Echoing the words of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, he makes the point that the Patriots are a game-plan offense, meaning they tailor their approach specifically toward the weaknesses of that week's opponent. That runs in contrast to other teams that have less variety but are particularly difficult to stop in one area because they do it so well.
So when it comes to the Patriots, it's a chameleon-like style. It is particularly ambitious, but having a player of Brady's caliber made it possible to execute.
Can they do the same with Cassel?
Flutie believes the answer is yes, although it likely will come with some modifications.
"I think the world of Matt and I think he can handle it," said Flutie. "He knows that system and he can make all the throws. So I don't think you change anything, but you may limit it somewhat because he hasn't run all the stuff that Tom has before."
Longtime NFL coach Dan Reeves, who served as a radio analyst for Sunday's Patriots-Chiefs game, said he didn't notice any major schematic changes when Cassel replaced Brady. If anything, Reeves felt the Patriots were a bit more committed to the run with Cassel, and statistics reinforce that point: With Brady at quarterback, 11 passes and four runs were called, and with Cassel, it was 18 passes and 22 runs.
While the play-calling might have been a bit different with Cassel - more conservative - the formations and personnel groupings were indeed the norm.
Of the team's 58 offensive snaps, 44 came with three or four receivers spreading the field. The Patriots were in three- or four-receiver packages 68 percent of the time last season, so they eclipsed that pace against the Chiefs.
It wasn't as if the Patriots decided to protect Cassel by loading up at the line of scrimmage with extra tight ends.
Reeves himself twice had situations in which his starting quarterback was injured and the backup had to emerge - with the Broncos' John Elway in 1992 and the Falcons' Michael Vick in 2003. In Denver, then-rookie Tommy Maddox stepped into the primary role for four games, and Reeves recalled that coaches simplified the team's attack.
Reeves, like Flutie, projects that the Patriots will scale back some of their plans with Cassel, but he's not sure how much.
