Chiefs QB Matt Cassel is 'Leaps and Bounds' Ahead of Last Week

by Joel Thorman on Sep 17, 2009 3:16 PM CDT in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley spoke with reporters this afternoon and of course talked about the topic of the day: injured quarterback Matt Cassel.

Haley hit all his normal notes on the quarterback:

He's made progress
The player is doing everything under his power to be ready
Taking it day-to-day

When asked if he would like a decision by tomorrow (Friday), he said he would.

"I’m not going to pin myself down to that," Haley said. "Hopefully, we have a clearer picture tomorrow with two days away from the game."

Previously, Haley has indicated that his policy on injured players is that they have to practice at least on Friday to have a chance to play. Last week, Cassel participated in all the practices, albeit limited, but appeared to be hampered by the knee. Multiple reports out of One Arrowhead Drive this week have said his knee looks much improved.

"I’m leaps and bounds ahead of where I was last week," Cassel said in a press conference today. "I feel like I’ve made a lot of progress. My (practice) work load definitely went up this week. Coach has said we are going to take it day-by-day."

An interesting question was brought up at Haley's press conference (which are now streamed live on the Mothership by the way): Would you ever consider using Cassel sparingly in the game?

"I think you have to consider it because you don’t know if he is the guy that plays and if he fatigues you’ve got to ready for everything that there is. I wouldn’t say that’s out of the question, to do something like that. But again, I think it’ll kind of be dictated by how he looks tomorrow."

So, he's been practicing all week, he's making progress, and we expect him to play.

Just like last week.

Here are a couple of other places to read about this: Bob Gretz and Todd Haley's Q&A

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Comments

Just read the Q&A

Hoping Flowers will be back too. He will be a big boost to our D and should make plays like Jammer did on Russell

by tomahawk44 on Sep 17, 2009 3:21 PM CDT reply actions

Agreed

Very big boost. Sounds like he’ll be back (although I said that yesterday).

Arrowhead Pride

by Joel Thorman on Sep 17, 2009 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions

Ah

my bad Joel

by tomahawk44 on Sep 17, 2009 3:51 PM CDT up reply actions

Oh, no no

I meant I said that last week – that I thought he would be back.

And I was wrong. So what I say doesn’t mean a whole lot :)

Arrowhead Pride

by Joel Thorman on Sep 17, 2009 4:03 PM CDT up reply actions

lol oh ok

I misunderstood ya I just cant wait for Sunday! Arrowhead should be rockin! oh yeah and Im kind of getting married on Sat :)

by tomahawk44 on Sep 17, 2009 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs

How do you kind of get married?

Herm is gone things are better with that one move!!

by bringbacktheglory on Sep 17, 2009 4:13 PM CDT up reply actions

lol well I am getting married

and she is a Chiefs fan :)

by tomahawk44 on Sep 17, 2009 4:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Well congrats

I married a non football girl, still trying to get her to appreciate it. Kind of hard though the way we have played the last few years. As I told her I think this is the start of some very good times.

Honeymoon watching the Chiefs-Raiders what could be better. Well besides honeymoon night. :)

Herm is gone things are better with that one move!!

by bringbacktheglory on Sep 17, 2009 4:24 PM CDT up reply actions

I meant +1

Haley told the offense to run it again. When someone said the defense already knows the play he responded, "So what, make it work."

by Jay Cotton on Sep 17, 2009 4:26 PM CDT up reply actions

haha thanks and very true:)

by tomahawk44 on Sep 17, 2009 5:20 PM CDT up reply actions

Got Yerself a Good One Right Thar

Hang onto her. I ended up marrying a little girl from San Diego and her and her whole family turned out to be huge Chargers fans. It’s fun though when we play each other. Well, it was fun for them last year, sucked for me…

Put this in your pipe and smoke it:
1. Chiefs will be at least 8-8 and vie for division champs
2. DJ will break out and finally have his year
3. LJ returns to form
4. DBowe drops will reduce

by kcchiefsfan72 on Sep 17, 2009 4:57 PM CDT up reply actions

Meant to Say...

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Put this in your pipe and smoke it:
1. Chiefs will be at least 8-8 and vie for division champs
2. DJ will break out and finally have his year
3. LJ returns to form
4. DBowe drops will reduce

by kcchiefsfan72 on Sep 17, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions

My wife is a Raider fan.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Sep 17, 2009 6:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Ouch '70

you’re worse off than me. At least we beat her team once last year so you got to boast a little.

Put this in your pipe and smoke it:
1. Chiefs will be at least 8-8 and vie for division champs
2. DJ will break out and finally have his year
3. LJ returns to form
4. DBowe drops will reduce

by kcchiefsfan72 on Sep 17, 2009 10:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Congrats to you and Mrs Tomahawk :)

Let's Kick some ASS in 09 or Die trying

by Steve_Chiefs on Sep 17, 2009 6:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Congrats tomahawk!

Arrowhead Pride

by Joel Thorman on Sep 17, 2009 4:56 PM CDT up reply actions

+1

Haley told the offense to run it again. When someone said the defense already knows the play he responded, "So what, make it work."

by Jay Cotton on Sep 17, 2009 4:25 PM CDT reply actions

thanks to all of your guys !

by tomahawk44 on Sep 17, 2009 5:21 PM CDT reply actions

If I were the coach, it'd be a balancing of O-Line development and Cassel's recovery.

Much as I like Seymour and the d-line of the Faders, a healthy Cassel would run the legs off ’em by the end of the 2nd quarter. A less-than-100% Cassel would be more likely to find himself in some bad situations.

Balance this with the level of play likely from the O-Lline. If there’s significant improvement – the big change I’d look for is O’Callaghan @ RT and Ndukwe at RG – that’d give me more leeway with Cassel’s injury.

Best of both worlds is that the QB and O-Line situations are both starting to gel, in which case, KC is likely more than the Faders can handle. With Croyle starting, I wouldn’t have much faith in the offense.

No question. Otis Taylor should be in the Hall of Fame.

by hmills110 on Sep 17, 2009 5:41 PM CDT reply actions

"Nobody is ever 100%"

Footnote:
Todd Haley

by E.C. on Sep 17, 2009 6:05 PM CDT up reply actions

Croyle would play fine against the Raiders.

As long as Haley will open the playbook. With Cassel in, I expect there would be a much more aggressive offensive attack.

by Chiefsfan1970 on Sep 17, 2009 6:05 PM CDT reply actions

Did you see what Cassel said in Q&A today?

He said, “the conservative play calling early gave us a chance to win the game late”
I think that was in the game plan; they were too afraid of the turnovers against the Ravens. We would of had no chance with a turnover. so i think they just wanted to squeek by early then take our shots late when we still had a chance and see what happened.
I think the playbook will be more open this week regardless of who’s QB, just cause it’s the radiers not ravens.

For the record:Cassels gonna play

by E.C. on Sep 17, 2009 6:12 PM CDT up reply actions