Matt Cassel: Why the Chiefs QB Won't Be a Pro Bowl QB in 2011

Chiefs fans, it is time we face the hard truth. We may not want to admit it, but it has to be said.

Quarterback Matt Cassel is, in all likelihood, not going to make the 2012 Pro Bowl.

Sure, it was a nice surprise to see Cassel receive a trip to Honolulu after an injury forced Tom Brady to pull out of the 2011 Pro Bowl. After leading the Chiefs’ turnaround from a paltry four wins in 2009 to a division title in 2010, it showed that the Kansas City season had not gone unnoticed.

There is no reason to say he should not have been there, either. His quarterback rating for the season was a cool 93.0, ranking him eighth in the NFL. While the Chiefs’ passing attack was one of the least effective in the NFL, the blame could not be placed on Cassel’s shoulders.

Despite his efficiency and an improved receiving corps that will guarantee more pass completions for Cassel, the quarterback faces an uphill battle to gain the same recognition in 2011 as he did in 2010.

For starters, one reason the league took notice of Cassel to begin with was Kansas City’s record. Yes, his stats were good, but if he had turned in the same performance with the Chiefs finishing with another losing record, he would not have been in Hawaii.

2011 will bring the Chiefs a much more difficult schedule, pitting the Chiefs against the Colts, Steelers, Packers, and Patriots, all dangerous teams. The schedule has many people, fans and experts alike, expecting a less successful season from Kansas City.

With Kansas City’s improvements on both sides of the ball, the Chiefs do stand a chance to repeat as division champions. The chance, however, is significantly smaller than last season.

If the Chiefs do continue their success, and that is a big if, Matt Cassel is sure to receive recognition again. The success will, after all, be due in a large part to his continued production. Without Cassel last season, the Chiefs looked lost. He is definitely Kansas City’s leader on offense.

The Chiefs’ continued success is a smaller obstacle, though, compared to the biggest obstacle Cassel will face: his opposition.

The AFC has more than its share of talented quarterbacks. Four of the seven quarterbacks who were more efficient than Cassel in 2010 were from the AFC. The two right behind him were also conference opponents.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Colts quarterback Peyton Manning are virtually guaranteed a Pro Bowl berth. They have proven themselves to be two of the most successful quarterbacks of all time and show no signs of slowing down yet. Unless an injury or other circumstances force either of these quarterbacks out of the game, two of the three quarterback spots are going to be filled.

That leaves one spot and one alternate spot left on the team for Cassel to slide into. Unfortunately, he will have to beat out Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Schaub, Philip Rivers, and Joe Flacco for this spot. These three quarterbacks have proven themselves to be tough to beat on the field.

In 2010, Rivers made the team ahead of Cassel. Matt Schaub had more completions and yards than Cassel. Roethlisberger was left off of the team mostly because of a suspension that cost him the first four games of the season. Flacco led the Ravens over the Chiefs in the playoffs.

No one would be able to deny that any of these candidates are suitable for the Pro Bowl. To beat out all of these quarterbacks for the AFC squad, Cassel will, quite simply, have to perform better than he ever has before. 

It would be nice to see Cassel continue his 2010 success into 2011, propelling the Chiefs into the playoffs and himself into the Pro Bowl. Kansas City has been without a successful quarterback that fans can root for for far too long.

At this point, though, this is just a hope for Chiefs fans. It is not too far of a reach to see Cassel make another trip to Hawaii.

It just may not happen in 2012.