Does Lighting Strike Twice for the Patriots?

For New England, it's time to finally learn if there's Life After Brady. I am sure the same question was raised about Bledsoe back in Week 3 of the 2001 season. Although much of the media has dropped the Patriots down in various rankings, this will only become more fuel to ignite the Patriots fire. The Patriots always play well when they have a chip on their shoulder, and the media is creating that chip! Brady is a definite loss to the Patriots, but that does not mean the Patriots season is over.

So can Cassel be successful in the Patriots system? The answer is yes!

•Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will spend as many extra hours as necessary getting Cassel ready from week to week. Cassel's downfall will not be a lack of preparation.

• Belichick will craft game plans around Cassel that will minimize his inexperience as much as possible. Expect to see the running game of Laurence Maroney, Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan carry the offensive workload. It won't be Cassel's job to win games as much as not to lose them on turnovers or mistakes.

• Compared to the team Brady inherited from Bledsoe, Cassel will benefit from taking over a much more evolved offense. Cassel has had much more time to study and learn New England's offense compared to Brady's first starting experience. This is Cassel's fourth season compared to Brady who was only in his second year in New England's system when his starting opportunity arrived.

• Cassel is taking over the reins of the most prolific offense in NFL history, and he's doing it in a season in which the Patriots have the league's easiest schedule on paper. New England plays some really poor teams this year, facing the 49ers, Rams, Raiders, as well as two games against a Dolphins team that while improved, still has some work to do coming off that dreadful 1-15 finish of last year. Players like Moss and Welker will make Cassel shine.

• Cassel will still have access to Tom Brady, and his knowledge of the game. The biggest thing Brady can do for Cassel is to help him with maintaining the emotional equilibrium you need to play quarterback in this league. Nobody does that better than Brady, and he can help Cassel deal with the enormity of the job, and coping with the whole situation he has been thrust into. This is different from Bledsoe who was still fighting to regain his starting job back from Brady.

The Cassel era starts Sunday at the Meadowlands against the Jets...does lightning strike twice for the New England Patriots? Tune in and see...