Boller is Starting Sunday

**camdenyard** · 10-12-2007, 09:30 PM

I have it on good authority (from a player agent) that Boller is starting Sunday. Forget the gametime decision BS the media is floating RE: McNair.

**Rayvens52** · 10-12-2007, 09:33 PM

that is the best news I have heard all season, he is the best option we have right now until mcnair gets healthy again, hopefully after the bye

**purplepoe** · 10-12-2007, 09:46 PM

Fine with me.

It's very apparent that McNair is not 100% and needs to sit down.

PP

**RavensNTerps** · 10-12-2007, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by purplepoe

Fine with me.

It's very apparent that McNair is not 100% and needs to sit down.

PP

why do you say that? he looks the same as last year at this point...

**Galen Sevinne** · 10-12-2007, 10:29 PM

Yep...it seems that the last couple days have been moving in Boller's direction. I am looking forward to seeing if there is any redzone difference. So far the redzone touchdown stats are:

McNair 3-13
Boller 3-4 (giving him credit for the TD pass to Heap that the refs muffed against Cincy)

**purplepoe** · 10-12-2007, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by RavensNTerps

why do you say that? he looks the same as last year at this point...

No, he doesn't.

He's clearly not stepping into this throws because he's not 100%.

But why would you know anything about that.

Your takes on this team are about as worthless as an Enron 401K.

PP

**RavensNTerps** · 10-13-2007, 12:33 AM

Originally Posted by purplepoe

No, he doesn't.

He's clearly not stepping into this throws because he's not 100%.

But why would you know anything about that.

Your takes on this team are about as worthless as an Enron 401K.

PP

His passes look exactly how they looked last year, though. Seriously, go back and watch a game from last year, you'll see it.

I'm not a big stat guy, they don't measure everything...the whole lies, damned lies and statistics thing...but statistically he is better at this point than he was last year at this same point.

Furthermore, his throws floated and sailed high LAST year.

It's easy to forget how dreadful he was in certain games, because the team finished 13-3, but he was god awful against Oakland, Cleveland, and San Diego early on, looking a lot like he does now, and the team got away with it because of very fortunate plays by the defense, which isn't happening this year.

He had a nice drive at the end of Clev and SD last year, but he played like crap all game before that...and for the sake of apples to apples, he actually probably played better in Cleveland this year than he did last year. Remember, it took a matt stover 54 yarder to win that game.

McNair acted as a caretaker last year, which was fine because the defense was literally dominant. Now that the D doesn't dominate, they're just plain good (again, not a bad thing, but they are a step down from last year, as to be expected), you need the QB to actually make plays. McNair didn't do it early on last year, and he hasn't done it early on this year.

Seriously, though...go back and watch one of those 3 games (Browns, Chargers, Raiders) from last year and tell me he doesn't look the same... the groin thing is blown way out of proportion.

**CrowMST3k** · 10-13-2007, 02:32 AM

If Boller routs the Rams, it could be cool to see if Troy Smith could catch a few plays in a mop-up roll.

**Mista T** · 10-13-2007, 08:37 AM

I am anxiously awaiting the return to the Ravens playbook of the medium to long pass!

Originally Posted by RavensNTerps

His passes look exactly how they looked last year, though. Seriously, go back and watch a game from last year, you'll see it.

..... Furthermore, his throws floated and sailed high LAST year.

While that's accurate, McNair has nonetheless declined even further this season. Last season, he did have a few completions for long gains -- Pittsburgh & KC come to mind -- while this season he has nothing but short stuff. Also, this season he already has 6 turnovers in 4 games.

**Purpleguy** · 10-13-2007, 10:06 AM

He didn't look quite this bad last year. He was able to hit on more intermediatte passes and his long ball was much more accurate last season. I do, however, feel this groin injury is being blown way out of proportion. I think he's just tired and washed up, and has been since the end of last season. He shows no enthusiasm at all. I know he's always been calm and collected, but with TN he had some enthusiasm and urgency in the huddle. We played him many times and he showed it. Now he just moseys out on the field, moseys up to the line and if we're lucky he'll get the checkdown play off before the playclock expires. Maybe his eyesight is as shot as the rest of his body because I have horid vision and I can see the playclock from anywhere in the stadium.

Here's hoping Boller can add a spark and maybe make this team one of the elite teams we thought they would be. Kyle has looked good in his limited time the past two seasons. This week he got some reps with the first team during practice. That should help.

**Greg** · 10-13-2007, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by RavensNTerps

why do you say that? he looks the same as last year at this point...

I have been quite vocal in my criticism of McNair this season, he is no where near where he was last season. He was throwing the ball in the middle range (15-25 yards) a lot last year, something we rarely have seen the last few games if at all this season. No, he didn't have the zip Boller does last year or maybe ever, but he was competent in that range, he isn't at all this year.

If he gets his groin and back straightened out he will probably be capable to good again. And I bet his groin and how he was throwing to protect it is what led to his back problems. This is why he needed to sit.

**RavensNTerps** · 10-13-2007, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Greg

I have been quite vocal in my criticism of McNair this season, he is no where near where he was last season. He was throwing the ball in the middle range (15-25 yards) a lot last year, something we rarely have seen the last few games if at all this season. No, he didn't have the zip Boller does last year or maybe ever, but he was competent in that range, he isn't at all this year.

If he gets his groin and back straightened out he will probably be capable to good again. And I bet his groin and how he was throwing to protect it is what led to his back problems. This is why he needed to sit.

All of this is true...but not in his first 4 starts. Actually, not until after the bye week.

17/27 181 against Tampa
16/33 143 against Oakland (his long in this game, 30 yards, was a dump off to Musa).
23/41 261 against Cleveland
17/30 158 against San Diego

The next two were Carolina, which he didn't play, and Denver, which...well...I'll just leave that one out.

The point being...our passing game didn't really open up until about week 9 last year, for whatever reason. Yes, he completed long passes...against Pitt, Tennessee, and Kansas City.

No, he never really threw down field early on, though. His YPA is actually higher this year than it was at this point last season.

If you want to blame the play on a slow start, fine. I choose to blame it on the fact that he really only had 4 pretty good games all season last year, and a bunch that were just...not bad, which is all we needed.

At this point...he is what he is. As the season rolls on, he may just be what we need. Right now, it doesn't look that way...he is very limited...