Matt Cassel: Difference between revisions
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Cassel made his start on Sunday, September 14, 2008, with a winning effort over the [[New York Jets]], completing 16 of 23 passes for 165 yards; though he threw no touchdowns, he also threw no interceptions. The Patriots' 19–10 victory was the first time in six tries that a quarterback making his first NFL start defeated a team led by [[Brett Favre]]. <ref>[http://www.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/PatsBlog/2008/09/transcript-matt.html Transcript: Matt Cassel's Thursday press conference (September 11, 2008)]</ref> |
Cassel made his start on Sunday, September 14, 2008, with a winning effort over the [[New York Jets]], completing 16 of 23 passes for 165 yards; though he threw no touchdowns, he also threw no interceptions. The Patriots' 19–10 victory was the first time in six tries that a quarterback making his first NFL start defeated a team led by [[Brett Favre]]. <ref>[http://www.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/PatsBlog/2008/09/transcript-matt.html Transcript: Matt Cassel's Thursday press conference (September 11, 2008)]</ref> |
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he has since then gone down hill and is now sucking the life out of the patriots one play at a time. the patriots have gone from |
he has since then gone down hill and is now sucking the fucing life out of the patriots one play at a time. the patriots have gone from the best teams to one of the worst in the league. |
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==Career stats== |
==Career stats== |
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Revision as of 02:44, 13 October 2008
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2008) |
 Matt Cassel at the Patriots 2007 Training Camp. | |||||||||
| New England Patriots | |||||||||
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| Career information | |||||||||
| College: | Southern California | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2005 / round: 7 / pick: 230 | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 5, 2008 | |||||||||
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Matthew Brennan Cassel (born May 17, 1982 in Northridge, California) is an American football quarterback and current starter for the New England Patriots of the NFL.
Youth and high school career
Cassel was the starting first baseman on the Northridge, California baseball team that reached the finals of the 1994 Little League World Series.[1]
Cassel attended Chatsworth High School and was a letterman, an all-city selection, and a standout in both football and baseball. As a senior, he was ranked as the number eight quarterback and number 53 overall of the top high school players in the nation according to ESPN's Tom Lemming's Top 100. Lemming stated he was a "Pro-style pocket passer with a very strong, accurate delivery."[2]
College career
Cassel spent his entire career at USC as a backup behind Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer (who was also Cassel's roommate[3]) and Matt Leinart. Cassel was the backup for Palmer during his Heisman-winning 2002 season. In the fall, Cassel lost the battle for the starting position to the previous third-string quarterback in Leinart. As a result of Leinart's success, Cassel spent time at tight end, even making his lone collegiate start at that position. During his four seasons at USC, Cassel completed 19 of 33 passes for 192 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.
Professional career
Cassel, who had had little chance to demonstrate his skills in actual game situations, earned himself a place on several NFL teams' draft boards after working out at USC's 2005 Pro Day. One of Cassel's coaches, Norm Chow, who had left USC to become the offensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans, had discussed signing Cassel as an undrafted free agent after the 2005 NFL Draft; Chow was surprised when, during the 2005 NFL Draft, Cassel was selected by the Patriots in the seventh round with the 230th overall pick,[4] ahead of more accomplished college quarterbacks such as Timmy Chang and Heisman winner Jason White.
2005 season
Cassel began the 2005 season third on the Patriots' depth chart behind Brady and a third Heisman winner, Doug Flutie. He saw his first regular season action in the closing minutes of the Patriots' 41–17 loss to the San Diego Chargers on October 2, 2005, going 2-for-4 for 15 yards and throwing an interception.
In the Patriots' final game of the 2005 regular season, a 28–26 loss to the Miami Dolphins on January 1, 2006, Cassel played the final three quarters. Though he was sacked for a safety, he threw two touchdown passes, one to Tim Dwight, and the second to Benjamin Watson. The pass to Dwight set up a drop-kick by Doug Flutie, the first such kick since 1941.
2006 season
Following Flutie's retirement in the 2006 offseason, Cassel moved up to second on the Patriots' depth chart. Although the Patriots considered signing a veteran quarterback to compete with him, Cassel played well in preseason and became the primary backup to Tom Brady. Cassel was on the 45-man active roster for all 16 games in 2006; when the Patriots brought in yet another Heisman winner, Vinny Testaverde, Testaverde acted as the emergency quarterback.
In Week 16 of the 2006 season, after injuries to Josh Miller and Ken Walter, Cassel assumed duties as holder for kicker Stephen Gostkowski. He also led a late touchdown drive in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans.
2007 season
In Week 7 of the 2007 season, Cassel's second pass was intercepted by Jason Taylor of the Miami Dolphins and returned for a touchdown. The next week, with the Patriots leading the Washington Redskins 45–0, he capped off the 52–7 blowout with a 15-yard touchdown run in which he dove over two Redskins defenders to reach the end zone.
2008 season
In the 2008 season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Cassel came under center when Tom Brady suffered a torn ACL and MCL in the first quarter from a hit by Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard. Cassel led the Patriots to an 17–10 victory, completing 13 of 18 passes for 152 yards and one touchdown; Cassel's drives accounted for all of New England's points.
The day after the game, the Patriots confirmed that Brady's serious injuries would sideline him for the rest of the season. Although the Patriots did have veteran quarterbacks Chris Simms and Tim Rattay come to Foxborough,[5] neither was signed, leaving Cassel as the starter.
Cassel made his start on Sunday, September 14, 2008, with a winning effort over the New York Jets, completing 16 of 23 passes for 165 yards; though he threw no touchdowns, he also threw no interceptions. The Patriots' 19–10 victory was the first time in six tries that a quarterback making his first NFL start defeated a team led by Brett Favre. [6] he has since then gone down hill and is now sucking the fucing life out of the patriots one play at a time. the patriots have gone from the best teams to one of the worst in the league.
Career stats
| Year | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Att | Comp | Yds | TD | Int | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2005 | 24 | 13 | 183 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 2.0 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 8 | 5 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2.0 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 7 | 4 | 38 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 70 | 107 | 707 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 29 | 2.6 | 0 | |
| Total | 92 | 143 | 960 | 5 | 5 | 23 | 57 | 2.5 | 1 | |
Notes and references
- ^ [1] "Exit Interview: Matt Cassel" Accessed 12 August 2006.
- ^ ESPN.com - RECRUITING - Tom Lemming's Top 100
- ^ Carson Palmer on Matt Cassel
- ^ Cassel finally gets his shot
- ^ Belichick Declines to Sign Simms and Rattay
- ^ Transcript: Matt Cassel's Thursday press conference (September 11, 2008)