December 30, 2008 Patriots reflect on the 2008 season Play video

(NECN) - Week 1 of the NFL season -- every football fan in New England would have told you that the Patriots stood no chance of making the playoffs. But did anyone listen? No. Maybe the numbers 3,615, 63.2 and 21 had something to do with it. Those were Matt Cassel's passing yardage, completion percentage and touchdown passes in the 2008 season, respectively.

Immediately after Tom Brady went down in that first game with serious injuries to his knee ligaments, the Patriots 2008 schedule looked little more than the chance to improve position for the NFL Draft in April. But as the weeks passed, a glimmer of hope arose from those sour thoughts -- Cassel was improving.

In fact, the entire team seemed to rally behind the quarterback who had not started a football game since high school. Thrust under center for a team that went 16-0 during the 2007 regular season, Cassel showed marked improvement week-by-week. Once again, Bill Belichick had cultivated a backup quarterback, turning him into a reliable starter.

Nine games into the season, New England sat at a steady (6-3), two of its three losses being blowouts to Miami and San Diego -- one a heartbreaking 18-15 loss at Indianapolis. A loss which, ironically, jump started a then (3-4) Colts team that has since won-out and will be participating in the AFC Playoffs.

Linebacker Mike Vrabel says that the team got off to a late start, but points to the Indianapolis game as a turning point. "We started a little

late I guess. You look at Indy, that game against us, carried them right on through. Maybe we just started a little late." He adds that "you just can't just say we played well the last four weeks of the season, because ultimately that wasn't enough."

The team's Week 11 matchup against the New York Jets on a Thursday night in November would prove to Patriots fans that Cassel was the real deal. Passing for 400 yards on 30-of-51 completions and three touchdowns was a nice touch, but it was the final touchdown pass that meant so much more.

Having just spiked the ball on 3rd & 1 at the Jets 16 yard line, Cassel stood in the shotgun formation with 8 seconds remaining in the game. Down 31-24, it was all or nothing on that one play. Rolling out right, Cassel put his pass to Randy Moss where only the NFL's single season touchdown reception holder could catch it. After an official replay, it was ruled a completion. Cassel had tied the game.

The Patriots lost the coin toss and the game in overtime, but that hardly seemed to matter at the time. Cassel had led his team on a 72-yard drive in the closing seconds, drawing comparisons to his predecessor -- Brady.

A Week 13 loss to Pittsburgh was certainly disappointing for the team. But to close out the season, the Patriots won the final four games on the slate in convincing fashion to finish (11-5). Not since 1985 had an NFL team won 11 games and been kept out of the playoffs.

Defensive End Richard Seymour says "coming down the stretch we played our best football in December and I think that's what you want to do as a team. Play your best football come down the stretch."

Following New England's Week 17 13-0 victory over Buffalo, assistance was required if the Patriots were to make the playoffs. Either the Jets needed to win against Miami, or the Ravens needed to lose. Neither team pulled through. The team learned of the end of its ride in 2008 on its flight back to New England. But what a ride it was.

Patriots.com

NFL.com