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Patriots weren't prepared for an injury to Brady
Belichick discusses injury
Video: The Patriots have their work cut out for them with Tom Brady sidelined for the season. Watch Bill Belichick in the wake of his MVP's year-ending knee injury.
Matt Cassel? Kevin O'Connell? Potential free-agent acquisitions like Chris Simms and Tim Rattay?
All are sideshow attractions compared to Brady, the star of the league's best passing game.
Blame this on New England's ringleader. For a head coach who pays so much attention to detail, it's unfathomable that Bill Belichick would leave himself susceptible to getting trampled by elephants.
The 2007 campaign should have inspired Belichick to seek a proven upgrade behind Brady this off-season. There were 64 different starting quarterbacks around the NFL, the highest total in a non-strike year since the league adopted a 16-game schedule in 1978.
The trend shows no signs of reversing. Two other battered first-stringers besides Brady (Kansas City's Brodie Croyle and Tennessee's Vince Young) are already out for this week's games.
Expecting a starter to remain injury-free for an entire season — let alone string together 129 consecutive career appearances a la Brady — is unrealistic. Such is the punishment being inflicted by blitz-crazed defenses.
NFL Week 17
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Week 17 action
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Vikings 20, Giants 19 -- Recap | Box
Panthers 33, Saints 31 -- Recap | Box
Packers 31, Lions 21 -- Recap | Box
Falcons 31, Rams 27 -- Recap | Box
Texans 31, Bears 24 -- Recap | Box
Patriots 13, Bills 0 -- Recap | Box
Colts 23, Titans 0 -- Recap | Box
Steelers 31, Browns 0 -- Recap | Box
Raiders 31, Bucs 24 -- Recap | Box
Bengals 16, Chiefs 6 -- Recap | Box
Eagles 44, Cowboys 6 -- Recap | Box
Dolphins 24, Jets 17 -- Recap | Box
49ers 27, Redskins 24 -- Recap | Box
Ravens 27, Jaguars 7 -- Recap | Box
Cardinals 34, 'Hawks 24 -- Recap | Box
Chargers 52, Broncos 21 -- Recap | Box
Analysis
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The Patriots were one of nine teams last year that never had to deal with the issue. Brady was truly Tom Terrific, throwing an NFL-record 50 touchdown passes en route to winning the league's Most Valuable Player award.
But in a season where New England came within four points of the league's first 19-0 record, backup quarterback play was one of the few signs of imperfection.
Cassel threw only seven passes while mopping up in three games, all of which were lopsided Patriots victories. Yet his performance during a 49-28 victory over Miami should have prompted Belichick to at least seek better competition — if not an outright upgrade — for the spot. Cassel was so dreadful in his one series, misfiring on one pass and seeing another intercepted and returned for a touchdown, that Belichick reinserted Brady into the game.
Cassel was just as shaky this preseason when he substituted for an injured Brady (foot). More was expected. The Patriots had spent the previous four seasons trying to develop Cassel into more than a clipboard holder — a role he held in college at Southern California as a backup behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart.
Alarmingly, the other options were worse.
Matt Gutierrez was waived after failing to best Cassel as a second-stringer. O'Connell — chosen in the third round of this year's draft as a response to Cassel's 2007 struggles —needs more time to develop. And unlike in previous years, there were no proven hands like Vinny Testaverde or Doug Flutie in Patriots training camp.
Belichick was taking Brady and his health for granted. That changed Sunday when Brady crumbled to the Gillette Stadium turf with torn ligaments on a low Chiefs hit.
Cassel guided a 17-10 victory in relief, completing 13 of 18 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown. But with New England entering as 16-point favorites, oddsmakers felt the Brady-led Patriots shouldn't have needed a goal-line stand to keep the game from going into overtime.
In his defense, Cassel should improve as he receives practice snaps with the first-team offense — snaps that had been reserved for Brady. Cassel still has two of the NFL's top wide receivers (Randy Moss and Wes Welker) to work with.
Plus, Belichick has experience in maximizing the skills of an unproven starter. The same doomsday scenarios that are being floated now were there in 2001 when an unproven Brady replaced an injured Drew Bledsoe. Brady shocked the NFL and led New England to the first of three Super Bowl titles this decade.
But even Belichick admits the difference between now and then is like comparing "apples to grapefruits." Not only can Cassel be judged from his previous body of work, New England's 2001 offense was designed to emphasize the run and take pressure off Brady. The Patriots might not be able to pull off the same overhaul with the unit so reliant on Brady's passing brilliance.
