This season is the chance Matt Cassel had been waiting eight years for. He was finally starting and after about a month of regaining his feel, Matt was playing great and showing everyone the player he's always been.
Unfortunately Matt will finish the season without one of his biggest fans admiring his work. On Monday Greg Cassel, Matt's father, passed away. Because the Patriots decided to remain on the West Coast because of consecutive games played in Seattle and Oakland, Cassel was able to quickly join his family that lives in California. Matt's availability for Sunday's game against the Oakland Raiders is uncertain.
The Raiders offer sympathy to the young passer and his family, but Oakland probably hopes Cassel doesn't play. Back in 2003, Brett Favre, then playing for Green Bay, lost his father Irvin the day before a Monday night game in Oakland. Brett decided to play that night and passed for 399 yards and four touchdowns. The chances that Cassel finds the inner strength to play the game of his career in honor of his father like Brett Favre did isn't likely, but the Raiders don't want to be on the wrong end of another dramatic performance.
This game is going to be emotionally charged anyway. Receiver Randy Moss will return to the city he gave two lackluster seasons to after being traded from Minnesota to the Raiders. While Moss turned in one 1,000-yard season, Moss was indifferent playing on a bad team going nowhere.
Considered past his prime, the Raiders were happy to deal Moss to the Patriots for a day two draft pick last year. Joining a bonafide championship contender reinvigorated Randy and in one year with the Pats he out-performed his two seasons in Oakland.
Watching an engaged Moss break the single season record for touchdown receptions angered the Raiders and their fans. Expect the Black Hole to give Moss hell.
My condolences to Matt Cassel and the Cassel family.
