Qb Performances Day-to Day

[I*Bleed*Purple]

Day 17

Troy Smith

Positives: Rebounded from a rough stretch of workouts, tossing two bombs that would have been touchdowns if not for drops by wide receiver Mark Clayton.

Negatives: Intercepted by cornerback Ronnie Prude after a pump fake. Skidded a throw off the ground intended for a wide open Marcus Smith.

Stock: Finally moving upward again after four consecutive days of shaky outings.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Uncorked top pass of the day with a 40-yard rainbow touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Justin Harper in the back of the end zone behind Ronnie Prude. Accurate and crisp on series of slants and outs.

Negatives: Still has a bad habit of patting the football before he releases it, something that he can't afford to do in games.

Stock: Holding steady overall.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Improving his timing and release. Still mechanically sound and streamlined in his throwing motion. Adjusting to speed of the game.

Negatives: Not getting as many snaps this week overall as the competition is essentially a two-man act between Troy Smith and Kyle Boller.

Stock: Not really moving up or down at this juncture.

Day 16

Kyle Boller

Positives: Sharpest overall of the three, completing eight of his first nine throws during full-team drills. Spirals arrived a split-second ahead of cornerbacks' reactions. Had good command and poise.

Negatives: Way too late on a slant pass meant for wide receiver Matt Willis as safety Jim Leonhard jumped it and took off for an interception return for a touchdown.

Stock: Moving up again after another solid day of work.

Troy Smith

Positives: Delivered the top pass of the day, lobbing a deep spiral to big rookie wideout Justin Harper for a leaping touchdown. Found Matt Willis for a nice gain on a sideline toss.

Negatives: Ed Reed picked off a deep post intended for Marcus Smith, returning it 40 yards for a touchdown. Errant, low pass to Derrick Mason behind the line of scrimmage was recovered by Corey Ivy for a fumble.

Stock: Lukewarm overall, might be too excited about his upcoming start.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Drove down the field consistently in hurry-up offense. Found Derrick Mason at the 5-yard line, positioning him for a touchdown. Good zip and control on outs and slants.

Negatives: Still needs to improve his touch and quicken his release.

Stock: Rising upward as he's growing more comfortable in the pocket.

Day 15

Troy Smith

Positives: Adeptly sold a pump fake on a go route for wideout Mark Clayton, who hauled in a well-timed, long sideline pass. Hit tight end Adam Bergen in stride for a first down.

Negatives: Botched an exchange with center Jason Brown. Mostly erratic with a series of incompletions, nearly intercepted twice. Sacked by Edgar Jones and Lorenzo Williams.

Stock: Turned in third consecutive poor practice with the clock ticking down toward a pivotal start.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Had a far cleaner, crisper performance than his counterparts, releasing the ball quickly enough to avoid sacks. Connected with Adam Bergen for a nice gain over the middle.

Negatives: Nearly picked off by Derrick Martin. Entering his sixth season, he's still staring down his primary read and giving away his intentions.

Stock: Slightly up as he was generally free of mistakes.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Threw several accurate fastballs, mixing in some decent touch passes to go with the heat. Remained relatively composed despite chaotic line situation and wasn't sacked.

Negatives: Awkward release sent the football sailing to safety Jim Leonhard, who deflected it to Derrick Martin for the interception.

Stock: Neutral day as he continues to learn on the fly.

Day 14

Troy Smith

Positives: Didn't bail out under a heavy pass rush, gamely remaining in the pocket to give his receivers a chance. Displayed a quick gun on a sideline throw to Derrick Mason.

Negatives: Sacked four times under extreme blitz pressure with shoddy protection. When he repeatedly struggled in third-and-long situations, Corey Ivy exclaimed: "Defense, everybody lay down!"

Stock: Falling again as he heads into his first preseason start with two consecutive poor practices.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Only sacked once. Connected with Marcus Smith on a sharp, deep sideline throw. It was easily the top pass of the day as the quarterbacks struggled collectively.

