The Qb Controversy Won't End

[theFRANCHISE]

Although we can universally agree that Joe Flacco's performance left a lot to be desired in his NFL debut last night, the QB competition is not as clear-cut as some believe. In spite of mixed reviews for both Kyle Boller and Troy Smith's performances, it can be argued that no one has truly lost or gained significant ground in the battle for the Ravens' starting job.

It is, after all, "only preseason."

With that said, no matter who breaks away from the pack and steps under center in Week 1 or Week 17, the debate will rage on. As one QB succeeds, the others pale in comparison. As one QB fails, the others look much more promising in the eyes of fans.

In other words, there is currently no right or wrong answer to Baltimore's QB quandry -- at least, until the team starts winning.

But no matter who emerges as the starter, there will always be a QB that some fans may view as waiting in the wings. Everyone has a favorite, and though everyone loves a winner, everyone hates losing more than they love winning.

That's how the debates start. That's how the unrest begins. And that is how QB controversies are bred.

Regardless of who wins the starting job, there will be no final answer to the million-dollar QB question until the wins pile up. And even then, as in life, there are no guarantees except death and taxes.

Unless one of the QBs proves himself to be a long-term winner this season and the next, none of the three can truly get complacent. And as fans, we cannot get too comfortable with the thought of any of these men being the QB of the future. First-round selections and Heisman trophies don't matter in the NFL -- all that matters is winning.

And winning cures everything.

[Tiz]

Franchise I do agree with you that it is still open being that this was just one preseason game however, if Smith or Flacco don't foul up I'm thinking Boller will not be starting. Understand that I was not able to watch the game and judge for myself so I am going off of what I've been reading from various sites. It appears that we have the same ole Kyle. You know the one who can start off great and look like the 1st rounder we've always wanted but still gets that carelessness and deer in headlights look once in a while. If that's the case that doesn't scream 6 year vet nor does it scream Starter, imo. Still have high hopes for the kid but if Smith or Flacco perform without the carelessness in their start for the entire time they are in we're not going to see Kyle starting this year.

[bloodravenforlife]

i think flacco just needs more game time to show what he has. he only played what, 4 min at most last night. i still think smith should be our opening day starter. boller looked like boller.

[Devastat1on]

Although we can universally agree that Joe Flacco's performance left a lot to be desired in his NFL debut last night, the QB competition is not as clear-cut as some believe. In spite of mixed reviews for both Kyle Boller and Troy Smith's performances, it can be argued that no one has truly lost or gained significant ground in the battle for the Ravens' starting job.

It is, after all, "only preseason."

With that said, no matter who breaks away from the pack and steps under center in Week 1 or Week 17, the debate will rage on. As one QB succeeds, the others pale in comparison. As one QB fails, the others look much more promising in the eyes of fans.

In other words, there is currently no right or wrong answer to Baltimore's QB quandry -- at least, until the team starts winning.

But no matter who emerges as the starter, there will always be a QB that some fans may view as waiting in the wings. Everyone has a favorite, and though everyone loves a winner, everyone hates losing more than they love winning.

That's how the debates start. That's how the unrest begins. And that is how QB controversies are bred.

Regardless of who wins the starting job, there will be no final answer to the million-dollar QB question until the wins pile up. And even then, as in life, there are no guarantees except death and taxes.

Unless one of the QBs proves himself to be a long-term winner this season and the next, none of the three can truly get complacent. And as fans, we cannot get too comfortable with the thought of any of these men being the QB of the future. First-round selections and Heisman trophies don't matter in the NFL -- all that matters is winning.

And winning cures everything.

Franchise, you've got my vote for favorite poster on this site.. Whether i agree with you or not i admire how you stick to your word.. As for this post, i completely agree.. Very very WP

[theFRANCHISE]

Still have high hopes for the kid but if Smith or Flacco perform without the carelessness in their start for the entire time they are in we're not going to see Kyle starting this year.

I think, regardless of who we see start, none of us should get comfortable with the notion that the starting QB job is safe -- the players fighting for that job certainly won't. There has to be consistency on the field; this is a "what-have-you-done-for-me-lately" league, and the past means nothing when that scoreboard is lit up as the clock gradually ticks towards triple-zeroes.

i think flacco just needs more game time to show what he has. he only played what, 4 min at most last night. i still think smith should be our opening day starter. boller looked like boller.

Unfortunately, as much as I want to see Flacco do well, he can't make excuses. Whether he has 4 minutes or 4 quarters to play, he has to make the most of his opportunities. Same with Smith and Boller. All three QBs are young, and all of them will be asked to grow up FAST -- even Boller, going into his sixth season.

Franchise, you've got my vote for favorite poster on this site.. Whether i agree with you or not i admire how you stick to your word.. As for this post, i completely agree.. Very very WP

Thanks for the love.

