Brady's legacy tranished?
 

Ok, I'll admit it... I am the biggest Patsy/Brady/Belichick/Kraft basher. But let's say the Boys from Boston run the table and win the Super Bowl. Is Cassel the new messiah? Does that mean Brady is just a product of a great system? Or lets say the Patsies crap out. Is Belichick just another ho-hum coach and Brady is everything and a bag of chips?
It's early and the Patsies haven't beaten anyone of consequences so we'll see.

GO Steelers!!!

It's just another example of a person being in the right place at the right time. Brady was, so what else is new. Look at Kurt Warner and all the rest of the league.

Winners find a way even in the face of adversity. And that team is nothing but winners. It's the culture. It creates them at every position and in every circumstance.

The Patriots can win without Brady. It might not be as exciting to watch, but Cassel is just as disciplined, methodical and able to do his job. He doesn't try to be flashy, he doesn't try to overdo things, he just does what he's supposed to do - efficiently. That's exactly what Brady has done - quietly do his job and let the TEAM dissect the opposition - for years.

Yes, he'll have some setbacks and will probably lose a few games here or there, but I think he rises to the challenge and the Patriots (once again) stuff it in the faces of the naysayers and go very deep into the playoffs. Maybe all the way. We'll see.

I agree with you on Brady, but Warner is pretty good, he's proven that with what? at least 3 teams? And doing it again now.

Good points Jeff. That is why the Patriots didn't go for an experienced QB. Belichick hand picked these guys for a reason.

I think the truth lies in the middle somewhere. Yes, Brady excels in that system, but he is not the be-all-end-all at the QB position. Likewise, Cassel won't be throwing 50 TD's this season either. I'd be surprised by 25.

The ironic part is that the two Heisman Trophy winners that Cassel backed up throughout college are both not exactly lighting it up this season either. Leinart is riding pine, and Palmer is on one of the worst teams in the league.

The Patriot's have a very good system and Tom Brady is a very good player. Even with that the sum of the whole is greater than the parts.

Matt Cassell will have some success due to the system but the Patriots will not make the superbowl.

Even with Tom Brady the Patriots could not win the Superbowl right? Who did...

THE GIANTS!!!!

And they are going to do it again this year. I know they played two bad teams, but they have the ability to turn it off and on at will. They have 3 RB's who could start. They have at least 5 good WR's. Their defense is still very, very good. If Osi was not hurt the Giants would be the team that would be going undefeated this year!!! And Eli is a good, tough, resilient, smart QB. Did you see his TD pass to Toomer this week? He gunned it in there. Amazing how little credit he gets. The whole team gets no credit and that works in their favor.

Kurt Warner? Really? He had success with the Rams, but with no other team. He never made the superbowl again did he?

Kurt Warner's only played with the Rams (SB title) and the Cards (SB? yea, right).

One big omission from your post is that Eli Manning is still one of the most erratic QBs in the league. Yes, he peaked at the right time, but you have to wonder if he's going to have a regression at some point this season.

Plus you've got two of the best teams in the NFL in that division, too. Not gonna be easy for the G-men.

The Giants suck. They sucked all last season. And they will probably will suck for a considerable part of this season. They got hot and they got lucky at the right time last year. Congratulations to them on a win last year, but I think you're on crack if you think they have any sort of real shot at repeating. They were lucky to be better than New England on one day.

The one thing I'm noticing about the Patriots right now is the same thing that was glaringly evident in the S.B. last year - that their offensive line is not that strong against the blitz. This was very obvious last year when the Giants kept pounding Brady (traditionally a pocket QB) all game and effectively neutralizing his ability to surgically attack their defenses with his WRs (something he's expert at - if you give him time, he'll kill you with it). It remains to be seen whether Cassel has ability to scramble and/or get out of pressure situations without getting turnovers forced, but if he can, he can go a long way towards plugging the one hole I see in NE's game - the offensive line. They need to just be good enough to give the QB options. With Brady, the only options were generally play action, handoff to Maroney, short drop pass to Welker or long bomb to Moss. With Cassel, there might be more. If so, he might prove to be much more dangerous ultimately...

1) Beating a really bad Chiefs team...and an avg. Jets team with defense and playing conservate does not a great QB make.