Negatives: Had several incompletions. Overthrowing his targets too often. Needs to make the most of his snaps as the coaches prepare Smith to start.

Stock: Holding steady as he's essentially in limbo until after the Vikings game.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Found running back Allen Patrick out of the backfield for a nice gain. Demonstrated good timing. Making faster reads now.

Negatives: Sacked twice as he failed to get rid of the football quickly enough. Needs to escape the pocket more to avoid pressure or create a better throwing lane.

Stock: Stuck in neutral.

DAY 13

Troy Smith

Positives: Had decent zip and command overall on his throws. Executed a surprise quarterback draw for a touchdown during a red-zone drill.

Negatives: Intercepted three times in first eight throws, picked off by Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Dawan Landry. Nearly intercepted by Samari Rolle, too.

Stock: Moving downward, and he can't afford to play this way against the Vikings in his bid to win the job.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Continued trend of accurate, sound short to intermediate throws. Cognizant of pass rush. Identifying the best targets.

Negatives: Still inaccurate and erratic on deep attempts, needs to improve timing and not throw off his back foot when hurried.

Stock: Moving upward, had the least harried day of the three dueling quarterbacks.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Making better decisions with the football. Footwork is improving, and he seems to have shrugged off a rough NFL debut for the most part.

Negatives: Sacked on a flea-ficker attempt by Brendon Ayanbadejo and Salamon Solano. Wild on too many throws, still bringing too much heat.

Stock: Slightly down as he adjusts to the increased speed of the game.

DAY 12

Kyle Boller

Positives: Picked to start the preseason opener, a nod to his superior experience and commitment to safely managing the game. Not displaying much accuracy on deep throws.

Negatives: Counseled by Cam Cameron after some wild overthrows. An intentional out-of-bounds toss nearly struck a large barn next to the practice field, almost hitting a parked truck.

Stock: Rising to the top, at least for the moment.

Troy Smith

Positives: Connected on a 60-yard bomb that Kerry Reed tipped to himself behind David Pittman. Had a dazzling scramble, eluding defenders in the open field.

Negatives: Overthrew wide open running back Allen Patrick. Needs to keep his fundamentals and mechanics sound at all times.

Stock: Still climbing even though he's not getting the first start.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Learning from his miscues and not getting flustered. Throws the tightest spirals of any of the three candidates.

Negatives: Nearly intercepted by safety Dawan Landry on a pass intended for Marcus Smith. Struggled with batted passes at the line of scrimmage, and overthrew Derrick Mason.

Stock: Slightly down.

DAY 11

Kyle Boller

Positives: Connected with wideout Darnerien McCants in stride over the middle. Improving his release point and mechanics.

Negatives: Nearly intercepted by third-string linebacker Robert McCune. Sacked by 340-pound reserve defensive tackle Kelly Talavou.

Stock: It wasn't a nose dive, but it wasn't a positive day overall.

Troy Smith

Positives: Flashed excellent mobility. Timing with Mark Clayton is progressing well.

Negatives: Couldn't elude Jarret Johnson or Dwan Edwards' pass rush and was sacked. Needs to square his shoulders when throwing on the move.

Stock: Tilting slightly upward.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Was the only quarterback to throw a touchdown in red-zone drills, lobbing a great pass to Derrick Mason, who outleapt Derrick Martin. It was one of his best throws of camp.

Negatives: Nearly intercepted by safety Jim Leonhard. Need to take full advantage of his superior sight lines.

Stock: Movin' on up to a deluxe apartment in the sky.

DAY 10

Kyle Boller

Positives: Settled down after a rough start. Regained composure and concentration for a series of completions. Muscles in those intermediate throws.

Negatives: Sacked on first full-squad rep by linebacker Jameel McClain. Intercepted by cornerback David Pittman and returned for a 40-yard touchdown on a pass meant for tight end Adam Bergen.

Stock: Spiraling downward again.