"Where our offense was in 2001 and what it is now are two different things," Belichick said during a Monday news conference.
Rather than compare New England to seven years ago, a flashback to Belichick's days with the New York Jets might be more apt. He was New York's assistant head coach in 1999 when starting quarterback Vinny Testaverde suffered a season-ending Achilles' tendon injury in the first game.
Equally unprepared for Testaverde's loss, the Jets panicked and traded a fourth-round pick to Green Bay for Rick Mirer. When that didn't work, New York turned to a raw signal-caller (Ray Lucas) who had made the roster only because of his special-teams prowess.
The result was an 8-8 season from a franchise that had reached the AFC Championship game the previous year.
A more talented Patriots team probably won't be that bad, especially with the luxury of facing the NFL's easiest schedule based on 2007 records. New England also could pull off a surprise trade, although trying to land a talented veteran backup like Houston's Sage Rosenfels or Washington's Todd Collins would come at a steep price. Pursuing younger options like Brady Quinn and Leinart seems even less likely. Both players — and their salaries — wouldn't fit into long-term plans with Brady set to return in 2009. The Patriots had only $3.2 million available under the 2008 salary cap before Brady's injury.
For at least the short term, Cassel is the only viable option under New England's big top. That makes expectations of another Super Bowl run as fleeting as the circus that packs its tent for the next town.
Member Comments
Hey Marvez, will you write a retraction after the pats go 3-0?
caca_pants9/14/2008 16:15:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
While Roger Goodell was sniffing around Cheating Bill he discovered a listening device in Bills Butt. Do you think he will destroy that evidence?
CORN_HOLEO9/11/2008 11:50:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
After talking to Michael Vick today he informed me he was going to join the Pats and the #1 QB since Brady was out. <br /><br />He is working with Cheating Bill now. He is out on work release installing listening devices in and around the opposing teams locker room and sideling benches.<br /><br />He is looking forward to working with Cheating Bill and really appreciates the prison system for teaching him the art of covalence.<br /><br />Michael likes it a lot better just listening to men in locker rooms with the listening devices than bathing with them especially those that are Naked.
CONVICT9/11/2008 11:45:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
finally someone who knows something...and its not even the fact that tom brady has more superbowls...it took Peyton 8 years in the nfl to get his one and only ring...tom bradys first real year playing he went all the way for the superbowl...1 year...compared to peytons 8...
Chally20359/10/2008 21:37:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
chally must be from ne knees i dont know where you are from but the more i read your **** the stupider you are <br />peyton manning better than tom brady you are still sitting on your lazy boy pretending you actually know football <br />stats speak a little dont you think <br />tom brady 3 rings <br />peyton manning 1 ring<br />not to mention the kind of talent manning has had over the yrs with the likes of harrison and wayne <br />oh but brady has had troy brown and leading wr in 06 rashe caldwell <br />07 was a yr to see want brady can do with the same talent <br />record after record<br />you put peyton on the 01 pats team what to you think would happen?<br />you cant possibly say manning could do the same thing <br />oh ya and he has been in the league longer and accomplished less with more <br />ha make an argument i would love it
9/10/2008 20:55:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
and what makes brady good is his brain nothing else he is the smartest player in the game hands down <br />if he was athletic he would have played more at michigan you cant blame the pats for selecting him so late <br />his motivation and brains sets him apart.<br />although i have wanted to kill him many times when playing san diego im not a hater like the rest of you i know talent and smarts when i see it the only other qb that compares with tom was joe
9/10/2008 20:39:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
and to the steeler fellow to say peyton manning is better just goes to show how much you know about football.<br />why dont you just look at the stats <br />and not to mention that peyton has always had a ton of talent around him while tom brady has had to work with troy brown and rashe caldwell are you serious <br />wow
9/10/2008 20:35:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
im not going to stoop to your level all im gonna say is hes make 8 figures playing football...and what do you guys do??? ooo thats right your the critics who can't play the sport...ahhh gotcha...see i thought people should only talk badly about someone if they can do it better...lol...id love to see you try...
Chally20359/10/2008 20:28:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
of course they werent prepared and now they are done 10-6 is a great season now<br />i was prepared either i picked brady number 1 in fantasy and had no back ups <br />now im done too<br />nice block sammy morris
9/10/2008 20:28:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
And besides...no starts for Cassel since high school? This guy is asking for a sack and a comment from one of my all time favorite players..."Welcome to the NFL son"!
