Baltimore needs QB to emerge

By Kareem Shaker  |   Saturday, August 16, 2008  |  Comments( 8 )

Baltimore Ravens
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The Baltimore Ravens followed up an impressive 13-3 season and playoff appearance in 2006 with a dismal 5-11 performance and last-place finish in the AFC North last year. So what became the problem?

With quarterback Steve McNair performing well, the Ravens flew high. But when McNair was injured in the first game of the season and no other QB stepped up in his absence, the Ravens were grounded.

Now the problem remains, and with none of the quarterbacks on the roster really standing out, the Ravens may not have much to look forward to in 2008.

On the heels of McNair's retirement, Kyle Boller is the veteran signal-caller on a Baltimore team he's never taken control of, despite being in Year 5 with the club. Boller alternated as the starter with McNair last season, finishing with a 75.2 passer rating, 10 interceptions and only nine touchdowns in eight games.

Troy Smith, meanwhile, is in his second year with the Ravens and is a former Heisman Trophy winner who completed 40-of-76 passes for 452 yards, two touchdowns and no picks to go 1-1 as a starter in his rookie campaign. The former Ohio State stud has had his good and bad days in training camp and may be the front-runner to start Week 1 if he plays the next few preseason games better than he has practiced lately.

The final combatant, rookie Joe Flacco, impressed new coach John Harbaugh with a 50-yard strike to Mark Clayton in his first NFL practice. At 6-foot-6, 235 pounds, Flacco -- a first-round pick from Delaware -- is the quarterback prototype, but he has failed to stand out in a rare three-QB race for the starting position. There has been talk, though, that Flacco surpassed expectations during minicamps with his ability to pick up the offense, and he may actually know the system better than Boller or Smith.

Boller started the Ravens' first preseason game, going 11-of-15 for 102 yards. He was sacked and threw an interception, giving way to Smith, who completed 5-of-12 throws for 74 yards. Flacco came in but probably would have served the team better if he kept the bench warm, missing on all three of his attempts and losing a fumble on just his second snap.

In all, the Baltimore quarterbacks were 16-of-30 for 176 yards with three sacks, an interception and a 57.1 passer rating. Ugly.

New offensive coordinator Cam Cameron may have to roll the dice come Sept. 7, when the Ravens start their season against the Cincinnati Bengals. Ravens fans will be watching the next three preseason games, which will probably prove to be the tiebreaker in a tight depth-chart battle that holds the key to Baltimore’s success in 2008.

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