Troy Smith

Positives: Threw a good pass to Kerry Reed, but wide receiver didn't dive for the catchable ball. Building a rapport with Matt Willis and Marcus Smith downfield.

Negatives: Overthrew wideout Mark Clayton, but the errant pass was dropped by safety Haruki Nakamura. Seemed to be affected by the rest because many of his throws were too hard.

Stock: Down a little Sunday after a solid week overall.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Crisp pump fakes occasionally freezes the defense. Steps up in the pocket to avoid pass rushers. Superior height gives him ideal sight lines to deliver the football.

Negatives: Puts his receivers in some tight spots, needs to give them more time to gain separation. Becoming cognizant of pass rush and coverages, but isn't quite there yet.

Stock: Holding steady as he approaches his NFL debut Thursday night against the New England Patriots.

DAY 9

Troy Smith

Positives: Displayed zip on his sideline throws. Escaped the pocket and showed some elusiveness in the open field.

Negatives: Intercepted by safety Dawan Landry when he threw it up for grabs to 6-foot-5 rookie wideout Ernie Wheelwright. Sometimes, he takes too many risks on deep balls.

Stock: Rising slightly, but his competitors had their moments, too.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Split the distance between Corey Ivy and Marcus Smith to hit Matt Willis deeper downfield. Decent command overall. Timing and accuracy were sharper than usual.

Negatives: Intercepted by Ivy after bobbling it three times when Wheelwright couldn't secure his throw. Still needs to do a better job of hitting his receivers in stride.

Stock: Slightly up as he had a positive workout overall.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Threw one of the best passes in camp with a well-timed touchdown strike to Marcus Smith, anticipated he would break free on a post route. Always believes he can make a play with his arm or his feet.

Negatives: Still overthrowing receivers due to his uncommon velocity. Needs a greater sense of urgency when pressured. Can't take so many hits in a real game.

Stock: Tilt this arrow skyward. The big rookie's spirits seemed buoyed by a recent visit from his family and girlfriend.

DAY 8

Troy Smith

Positives: Operated no-huddle attack with a ton of confidence, delivering the football with authority and energizing teammates. Throws on the move so well it may win him the starting job, considering the shaky state of the offensive line.

Negatives: Still rushes his delivery and has some awkward mechanics. Arrived about an hour late after a delay in producing a urine sample for a mandatory random NFL drug test.

Stock: Buy this stock now before it climbs out of price range.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Showed off his mobility on a naked bootleg for a long gain. Got rid of the football quickly enough to avoid sacks. Gunned a touchdown pass to Darnerien McCants.

Negatives: Intercepted by Chris McAlister for what could have been a touchdown return. Still overthrowing receivers and needs to develop his touch and timing.

Stock: Moving slightly upward as he's proving to be a hard-working Cam Cameron disciple.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Not many to speak of as he didn't capitalize on extra snaps with Troy Smith absent. Not outwardly flustered by mistakes, but makes a lot of them. Keeps staring down tight end Todd Heap.

Negatives: Intercepted twice by Ray Lewis. Sacked several times when he didn't release the ball fast enough. Nearly intercepted twice more on short-armed throws off his back foot.

Stock: Dipping, but not below the Mendoza line at this early stage.

DAY 7

Troy Smith

Positives: Delivered a touchdown strike to Justin Harper in red-zone drills and an accurate end-zone throw dropped by Yamon Figurs. Adjusting to heavy pass rush.

Negatives: Doesn't always keep his fundamentals and mechanics sound, hurrying his motion and footwork due to collapsing pocket. Still prone to some miscues.

Stock: Rising slightly.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Took the first snaps in team drills. Adeptly finding his intermediate targets, especially Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton. Starting to look off the safety more than usual.

Negatives: Drilled a pass directly to Ray Lewis with the deflection richocheting into Fabian Washington's hands. His foot seems to be bothering him slightly.

Stock: Stuck in neutral.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Scrambling quicker than expected, given his size. Smartly throws it away when no one breaks free. Threw a frozen rope to Marcus Smith for a red-zone touchdown.

