After putting up 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in his first season in Kansas City, many Chiefs fans were unsure if Matt Cassel could get the job done as the starting quarterback going into the 2010 season.
Cassel did not let the critiques get to his head.
His determination and focus helped the Chiefs win the AFC West for the first time since 2003. Cassel threw 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He is the youngest quarterback in franchise history to throw 27 touchdowns since the NFL/AFL merger.
Due to Cassel’s magnificent performance, he earned an invitation to the 2011 Pro Bowl.
Cassel was able to prove himself in his second season as a Chief, but his third season in Kansas City will be intriguing to watch.
Schedule
Kansas City won’t have Tennessee, 49ers">San Francisco, Cleveland, Arizona or St. Louis on their schedule. As division champions, they’ll face teams that hold higher credentials.
Kansas City will play seven teams that placed in the top 10 in total defense last season. The only team they played last season that finished in the top 10 was San Diego.
The Chiefs have the Steelers, Jets, Packers and Bears listed on their schedule. Those four teams finished in the top 10 in total defense, but more importantly, they all appeared in the conference title games.
Final Two Games
Cassel ran into a brick wall when he played against Oakland and Baltimore in the regular season finale and in Round 1 of the playoffs.
Against the Raiders, Cassel was sacked a season-high five times and threw two interceptions. He threw three interceptions against the Ravens in his first postseason start.
In those two games combined, Cassel threw no touchdowns and five interceptions.
Playoff Performance
Although Cassel played in only one postseason game, he threw the second-most interceptions among all quarterbacks who participated in the postseason. He was the only starting quarterback who did not throw a touchdown during the playoffs.
He finished the postseason with a quarterback rating of 20.4. That is the lowest rating a quarterback in the postseason with at least 14 pass attempts since the 2002 postseason when Chicago Bears quarterback Shane Matthews had a 17.9 rating.
When the Chiefs hosted the Ravens, everyone saw a different side of Cassel. This game was a wake-up call for him. Cassel knows that the Ravens defense is similar to teams he’ll face next season.
If the Chiefs want to repeat as division champions, they’ll have to earn it. It all starts with the quarterback. Can Cassel rebound after struggling in his last two games?
Scott Pioli and Todd Haley made a lot of changes last year to help Cassel succeed in 2010 by signing Casey Wiegmann and Ryan Lilja to the offensive line. This season, Pioli and Haley brought quarterbacks coach Jim Zorn and drafted a receiver in Jonathan Baldwin to compliment Dwayne Bowe.
With the departure of Charlie Weis, Cassel will have to learn a new system under offensive coordinator Bill Muir.
With the challenge ahead, Cassel’s touchdown total may go down while his interception total is expected to rise. With one good season under his belt, he’ll go into the 2011 season—or 2012—with a higher level of confidence.
Including the playoffs, Cassel has started 46 games in the last three seasons. He knows how he’ll be tested and what he has to go through to pass.
The biggest test of Cassel’s career awaits him.
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