2009 Patriots

Just a quick, nice-to-have-to-worry about question. And by the way, all things being equal, obviously Brady over Cassel, but:

- Brady already had an infection after surgery, and the typical prognosis is around 10 months for his procedure... and this is a question I don't know the answer to: How much playing time - practice, pre-season etc., are the Pats going to see Brady in to see if he's back in Brady-form? What is their contingency plan... or what are they starting to think?...

- That Pats defeinitely need to add to their secondary in the off-season -- which will take some extra Spilocoli-dinero, after he pays for the pizza while learning about Cuba. But, if all that money is allotted to shoring up the secondary - and linebackers really, if Brady goes down or has lingering deficiancies, do we really want a 70% Brady or even 100% O'Connell -- a man who wasn't allowed one snap in last week's game? Even in the 4th quarter when it was an untouchable win?

- By the way, that lack of pulling Cassel... when you try to decipher why that was, don't the answers all seem a bit... interesting?...
--- Wouldn't you want to save Cassel from a very physical team when the time was right?
--- wouldn't you want your back-up to get some snaps in the NFL in case Cassel ever has to sit out a couple set of downs; i.e. a non-season-ending injury, whereby O'Connell has to at least keep the shiop afloat.

- Do the Pats tie up about 25% of their salary cap on two QBs - keeping Cassel - and look to work some behind the scenes magic in the front office - to improve the somewhat porous D.

Heard on the radio this AM: Assante Samuel intercepted a pass in last night's game -- had me flashing to that last drive by Eli last Feb -- why couldn't he intercept then. Spilled milk.

Bottom line -- I think Cassel should go to some team that will pay him big bucks, but selfishly, I want him to lean back on. Brady is not quite old enough for the Pats to think Young for Montana - Brady is just too good. But everyone is human, and what if this injury has longer consequences? Do you franchise Cassel, let him go unencumbered to free agency, or somehow keep him?

As Dennis Hopper said to Keanu Reeves: What Do You Do?...