Matt Cassell=Tom Brady of 2001? Patriots go back to basics

9/15/08
matt cassell
By Elizabeth Nielsen

Matt Cassell=Tom Brady of 2001? Patriots go back to basics

Photo credit: Game Face

Unlike his injured predecessor Tom Brady (16), new starting New England quarterback Matt Cassell will not typically score 50 points a game. Or showboat for that matter.

A team's star quarterback hits the ground with a debilitating injury. A fan base holds its breath. The news is as bad as can be expected. Quarterback will be sidelined for the entire season. An unknown steps up to take over the Patriots offense.

Is it 2001? Or 2008. Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you've heard this before from Pats fans in denial. But what the Patriots fan have become in recent years, depending on its explosive offense to win games, was not the basis for the Patriots rise to the dynasty that they have become.

If you remember correctly, when Brady stepped up for Drew Bledsoe back in September of 2001, the Belichick playbook depended entirely on strong defense. It didn't matter how much the offense scored, as long as it was one point more than the other guys. Well, look at their performance yesterday against the supposed heirs to the AFC east throne, the Jets. Ridiculous red zone defense, holding the Jets to 1 TD and a scattering of field goals. While Matt Cassell, who certainly lacks Brady's pizazz, listened to the football minds on the sidelines, and probably most importantly, didn't put the team in any bad positions.

Look for the Patriots to return to what they were 7 years ago. Depending a lot on Kevin Faulk, Laurence Maroney to run the ball. Short screen passes to Randy Moss and Wes Welker, and pray for a good long run. Putting points on the board, but not to blow anybody away. Just enough to beat the other guy. Bill Belichick is a defensive mastermind, and, maybe more importantly, a ginormous egomaniac. Do you think he's going to sit back and listen to all the press about how he's nothing without Tom Brady? I didn't think so.

--Lizzy
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Matt Cassell=Tom Brady of 2001? Patriots go back to basics

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