Negatives: Fumbled a snap from center Jason Brown. Needs to speed up thought process and reactions when chased out of the pocket to either get rid of it or find a safe throwing lane.

Stock: Hasn't been climbing lately.

DAY 6

Troy Smith

Positives: Delivered a terrific deep touchdown pass to Justin Harper, hitting Darnerien McCants for another score. Threw the ball with authority on slants and intermediate crossing patterns.

Negatives: Wild occasionally, intercepted by linebacker Robert McCune and by cornerback David Pittman when he tried to force the football into traffic. Seems worried about the pass rush, and his feet are starting to dance.

Stock: Took a lot of first-string reps again, so point this arrow to the sky.

Kyle Boller

Positives: The most consistent overall of the three with a series of sharp throws. Has displayed the best timing and chemistry throwing to running backs Ray Rice and Willis McGahee.

Negatives: Rarely challenges the defense, and appears content with checking down for the simplest option in most cases. Will need to push the envelope more to win this job.

Stock: Mechanically, he could still stand for some improvement. Holding steady at this point.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Had a 20-yard scramble away from pressure, demonstrating surprising mobility. Beginning to recognize defensive schemes and reacting accordingly.

Negatives: Still putting far too much heat on short passes and had several overthrown incompletions. It's a partial byproduct of the backup linemen and receivers he's working with.

Stock: Hasn't been moving in either direction. Could be watching Smith on Sept. 7 against Cincinnati.

DAY 5

Troy Smith

Positives: Hit Derrick Mason in stride for a 40-yard touchdown pass, splitting Frank Walker and Tom Zbikowski. Building chemistry with his receivers, including rookie Justin Harper. Starting to identify his targets quickly.

Negatives: Displayed little touch or timing on two overthrown fade routes in a red-zone drill. Fumbled one of his first snaps under center.

Stock: Starting to rise as he resembles the swaggering quarterback who built momentum during minicamps to emerge as the early favorite to start the opener.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Mostly steady, cutting down on his interceptions. Did a better job of looking off receivers in his progressions. Darting the football into tight corners to a small target: rookie runner Ray Rice.

Negatives: Needs to recognize the pass rush quicker and get rid of the football, exit a collapsing pocket or chew out his struggling offensive line. Throws off his back foot too often.

Stock: Holding steady as his strategy seems to be to take a cautious approach and not push the envelope.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Hit Marcus Smith on a 60-yard bomb. Throws the best passes of the three candidates. Mobility is advanced for his size.

Negatives: First pass in full-team drills was intercepted by linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo. Picked off later by Ronnie Prude. Telegraphing some throws, needs to anticipate defensive adjustments.

Stock: Bell curve hasn't dipped up or down recently. Taking the least reps with the starting offense.

DAY 4

Kyle Boller

Positives: Took the majority of the first-string snaps, connecting smoothly and often with Mark Clayton and Derrick Mason. When he's on rhythm, he still has the capability to make a lot of positive plays.

Negatives: Opening pass was intercepted by Dawan Landry when he stared down his primary read. Still too frenetic in his mechanics and body language, needs to settle down and play like a veteran.

Stock: Rising slightly.

Troy Smith

Positives: Scrambled for two touchdowns on designed rollouts in goal-line drills. In a full-team drill, Smith adeptly pump-faked to a back then hit wide-open rookie wideout Justin Harper for a touchdown.

Negatives: Intercepted by cornerback Corey Ivy when he made it too obvious that he wanted to go to Ernie Wheelwright. Has had passes batted back in his face and some unorthodox moments in the backfield.

Stock: Holding steady, but has still done nothing that shouts out: "I'm the guy."

Joe Flacco

Positives: Lofted a crisp touch pass to tight end Lee Vickers for a touchdown in red-zone work. Threw an accurate intermediate offering to Kerry Reed, but it was dropped.

