The #1 Ravens Myth

[Shas]

I'm not sure it's fair to say Boller got no more of a chance than some of the other first round turds. Here are the number of starts in each of the first three years for some other QBs (and total starts).

Cade McKnown 6,9, 0 (15)
Brady Quinn 0, 9, 3 (12)
Akili Smith 4, 11, 1 (16)
Ryan Leaf 3, 9, 0 (12)
Jamarcus Russell 1, 15, 9 (27)
Kyle Boller 9, 16, 9 (34)

So Boller got a lot more starts within that three year period than some of these other first rounders who disappointed.

The part that stands out is the 9 starts as a rookie. First, the team should have known earlier it was not working out well. Jacksonville has to be thinking they can't wait two more seasons for Blaine Gabbert to click, for instance.

Second, you wonder if Boller was rushed.

Instinctively, I think Boller's case is different from the others on the list. He reminds me more of a Tim Couch, who started right away and got 37 starts in three years, and 14 more in his fourth. The Browns certainly held out hope for too long for Couch. Granted, that was when the Browns had invested a fortune in him and had so many other holes to address. But Boller's situation seems closer to Couch in terms of holding out hope too long. Joey Harrington kind of falls into that category as well. And David Carr. They all started as rookies and were allowed to struggle longer for their teams. They were also all top-three picks, unlike Boller at 19, so you can excuse Cleveland, Houston and Detroit a little more than Baltimore for not being able to cut bait.

[RavensRock]

It so true that selecting the wrong QB in the 1st round can really set a team back. This is why I can't understand the Flacco haters. If Flacco was not resigned more than half the teams in the league will be standing in line for his services.

[Captain Silver]

That game....ugggh...it was in the running for Top 5 all-time Ravens game for 59 minutes 30 seconds. Then Brady went no huddle, quick snap, Ray quickly read the play perfectly and called the correct D, and Rex....well, Rex wasn't sure, so he called the time-out.

Thanks, I really HATE that memory.

[Galen Sevinne]

The current #1 Ravens myth is that the Ravens "identity" is "the running game and great defense."

Actually I think one of the greatest football myths is that a team has to have an identity. Having an identity just allows opposition to prepare better for you. I think there is an offensive identity beginning to emerge with the Ravens but why would one want that? Force an opposing team to gameplan against Flacco throwing the ball 50 times and force that same opposing team to gameplan against Rice getting 25 carries. This idea that a team needs an offensive identity has always struck me as counterproductive. What is important though is to get your best offensive players the ball as much as possible not necessarily an identity of run sets up the pass or pass sets up the run.

[OriAl]

Boller had poor pass blocking (save for J.O.), and one dependable receiver (Heap.) That team was built to run during his years. If you draft a first round QB, maybe you focus on protecting him and getting him reliable targets?

[OriAl]

Thanks, I really HATE that memory.

Remember on fourth and one on that final TD drive, NE got penalized. Wasn't one that could be declined. On fourth and six, receivers are covered, so Brady runs for 12 yards with no defender anywhere close. Bah.

[dweezil22]

Event Matt Leinart didn't get a real 3 year chance. He fought back and forth w/ Warner for 4 years, then got named starter for the offseason in 2010, then was promptly cut. If Boller had had a good veteran competing w/ him, I think it would have gone better. (Counterargument, "And how'd that work out for the Cards, I hear they really got that solved in 2010... Oh wait...")

[GOTA]

Cade McNown. Taken in the 1st round by the Bears in 1999 and was cut and out of football by the end of 2000. The fact that no other teams were willing to take a chance on a 1st round pick in only his 2nd season tells me there was something really wrong with him.

[Mista T]

mods: you can send this thread back to 2006 if you want :D

Why?

Since it's Ravens related, non-smak, non-politics, and other board respond, why shouldn't it stay alive here? I don't get the logic of closing discussions because some aren't interested in reading -- just look away, there are plenty of other ongoing discussions!

[ballhawk]

i was just kidding T :D

[Kevlar]

Boller had a pretty good arm, I don't think anyone can dispute that.

His problem was his horrible footwork and his lack of intangibles. He got confused by any sort of pressure, regularly tripped over his own clown feet, and was never any sort of a leader anyone would rally around. How could you? He was a doofus that talked a million miles an hour. Sounded like he was hopped up on ritalin and crack in every interview.

[StingerNLG]

Boller had two brilliant games toward the end of 2005, crushing the Pack 48-3 on December 19 (still the biggest rout in MNF history AFAIK) & then outdueling Brad Johnson to knock the Vikings out of the postseason on Christmas night. It looked for all the world as if the porch lights were on and at long last someone was indeed home. Then he messed the bed in the loss to the Browns to close out the season. If he had performed decently in that last game, I doubt that the Ravens would have picked up McNair.

I will always maintain that part of that loss to the Browns falls on Jon Ogden releasing into the endzone too early and getting an illegal man downfield penalty on Boller's touchdown run, which would have been the go-ahead score.

Boller was frustrating in that for every one of these games, he had a Denver. There were times when he made throws that you thought no other QB at the time could make. Then he'd make a throw that no other QB would be dumb enough to make. But he'd always do it while taking a massive beating behind at the time our porous offensive line.

It's a shame he never clicked. I expect this is his last year on the Raiders.