To live and die with Cassel...

After much deliberation (with myself) and careful film study (OK, I watched Sportcenter highlights) I have devised a gameplan that I believe can work for the Patriots and Matt Cassel.

We’ve heard much about the “spread offense” and its use in college. It has caught on with such enthusiasm that the traditional schools like Michigan and Ohio State are starting to use it.

Will it work in the NFL? Not really. The spread offense doesn’t work in the NFL because defenses are too fast and too smart. The zone read would be snuffed out on every play and there are few quarterbacks that can even outrun defensive ends these days. It’s the same reason why the option never truly worked at the pro level.

But here is something that does work, and it’s already in the Patriots playbook for sure: Spread the field with four or five receivers on almost every play. It’s a little different from the college “spread offense” because it puts more emphasis on the pass and ditches the quarterback running part. Call me crazy, but spreading the field is actually the safest route to take with a quarterback that has little experience.

Defenses won’t be able to crowd the line with linebackers and defensive backs. Blitzes will be more noticeable because the defenders will be farther from the ball and will have to commit earlier to the play. There will be less traffic over the middle for Cassel to sift through, reducing the likelihood of interceptions. The running game will be able to find the gaps more easily against nickel and dime packages.

Most of all, it will get Cassel going early in the game and build his confidence. The Pats can spread the field and start hitting on short slants early to build some momentum. When the defense adjusts, they pound the run with Morris and Maroney (still out of the spread out formations).

Conventional wisdom with a young quarterback is to hunker down and run the football. It conserves the clock and limits your chances of making a big mistake. It also limits your chances of making a big play because the defense will adjust to you and limit your gains.

I say the Pats should go down swinging. Take the training wheels off the young kid early and chuck the ball. It may not work, but at least they can say they tried to win.