King of Cassel

[majorm]

I just see flashes of TJack when I look at Cassel. Not athletically, of course, but I can't tell if he's just horribly inconsistent or a complete headcase that can only come in and perform well when there's literally no pressure on him to do so. Look at how poorly he played against Carolina. He came into that game knowing that he was going to be the starter. If I recall correctly, his start against Pittsburgh was a last minute scratch for Ponder that gave Cassel the go. I just remember seeing Jackson perform like that so many times when Childress played around with him and Frerotte in 2008. Just a thought...

Well, at the time it looked pretty bad. But Carolina hasn't lost since. And their defense has made some other QBs look helpless.

Cassel is not the long-term answer but he's so much better than the worthless Ponder it's just ludicrous that Ponder has gotten the majority of the snaps.

Anyone else notice that along with not being very good Ponder has also proven to be petty injury prone?? Get him outta here!!!!

[Webbfann]

So far, we don't have any reason to apologize for Cassel. Check back Sunday night, when Matt could come out of it with at worst a 2-2 record for the year. The horror! Some things for the dictionary:

If Cassel loses, its it's because of the defense

If we lose, it's because the whole team played poorly not because Cassel sucked

If Cassel sucks its because the OL sucks...

If we win its because the defense didn't allow 42 points in the 4th quarter

and most importantly <drumroll>,

...If Cassel wins, Ponder is our starter.



...You should know most of these by now...

Is this right?

Cassel bashers = Ponder apologists

So, ipso facto...

Ponder bashers = Cassel apologists?

Sometimes it's hard keeping all these labels straight. Someone should make a glossary

[Funkytown]

If we win its because the defense didn't allow 42 points in the 4th quarter.

[HardcoreVikesFan]

I may be in the minority, but I still want to see Josh Freeman start a game this year.

Yeah, he may suck, but I am curious to see if two months has been enough to get him in sync a little. If anyone on the team has the potential to be a starter next year for us it is Josh.

Hell, if he plays even somewhat well, you resign him, draft two guys, and then you have a solid QB depth chart. It is a win-win.

[Webbfann]

Freeman did start a game this year. Maybe you haven't heard; it was shockingly abysmal. It was sub-Ponder.

I don't think he'll start again, because Frazier can use him as a reason to not lose his own job. "Oh yessir Josh is really developing and next year will be Josh's year and we will turn this thing around, I swear we will Ziggi". But if Freeman sucks again, that plan is dead in the water.

I may be in the minority, but I still want to see Josh Freeman start a game this year.

Yeah, he may suck, but I am curious to see if two months has been enough to get him in sync a little. If anyone on the team has the potential to be a starter next year for us it is Josh.

Hell, if he plays even somewhat well, you resign him, draft two guys, and then you have a solid QB depth chart. It is a win-win.

[Just Me]

For those who are wondering about our QB's performance just for this season while with the Vikings only, I offer the numbers below. (In full disclosure, I have documented in other threads why I don't put much stock in the ESPN QBR, but I have included those numbers in the interests of providing objective data).

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2013 Season                   ESPN QBR                   Passer Rating

Ponder                            51.16                        77.9                          
Cassel                            43.90                        84.6
Freeman                           18.93                        40.6

I tend to put more weight into the passer rating for reasons I have previously mentioned in other threads.

Last year, Ponder's passer rating was 81.2.


Here's one that will shock you:

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2011 Season                   ESPN QBR                   Passer Rating

Ponder                            33.73                          70.1                          
McNabb                            44.25                          82.9
Webb                              57.21                          74.6

McNabb? Really?

[Demi]

We might actually win that game with Ponder.

[J. Kapp 11]

It's been well documented that Cassel had an outstanding 2010 campaign, then sucked for two years.

Here's a thought ... more of a question, really.

Watching their game Sunday against Denver, it was pretty clear to me -- the Chiefs' receivers are fairly horrible. My gosh, Donnie Avery must have dropped about six passes, and some of them were throws an 8-year-old could have caught. If memory serves me, their receivers have been pretty bad for some time now. From what I see, the Vikings' receivers this year are better than anything Cassel had in Kansas City at any point.

Is it possible that Cassel's drop in performance was caused, in part, by the lousy Chiefs receiving corps.

[Funkytown]

Is it possible that Cassel's drop in performance was caused, in part, by the lousy Chiefs receiving corps.

For sure. In part.

[Webbfann]

Is it possible that Cassel's drop in performance was caused, in part, by the lousy Chiefs receiving corps.

How about the lousy everything?

http://espn.go.com/blog/kansas-city-chi ... ith-chiefs

[Webbfann]

Thumbs up for Matt cassel, who not only kept us in the game but engineered 2 comebacks in the final minutes and it just wasn't big enough for our coaching staff not to blow. It was a disappointing loss, but a helluva fun game to watch. That's what I watch football for, excitement, and he gave us reason to cheer. I'll take that loss over any Ponder win.

Can you even frigging BELIEVE that a vike QB led us back twice like that? I can't.

[saint33]

Thumbs up for Matt cassel, who not only kept us in the game but engineered 2 comebacks in the final minutes and it just wasn't big enough for our coaching staff not to blow. It was a disappointing loss, but a helluva fun game to watch. That's what I watch football for, excitement, and he gave us reason to cheer. I'll take that loss over any Ponder win.

Can you even frigging BELIEVE that a vike QB led us back twice like that? I can't.

not that I'm trying to take anything away from Cassel, because he play a very solid game. But I wouldn't exactly give that much credit to him for either of those drives. He had one nice pass to Simpson between the two drives combined. The Toby TD was a nice play call and great blocking/running. The Patterson TD was all Patterson

[Webbfann]

The pass to Simpson is what made the Toby run possible. And without a completion to Patterson Cordarelle wouldn't have made it very far.

Its not all Cassel of course, but he led both drives which is all I claimed. I didn't say he deserved all the credit. I'll even give Muskrat credit for the one good play he called this year on Toby's run. Now fire him. And keep starting Cassel until someone clearly outplays him.

not that I'm trying to take anything away from Cassel, because he play a very solid game. But I wouldn't exactly give that much credit to him for either of those drives. He had one nice pass to Simpson between the two drives combined. The Toby TD was a nice play call and great blocking/running. The Patterson TD was all Patterson

[PurpleKoolaid]

Cassel had a few floaters. Then he settled down and did good enough to win. But once again Fraizer and Williams wen into their pathetic attempt at a prevent D and we lost. Again. If the Wilf's had any ballz they would fire the clowns now that we are 'really' out of the playoffs.

[tmscr]

Cassel had a few floaters. Then he settled down and did good enough to win. But once again Fraizer and Williams wen into their pathetic attempt at a prevent D and we lost. Again. If the Wilf's had any ballz they would fire the clowns now that we are 'really' out of the playoffs.

He did well even without AP for the majority of the game. It probably wouldn't have come down to a zany final 2 minutes if anyone other than Cassel starts.