Chiefs Cassel Is Failing Chiefs - Page 2

Hammock Parties · 10-25-2009, 07:30 PM

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.

'Hamas' Jenkins · 10-25-2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

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.

milkman · 10-25-2009, 08:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MGRS13

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

Welcome to 6 years ago.

Mr. Laz · 10-25-2009, 08:18 PM

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.

Mojo Jojo · 10-25-2009, 08:18 PM

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.

WildTurkey · 10-25-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laz

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.

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

DJ's left nut · 10-25-2009, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCChiefsfan88

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

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.

**DeezNutz** · 10-25-2009, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

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

milkman · 10-25-2009, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

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.

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. 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.

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.

craneref · 10-25-2009, 08:28 PM

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!!

Deberg_1990 · 10-25-2009, 08:28 PM

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

Frankie · 10-25-2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Oh Bull****. He was dealt a 60 million dollar hand before he'd shown anything.

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.

WildTurkey · 10-25-2009, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

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

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

chiefzilla1501 · 10-25-2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

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.

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.

Mojo Jojo · 10-25-2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

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

Halftime of week two.

Mecca · 10-25-2009, 08:34 PM

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

10-25-2009, 07:30 PM
Hammock Parties I'll be back. Join Date: Nov 2002 Casino cash: $810478	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.
Posts: 297,427

10-25-2009, 08:18 PM	#18
Mr. Laz Don't Tease Me Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: KS Casino cash: $11047037	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. __________________
Posts: 95,626

10-25-2009, 08:18 PM	#19
Mojo Jojo Veteran Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Johnson County Casino cash: $10013802	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.
Posts: 3,341

10-25-2009, 08:28 PM	#24
craneref He Man bronco hater club Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Land of the Uneasy Calm Casino cash: $10004977	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!! __________________ I have two favorite teams, the CHIEFS and whoever play the broncos this week "I'd say the French and broncos were 'scumbags' but that would be a disservice to bags full of scum." - Dennis Miller -
Posts: 1,114

10-25-2009, 08:28 PM	#25
Deberg_1990 In Search of a Life Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: San Antonio Tx. Casino cash: $114454	How long until we hear the "Start Croyle Again" movement?
Posts: 68,665

10-25-2009, 08:34 PM	#30
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-702950	I don't really think there's much argument about his holding of the ball and his taking to many sacks those are obvious.
Posts: 115,371