The Matt Cassel Report Card

Another week is in the books and unfortunately, so is another loss. As we all know the Chiefs fell to the Chargers 20-17 in a heart-breaker. Matt Cassel factored prominently in Sunday's game, both positively and negatively. Without further adieu, let's get to it.

Matt Cassel's stats from last week:

17-24 for 176 yards with 2 TD's and 1 INT

Negative: It's pretty simple, Cassel threw a game-ending interception. I'm not in the habit of giving all of the credit or blame to one player for a game and I won't start now. However, Kansas City was driving at will in the 4th quarter and looked as though they could win the game. Everything could've looked much better going into Week 4.

It wasn't so much the interception, it was the atrocious throw. Dexter McCluster wasn't even close to the pass. Eric Weddle made a great play to be in position and Cassel handed the game right to him.

The other negative was Cassel's complete incompetence during the first half. He absolutely refused to look down the field. When I say down the field, I mean more than five yards from the line of scrimmage. It was brutal.

Positive: At times, Cassel looked like the guy who put himself in the Pro Bowl last season. For the first time this year he made great throws. Cassel and Bowe had a beautiful pitch-and-catch in the 3rd quarter for the Chiefs first points. Bowe was perfectly covered but Cassel laid the ball in the only space available.

The most impressive play authored by Cassel was his 43-yard bomb in the 4th quarter to Steve Breaston. It was beyond refreshing to finally see Cassel just rear back and let it fly. He often appears handicapped by his own fears but on that play he threw caution to the wind.

Sometimes I really think it's a shame Cassel just can't consistently put it together. The ability is there, the confidence isn't.

My Grade: 60

For the third time this season, Cassel had a great completion percentage. He played very well in the second half but then threw that killer interception. Factor in the first half and I couldn't give him a passing grade. If Cassel had finished off that final drive with either a TD or a field goal, I would've given him at least a 65.

Now, some of you will give me grief over this, but I'm sick of the play calling. It's killing this team. Cassel has played very poorly but in fairness this offense has been horrifically managed. If I see one more draw play or a bubble screen on a 3rd and long I'm going to just break down and cry. Sometimes it's Cassel's fault when he instantly checks down, but other times the play is just flawed. Stretch the field. Cassel isn't Brett Favre, but he's not JaMarcus Russell either. Okay, tangent over.

Cassel failed again this week. Let's see if the Vikings see a different (passing grade) side of him Sunday.