WIll the Pats even make the playoffs????

Answer: Yes. Stopping here would be futile for my blog, so I will explain. Remember in 2003 when the Patriots lost their first game to the lowly Buffalo Bills 31-0? They would go on to win their next two games, putting them in the same position record wise as they are now. The only difference? Tom Brady. Yea that's kind of a big deal, but regardless of what may appear like capable football teams, the AFC East is full of wannabes. The Jets? Well, we actually already beat them in Cassell's first start since high school. Miami?? Yes, it may have been a loss, but realize what happened in that 2003 season where we played Buffalo again in the final regular season game. Result? Same score, 31-0, but this time the goose egg belonged to the Bills. What will happen when New England travels to Miami at the end of November when the team has worked together for several months? I expect a big win. Lastly, there are the Bills, who are currently 3-0. This will be the Patriots only obstacle to the postseason, but in my opinion Trent Edwards leading the Bills to the playoffs is far more unrealistic than Cassell taking the Patriots into January.

Why is this? Everyone puts so much emphasis on the quarterback. Rightfully so, however even good quarterbacks can't win by themselves. Key example, Zack Mills 2002 Penn State quarterback had a QB rating of 128 with 17 TD's and 10 INT's. He was a sophomore. The next two years Mills would total 15 TD's and 17 INT's with a significantly lower QB rating. This was due to the players around him. Larry Johnson and Bryant Johnson (both 1st round picks) helped Penn State's offense and helped Mills be a better player. Without them, and with a weaker line, Mills was punished by opposing teams. So for Matt Cassell...no he's not Tom Brady, but the players around him will turn him into a better player. Once he learns to use Randy Moss' height and speed, Welker's quickness, and a promising running attack, the Patriots will be a top level team. This also relies on their defense, which is a main reason they were embarrassed by the Dolphins last weekend.

They are old, and they are young. Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel...they seem to have been around forever, but although they have lost a step, these are all elite football players. How did Miami beat the Pats? With speed, and a college style running game where Ronnie Brown took several direct snaps. Clearly unprepared for this package, New England gave up huge chunks of yardage and were fooled on a halfback pass where we all learned that Ronnie Brown is a lefty. In my opinion, Miami has blown its load and the next time around I see a better Patriots team and a less shocking offensive gameplan from Miami. The development of Mayo and Merriweather is vital for the Patriots since these two young first rounders need to step up and make plays with their terrific speed. Mayo already playing a significant amount looks great, while Merriweather, a second year player who I have never been too fond of (really think the Patriots should have drafted Paul Posluszny with that pick), still looks raw - typical of a player from the University of Miami.

What do the Pats need to do to contend? Well this isn't going to be anything like last year where New England won its first 18 games (although we all thought it would be before Brady got ACL-season-ed), but this feels like the Pats of old, and by old I mean when they won their 3 Super Bowls with players like Troy Brown, Kevin Faulk, Christian Fauria (Boom-Boom), and other not-so-great-fantasy-players that contributed to the team concept. These teams were underdogs and always managed to win the tight game and foil the Goliaths like the Colts and Rams who had their high profile players and unstoppable offenses that the media drooled over. Well we are back...back to being underdogs, and this time with an experienced team, and with some superstars on offense...just not at quarterback. Cassell is a smart guy and he has good arm strength and precision when he is given time. Teams will blitz unrelentingly, and he will need to learn to stay in the pocket and deliver like Brady has done for years. Unlike Brady when he won the 3 rings, Cassell has two of the best receivers in the game to throw to. Look for the Pats to make an addition to their defense in the near future, and I predict a 10-6 finish, taking the AFC East from the Bills who will finish at 9-7. Biggest game of the year? December 28 @ Buffalo, last game of the year, with both teams heading into it with 9-6 records.

This may not be the year for the Pats' fourth Super Bowl, but it will be a fun season, and a welcome return to being the underdog.