Top 10: Regrettable NFL Offseason Decisions

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by TFG

Pats with starting QB = 16 wins
Pats with backup QB = 11 wins, no playoffs

Matt Cassel was a backup at USC for a reason. The reason is that he really does not have a strong arm. Cassel floats anything more than 25 yards or so. Good thing the Chiefs don't have any "deep threats" because they would be "decoys." Cassel is smart, has a reasonably quick release, and is better than most NFL backup QBs. The way to stop Cassel is to play tight, safeties up, jump routes, and dare him to throw it deep, because he can't zip a deep ball. Even the Raiders will eventually figure it out...

Cassel's 'problem' with the deep ball to Moss was that he couldn't beat the triple teams that Moss faces. He didn't have a problem with the deep ball when it went right through Gaffney's hands on what would have been the difference-making touchdown against the Colts, for example. Also, as Chiefs fans can, no doubt, remember, he didn't have any trouble throwing the deep ball from his own end zone in week one. By the end of last season, with teams all having the book on Cassel, they weren't able to "play tight, safeties up, jump routes, and dare him to throw it deep" enough to beat the Patriots.

Newsflash: Cassel is not the best QB in the NFL. That doesn't mean that Cassel can't play. It means he's in with every other QB in the game who's not named Tom Brady.