"Kyle Boller has set the Ravens back....

[RustonRifle]

....What five years?" asked ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. "It was his job, then he lost it. Then they have to bring in Steve McNair, and then he gets hurt, and then they bring in a Troy Smith.

FIVE YEARS HE SET THIS FRANCHISE BACK!!!!!! More truthful words never spoken. Kyle Boller has been a detriment to this franchise since he first put on a Ravens uniform. It's time to cut ties, hopefully he'll find a new home come draft day.

The rest of the story. (http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-sp.preston22mar22,0,7972688.column)


Bollers days in Baltimore appear to be numbered.:ww:


:word

[Beerracuda]

Why place the blame on the player? I would think that the FO and Billick are more responsible for "setting the franchise back 5 years". It's not like Boller was dogging it for 5 years. He was thrust into a no win situation, playing in his rookie year without an O-line and without any decent receivers, in addition to having no veteran mentor. During those 5 years, the front office has repeatedly failed to make any legitimate attempt to strengthen the O-line. To me, that's the biggest cause for Boller's shortcomings.

That's not to say that Boller is a great QB. Of course he's not. But I believe 100% that his numbers would be far better behind a competent line. Boller has given everything he's capable of during his time as a Raven. We can debate his abilities, but not his strive to succeed. You couldn't ask for a better attitude than the one Boller gives.

I agree that his time here is probably limited. But it might not be a bad idea to keep him on as a backup QB. After all, he's as good a backup as any other backup in the league. I just think it's unfair to blame Boller for the past 5 years. It's certainly not from a lack of trying.

[Mista T]

Bollers days in Baltimore appear to be numbered.:ww:



:ref:

There was nothing in that article to support the above statement. Why would Boller's days be numbered when we also have a weak-armed McNair and an undersized Smith also on today's roster?

Like it or not, Boller is the best QB on the team right now. Flacco, Henne, Brohm etc will not make an impact this upcoming season. Assuming we pick a QB in the 2nd round, the rookie's first task would be to make the team. Then the staff would have to decide how we muddle through 2008, sorting out between an underachieving Boller, a washed up Mcnair, the 5th round Smith, and a raw rookie.

[festivus]

Kyle Boller did not set the organization back five years. Elvis Grbac set the organization back five years. His sudden, cowardly retirement forced the FO to take a high risk gamble in the middle of the first round on a new starting QB.

And of course T is right, and RR is glossing over the *real*, *current* problem, which is that regardless of your opinion of Boller we don't have any obvious improvement on the roster at the moment.

[crazyraven]

I don't think we are watching the same player. The Kyle Boller I know hasn't won since he took over as a starter last season. he was benched in favor of a rookie. The Stats are out there. Plus this SOB hasn't won a game on the road in 3 YEARS...THREE YEARS!!!!. :mad: :thumbdown: ..WTF?

[Greg]

The Kyle Boller I know hasn't won since he took over as a starter last season. he was benched in favor of a rookie. The Stats are out there. Plus this SOB hasn't won a game on the road in 3 YEARS...THREE YEARS!!!!. ..WTF?
LOL. He was benched because he got hurt. He had the Miami game won when he was knocked out of the game. And if Darling holds onto his long pass it is a very easy win.

[crazyraven]

He had the Miami game won when he was knocked out of the game.
Dude he hasnt won on the road in 3 years.....Well look, if you can say stuff like that then I really dont have a problem saying boller was benched in favor of a rookie :p

[OriAl]

Kyle Boller has five games of 100+ QB rating in his last 15 games, despite lousy pass protection and mediocre receivers (and this season, loss of our best receivers, and no pass defense to hold opponents down.) Boller isn't the problem - the offensive lines he plays/played behind are, and will be for any Ravens QB. Improve the pass protection, and Boller will be fine.

[Tspot-D-Ravenator]

Kyle Boller has five games of 100+ QB rating in his last 15 games, despite lousy pass protection and mediocre receivers (and this season, loss of our best receivers, and no pass defense to hold opponents down.) Boller isn't the problem - the offensive lines he plays/played behind are, and will be for any Ravens QB. Improve the pass protection, and Boller will be fine.

:iagree:

[HEAP86HEAP]

In some other system, on some other team, Boller may be a better option than Troy Smith. But not on the Ravens. Troy's ability to evade the first pass rusher and and his ability to move the chains with his feet when needed make him the better pick to start right now. The one big advantage Boller had was that he knew the system of the old staff. The old staff is gone. All the QBs are staring from scratch. Unless McNair comes out looking like his body is back to the form of 5 years ago, he is done. He had a great career, but all the hits over the years have taken their toll. Start Troy now and we can get back to moving forward.