SteelerMaine_ia9/10/2008 14:40:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Hey Tom Brady's Knee (funny screen name by the way!) We are not all full blown Brady-Bellicheat-butt-buddies of the Gaytriots up here in New England you know! I happen to agree that Payton Manning is a better quarter back the Glamor Boy Brady. Of course throw Big Ben in the mix and I am the happiest person in NE! :)
SteelerMaine_ia9/10/2008 14:38:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
This guy Alex M is obviuosly a dope. he is probably the same type of dummy who said after Bledsoe got blown out, "My God, now who do they have Billy B is stupid".<br />I would like to know in this era of salary cap how much should they have paid to have some guy sit the bench? 20 million for a hafl decent guy? Half the league has QB's that are starters that are not even close to the level of Brady and will be gone in a year or two and replaced by some other new guy who will probably be no good.<br />Tom Brady is basically a guy who cannot be replaced at any level. It is assanine to think that the Pats had basically not planned for this. Alex is obviously just writing things to stir up some type of controversy or he is completely stupid, take your pick, but i choose the latter "Stupidity".<br />As far as some of the comments about Payton Being better then Tom, Come on guys please, use your heads, Brady has had a better win/ loss record then any QB in the league in the super bowl era, 2 SB mvps, 3 rings,more tds in a season.<br />And to say that he has been lucky is retarded for sure, if he is lucky then he must be real friggin lucky the last 7 years, I think it shows that the rest of the league is just much worse then what the Pats and Brady really are. But I will have to say in Matt Cassels defence , he does have a SB ring , not that he had to play for it much but then again Big Ben got his for winning a game they clearly must have paid someone off for so what the hell.
patskickbutt9/10/2008 13:08:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Villager, maybe 1-15, certainly not 19-0. hahahahaha
Tom_Bradys_Kneee9/10/2008 12:08:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
mcflyguy, the Pats passed on Brady 6 times, taking 2 46 Adrian Klemm Offensive tackle Hawaii <br />3 76 J. R. Redmond Running back Arizona State <br />4 127 Greg Robinson-Randall Offensive tackle Michigan State <br />5 141 Dave Stachelski Tight end Boise State <br />5[4] 161 Jeff Marriott Defensive tackle Missouri <br />and 6 187 Antwan Harris Safety Virginia, before picking Brady (narrowly over Tim Rattay). Why didn't they pick him earlier if they knew something different? The simple fact is this, it was pure dumb luck. More luck than the Giants' "miracle play" in the Super Bowl last January.
Tom_Bradys_Kneee9/10/2008 12:07:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Chally, please don't show your ignorance. Brady was placed on IR, which means that he can't come back this year, playoffs or otherwise, Wee Todd. And Brady will never be considered a better QB than Peyton, except with you retards in NE.
Tom_Bradys_Kneee9/10/2008 12:00:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
The way its gonnna go down is Bradys gonna have surgery, rehab and be back for the playoffs...the catch is that Cassel someone who hasn't started a game since highschool has to get us to the playoffs...im prayin...
Chally20359/10/2008 9:34:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
You guys are absolutely retarded, Brady is the best quarterback of his era. Right behind him is Peyton Manning, it is a tragedy to this sport what happend to him. Tom Brady won three superbowls with different players each time. It can't be attributed to the team around him. Tom Brady is a player you build a team around not the other way around. He is the face of the New England Patriots and of the National Football League and honestly coming from the 199th pick overall to the top quarterback ever seen, its pathetic to have people like you talking about him like that. Your not football fans just losers who need something to do on sunday. Oh and to the Kansas City remark...thats just funny...we beat you with our backup..lol
Chally20359/10/2008 9:32:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
BignixBull - You are 100% correct, people really are stupid (I really feel stupid right now for having read your post)
Patsfanatic9/10/2008 9:08:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
People are so stupid. Brady has been lucky to have a great team around him. You could put a horse jockey in a QB and he would do good with that team around him. Brady gets hit one time in his career and he gets injured. So what! Its not like this caused them the Super Bowl. He was plenty healthy last year when the Giants spanked him. He not half as good as Montana, Favre, Marino, Elway and many others. He just been lucky to have great players around him.
BignixBull9/10/2008 7:45:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
The only way for the Patriots to have been prepared to lose Tom Brady for the season would be to have Peyton Manning sitting on the bench! This headline is clearly indicative that Alex is a lost soul.
DaTruthlies9/10/2008 6:17:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
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