denver's 6-0. Chicago's 3-3.

BTW, Cutler hasn't QB'd a winning team since HIGH SCHOOL.

This..... he's played 6 games for probably the least talented team in NFL history... shit even the best QB's in the NFL need some help... anyone who claims it's all his fault is a ****ing moron

Mojo, you sure say some silly things sometimes.

Even the NFL's official site refers to it as a quarterback rating.

http://www.nfl.com/help/quarterbackratingformula

But really...it's irrelevant. Silly mojo.

yes I often dream that my teams QB sucks ass cause yeah that makes a lot of sense :rolleyes:

LOL! You are moron! Yea Cutler is horrible. He and Cassel shouldn't even be in the NFL. Players like Kyle Orton are who you build a franchise around without a doubt.

Do me a favor...stab yourself in the face.
Posted via Mobile Device

I watch the games, I'm not recycling shit. HE HOLDS THE BALL TO LONG. He did it last year, and he does it this year. Yes he is pressured on some plays but on others he has time and holds onto it.

I was dreaming that the Chiefs might dare to go against Zeus and DRAFT A ****ING QUARTERBACK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE EARLY 80'S.

You know, that thing WINNING teams do? Yeah, THAT one.

Jay Cutler has a million dollar arm and a 10 cent head, there's no other way to put it.

People will drool over the natural talent but I'm not sure you'll ever win with a guy like that..Cassel doesn't even have that kind of natural talent not even close.

Then you have an unrealistic expectation of what "holding the ball too long" is. I think it's safe to say that well over half of the pass plays this season had a pocket disrupted within 3 seconds of the snap. That is an insanely ridiculous expectation for a QB.

Yes, there are times when he doesn't get rid of the ball sooner. But that's ridiculous to expect a QB to get rid of the ball in 3 seconds on 100% of the snaps. I don't think he holds on to the ball any longer than say a Kurt Warner or an Eli Manning. Or especially a Ben Roethlisberger.

You know what bugs the shit out of me, does Matt Cassel want to do a favor for new guys or something?

Bobby Wade signs and Cassel throws it to him a shit ton, today Lance Long plays and Cassel just keeps trying to feed him the ball. How about you feed that guy named Dwayne Bowe?

When I see a guy literally hit Cassel and bounce off like I've seen with Roethlisberger I'll let it slide.

Who's calling the plays?

Regardless of the playcalls, Cassel is making the call on where to go with the ball unless they are calling plays where Bowe is literally the last read.

yeah that didn't happen so get the **** over it..... I wanted them to draft a QB too but that didn't happen,I however don't use it as a reason to constantly bitch and piss and moan about every little thing Pioli, Haley and Cassel do... shit people bitch about the homers and the do no wrong attitude... I almost think the whole sandy vagina attitude toward every little thing that the new regime does is just as ridiculous

He is the Chiefs best threat on offense and yet they don't come close to getting him the ball enough. I just don't get it. also Charles needs to be getting more touches as well.

Todd Haley better figure it out because if someone is going to go Haley will go before Cassel does.

Kinda what I'm thinking.

At least culter has a ton of talent. Cassel does not and he has yet to have a good game. When a player is paid the big bucks it is not unreasonable to expect better than dog shit performance from him

If Haley can figure out anything with this pile of shit team then he deserves a ****ing monument built in his image

I also hope like hell the Chiefs find a good offensive coordinator in the off season

There were a few people chanting "Brodie! Brodie! Brodie!" but it wasn't very loud.

Did you read it...If not here it is...
The NFL rates its passers for statistical purposes against a fixed performance standard based on statistical achievements of all qualified pro passers since 1960. The current system replaced one that rated passers in relation to their position in a total group based on various criteria.

The current system, which was adopted in 1973, removes inequities that existed in the former method and, at the same time, provides a means of comparing passing performances from one season to the next.

It is important to remember that the system is used to rate pass-ers, not quarterbacks. Statistics do not reflect leadership, play-calling, and other intangible factors that go into making a successful professional quarterback.

So, according to your link the stat rates passers not quarterbacks.

And yes, I am being a smart ass. I still have the footage of Nick sleeping in DV's press conference and the Chiefs PR people waking him up to go get the free lunch.:D