[bloodravenforlife]

I think, regardless of who we see start, none of us should get comfortable with the notion that the starting QB job is safe -- the players fighting for that job certainly won't. There has to be consistency on the field; this is a "what-have-you-done-for-me-lately" league, and the past means nothing when that scoreboard is lit up as the clock gradually ticks towards triple-zeroes.

Unfortunately, as much as I want to see Flacco do well, he can't make excuses. Whether he has 4 minutes or 4 quarters to play, he has to make the most of his opportunities. Same with Smith and Boller. All three QBs are young, and all of them will be asked to grow up FAST -- even Boller, going into his sixth season.

this is true. i totally agree with you. we have to understand that all three are responding to a new offensive system. i just think it will take flacco alittle longer to adapt to it.

[theFRANCHISE]

this is true. i totally agree with you. we have to understand that all three are responding to a new offensive system. i just think it will take flacco alittle longer to adapt to it.

I agree that it'll take Flacco a little longer to adapt to the NFL with this new offensive system that every player (veterans included) is still getting used to. The transition from college to the NFL is one thing, but to digest a new playbook while surrounded by veterans who are still learning increases the learning curve. There's no veteran advice to give in regards to the playbook, only advice about the game in general.

But, that's the breaks. And I could argue back and forth about his DIV I-AA pedigree and all that, but it's all a moot point now because he's an NFL rookie. He'll have to go through growing pains just like every other rookie, and it's unrealistic to expect him to be starter-quality by Week 1, first-round pick or not.

Keep this in mind: Matt Ryan is the starter in Atlanta by force, not by choice; the Falcons have no other viable options. At least the Ravens have two players who are "veterans" (Boller and Smith), and still have a chance to succeed in what is a cross between a rebuilding stage and a possible (but slim) playoff run.

[bloodravenforlife]

I agree that it'll take Flacco a little longer to adapt to the NFL with this new offensive system that every player (veterans included) is still getting used to. The transition from college to the NFL is one thing, but to digest a new playbook while surrounded by veterans who are still learning increases the learning curve. There's no veteran advice to give in regards to the playbook, only advice about the game in general.

But, that's the breaks. And I could argue back and forth about his DIV I-AA pedigree and all that, but it's all a moot point now because he's an NFL rookie. He'll have to go through growing pains just like every other rookie, and it's unrealistic to expect him to be starter-quality by Week 1, first-round pick or not.

Keep this in mind: Matt Ryan is the starter in Atlanta by force, not by choice; the Falcons have no other viable options. At least the Ravens have two players who are "veterans" (Boller and Smith), and still have a chance to succeed in what is a cross between a rebuilding stage and a possible (but slim) playoff run.

i totally respect your POV but i think matt ryan is alittle more NFL ready since he did play at a div 1A school and his coach there from what i hear was a former NFL assistant

[theFRANCHISE]

i totally respect your POV but i think matt ryan is alittle more NFL ready since he did play at a div 1A school and his coach there from what i hear was a former NFL assistant

Again, we could go all day about DIV I-A vs. DIV I-AA, but to understand why I defend I-AA, you have to understand: 1) bias, being a student at the University of Delaware like Flacco; and 2) in being a student here and having knowledge of the athletic department, I know that the main difference between I-AA and I-A is money, which affects exposure, which affects recruitment.

That's not to say that I-AA doesn't have quality players, but it's just that the level of exposure is different -- the best players of I-AA go unnoticed, while I-A provides a larger platform for players to be showcased.

Getting to my point, the reason I bring that up is because that's the only explanation as to why Matt Ryan is considered NFL-ready over Flacco. Supposed level of competition and exposure aside, the bottom line is, if a kid can play, he can play.

And though I know there'll be plenty of people to disagree with me and my defense of I-AA, the bottom line will be that, Flacco has to show he deserves to start, period. He has to earn everything, because even with his first-round selection, all of the accolades stop there.

Rocket arm, great size, whatever -- none of that matters now, because he's in the same boat as Matt Ryan, Chad Henne, etc.

[bloodravenforlife]

to be honest and i'm not trying to sound bias but i think that flacco will have a better NFL career than ryan. most likely due to the fact that he is exposed to a offensive mastermind in cam cameron. i think his career will be longer and better than matt ryan

[Redreed]

Dunno guys. Granted, first preseason game is only the first preseason game and all; but he didn't look like anything special to me. Not a special arm, no special pocket presence, not much of nothing. I hope he improves drastically over the season. He can and will get better, but like, you guys see Colt Brennan? A 5th round pick, playing with his 3rd team O and he totally shined. Played great. Looked like a good QB, thinking, executing, leading. Flacco did none of that.

