What the Ravens are Playing for

[Filmstudy]

I'm not one to hold onto false playoff hope. I'd say the Ravens should try to accomplish the following for the remainder of 2007:

1. Go ahead and let CMac and Rolle rest until truly ready and see how the 2 young corners respond to this game. Martin and Pittman both have a chance to be good despite last night's debacle.

2. Go with Boller. Let's see if the guy can generate some offense. IMO, McNair is retiresd as of last night.

3. Sit Ogden. Let's see what Gaither, Terry, and Yanda can do together. Is Terry woth a long term contract? Ogden is also done as of last night. Sour note to end on, but I've appreciated almost every moment of his great career here.

4. Start Chester over Flynn. he's been pushed around a lot, but we need to see if he can play center.

5. Involve Sypniewski more in the offense. The problem currently isn't that they're not throwing to him, it's that he's always the checkdown guy or running a very short route. Let's get him downfield a few times and see if he can exploit a seam.

6. Determine whether or not we are going to resign Musa. Willis has had a good year, but he's banged up. Let's split the 1st down carries and get Musa some runs/passes on any but those obvious 3rd and long situations.

7. Give Burgess some playing time. He's a pretty good special teamer, it appears, but I'd like to know if we have a real player here.

8. Same thing goes for Edgar Jones. We kinda need to find out if he can play so we don't end up making next year's draft and camp a tough decision. In the case of both 7 and 8, we are replacing good players for some time, but thereshould be plenty of mopup duty these last 8 weeks.

9. Activate Rhys Lloyd and see if he can really help us on kickoffs. last night he did not look so hot, but he was kicking into a very stiff wind the 1st time. This, honestly, is a decision that doesn't have to make under game conditions, but I'd sure like to know if the guy can help us.

[flraven]

Good points, Filmstudy. Testing these guys out now will give the team a real good idea of what they need to do on draft day.

[ravenwoman]

Agreed Filmstudy. I love your posts and how you bring some sanity to the board.

We need to evaluate all of the young talent; determine who to keep, the others let go.

Like it or not, we are playing for the future and the draft picks.

[ExiledRaven]

Makes a lot of sense.

What players on this team look like they're going to be solid players in the league? Let them get on the field now and see what they can do.

Then the team knows what needs to get fixed in the offseason.

[deuce]

Agreed. Especially on the O-line.

Although looked like Burgess had a leg injury last night. No idea of his status.