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 quarterback 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 Tom Brady.

New England coach Bill Belichick said that Cassel has had a great offseason and he is pleased with Cassel’s progress, but Cassel has had an 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 once again last night — going 1-for-4 with an interception.

He 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 and was booed off of the field.

Belichick benched him in favor of Matt Gutierrez after that.

The Patriots, who have four quarterbacks on their roster, are expected to keep three so if Cassel wants to keep his job, he needs to step up his game over the next three preseason games.

Gutierrez hits highs and lows

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 left 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. Robert McCune recovered the fumble, which set up a Piotr Czech 37-yard field goal that gave Baltimore a 16-3 cushion.

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

Patriots rookie quarterback Kevin O’Connell took over for Gutierrez with 4:53 remaining in the third quarter and didn’t disappoint. He 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 rushed the ball twice for a total of 22 yards on the scoring drive.

Crable makes his mark

Patriots rookie linebacker Shawn Crable 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.

Crable’s interception helped set up a 36-yard field goal by Gostkowski with 3:26 left in the second quarter that cut the Ravens lead to 10-3.

On the prowl

Adalius Thomas’ strip-sack of Boller in the first quarter could be the first of many this season.

Thomas, who played seven seasons for Baltimore from 2000-06, had 6.5 sacks last season, his first with the Patriots, including six sacks in his final seven regular-season games. Thomas added a pair of sacks in Super Bowl XLII. Over his eight-year career, Thomas has a total of 45 sacks and 17 forced fumbles.

Extra points

Mike Richardson (cornerback), Kyle Eckel (fullback), Stephen Neal (guard), Matt Light (tackle), Oliver Ross (tackle), Jarvis Green (defensive lineman) and Mike Wright (defensive lineman) did not dress for the Patriots last night. …

Ray Ventrone saw time on both offense (wide receiver) and defense (defensive back) last night. … New England wide receiver Sam Aiken and safety/linebacker Tank Williams both injured knees in the first half of the game and did not return.

roblee@projo.com