Q&A with MATT CASSEL - 12/17
Tarkus
Dec 17, 2009, 3:31:41 PM
Q: How much easier is it on the offense to have a guy like RB Jamaal
(Charles) around?
MATT CASSEL: �Jamaal�s done a fantastic job for us. He�s done everything
we�ve asked of him. He continues to make big plays and he�s a guy that
has such an explosive nature about him that it�s great to have him on
the field because defenses have to start accounting for him so he�s done
a great job and hopefully he�ll keep that production up.�
Q: He seems like a pretty quiet guy. What�s he like in the huddle?
CASSEL: �He is a pretty quiet kid. As he�s started to play a little bit
more, you can see he�s grown with confidence and he continues to build
that confidence each and every week that he has success. It�s fun to
watch him develop in that area.�
Q: So he�s starting to speak up a little bit, be more vocal?
CASSEL: �A little bit. I think he�s quiet by nature and just goes out
and does his job. At the same time, you can see through that confidence
that he�s playing with right now, it�s fun to watch that development.�
Q: How big is it to have WR Dwayne Bowe back?
CASSEL: �It�s huge. We�ve missed Dwayne over the last few weeks. He�s a
playmaker and he�s a guy that we�ve relied on in the past and started to
really build a relationship with before he was gone for the last four
weeks. To have him back out on the field will be great.�
Q: How quickly will he be able to come back, will he be starting?
CASSEL: �You know, I don�t know, that�s probably coach�s decision right
now. I think he�s still trying to get caught up to speed, we�re doing a
lot of different things now from when he left, so it�ll just kind of be
up to the coaches to see how far he progresses throughout the week.�
Q: You guys have been trying to convert some fourth downs. Does it seem
to you that there have been a lot of fourth-and-ones, fourth-and-twos
where you guys are coming up just a little short?
CASSEL: �There have been. Throughout the course of the year, it�s crazy,
we�ve had a ton of fourth-and-short situations and on third down, we�re
getting right to the sticks, but for whatever reason, we�re coming up a
yard short or a few inches short. That�s resulted in a lot of
fourth-down tries and fourth-down conversions.�
Q: Is it surprising to you to know that you�re leading the league in
going for it on fourth down?
CASSEL: �I�ve never heard that stat, so that�s pretty interesting that
you said that. I know that we�ve been in that situation quite often this
year.�
Q: After you get the game plan each week, do you generally feel good
about short-yardage stuff that you guys have in, that if you need that
yard or two, that you guys have some different things that could work?
CASSEL: �There�s no doubt. We go out there each and every week and the
coaches do a great job of putting together that package and we practice
it, we rep it and we feel like at any point, we should be able to get a
yard as an offense.�
Q: How frustrating or upsetting was it for you last week to hear the
home crowd voicing their displeasure?
CASSEL: �You know, that�s part of football. That�s part of being in this
profession. You never want to have the home crowd booing, but we didn�t
give them much to cheer about either. We�ve got to do a better job of
being more productive on the field, giving them something to cheer
about. At the same time, they pay their ticket, and I�ve said this
before, they can come here, they can cheer, they can yell, they can
scream, they can do whatever they want, and that�s their right.�
Q: How much does this team need a win, and how important is it to get a
win in the final home game of the year, in front of the home crowd?
CASSEL: �It would be huge, especially to end the year at Arrowhead with
a win and on a high note, because we won�t play here again until next
year. We really would like this one for ourselves and for our fans and
give them something to cheer about. We�re working hard this week and
we�re trying to do whatever we can to get it headed in the right direction.�
Q: You mention that as a team you�re doing different things since WR
Dwayne Bowe left. It�s only been a month. Are there really that many
things that he would need to catch up on?
CASSEL: �There�s no doubt. We�ve changed the offense in so many
different ways over the last month or so and we continue to build on
different aspects of what we�re doing offensively and he�s definitely
going to have a learning curve this week.�
Q: From your time in the NFL, is that unusual to change something that
much in December?
CASSEL: �No, I think that we�re a game plan team by design and so each
and every week, based on what the defense is doing, we�ll try to exploit
that and so when you get the game plan, there�s not a ton of carryover
from week to week unless you�re playing a team that�s similar.�
Q: Looking back and assessing your games over the past couple of weeks
here, would you use the word pressing at all? Are you pressing a little bit?
CASSEL: �No, you know, I�ve tried to go out and execute the game plan.
San Diego, you look at that game and it got out of hand, obviously you
don�t want to have the turnovers but at the same time, I felt like I was
throwing the ball really well during that game. The Broncos, I just
never got in a rhythm and I don�t think we really got into a rhythm as
an offensive unit. And then last week, we went back, we watched the
tape, and you look at the stat sheet and you see four interceptions, you
go �Jeez, what�s going on?� But as you assess the play and I get my
grading sheet week, there weren�t any mental errors, I was making and
going to the right place with the ball throughout most of the day and
three of the interceptions, obviously, you wish you had back, but at the
same time, there�s really one of those interceptions that I would have
thrown it to the same place, and that�s the one I was scrambling out and
tried to make a play.�
Q: But there�s no doubt in your mind that you�re still trusting your
abilities out there?
CASSEL: �Oh there�s no doubt that I�m trusting my abilities and I�ll
continue to trust my abilities as we go forward.�
Q: You guys have had problems with dropped passes recently. What�s the
trust level like then between you and the receivers out there?
CASSEL: �Again, it just goes back to everybody doing their job. As a
quarterback, I can only control what I can control. I�ve got to be able
to go out there and throw the ball and trust that they�re going to do
their job and at the same time, they�re going to trust that I�m going to
give them an opportunity to make those catches and put the ball in the
right spot. I think it starts with yourself, what can you do better or
what do you have to do to execute the game plan and then everybody else,
if we do that collectively, we�ll have success.�
Q: You want to trust everybody, but the tendency is to trust one person
more, then you go there first. Does that kind of stuff creep into your head?
CASSEL: �Ideally, if it�s a certain situation that dictates, you know
that your first read would take you here, but you have a good matchup
over here, you might say, �Alright, I�m going to the receiver over here
because of the situation.� It�s all kind of dictated on the play and
what the conditions are in the game.�
Q: When you say �no mental errors,� for those of us who don�t get a
grade sheet on it, can you explain more about a mental error?
CASSEL: �A mental error, in terms of the operation, you break the
huddle, you come to the line, you�re running the play successfully or
you�re making the right read, you�re doing those types of things. You�re
not making mental errors out there on the field which would be costly in
many cases.�
Q: So the interception you described?
CASSEL: �I think that�s a poor decision.�
Q: With three games left, does it seem like the season has gone by
quickly, or is it the opposite?
CASSEL: �You know, it�s gone by pretty quickly to be completely honest.
We only have three games left. It�s crazy when you get involved and you
start going, it just feels like one week to the next. At the same time,
it�s been a learning experience throughout this whole year for me and as
we go on forward. Hopefully we get some wins as we finish the year.