I guess it's somewhat lucky that we have 2 vets to play instead, but it'd be alot luckier if our 1st round draft pick was stealing the show, you know?

And my 2 cents on the D1A/D1AA thing: They (D1A programs) pay alot of money to guys to go out and find them the kids they need to win. And, for the most part, they do that. They find the best talents. D1A football is a vastly different game than D1AA. And, wether or not we'd like to admit that it's true. It's safe to say that the large majority of Flacco's throws from last year were completed against kids who are bagging groceries right now. I know people succeed in NFL that come from D1AA schools, but they are the rare exception. Flacco has never seen anything close to the speed and talent of an NFL defense, and he would've seen defenses that, while not quite NFL caliber, were much closer to the speed if he had played D1A. My biggest gripe with his outing on Thursday was his speed. He has got to play, think, and execute faster. Like I said though, he has to get better, right? I mean he will improve.

Just would've been such a great sign if he jumped in and made some noise (the good kind).

[BloodRaven]

I have a feeling Troy Smith is going to do well behind our o-line starters (lets face it there is a dramatic dropoff from Brown/Grubbs to Clarke/Chester) Troy has as much poise as any other QB Ive seen, and I for one am a bit tired of seeing the same old headless chicken running around after the snap.

[bloodravenforlife]

I have a feeling Troy Smith is going to do well behind our o-line starters (lets face it there is a dramatic dropoff from Brown/Grubbs to Clarke/Chester) Troy has as much poise as any other QB Ive seen, and I for one am a bit tired of seeing the same old headless chicken running around after the snap.

no arguement about that. thats why we shouldn't pass jugdement on flacco yet. he was stuck with the 3rd string

[theFRANCHISE]

Like I said though, he has to get better, right? I mean he will improve.

And that's part of why I say there will always be a debate as to who should be the starting QB, even beyond this season.

Again, unless someone truly puts a chokehold on the job by playing so well over BOTH this season and the next that they cannot be ignored, there will continue to be a QB controversy in Baltimore.

By a chokehold, I mean a situation where wins and QB stats pile up at the same time. It's one thing to have a QB that can put up numbers but can't win games; it's another thing to have a QB that can win games, but runs the risk of losing in the future with his numbers.

There's got to be a balance of the two, or the bottom will fall out eventually. Though wins will always prevail as the most important stat, those passing numbers can be a barometer as to the future success of a particular QB. Think of it like this: if you're a mediocre passer, but you're winning games NOW, what happens when you get older and your skills deteriorate? The law of averages will catch up at some point.

[theFRANCHISE]

no arguement about that. thats why we shouldn't pass jugdement on flacco yet. he was stuck with the 3rd string

That's why we shouldn't pass judgment on any of the QBs yet.

Let's see how Boller fares with lesser players on the O-line. Let's see how Smith and Flacco fare with their respective bumps in protection.

The short-term solution will play out by the end of preseason. The long-term solution (who, if we're lucky, may also have been that short-term solution) will eventually pan out when Week 17 is in sight.

[bloodravenforlife]

That's why we shouldn't pass judgment on any of the QBs yet.

Let's see how Boller fares with lesser players on the O-line. Let's see how Smith and Flacco fare with their respective bumps in protection.

The short-term solution will play out by the end of preseason. The long-term solution (who, if we're lucky, may also have been that short-term solution) will eventually pan out when Week 17 is in sight.

to be honest, i'm confident that any of these QB's can to the right thing in the right situation.

[BloodRaven]

Why do we seem to ignore the last 5 years?

[Redreed]

That's why we shouldn't pass judgment on any of the QBs yet.

Maybe, but it's def getting close to the time when we'll have to, you know?

I agree with your point though. It sucks that the coaching staff will have to pick one rather than someone playing out-of-this-world and taking the job for themselves. Like my reference to Brennan. Although he will not start, the team knows what he is now. We know nothing we didn't already know about any of our QBs

Someone needs to step up and win the job, by 10 lengths, no photo-finish type o' stuff.

[foreversunny23]

as much as i want a starting QB to be announced, i'm glad Harbaugh has not picked one yet. he is going to make sure each one has a complete and thorough evaluation before he decides who starts. i believe that by the third preseason game we should see the starting QB. i have a feeling that Harbaugh is not going to start Flacco just because he is a rookie. i think a year of Cameron mentoring him will do wonders for the future.

one thing that would really help make things easier is if all the starters can return healthy (both tackles would be nice). however, with our weak O-line we have seen how QB react under pressure. Boller still makes costly mistakes. Flacco had no chance. at least Smith can scramble under pressure.

i think it's natural that the QB controversy won't end until we actually produce winning seasons consistently. so even if we do well this year, questions will linger if the QB can repeat those results.

