Matt Cassel ready to deliver in first start for Cowboys
When the Dallas Cowboys informed Matt Cassel that he would replace Brandon Weeden as starting quarterback in place of the injured Tony Romo, it was continuation of a dream come true.
Cassel grew up in California, but his dad is from Lubbock and raised him as a Cowboys fan. He said it’s always been a dream of his to play and start for Cowboys.
Now that the opportunity is here, he is not going to let anything get in the way … not even the birth of his baby.
There are a lot of different reasons you make a decision like this. You evaluate the quarterback position, what we’re asking the quarterback to do and how we execute those things that we’re asking him to do on a daily basis and a weekly basis.
Coach Jason Garrett
Cassel’s wife is 38 weeks pregnant and due any day now — any day but next Sunday at 3:25 p.m. when Cassel is expected to make his first start against the New York Giants on Oct. 25 after this week’s bye.
“No, we will get it out before then,” a loose and laughing Cassel said before a throng of reporters in the locker room Wednesday.
“Right, honey I love you. Lot of walking. Lot of walking.”
While Cassel might want to run the baby contingency plan by his wife just to be sure, there is no turning back for a desperate team riding a three-game losing streak.
The Cowboys made the switch at quarterback because they believe it gives them the best chance to win and keep their season and playoff hopes alive until Romo’s expected return Nov. 22.
“There are a lot of different reasons you make a decision like this,” coach Jason Garrett said. “You evaluate the quarterback position, what we’re asking the quarterback to do and how we execute those things that we’re asking him to do on a daily basis and a weekly basis.
“Also at this position you look at how the offense is performing, and this position has an impact on the entire offensive unit maybe more than any other position and certainly has an impact on how the team is performing. Sometimes that’s fair. Sometimes that’s unfair, but that’s the nature of this position.”
I’m not going to make excuses, I’m not going to throw a pity party for myself. I’m a pro. I’m going to handle it the right way, and go back to business as usual.
Brandon Weeden
The Cowboys lost confidence in Weeden, who not only was 0-3 as Romo’s replacement this season, but also has lost 11 consecutive games as a starter dating to his rookie year with the Cleveland Browns in 2012.
Weeden is coming off his worst game against New England on Sunday. He completed 26 of 39 passes for 188 yards with no touchdowns, an interception and a 67.0 passer rating. The Cowboys averaged only 18 points a game with Weeden and scored only 26 points the past two games combined.
“How do you think I took it? Obviously I’m pissed,” Weeden said of the demotion. “But, you know, nature of this business.”
Weeden declined to go into specifics of his meeting with Garrett, but said the coaching staff is aware of his feelings about the decision. Weeden wouldn’t comment on whether he is a victim of making a change for change’s sake, or if he felt like a scapegoat for the team’s three-game losing skid.
“You guys can dictate however you want to perceive it,” Weeden said. “I’m not going to comment on it. I don’t want to bring the attention to me. I don’t want to say something I shouldn’t say.
“I’m not going to make excuses, I’m not going to throw a pity party for myself. I’m a pro. I’m going to handle it the right way, and go back to business as usual.”
You know what, we’ve got a lot of great players in this room, in this building and so if I go out and do my job at a high level, then I think that everybody will be impacted for the better.
Matt Cassel
Cassel has a 34-38 record as a starter with 96 touchdown passes and 70 interceptions with the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings. He has been the starting quarterback of 10-win teams with New England (2008) and Kansas City (2010).
“Matt’s a good football player, and he’s been a good football player in this league for a number of years,” Garrett said. “He has the skill set that allows him to do everything we ask him to do.
“There’s a lot of different things he brings to the table. We just want to give him an opportunity to run this offense and lead our football team.”
Cassel will work with the starters in practice this week as well as next week before the Giants’ game.
He played primarily with the scout team since being acquired in a trade with Buffalo on Sept. 22, but believes he has a good enough grasp of the offense to be successful.
“Today was the first time I took snaps with the first team, the first time I threw the ball to [Cole] Beasley and [Jason] Witten and those guys since I’ve been here,” Cassel said. “Building that rapport, building that chemistry is important that I take advantage of the next few weeks.”
The confident Cassel said he is ready to deliver.
“You know what, we’ve got a lot of great players in this room, in this building and so if I go out and do my job at a high level, then I think that everybody will be impacted for the better,” Cassel said.
Now if he just can get the baby thing figured out before Oct. 25.
Clarence Hill: 817-390-7760, @clarencehilljr
This story was originally published October 14, 2015 at 7:48 PM with the headline "Matt Cassel ready to deliver in first start for Cowboys."