Backup Cassel may play a part

FOXBOROUGH -- Hopefully, Matt Cassel has better luck avoiding the rush Sunday against the Titans.

A mass of media encircled Cassel's locker yesterday. Backup quarterbacks don't usually get that type of attention, but with Tom Brady not present at the start of practice for the second straight day, it has become increasingly clear that Cassel won't be spending his time in Nashville solely as a spectator.

Brady, who has made 104 consecutive starts, including playoffs, is listed as probable for the game with a right shoulder injury, as he has been all season. But he took a big hit from Jacksonville's Clint Ingram last Sunday, and Cassel revealed he took all the snaps in practice Wednesday. The second-year signal-caller said that the probability of playing time hasn't changed his approach.

"The coaches haven't told me anything, so really I'm just going out and preparing and trying to get ready to go," said Cassel. "If I'm called on, hopefully I'll be ready to go. I feel like I'm ready to go, so that's how I'm approaching this week."

Cassel, 24, played the last three quarters of the 2005 regular-season finale, a 28-26 loss to the Dolphins at Gillette Stadium, completing 11 of 20 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns.

"It was great for me. I felt that I learned a lot from it," said Cassel of the Miami game. "It was a great experience. It was a regular-season game. [This season] I got to play sparingly, when we've had a few large margins of victories. That's gone well. Any time I can get experience, any time I can get in the game it's good for me."

This season, he has taken snaps in five games, including the last three, and is 5 of 7 for 32 yards.

Coach Bill Belichick said Cassel has made a "big jump" from the final game of last season, improving his understanding of the offense, his ability to decipher defenses, and his mechanics and accuracy.

Of course, those judgments are being made mostly on Cassel's play in practice. Veteran Vinny Testaverde, who praised Cassel for his preparation, said the toughest thing about going from preparing to play to actually playing is adjusting to the speed of the game.

"The one thing you don't get the reps on is the speed of the game," said Testaverde. "That can be different than what it is in practice. Sometimes the lack of experience can hurt you, but from what I've seen the game he played in last year against Miami and the few snaps he took this year, he seems to be able to adjust to it pretty well."

Rookie kicker Stephen Gostkowski could have yet another new holder. Cassel took over those duties last week and did a good job to get the ball down on Gostkowski's first field goal attempt against Jacksonville, a successful 48-yarder.

However, Belichick didn't exactly give Cassel a ringing endorsement. "I didn't think it was bad, but I think it could be better," said Belichick.

New punter Todd Sauerbrun has holding experience and practice squad punters Tom Malone and Danny Baugher have held for Gostkowski in practice.

There were no changes to the Patriots' injury report, as Brady was the only player not present for the media portion of practice, which included only stretching.

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork (right ankle) and Ben Watson (left knee), who have not played since being injured against Miami Dec. 10, were present for the start of practice, although both were listed as having missed a portion of the session.

There were also no changes to the Titans' injury report. However, tight end Bo Scaife and running back Travis Henry, both of whom are listed as questionable with ankle injuries, did not miss any practice time yesterday, after each missed a portion Wednesday. Scaife has sat out Tennessee's last two games.

Winners of six straight games, the Titans have come from behind in five straight and trailed in six of their eight wins. All of the rallies have come with Vince Young under center. Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel doesn't think that's a coincidence, citing Young's memorable performance against Southern Cal in the national championship game last January.

"He's no stranger to big football games, or football games in general that are tight games," said Vrabel. "They've won a lot of tight games this year. I think his experience in those games in the past has helped. I think he understands when the game is on the line, he wants the ball."

A limited number of tickets for next week's playoff game at Gillette Stadium will go on sale today starting at 10 a.m. The tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster (only with a Visa) by calling 617-931-2222 or at ticketmaster.com . . . The extra point is considered the most innocuous play in football. Don't tell that to the Bengals, who may have lost a playoff berth last week when a botched PAT against the Broncos with 41 seconds remaining turned them into 24-23 losers. Belichick said the seemingly routine play can tell a lot about a team. "I think it's an important play and when I watch a team, one of the first things that I look for when I'm looking at a team for the first time, I always watch their field goal and extra point rush," he said. "I think that gives you a good indication of what type of team and what type of effort they have. You see teams on the extra points where if they want to [they] consider it automatic and just stand and watch the guy kick it . . . and there are other teams that it's an extra point and I tell you, you better buckle up because they're going to roll you over."

Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com.