What better way to forget your first regular season in 21 games then a small vacation? The Patriots were off last week and now will embark on a ten day trip to California that will be anything but vacation. Over the course of the next week or so the Patriots will visit San Fransisco and San Diego before returning home to host the Denver Broncos. Quite the daunting task for Patriots club desperately searching for its identity. Due to the consecutive games on the West Coast the Patriots will turn San Jose State University into Patriot Place West. With the Red Sox in Anaheim and Tom Brady also set for surgery next week in California seemingly all New England sports have their eyes on the left coast.
Sunday Matt Cassel will make a rather unlikely homecoming as the starter for the Patriots against the 49ers. This game will be the first time the Patriots have played in San Fransisco since 1995. Cassel, a California native will make his first start in his home state since his much publicized High School performance. But for a Patriots team still dealing with adjusting to the loss of Tom Brady its hard to imagine a better opponent than the 49ers. To be fair that is also how many, myself included described their matchup with Miami. But the 49ers are a little different, they have given up a league worst 19 sacks and are also in the position of playing their backup QB J.T. O’Sullivan. The 49ers susceptibility to the pass rush seems to play right in the Pats’ hands. But the Patriots secondary should be tested in this game, the Niners rank third in the league with 16 passing plays of 20 yards or more.
Despite the defenses ghastly performance against Miami a lot of attention and blame was heaped upon the offense and Matt Cassel. This week simply put they have to be better in almost every aspect of the game. Against Miami the running game was completely ineffective which therefore cut off the Patriots passing game. If Cassel and co. couldn’t even complete their short passing game, corners were able to play tight to the line, therefore rendering the Patriots offense useless. This weekend the Patriots need to spread the field, more to the point they need to prove to the league that they can stretch the field. Count me as cautiously optimistic.
Regardless of the Patriots ability or lack there of to move the ball New England takes this game by 7-10 points.
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Tags: 49ers, J.T. O'Sullivan, Matt Cassel, New England, Nich Hall, Patriots
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16 Responses to “Patriots head West for 10-day trip, first stop San Fran”
Posted: 10/03/08 at 12:00 pm
It is definitely worth staying out on the West Coast. I hope for your sake that the Pats get better results from this than the Cards did the last 2 games on the East Coast.
Posted: 10/03/08 at 12:03 pm
Honestly, I find the 3-3.5 point spread in favour of the Pats a little daunting… They should absolutely roll the Niners, but then, they should have crushed the Fish too… I’m leery about placing any real money on this Pats team. Looks like the adjustments to Cassel aren’t coming along quick enough…
Posted: 10/03/08 at 12:07 pm
The three point spread I find to be a little insulting. This isn’t a powerhouse 49ers team, and Belichick’s record off a bye week is outstanding. Not sure whats going on in Vegas. Perhaps they are looking for a trap game. But if the Patriots lose or only win by three, NE will be in full panic mode.
Oh well almost Bruins season right?
Posted: 10/03/08 at 12:14 pm
Bruins should be interesting to watch, unless they do end up trading Savard to Vancouver for Bieksa as some anonymous hockey blogger recently suggested would happen…
Posted: 10/03/08 at 12:20 pm
Anonymous hockey blogger… Is that the guy with the dog picking where Sundin will go with tennis balls? (Just kidding love our sister site.)
Great stat from Bill Simmons of ESPN, since 2003 the Pats are 8-0 after double digit losses.
Posted: 10/03/08 at 12:23 pm
People are talking that maybe Belichick shouldn’t start Cassel and go with someone new. I don’t think that is the best solution but maybe a deal has to be made to get a more proven guy leading the huddle.
Posted: 10/03/08 at 12:27 pm
I think there is a good chance that before the end of the season the Patriots 2008 draft pick and current second string Kevin O’Connell will get a chance. But I don’t advocate that decision, yet. If every starter who underperformed against Miami was replaced, you’d have about 17 new starters.
Also I don’t think there is a deal to be made. There are no blow you away candidates that would be worth teaching the system to. Brett Favre has been with the Jets for a little under two months and they’re still working out the kinks.
Posted: 10/03/08 at 12:34 pm
What about Daunte Culpepper? Reunite him with Moss, and let them add a few plays to the playbook from years gone by…
Posted: 10/03/08 at 12:37 pm
No thanks. But if Ronnie Brown’s available I hear he’s a pretty good quarterback. Could solve our under performing running problems too..
Posted: 10/03/08 at 1:03 pm
If that happens, my goodness, what a bad move!
Posted: 10/03/08 at 1:04 pm
Line is looking for public money on the Pats. People love betting the favs and Vegas built all those hotels on people losing out on the favs!
Posted: 10/03/08 at 1:09 pm
Wouldn’t that imply Miami having a much better record than the 1-15 stunner they put up last season? LOL… I know, you can underperform without losing, but realistically, this seems to be the Pats’ “CURSE” team… Their 21 consecutive regular season wins were bookended by losses to Miami, of all teams…
Posted: 10/03/08 at 3:26 pm
If I were the Pats I wouldn’t get Culpepper because Al Davis might say that you tampered with him
Posted: 10/03/08 at 3:27 pm
What do you think of the Savard for Bieksa rumor?
Posted: 10/03/08 at 4:33 pm
Garcia and Kitna have been mentioned. They are better options than Culpepper.
Posted: 10/03/08 at 4:33 pm
LOL!