[RustonRifle]

Kyle Boller has five games of 100+ QB rating in his last 15 games, despite lousy pass protection and mediocre receivers (and this season, loss of our best receivers, and no pass defense to hold opponents down.) Boller isn't the problem - the offensive lines he plays/played behind are, and will be for any Ravens QB. Improve the pass protection, and Boller will be fine.


You forgot to add...... on a 44 degree partly sunny day during the month of November when the opposing team is missing it's starting quarterback and facing a defense bitten by an obscene amount of injuries Boller has a 50-50 chance of winning a road game if the Ravens defense can put some points on the board for him.

Everyone else sucks except Boller. :laugh:

[jonboy79]

Everyone else sucks except Boller. :laugh:



Lemme fix it.

Every QB on our roster sucks, including Boller....

[HoustonRaven]

Improve the pass protection, and Boller will be fine.

And this is based on?

When he has had protection -- cough2004cough -- he did horrible.

55.6% completion rate with only two more TD's then INT's (13 and 11 respectively). Would you have a QB on your fantasy team with those stats? Yes, and they would be your bench QB, which is all Kyle has ever shown aptitude for. Oh, and he has only played one full season without injury so throw the durability arguement out the window.

Boller's worst enemy is Boller.

[darb72]

I get that some of you hate Kyle Boller as a person. I don't know if he murdered your dog or what and personally I don't care.

I'll ask you like I've asked every other Anti-Boller person here.
"55.6% completion rate with only two more TD's then INT's (13 and 11 respectively)."
Find me a Raven's QB that played more than two games in a season for Billick who posted much better stats.

[HoustonRaven]

I get that some of you hate Kyle Boller as a person. I don't know if he murdered your dog or what and personally I don't care.

I'll ask you like I've asked every other Anti-Boller person here.
"55.6% completion rate with only two more TD's then INT's (13 and 11 respectively)."
Find me a Raven's QB that played more than two games in a season for Billick who posted much better stats.

No hate at all. Just reality.

Just because he rose to the level of mediocrity doesnt mean he was a good QB for this team.

So, yes. You are 100% correct. Boller has been the best QB this team has ever had if you go by stats. My point is that's not saying much. If you're ok with mediocre play from our QB, that is certainly your right. I suppose you also like mayo sandwiches, plain cheese pizza, vanilla ice cream and only screw in the missionary position. Me, I prefer grinders, meat lovers pizza, rock road and the screw my g/f in the reverse cowgirl while smacking her ass -- I also want excellent play from the QB position.

But that's just me.

If you dont really care, why did you ask?

[Mista T]

If you're ok with mediocre play from our QB, that is certainly your right. I suppose you also like mayo sandwiches, plain cheese pizza, vanilla ice cream and only screw in the missionary position. Me, I prefer grinders, meat lovers pizza, rock road and the screw my g/f in the reverse cowgirl while smacking her ass -- I also want excellent play from the QB position.

But that's just me.


Perhaps the hater crowd is just rooting for the wrong team. In the 9 years after Vinnie, we have seen exactly one-half season of quality, above average QB play in Baltimore: Tony Banks late 1999. Otherwise, our QB play has ranged from average, to mediocre, to lousy, to abysmal. Meanwhile, we have watched perhaps the NFL's best Defense over a decade. It's not a coincidence. Our FO has drafted, and spent liberally, for that top-notch Defense, while chintzing on the OL, WRs, and QB.

So .... what makes you think that anything would be different in 2008? Do you think that McNair will have a resurrection? He was an out-of-shape, rag-armed disaster in 2007; he looked fairly washed up even in 2006, when the NFL's #1 defense carried the team to the 13-3 record and Steve's "arm" :261695: accounted for one or two wins. Troy Smith? Go watch the tape of the Seattle game and tell me with a straight face that this guy is an NFL quality QB. Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, etc.? Maybe in 2009/2010.

Piss all over Boller all you want, -- he's still the best we've got. And it's not getting better in 2008. :(

[purplepoe]

Troy Smith? Go watch the tape of the Seattle game and tell me with a straight face that this guy is an NFL quality QB.

It's statements like this that make me shake my head.

Will Troy Smith ever be more than a backup? Who knows.

But judging him on ONE start, in the rain, at one of the toughest stadiums to play in is hilarious. You made excuse after excuse for Boller after his 20th start and so on. Yet you are gonna use the Seattle game this year to write off Smith?

The rest of your post is the same thing over and over.

Boller stinks. I don't "hate" him. I just think he stinks.

Hell. you get more personal with your shots at McNair than alot of us do with Boller.

We need better QBs, WRs, and line play to even begin to compete for a respectable record this year IMO.

PP

[HoustonRaven]

100% agree with PP.

I shake my head too -- when someone calls Boller for what he is all of a sudden it's hate. Look, the dude is one hell of a nice guy. When he was banging Tara Reid, he came in to Sky Lounge all the time, talked anyone's ear off and would sometimes even pay your tab for you.