2) Cassel will do pretty well and they will win 10-11 games on existing talent and coaching alone...

3) In the playoffs, it is a whole nother story... The Pats wont be able to match with QBs from Denver or SD, or Indy... score for score with Cassell.

4) Only QB ever to throw for 50TDs in a season. 3 SB wins. 2 SB MVPs. 1 Season MVP. Only QB to lead his team to 18+ straight wins, twice.

5) Brady was much more than "in the right place at the right time" (rolls eyes)... he won with VERY marginal WRs for his first 6 years in the league. Check out the rosters for his first 3 SB wins and you will see crap WRs all around him.... and no really great RBs either, except Cory Dillon for 2 years....but he put up numbers and got the job done somehow.

6) It is astonishing....that many of you still refuse to give Brady the credit he deserves and has earned...and you still try to find ways to nitpick his game. Reading some of the comments above, as well as the entire premise of this Cassel question after only 2 games... really just shows that most fans only see what they want to see. Brady is one of the top 5 QBs ever to play in the NFL.

You cant tarnish a legacy like that. It is impossible, unless you "OJ" 2 people or something...

I hate the Patriots, I am a Cowboys fan, but if I want to be honest with myself I have to admit that you are right on every point.

It's the little things that separate a true champion from a good player. Look at Romo for example. People are comparing it to Brady... He'll need some more years to get there, if he ever will....

Giants - one year

IMO, Joe Montana was maybe the best I've ever seen. Does that fact that Steve Young stepped in and continued winning lessen Joe's accomplishments? Not at all imo. Brady is/was a great QB, make no mistake about it, regardless of what happens in the future.

Hmm, completely forgot about that one.

Interesting, the Pats win two games over mediocre teams and we are already hearing comparisons to Brady. Although I didn't see either game, I would venture to guess that Cassell was never put in a "must win the game" situation that is going to happen. Brady is an EXCELLENT QB. His decision making at times was uncanny (like he knew what the defense was doing before they did:D). But I digress, As soon as some defensive coordinators get a look at this guy on film and see why he hasn't started a game since high school, they will make him beat you.

brady is an outstanding QB. One of the best who has ever played the game.

Cassell isn't bad either but not to the same level.
He will succeed because he is surrounded by great players and great coaches who taillor the gasmeplan to promote his strengths and cover his weaknesses.
he will not do as well as brady would in the same situation.

I work with Matt Cassel's Mom (she was the Set Decorator on "Without a Trace") and have met him a few times when he was younger. I talked to her yesterday, she had just gotten back from the game at Meadowlands, and she was very proud of the way he's handling it all.

After playing for Chatsworth High and then playing behind Palmer, Leinart and Brady he finally is getting his chance. He has the team and Belicheck 100% behind him.

He also has a brother Jack who plays for the Houston Astros and Justin who plays for the White Sox AA team. Some good genes in that family.

The Giants Suck??? I'd like to have some of whatever you are smoking!!!

They have 12 consective road wins. Think that is easy?

The Giants are so talented that they think they could turn it on and off at will. They can't, no team can. Once they realized they need to play a complete game of football they were, and still are, unstoppable.

The Cowboys and Eagles are getting all this praise right now about their offenses. Does anyone think their offenses are better than last years Pats? They Giants neutralized the Pats offense and will do the same to the Iggles and Boys. You'll see.

Plus do you think any other team could loose both their starting defensive ends and still shut down two teams? Yeah one was the Rams. The other was the skins, who happend to beat NO. Yes the same NO that was a popluar pick to make the playoffs this year.

No chance to repeat, get serious.

And if it seemed I was dissing Brady. I wasn't. His talent and a good system almost made a perfect team. Only a handful of QB's could have done a similar job - The manning brothers, maybe one or two more.

However, to say Brady is one of the top 5 Qbs of all time might be a bit much. Different Era's make it hard to compare qbs. Do you know that most of the greatest Superbowl winning QB's had horrible career stats compared to modern QBs? Look up 300 yd games or TD passes. Tony Romo has more 300 yd games than Stauback and Bradshaw. Combined. Who would you rather have QB your teams???

The answer is yes.

If the Patriots were to run the table this year and win the Superbowl, Brady's legacy would be tarnished.