Patriots in No Hurry to Sign a Quarterback; John Joseph Harrington Is Available

While fans of tackle football in the northeastern section of our country are coping with the season ending injury to Tom Brady, the football staff of the Patriots still have a job to do. Apparently, they're preparing to do so -- or attempting to do so -- with two guys named Matt Cassel and Kevin O'Connell doing their best to fill in for No. 12. And that's the way it's going to stay. For now. We think. Maybe. Unless it doesn't.

Starting on Sunday night, just hours after Brady suffered his knee injury, reports began to surface that free agent quarterbacks Chris Simms and Tim Rattay would be making their way to New England for some workouts, and apparently, they did in fact travel to Foxborough. Only no workouts took place.

There were no physicals, no contracts signed or offered, and apparently Belichick didn't even talk to them. They were turned away with the message, "the situation has changed."

It certainly has changed. Your starting quarterback is now a guy that hasn't started a football game since before he went to his senior prom in High School.
Last night on ESPN, Chris (SCOOP) Mortensen threw out the name Daunte Culpepper as a potential option. Seeing as how he and Randy Moss were quite the tag-team duo in Minnesota for several years, that seems like a perfectly logical suggestion, even if it is unlikely.

Honestly, it's difficult to figure out just what exactly the Patriots are thinking. I find it's easier to understand Mandarin than it is to comprehend what goes on with the Patriots' football staff, and I certainly wouldn't put it past them to list Brady on the injury report this week as doubtful with an inner ear infection, just for laughs. You know, just to keep everyone guessing.

It also wouldn't surprise me to see the Patriots tough it out this year with Cassel, while it wouldn't surprise me to see them end up signing Chris Simms after they told him they weren't signing him. It's impossible to tell.

But, as long as we're throwing out hypothetical options and guessing on what the Patriots are going to do...

Today in Bill Simmons' column over at ESPN's Page 2, the largest group therapy session in the history of sports talk on the internet was taking place. Questions, suggestions and e-mails were coming in from every direction as concerned fans were contemplating the Patriots' next move.

Q: As an Oregonian, I have to think that this is another perfect chance for John Joseph Harrington. He is smart enough for this offense, but in all likelihood would be thrust in within a week like Detroit, Miami and Atlanta. Give him five weeks on the bench and he's your man.
-- Scott, Portland, Ore.

Now we're talking! Joey Harrington is just what the Patriots need... if you're a Jets fan. Of course, my favorite reader "question" was the one directly below the one asking for John Joseph Harrington. You know, the one from Satan.