Jim Zorn On Matt Cassel Changing Plays At The Line Of Scrimmage

Matt Cassel has some freedom at the line of scrimmage. Earlier this week we passed along an observation that Cassel appeared to change the call at the line of scrimmage on multiple occasions in Friday's game. Chiefs quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn talked a little bit about that and the strategy behind it.

"That's the flexibility of this offense to make those decisions because they are necessary," Zorn said. "What's great about Matt, and I would put the other quarterbacks in that situational category as well, they've all done very well on the line of scrimmage. Now, Matt has done it in the game and we need to continue to get that accomplished. Not over think things, but just look and see what you see and make the right call accordingly."

I'm not privy to which plays Cassel did and didn't change but nearly every one of the 16 plays he ran last weekend was a positive play, so clearly he was successful. Zorn also made clear that, while Cassel has that freedom at the line of scrimmage, there's also the responsibility to be right.

"Absolutely, that's why it's not much of a license, because there is a freedom of being on that line of scrimmage, but there is also a responsibility of being on that line of scrimmage. And, so they do have to make the right decisions, and it's not a feeling, it's you've got to go to this because what we have called may not be the best play."

I remember listening to Bart Scott talking about Mark Sanchez on (where else) ESPN last night and he talked about the game slowing down for quarterbacks in their fourth year. The same applies to Cassel who is entering his fifth year as a starter and eighth overall. Logic says if this is his most talented team it will be his most successful season (and we all know logic always applies in the NFL!).