Numbers dont lie -- he's an average passer and almost dead even with TD's v. INT's. There is no hate in that assessment at all -- those ARE his numbers, whether you like it or not.

[jonboy79]

It's funny it goes back and forth, everyone gangs up adn huddles aroudn their QB and fight the rest of the board over them...

TS has yet to have an average Pro start. He has thus far played well below average, that much is fact. He was also a late round rookie PROJECT, so little should be expected of him.

Kyle Boller has actually shown flashes of GREATNESS. Not the "individual play" greatness Troy Smith in avoiding a rush or tow with his feet, but consecutive DOMINANT passing games in '05, as well as many other prolific days. Unfortunately, he has probably given opponents as many prolific days with his blundering expose's.

McNair, unless hurt in the INDY game, and now healthy is simply toast. He may make a good mentor, or "suitable" fill in for a couple of days, but starting NFL QB he is no longer...



I agree T, It isn't going to get better then Boller for '08... but how bout '09 and beyond, cuase Boller is gone after this year.
I agree as well that the defense needs to add some good yougn talent to help the dominance continue to the next decade, but trying to recreate 2000 is a losing proposition. I truly understand stocking the D, and plannign to "win" that side of the ball each week, season, decade, eon... but we can no longer be content with losing to the other teams defense week in and week out.

[darb72]

"Boller has been the best QB this team has ever had if you go by stats. My point is that's not saying much. If you're ok with mediocre play from our QB, that is certainly your right."

I'm not alright with it. I hate cringing everytime ANY of our QBs drop back to pass.

I'm also a big picture type. I personally find it difficult to blame Boller for everything when every other QB we've fielded has done exactly the same. Literally.

Look at road stats from our QBs. They're awful to a player.

Is Boller a great QB? Heck if I know.
Is Boller a terrible QB? Heck if I know.

Major difference between the huggers and the haters? Most of us will admit that Boller just might be a terrible QB but the system is going to make everybody look the same. The haters blame everything on Boller.

Wanna compare stats real quick? Look at Grbac's before he got here, and while he was here. Then check out Radio's stats before he got here, and while he was here.

Quick run down:
Grbac; good, good, good, good, *here* bleh
Radio; bleh, bleh, bleh, bleh *here* bleh

If we get Matt Ryan, then I hope he does wonderful things and goes to the HOF as a Raven. Now that Billick is gone, I'm hopeful that the offense starts playing to win, instead of not to lose.

[OriAl]

If the Ravens draft a QB above the fifth or sixth round, it will be THE dumbest draft pick made in Ozzie's tenure as GM. Boller completed 61% of his passes this past season behind possibly the worst pass blocking line in the NFL. Opponents had to respect the deep pass, which they didn't with McNair starting. Boller has improved his rating slightly each season he started, despite the poor protection. As I said, Boller isn't the problem with our offense, and no QB can fix the problem until the offensive line starts consistently protecting whomever calls the signals.

Did you guys even watch the Super Bowl?? Look what happened to Tom Brady, the second coming of Unitas, when he was constantly pressured. 14 points, lots of inaccurate passes due to the pressure, a QB rating in the upper 70's (Boller's for the season.) Did Brady suddenly suck? Of course not, but his o-line didn't give him all day as he was used to getting, so his play was mediocre.

[jonboy79]

Boller does as much of making the line look bas as the other way around... It's not nearly as black and white as you say, and there is far more shared blame. Besides, Boller is GONE after this year, so don't consider him when thikign long term for this team. NOT DRAFTING a QB in the first two rounds would prove to be the worst decision in franchise history.

The line will improve now that JO and Flynn are gone. The young guys will improve and gel together, and hopefully we can get a qb that can tink quickly on his feet.

[HoustonRaven]

Did you guys even watch the Super Bowl?? Look what happened to Tom Brady, the second coming of Unitas, when he was constantly pressured. 14 points, lots of inaccurate passes due to the pressure, a QB rating in the upper 70's (Boller's for the season.) Did Brady suddenly suck? Of course not, but his o-line didn't give him all day as he was used to getting, so his play was mediocre.

Not exactly.

Brady had a QB rating of 82.5 in SB 42. Bollers rating for the entire year of '07 was 75.2 But how can you compare one game to an entire season? Brady was under pressure pretty much the second half of the season and still wound up with an '07 rating of 117.2. Not to mention, you cant even think about comparing the talent.

Are you saying that Boller would have had Brady-like numbers if he had protection? Because he had protection '03 and still managed only 2 more TD's then INT's.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

If the Ravens DON'T draft a QB above the fifth or sixth round, it will be THE dumbest draft pick made in Ozzie's tenure as GM.