[I*Bleed*Purple]

Man, I don't see why Boller is catching this much flack. From what I saw, he played pretty well. Much better than I expected. He threw an interception that was obviously a miscommunication between him and the receiver. The fumble was a result of him trying to get out of trouble. It was knocked away from him. It wasn't the Boller of the past fumbling the snap or tripping over his own feet. He also had, what, two dropped balls by his receivers? If you have read any of my other posts, I'm not a Boller lover, by any means. I am all for the best man for the job being in there. But Troy didn't show me much. He did have one nice pass down the middle, but I thought Boller looked better in the pocket. "Scramblers" don't impress me much. The game is won with the arm, not the legs, just ask Michael Vick. I think people are captivated by a running QB and seem to forget about what was (or was not) done with his arm, simply because he escaped a sack. Bottom line is Boller went 11-15 (with 2 dropped passes) and Smith went 5-12. Boller had the better game. Period. Now let's let Troy start against the Vikings and see what he can do! Let the best man win!

[Tiz]

i totally respect your POV but i think matt ryan is alittle more NFL ready since he did play at a div 1A school and his coach there from what i hear was a former NFL assistant

I felt Brohm was the better prospect and had he left last year he would have been a top pick instead he waits an extra year doesn't really regress but his team doesn't win as many games and people started to forget about him.

[BloodRaven]

^Brohm struggles under pressure as well. Matt Ryan is going to be good and soon, he might not have Flacco's arm strength or fast release but he has a quicker read and has been tempered against elite talent, not guys that are now working at MacDonalds.

[SupaBwandin]

Boller played well, he put the ball where it needed to be almost every play. A few dropped passes from Rice and rookie recievers. Im sure that his interception wasn't all his fault. He was working with Bergen; like 5th TE.

[austrianravensfan]

Boller played well, he put the ball where it needed to be almost every play. A few dropped passes from Rice and rookie recievers. Im sure that his interception wasn't all his fault. He was working with Bergen; like 5th TE.

that was one of the most stupid passes i've ever seen, put antonio gates in and it's still stupid , this Int was all on Boller.

Joe Flacco is way too slow for our O-line at the moment I still like troy as our starter he can avoid the sack when the pocket breaks down, what will happen quite often this season. if Joe Flacco really is our franchise QB, which I'm everything but convinced of, he needs to sit and learn the game until he's really ready to start, wich is seemingly not the case at the moment.

[macbrak]

I thought Boller did pretty good. The problem was that he looked alot like the same old Boller. Long stretches of Offensive prowness punctuated by turnovers at bad times.

Smith's and Flacco's performances suffered from lack of OL and limited/rookie receivers.

On most of Flacco's plays the line started to fall apart immediately.

[samic]

my impressions are that boller played well when given time to make his reads but when the protection collapsed we saw how his anxiety takes over and he makes poor decisions under pressure. overall he did a decent job. troy was not spectacular but he did make some good plays. most of his incompletions came where he had to throw the ball away. some were him either under-throwing or over-throwing the receiver. he showed that he can make plays on the run and he is accurate on the run. flacco showed that he is a rookie and has a lot of growing up to do. it is still too early to decide though, but i'm leaning towards troy.

[I*Bleed*Purple]

i'm leaning towards troy.

Because you wanted him to start from day 1. There is no way anyone can look at this objectively, not having any preference at all, and say Smith played better. He didn't. Again, that's not to say that he won't in the future. We have 3 more preseason games left and Smith starts next week, so it should be interesting to watch him in there with the 1st Offense. I think Troy is capable of being an NFL quarterback, for sure. I'd rather have the QB controversy over who should sit, not who should play. We'd be much better off.

[Redreed]

I dunno, I'm leaning towards Troy too. And it's because of 2 things. 1.) Boller is Boller, we know what he can do and what he can't do. 2.) Flacco def won't be ready for a while.

So... what does that leave us with? Troy Smith. A kid who has worked hard to improve, and has gotten the vote of veteran defensive players to at least deserve a shot. Which he deserves. Flacco will def get a shot someday. Lord knows Boller has had his shots. Now is Troy's time to try and steal the team for his own, give him a chance.

[BloodRaven]

As of right now Troy is the one with immediate potential.

[Marc2k6]

no arguement about that. thats why we shouldn't pass jugdement on flacco yet. he was stuck with the 3rd string

That is a excuse, it is not like he was playing with the 3rd string against the 1st or 2nd, they were all 3's. I watched a lot of football so far this past week I do not think I saw another QB play as bad.(18th pick) I'm glad he did not have a good game. I do not want to see him riding on a fake high horse. This will keep him grounded and more focused for the next time. If he shows a better performance next week he may start week 3. It is not where you come from or how you got here. It is what you do when you get here to show that you have arrived.