Keep Your Matt Cassel Stock...and Your Tom Brady Stock!

First, let’s talk about the ridiculous speculation that the Pats would be interested in trading Tom Brady. I know the Patriots’ front office is traditionally tight-lipped about any such maneuvering, but even given though their intelligence operation would inspire envy at the CIA, there’s just no way a Brady trade is even on the table.

Then we have last Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh. “He’s no Tom Brady,” is the cry for those who fail to understand life in the NFL trenches. Most of us have been saying that for the entire season; not to put Cassel down but simply to keep things in perspective.

Cassel didn’t lose that game on Sunday, and neither did he single-handedly win against the Dolphins. The fact is that Pittsburgh simply proved why they’re the No. 1 defense in the league, and the Pats simply didn’t have any answers for their pass rush.

Couple that with an unusual propensity for dropping passes by Randy Moss et al, a Pop Warner bonk on the head by Matthew Slater, who is probably lucky he’s a rookie, and an uncharacteristic Gostkowski miss that seemed to deflate the whole bunch, and you had a perfect recipe for disaster.

Cassel is still doing a decent job. He moved the ball consistently when he had protection and proved again that he’s got a short memory; a necessary attribute for an NFL quarterback and essential for survival for any athlete within radar range of the Boston press.

Cassel, Belichick, and the Pats are still hanging in there, despite fielding a defense made up of refugees and imminent pensioners. For the true fan, there’s still hope for a late run at a wild-card spot. For the nouveau fans; stay home, but make sure you surrender your tix to Stub Hub. Some of us would still like to see a game this year!

By all reports, Brady is making good progress, despite the infection set-back. He’s got a serious injury; and he’s got a serious medical team ready to get him back on the field.

Barring any other unforeseen disaster, Brady will be back next year, Cassel may be in Chicago, our young linebackers will have had a good seasoning, and who knows, Ty Law and Eugene Wilson may be the next generation of productive reclamation projects returning to Foxborough.

At any rate, it's not boring!