There you go...fixed that for ya.

You are gonna be a pissed off fan as I don't think there is any doubt that this team plans to draft one of to top 4 QB's in this draft...unless they are just all picked before our next shot in the 2nd round.

One of Ryan/Brohm/Flacco/Henne will be on this team, and Boller is likely the odd QB out of here...not necessarily because he is the worst out of the 3, but because the team is not cutting Smith and the cap savings for letting go of Boller vs McNair.

The biggest 2 things Boller had going for him here are no longer in place...Billick and knowing the offense.

Boller is not a starting QB...protection or not. We likely will never have an super all pro line with 3 all pro recievers and the second coming of LT in the backfield. So please stop the excuses...it has been 5 years going on 6 and these excuses are beyond...BEYOND old. How the hell do you have a QB who you still aren't sure about 6 years into his career?

[purplepoe]

If the Ravens draft a QB above the fifth or sixth round, it will be THE dumbest draft pick made in Ozzie's tenure as GM. Boller completed 61% of his passes this past season behind possibly the worst pass blocking line in the NFL. Opponents had to respect the deep pass, which they didn't with McNair starting. Boller has improved his rating slightly each season he started, despite the poor protection. As I said, Boller isn't the problem with our offense, and no QB can fix the problem until the offensive line starts consistently protecting whomever calls the signals.

Did you guys even watch the Super Bowl?? Look what happened to Tom Brady, the second coming of Unitas, when he was constantly pressured. 14 points, lots of inaccurate passes due to the pressure, a QB rating in the upper 70's (Boller's for the season.) Did Brady suddenly suck? Of course not, but his o-line didn't give him all day as he was used to getting, so his play was mediocre.

Give it a rest will ya?

Teams draft QBs higher than the 5th or 6th round even when they have an entrenched starter.

Philly drafted Kolb in the 2nd with McNabb still there.

GB drafted Rodgers in the FIRST ROUND and Favre played 3 more seasons.

Those are just two examples of many.

PP

[RustonRifle]

Kyle Boller will make any NFL line look average at best. His pocket prescence and awareness are the worst in the NFL.

[Dade]

One of Ryan/Brohm/Flacco/Henne will be on this team, and Boller is likely the odd QB out of here...not necessarily because he is the worst out of the 3, but because the team is not cutting Smith and the cap savings for letting go of Boller vs McNair.

The biggest 2 things Boller had going for him here are no longer in place...Billick and knowing the offense.


I wouldn't be surpised if Boller was cut during training camp. Like you said Boller is the odd man out. The coaching staff seems comfortable enough with McNair to give him one more season, especially if he shows up heathly, and Smith has alot of upside. Boller has been here too long with only average results at best, bad O Line or not. I still think he's the "best" QB on the team as of now, but if/when we take a QB in the draft there will be open competition in the summer. Unless Boller shows up looking like the second coming of Johnny U his days in BMore are over.

I still believe Boller can have success here. He looked good alot of times last year, espeically against NE. Maybe a new offense that opens the playbook more, a young O line that went through it's growing pains last season and a more calm cool collected Boller will translate into success for Kyle. This is hopefull thinking of course.

My fear right now is that McNair will show up with the same wet noodle arm from last year, Troy is pretty much having a 2nd rookie season learning a new offense, and our drafted QB busts and Boller doesn't learn anything from past mistakes we'll be looking at 5-11 again or worst.

[factmeister]

Hope for Boller
There is a precedent for quarterbacks improving at age 27.
Terry Bradshaw went from a qb rating of 55 at age 26 to 88 at age 27.
Matt Hasselbeck improved from 70.9 to 87.8.
Peyton Manning from 88.8 to 99.
Y.A Tittle--66.3 to 84.1.
Fran Tarkenton--73.8 to 85.
My source is pro-football-reference.com
Elway,McNair,and Norm Van Brocklin(71.5-84.1) also improved when they turned 27.
This could be the year.
I am sure that the Seahawk fans had low expectations when Matt H. replaced an injured Trent Dilfer.
You just never know when the game slows down,and the confidence level rises.
I am rooting for Kyle,because he has all the intangibles.
I'm looking forward to hearing what Cam Cameron has to say after he gets to work a while with all our qbs.
I don't believe that he will endorse KB unless he sees that potential in camp.
It just may happen for KB like the others.

I for one can't wait to see our qbs air it out in training camp.

[RustonRifle]

For every quarterback that improves at age 27 there are many many more that don't.

It's not a case of the light coming on, Boller just isn't talented enough to be a starter in this league. Time after time , year after year he's proved it.

I admire the positive outlook on Boller but the guy is just not very good.

It would be great if Cam could work a miracle with Boller much like it would be great if lightning struck osama bin laden . From my viewpoint, the chance of either happening are roughly the same odds.