What are the Patriots without Tom Brady?

Flustered.  Angered.  Scared.  Confused.

These are probably the emotions of a lot of Patriots fans today.  With news coming out of Foxborough that Patriots’ future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady is going to injured reserve, there is understandably a lot of worries as well as a lot of questions that need answering.

How Serious is Tom Brady’s Injury?

When Tom Brady got to his feet after first being hit in the left knee by Bernard Pollard yesterday, I was relieved.  I figured, worst case, a sprained knee or a hyperextended knee.  Boy was I wrong.  Later that night, I learned that Brady likely had a torn ACL, and was done for the year.  As reports are coming in, it looks like Brady could have tears to the MCL and cartilage around the knee.  We all know Brady is done for the year.  But how bad is the injury?  Will it affect his offseason?  Will it affect the 2009 season?  Will it affect his career?  Tom Brady will be 32 next season, and I’m sure this injury won’t be easy to rehab from.  Mobility isn’t the main part of his game (nor is it close), but this injury could affect his confidence as well as his ability to step up into throws.  There’s a chance that when Tom Brady comes back, he won’t be the same Tom Brady.

Who is Our Starting Quarterback?

As I see it, Matt Cassel is our starting quarterback, no questions asked.  If the Patriots bring in a veteran, I think it will be to back-up Cassel, not challenge him.  I’m sure the last thing Bill Belichick wants is to have the pressure of a veteran breathing down his neck.  This is now Matt Cassel’s team.  Bill Belichick believes in him, Tom Brady believes in him, the team believes in him, and the fans will learn to believe in him.

What can we expect from Matt Cassel this season?

Cassel has great size, at 6′4.5″, 230 lbs.  He also has great arm strength.  While he can be inconsistent in his accuracy, he looked calm and poised during yesterday’s game.  He is good off the play-action fake, and can make good reads, playing relatively mistake free.  I would expect Cassel to throw in the 15-20 touchdown range with 10-15 interceptions, with about 2500 yards.  He will be a manager, not a playmaker.  But I truly believe that he can get the job done.

How will the Brady injury limit the offense?

Don’t expect the Patriots to be scoring 75 touchdowns this season.  But don’t expect the offense to be that bad, either.  The Patriots will certainly run the ball a lot more with Brady out.  With Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney, Lamont Jordan, and Kevin Faulk all getting playing time, the running game will certainly excel.  Look for Heath Evans to be used more as a traditional fullback (a la Marc Edwards).  In the passing game, the Patriots will certainly be more conservative.  Don’t look for Cassel to be making too many passes 10-20 yards down the field in the middle of traffic.  Look for a short controlled passing game, with screens going to the backs and Welker, with some underneath routes as well.  The Patriots will compliment this with the occasional pass over the top to Randy Moss, as well as some looks down the seams to the tight ends.  If the Patriots set up the run, a good portion of Cassel’s throws will likely come off the play action fake.

What can we expect from the Patriots this season?

Well, we shouldn’t be expecting another 16-0 season, I’ll tell you that.  However, with a strong running game, controlled passing game, and continued excellent defensive play, I wouldn’t count this team out of playoff, division, or possibly even Super Bowl contention.