By Matt Sohn
Sept. 8, 2008

Matt Cassel

Updated at 3:56 p.m. ET, Monday, Sept. 8

Just 15 offensive snaps into the season, the Patriots’ hopes for Super Bowl redemption took a severe blow as QB Tom Brady suffered a season-ending knee injury. Stepping into a downfield throw, Brady was taken down by blitzing Chiefs S Bernard Pollard, and writhed in pain on the field before being helped off by the team’s medical staff.

Multiple reports have suggested that the reigning league MVP tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, an injury that typically takes upward up 12 months to fully recuperate from. On Monday, head coach Bill Belichick told reporters Brady has been placed on the injured-reserve list, but said he was not aware of the specific diagnosis. Brady reportedly underwent an MRI Monday which confirmed serious enough damage to end his ninth NFL season before it even got off the ground.

Career backup Matt Cassel replaced Brady in the lineup Sunday, and completed 13-of-18 passes for 152 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers in leading the Pats to a 17-10 victory over the visiting Chiefs. In his first full series after taking over from Brady, Cassel led the offense on a 98-yard TD drive.

The PFW spin

The magnitude of this injury extends beyond Brady’s outstanding play on the field. True, by most standards, he’s the greatest quarterback in the game today, and one of the defining players of his generation. Tossing an NFL-record 50 TD passes in 2007 in leading the Patriots to an undefeated regular season served as just the latest evidence of his excellence.

But the enormity of this loss is compounded by the idea that New England lacks a suitable replacement. Throughout his four NFL seasons, Cassel has time and again proven ill-equipped to handle the responsibilities that are demanded of starting quarterbacks. While his physical traits are undeniable — he’s a sturdy 6-4, 230 pounds with a strong arm and quick feet — his football IQ remains suspect. He has a tendency to lock in on his primary target, and he fails to consistently recognize coverages and defensive schemes. In offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ modified spread offense which showcases three- or four-receiver sets approximately 70 percent of the time, Cassel’s inability to process multiple reads stands as a potentially crippling liability.

And it’s not as if the Pats can be confident in his poise based on his college production. Cassel never started a game for USC, having sat behind Heisman Trophy winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart throughout his tenure in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, Belichick talked favorably about his new No. 1 passer on Monday.

“We have a lot of confidence in Matt,” Belichick said. “He’s grown up through the system. He did some good things in the preseason and in training camp, and he’s shown he can handle different situations. It’s not just chalk talk with him, and I think he showed that on the field yesterday.”

While his numbers in relief against the Chiefs were solid, he was operating against one of the league’s most porous defenses. Whether he can replicate that production against the AFC’s better defenses is a huge question mark.

Behind Cassel is rookie Kevin O’Connell, who actually looked to be the Pats’ most promising passer in the preseason. New England invested a third-round pick in the strong-armed and mobile San Diego State product, but entrusting a rookie from the Mountain West Conference with starting honors doesn’t engender much confidence.

At his press conference, Belichick denied reports that the Pats are bringing in veterans Chris Simms and Tim Rattay for workouts Monday or have plans to work them out.

“In spite of what some people are putting out there, we have not worked out a quarterback,” Belichick said. “We have had a lot of people call us, though.”

Asked if he would be open to adding a new quarterback, Belichick said that he and his braintrust are always evaluating the roster and will do whatever is in the best interest of the team. Translation: “We’re very interested in upgrading the personnel at the QB spot.”

Simms, recently cut by the Buccaneers, is blessed with elite physical skills, but fell out of favor with coach Jon Gruden in Tampa Bay. The sixth-year veteran has started 15 games in his NFL career, 10 of which came in a 10-TD, seven-interception 2005 campaign.

Rattay has bounced around between a few clubs, with career marks of 31 touchdowns and 23 interceptions mildly besting Simms’ production. The fact that Rattay is on the Pats’ radar screen comes as no big surprise. During the 2000 NFL draft, the Patriots were torn between him and Brady before ultimately selecting the latter who’d go on to lead the team to three Super Bowl titles.

There aren’t many other legitimate options, though players such as Daunte Culpepper and Kelly Holcomb could warrant interest. Both have announced their retirement, but could be coaxed out if presented with a starting opportunity in New England.

However, there’s doubt as to whether any newcomer actually represents an upgrade over Cassel. NFL playbooks have progressed to the point where it can take months — and in some cases years — to master, and none of the free-agent options have experience running McDaniel’s system. Vinny Testaverde, 44, was a Patriots backup in 2006, but he seems to be a longshot to come back into the fold at his age.

Regardless, Cassel is all but assured of starting next week’s showdown with Brett Favre and the Jets at Giants Stadium. How Cassel fares against the Jets’ improved defense could go a long way in determining how the Pats’ QB situation shakes out.