Reiss recaps Pats-Eagles

Im very concerned I hope the Pats shape things up. Its getting to crunch time .

Hey Mike,

Don't you think you're faling into the fan trap just a little? This season has seen a lot of players being rested while additions are being worked into the mix in lots of personnel groupings on both sides of the ball. Rodney and Lynch are knocking off the rust, AD is MIA, Hobbs is working his way back from an offseason of surgeries and rehabs, lots of new faces being introduced to that secondary and young LB's getting lots of reps. As for the backup QB, I think Cassel has really taken one for Tom and the team. He played all the starters snaps this preseason and was being asked to do something quite different - run the offense against first teamers to see what personnel on the field could do execution wise (and they can't do much with that OL as presently configured).. Might have looked better if he was facing scrubs like Gutierrez has all pre season, I know the spin is the Pats love Gtuz, but all that seems to be leading the media to do is comparing apples and oranges to validate a spin,,,

So Terry, you really think Cassel can help this team win in September? What weapons did Gutierrez have to use against the Eagles scrubs? Cassel, you may have noticed had all the skill players when he was out there and can only complete dump-offs. If not for YAC then Cassel would have had something like 5 passing yards.

And no, the buzz hasn't been about Gut - he made 2 bad mistakes the previous game - but unlike Cassel he moves the offense when given the opportunity.

Terry, he is right on the mark. To me it's not necessarily worth talking about the offense only because Brady is not out there. However, the defense, we all know they don't "game plan" for preseason games AND this was a short week of rest. However, besides the mysterious absence of Adalius Thomas, there is not excuse for essentially the first string defense to look this soft in all phases of the game. Third preseason game last season we blocked two field goals - this year we let two kicks go back for TD's. Those differences mentally can take their toll and they are an example that the team isn't in place yet. As much as I would like to believe it Belichick didn't plan to have the team lose badly to get them fired up for the season.

Hi Terry. I watched the game again this morning. Thought the offensive line was the huge issue, as it showed up even more than it did live last night. Without Light, and down to their fourth option at right guard, it looked quite rough. Feel strongly about the Gutierrez vs. Cassel. Belichick is about performance, and Cassel's hasn't cut it. Gutierrez, on the other hand, has outperformed him (albeit against lesser competition). I also see more of a command from Gutierrez.
--Mike

BB might want to rethink that strategy of deferring the decision when they win the coin toss until they can stop someone with their defense. It's tough playing from behind all the time. What good is it to get the ball at the beginning of the second half when you are behind by 20?

Why Cassel is still on this team is a mystery to me. He is, perhaps, one of the worst QB's I have ever seen in an NFL uniform. In fact, he looks scared out there. He seems to have no ability to recognize defenses and when he moves into the pocket, he literally looks like he is in a state of panic.

To this day I, and most others, can not understand what prompted Belichick/Pioli to draft him. Did Pete Carroll give him a thumbs up? If so, explain why Cassell backed up 2 Heisman winners at USC and that meant that many of the games that Palmer and Leinart played in were runaways, USC up by a lot of points in the 4th quarter of many games. That being so, how come Cassel never saw the field. Maybe Pete Carrl knew more about Cassel than what BB or Pioli thought, or was it a favor paid to Cassel for always showing up at USC Practice. Cassel is wasting a Pats roster spot.