Recap of Patriots Exhibition Game with Gratiutous Cheerleader Pictures: Featuring Sandra
It's easy enough to make fun of preseason games or bitch about paying full price without getting to see the stars play, but that's missing the point. You'd have to be batshiat crazy to want to see Brady or Moss in a game like last night's. Last year Moss didn't take a snap in preseason and in Week 1 came out and had 140+ yards. What are any of the core players going to show you that you haven't already seen? It's like going to Ft. Myers hoping to see Tim Wakefield pitch; why wouldn't you rather get a look at the Justin Masterson types?
Besides, this year there are too many new faces and too many jobs up for grabs not to enjoy the exhibition season for what it is. While I confess I and the guys I was with were paying equal parts of attention to our beer, ribs and cigars as to the football, here are a few impression of last night's game:
Matt Cassell- Cassell the whole game with his helmet against his ear because it's like a seashell. Only instead of hearing the ocean, he was hearing "Coach wants to see you. Bring your playbook." A lot of people are panicking on him, but you'd think by now Boston fans would be used to a guy with "Cassell" on the back of his jersey who can't pass and keeps turning the ball over. Honestly though, it's hard to gauge him in these little exhibition appearances vs. what they see in practice all season long. I mean, based on what fans saw in 2000, Michael Bishop was destined for Canton, Brady for a job at the San Mateo Circuit City and Bledsoe for early retirement at his lakeside house in Idaho. (Wait. That came true.) But it's hard to see where the coaches can find positives from this performance.
Chad Jackson- We don't know where his failure to get open ends and Cassell's inability to throw the ball begins. On the INT, Randy Cross blamed Jackson, and it did look (without the benefit of a replay, thanks Ch. 5) that Baltimore blitzed and Jackson didn't recognize that he was the hot read. You can forgive the two seasons lost to injury, but if Jackson's still making boo-boos like that in his third training camp, you have to think his learning curve better go vertical immediately or he'll unseat Adrian Klemm as the worst draft bust of the Piolichick era.
Jerod Mayo- All signs with him looked encouraging. He'll take a bad angle or two, but his athleticism jumps off the TV screen at you. And that closing speed we were promised seems to be there. It would be surprising if he's not lining up with the No. 1 defense in Week 1.
Dom Capers- Again, this is indicative of nothing, but I expected a noticeable change in the pass coverage. Capers has a reputation for a pressing, jamming style, but for the most part the CB's played the same restraining order distance off the LOS as they've played the last few years.
Shawn Crable- The knock on Crable in the draft was that he was skinny in his lower body, though he's got the kind of build that he could add weight. That appears to be the case. He lacks sand in the pants and gets blocked 1-on-1 a lot, but he showed the quickness and moves (like the inside swim move he put on for a QB pressure) to be, for now, a situational, Tully Banta Cain style specialist.
The O-line- Granted the line was mostly guys who'll be cut in two weeks (then promptly detained and held for questioning by the Jets) so it almost doesn't count. But Dante Scarnecchia could've protected his QB's better with two wooden stakes and a roll of police tape.
Mathew Slater- Am I dreaming if I think he could fill the Troy Brown role of likable, articulate, team first guy who can contribute anywhere you put him?
Overall- Who knows? The running game looked OK; it looks like Lamont Jordan has a low center of gravity and some agility. The LB's looked like they moved sideline-to-sideline. And it was nice to see Belichick go for two at the end because who cares if you tie? Why not practice the conversion for when you need it as opposed to Jim Harbaugh's failure to keep running plays at the end, apparently deciding his team needed practice taking a knee. The bottom line is that we learned if, God forbid, Brady goes down for any stretch, we're screwed. And we already knew that.
