Pats coach Bill Belichick says QB Matt Cassel will remain the starter.

The Journal / Mary Murphy

FOXBORO — Though fans and the media speculate that a change may be in the offing, there is not a quarterback controversy on the New England Patriots.

Not according to the man who would make the final decision on making a switch.

One week after delivering his best performance to date, Matt Cassel struggled against San Diego, completing 58 percent of his passes for 203 yards, with one interception and four sacks.

Most memorable about the night was the team’s inability to score when it had first-and-goal from the 1-yard line; Cassel put one pass at Sammy Morris’ feet and scrambled feebly on fourth down, unable to get near the goal line.

But Bill Belichick was asked during his conference call yesterday if he is confident that Cassel can lead the Patriots going forward and he answered with a resounding “yes.”

When the notion of giving rookie third-round pick Kevin O’Connell the reins was raised, Belichick replied, “Matt is our starting quarterback. He gives our team the best chance to win. We all have to play better and coach better than we did last week. We have to do a better job than we did against San Diego. But he’s our quarterback.”

Cassel has completed 64.8 percent of his passes, but has three touchdowns against four interceptions and has already been sacked 19 times. Tom Brady was sacked 21 times all of last season.

Injured players may return

Belichick said there’s a “pretty good chance” New England will open the practice window for guard Stephen Neal and tackle Oliver Ross, both of whom began the season on the physically unable to perform lists (Ross on the “non-football injury list”).

Neal injured his knee in the Super Bowl, while Ross, then with the Cardinals, missed all of last season with a triceps injury.

“Stephen has played a lot of football for us and I think he would certainly add to the quality and depth of that [offensive line] group,” Belichick said. “Oliver is a player that we haven’t had in our system and hasn’t had a chance to have any plays at all with our team; it has been all individual and rehabilitation work. But he was a good player with the Steelers and the Cardinals. He has some position flexibility at tackle and can play both sides.”

Belichick downplays TV comments

As they walked off the field together and into the locker room at halftime on Sunday night, NBC cameras caught offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels talking animatedly with Belichick. Announcers John Madden and Al Michaels drew attention to the exchange, but Belichick said it was a standard conversation.

“That’s all it was to me. I don’t really know what those guys were talking about,” Belichick said. “I am not going to comment on that; I have no idea really what the nature of their comments were or anything else. We were talking about the first half, some things we wanted to talk about at halftime and how we wanted to approach the second half. That’s exactly what it was.”

Fame bust on display

Beginning tomorrow and running until Monday, Andre Tippett’s Pro Football Hall of Fame bust will be on display at the Hall at Patriot Place. The five-day event in advance of Andre Tippett Night against the Broncos is the only time fans will be able to see the bust outside of the Pro Football Hall in Canton, Ohio.

The Hall at Patriot Place will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow and Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday and 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Monday.

smanza@projo.com