Historic Cassel

No, this is not a post about some low-budget excursion across the pond to ogle Hogwarts. It's about your new Patriot star—you know the historic Matt Cassel. That's right, the guy that became the first QB in franchise history to pass for back-to-back 400-yard games was (no, not Tom Brady; no, not Drew Beldsoe; no, not even Babe Parilli), but (wait for it) Matt Cassel!

After disposing of the Phrenetic Phish on Sunday, 48-28, Cassel began to look less like the perennial bench-warming back-up and more like the MVP of the league. Well, maybe not yet. However, if he can take out the vaunted Pittsburgh defense this week, we may be looking at discussions of a Super Bowl re-match with the Joisey Jiants.

"Cassel-Ing" To A Playoff Berth

Your humble scribe is no Chess Master. But that fact doesn't prevent me from using a cheap reference like in the above title to advance the notion that Matt Cassell may yet be enough to get this team to the playoffs.

When Tom Brady went down early in Game 1, the angst level in New England rose to a level just a notch above that achieved by the 3-0 ALCS deficit in 2004. Things looked wicked bleak.

Now, with his latest workmanlike 20-10 win over the Bills, Cassel is looking more and more like a guy who belongs. He's only been sacked twice in the last two games (I can't even speculate how many times he was dumped in the first seven tilts).

"Matt The Pat" (as in patting the ball way too much before a throw) is gone, replaced by a far steadier and confident QB. Heck, he's even throwing long to Randy Moss! Matt was 23 for 34 with no TDs, but importantly, no interceptions either.

Oh, and by the way, BenJarvus Green-Ellis stays--forever! The rookie sensation doesn't run side-to-side much. Why? He tells us with crystal clarity: "Every end zone in America runs north and south." Oh, yeah. He's a keeper.