Why did Matt Leinart start at USC instead of Matt Cassel?
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Boston Herald writer Ron Borges had a good time lampooning Arizona Cardinals reserve QB Matt Leinart after his former USC backup, Matt Cassel, and the Patriots whomped the Cardinals in the snow at Foxboro on Sunday, 47-7.
Borges asked: ‘How in the world Matt Cassel ever rode the bench [at USC] behind an Arizona Cardinals scrub named Matt Leinart...’
On Sunday, Cassel picked up his 10th win as Tom Brady’s replacement. Cassel was 20 for 36, with 345 passing yards and three touchdown passes. The score was 44-0 when Leinart came in. Leinart had a fumble, an intereception and ended up 6 for 14, for 138 yards and one TD pass.
Patriots Coach Bill Belichick yanked Cassel to rest him while Leinart was getting his garbage time.
After the game, Patriots guard Logan Mankins was asked to explain why Cassel, a seventh-round draft pick, is starring in the NFL, while Leinart is a non-factor in pro ball, yet Leinart kept Cassel on USC’s bench. Answered Mankins: ‘Something bad must have happened on the day they had tryouts.’
QB Cassel was PC: ‘I think Matt Leinart is a great player and he’ll be a great player in the NFL,’ Cassel said. ‘He did a great job at USC. We won two national championships with him as a starting quarterback at USC so they obviously made the right decision.’
-- Barry Stavro