Negatives: Flacco's arm strength is an asset and a negative, because receivers can't always handle his pace. Timing has to be nearly perfect because it's hard to adjust to a fast, off-target throw.

Stock: Buy it long-term, but has yet to make a power move. Holding neutral.

DAY 3

Joe Flacco

Positives: Delivered perhaps the best pass of the entire camp, a 40-yard rainbow spiral that hit tight end Adam Bergen in stride. Didn't flinch when blitzed despite collapsing pocket and shaky protection. Confidence is starting to grow.

Negatives: Intercepted by safety Jim Leonhard off a deflection from Ronnie Prude. It's a broken record, but either Flacco needs to slow down his throws or the receivers need to set the JUGS machine extra-high.

Stock: Beginning to rise as he displays the talent that made him a first-round pick.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Connected with Ray Rice on a touchdown over the middle with a nice touch pass. Found Kerry Reed on a crisp sideline throw for big yardage. Mostly composed and steady.

Negatives: Floating his deep throws and telegraphing his intentions, especially when he was picked off by rookie safety Haruki Nakamura. Inaccurate during the early portion of team drills.

Stock: Harder to forecast than Wall Street, but mostly neutral.

Troy Smith

Positives: Doesn't get down on himself after mistakes, always believes he can make a big play. Has an infectious swagger in the huddle and excellent mobility.

Negatives: Fumbled yet another snap, was sacked by Tom Zbikowski and Antwan Barnes and threw an interception that Chris McAlister returned for a touchdown. One of his roughest practices yet.

Stock: Down a bit as he isn't building on momentum generated during minicamps.

DAY 2

Joe Flacco

Positives: Fits the football into tight spots that others can't with his superior velocity and classic delivery. Made a few good decisions to not force throws and took off on a fairly nimble scramble considering his imposing size.

Negatives: Sailed too many sideline throws that lacked timing and touch with several darts far off target. Intercepted by Fabian Washington on a pass deflected and nearly picked off by Bart Scott.

Stock: Holding steady as he learns on the job. Doesn't seem intimidated.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Connected with Marcus Smith, who pitched it to Todd Heap on a classic hook and ladder. Accuracy and chemistry on short to intermediate throws is a plus.

Negatives: Wild on most deep throws and put his receivers in harm's way a few times with late passes. Too content to dump it off instead of challenging the defense vertically.

Stock: Slightly down after a mostly encouraging Friday.

Troy Smith

Positives: Building a connection with rookie Marcus Smith. Has good instincts and confidence. Seems to learn from his mistakes.

Negatives: Telegraphed a pass intercepted by Derrick Martin, badly overthrew a deep ball to Patrick Carter. Seems to just throw it up for grabs on longer patterns.

Stock: Dipping slightly. Not taking control of competition he led entering camp.

DAY 1

Troy Smith

Positives: Took the first snaps with the starters, displayed solid touch, especially to the backs. Had a dazzling broken-field run where he juked several defenders.

Negatives: Had some fumbling issues. Needs to make his progressions faster and be decisive to challenge the defense vertically.

Stock: Maintaining the status quo.

Kyle Boller

Positives: Crisp play-action fakes with good accuracy and zip on deep throws. Starting to rebuild timing with Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton and Todd Heap.

Negatives: Two fumbled center exchanges overshadows a good day of work. Can't afford to make those kind of mistakes.

Stock: Rising slightly since the fumbles can be chalked up mostly to first-day rust.

Joe Flacco

Positives: Demonstrated his arm strength and ability to fit the football into tight areas with precision. Maintained his poise even when it got chaotic on the field.

Negatives: Seemed a bit hesitant and looked slightly nervous in his body language. Tossed an interception to Derrick Martin in a crowd when he should have thrown it away and needs to rifle the ball less and get rid of it quicker.

Stock: Down a bit as he adjusts to the veterans' speed and instinctive reactions.

Aaron Wilson covers the Baltimore Ravens for the Carroll County Times and the Annapolis Capital