Ravens rookie running back Ray Rice looks for open field in last night’s preseason opener between the Patriots and Baltimore at Foxboro.

The Providence Journal / Bob Breidenbach

FOXBORO –– Ever since Matt Cassel graduated Chatsworth (Calif.) High School, the Patriots’ backup quarterback has been waiting for his time to shine.

He served as the backup to Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at the University of Southern California, throwing only 33 passes in his four years there.

He was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round (230th overall) in 2005, and has served as the backup for one of the NFL’s top QBs of all-time –– Tom Brady.

New England coach Bill Belichick said that Cassel has had a great offseason and he is happy with Cassel’s progress, but Cassel has had an absolutely awful week.

After throwing three interceptions at practice on Monday, and two more on Tuesday, Cassel, trying to cement his role as Brady’s backup, struggled again last night in New England’s 16-15 loss to Baltimore –– going 1-for-4 with an interception.

He also fell down and fumbled the ball, which he recovered, for a loss of 7 yards on third-and-21 less than two minutes into the second quarter.

He was booed off of the field when Belichick benched him in favor of Matt Gutierrez after that.

“We got out there and we couldn’t get anything generated,” Cassel said. “We had some penalties and there was some miscommunication with myself and Chad [Jackson]. It’s one of those things where you come out in the first game and try to execute but we weren’t really able to do that tonight so as we move forward we just have to get better and tighten up the screws.”

Mixed result for Gutierrez

Gutierrez, who worked mostly out of the shotgun formation in the first half, started out much better than Cassel. He completed 7 of his first 12 passes for 64 yards before tossing an interception with four seconds remaining in the first half that ended a 40-yard drive.

Gutierrez then fumbled a Ryan Wendell snap on the Patriots’ opening drive of the second half. Gutierrez said the fumble was his fault. Robert McCune recovered the fumble which set up a Piotr Czech 37-yard field goal that gave Baltimore a 16-3 cushion.

Guiterrez finished a respectable 10-for-16 for 76 yards and one interception. He was sacked three times for 26 yards.

“I know that I’m going to learn a lot from this game,” Guiterrez said. “Everybody will. We just have to learn from the tape, move forward and get better.”

O’Connell adds a spark

Patriots rookie quarterback Kevin O’Connell took over for Gutierrez with 4:53 remaining in the third quarter and led the Patriots on an 11-play drive that Stephen Gostkowski capped off with a 40-yard field goal. O’Connell was 3-for-4 on the drive for 21 yards. He also ran twice for a total of 22 yards on the scoring drive.

“All you can ask for when you get in the game is to chance to kind of help your team win,” O’Connell said.

O’Connell finished the game 6-for-13 for 57 yards and one interception.

“It was definitely a good experience,” O’Connell said. “I was prepared to play very well by the coaching staff and I just wanted to go out and execute what I was taught and get the ball into the hands of the athletes. I was benefited by a lot of good players around me.”

A pick from Crable

New England rookie linebacker Shawn Crable certainly had a memorable game. He intercepted a Kyle Boller pass and returned it 11 yards to the Baltimore 41-yard-line in the second quarter.

It was Crable’s first interception since he was a senior at Washington High School in Massillon, Ohio.

“I happened to be in the right spot,” said Crable, who finished with four tackles and half a sack. “I just turned and the ball was there.”

Good night for Woods

Pierre Woods had three tackles, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery last night.

roblee@projo.com