Billick: Boller could possibly start remainder of season.

**Kevlar** · 11-16-2007, 12:34 AM

Sink or Swim time for the Boller huggers, and the waters look mighty choppy.

**festivus** · 11-16-2007, 08:50 AM

Originally Posted by Kevlar

Sink or Swim time for the Boller huggers, and the waters look mighty choppy.

With one or possibly two exceptions, there are no Boller "huggers" on this board.

Just people who have every reason to hope Boller will outperform McNair.

**StingerNLG** · 11-16-2007, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by festivus

With one or possibly two exceptions, there are no Boller "huggers" on this board.

Just people who have every reason to hope Boller will outperform McNair.

More like people who just want some final stability at the QB position, and Boller just happens to be the most recent young guy in history. If it makes people like Kevlar feel better, you could have inserted Redman's name if he was the present drafted QB. If this doesn't work, you can insert whoever gets drafted next into the sentence.

It's real easy to hate, like people like Kevlar and Tex show us. It takes effort as a real Ravens fan to have hope.

**festivus** · 11-16-2007, 01:03 PM

Stinger I would love to see continuity at qb but I would like to see production from that position first. We will see how the rest of the season goes but as I said elsewhere, my expectations are low. If Boller gives the Ravens 24/34 passing with 195 yards, 2 td's and a pick then we win, and I'll be happy, even though those numbers are not the level of production I *really* want.

In the end, there are a number of positions on the roster where we could use a lot of improvement going into next year, and quarterback is one of them. Maybe not as dire a need as cb, but right up there with de, in my book.

**StingerNLG** · 11-16-2007, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by festivus

Stinger I would love to see continuity at qb but I would like to see production from that position first. We will see how the rest of the season goes but as I said elsewhere, my expectations are low. If Boller gives the Ravens 24/34 passing with 195 yards, 2 td's and a pick then we win, and I'll be happy, even though those numbers are not the level of production I *really* want.

In the end, there are a number of positions on the roster where we could use a lot of improvement going into next year, and quarterback is one of them. Maybe not as dire a need as cb, but right up there with de, in my book.

Don't get me wrong Festivus, I don't begrudge you that point. We need production from that position, absolutely. My issue is we've said we've needed QB production improvement since basically the Super Bowl. So we've gone out and acquired multiple pro-bowl QB's, and drafted high so we could get those QB's. And every time there has always been issues with other parts of the offense that simply haven't allowed a QB to work out like successful teams do.

Elvis was the biggest example I have. He had an incredible year before we signed him. 4100+ yards and just coming off a Pro-Bowl. Then he comes here, gets pounded behind an offensive line that lost Leon Searcy in camp, and Terry Allan as the running back because we lost Jamal Lewis in camp. And I had ferocious arguements with my friends over Grbac, just like we have over Boller now. They said it was all Grbac, and even back then I was blaming Billick and the lack of an offensive line. So for me, this arguement about the QB position goes back well before Boller.

We just now have legit receivers to throw to, and our offensive line is getting a bit better although still not there yet. So if we can unchain our offensive gameplan from "just manage the game, and try not to lose", to "go out and have fun, and win", then a QB has a chance here.

I'd rather be able to spend our 1st round pick on a CB or DE, rather than another QB who we're going to bring into the system to fail.

**festivus** · 11-16-2007, 02:25 PM

I dunno. A lot of this talk about the failure of the 'system' seems to gloss over the success we had in our passing game last year, until week 17. Not counting Grbac, I think we have had for Billick's entire tenure here a string of bad - mediocre quarterbacks. It's not like any of them left the Ravens to go light it up for somebody else, it's just a position where for whatever reason the dice have not rolled in our favor.

But we are each repeating things we've said elsewhere, and I don't want to belabor the point.

**Ravenator** · 11-16-2007, 02:38 PM

Originally Posted by Tex Ritter

I will go on record as stating that Boller will perform as horribly as he has always done his entire career. How he played this season against the Rams and Buffalo is as good as you will get out of Kyle Boller. He is what he is as Billick would say, and that ain't much!

:grbac:

But are you willing to say your were wrong if he does good enough to win the starting job for years to come? That is yet to be seen as well.

**StingerNLG** · 11-16-2007, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by festivus

I dunno. A lot of this talk about the failure of the 'system' seems to gloss over the success we had in our passing game last year, until week 17. Not counting Grbac, I think we have had for Billick's entire tenure here a string of bad - mediocre quarterbacks. It's not like any of them left the Ravens to go light it up for somebody else, it's just a position where for whatever reason the dice have not rolled in our favor.

But we are each repeating things we've said elsewhere, and I don't want to belabor the point.

Agreed. I guess my final point in the thread is that I wonder how mediocre some of these QB's would be if they had the pieces around them to succeed. Even Elvis didn't, and before he retired at least he took us to the playoffs.

For that matter, if you want to get technical Kyle Boller and Anthony Wright led the team to the playoffs in 2003.

If you really want to cut hairs, we were 1:42 away from being in the playoffs in 2004 (remember, if we had held Cincinatti after pulling ahead at the end of that game, we would have been 10-6 and in), and that was with Kyle Boller. And that was with Travis Taylor going out in week 1, and Todd Heap being out for 10 games. Boller had a winning record that year throwing to Moore as his #1 receiver, and I forgot who the TE's were then. I think Wilcox and one other guy. Hell, after this season's debacle so far I'd take 9-7 in a heartbeat.

People don't often realize those things.

**highwater** · 11-16-2007, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenator

But are you willing to say your were wrong if he does good enough to win the starting job for years to come?

If Boller does well, Tex will change his screen name for about the tenth or eleventh time and come sneaking back in here acting like someone new, but spouting the same crap that he always spouts regardless of the name he goes by.

**Rochardrik** · 11-16-2007, 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by Tex Ritter

I also predict that the Hugger crowd will be pulling out every excuse in the book, i.e., Heap is hurt, the play calling, the OL, players not willing to play hard for Boller, and on and on. It will never be Blunderboy's fault, unless he actually gets so putrid that even the Huggers give up on him, which is bound to happen if he attempts to play the position long enough. If I have to see them trot out the Packers and Vikings game from years ago and the infamous two game stretch Boller played last year which included horribly thrown tipped TD passes that artificially inflated his rating I am afraid I will retch! Even worse is when they try to use his 19-17 career W-L record as a positive which is ludicrous considering McNair even on the last legs of his career immediately took essentially the same team to a 13-3 record.

I will go on record as stating that Boller will perform as horribly as he has always done his entire career. How he played this season against the Rams and Buffalo is as good as you will get out of Kyle Boller. He is what he is as Billick would say, and that ain't much!

:grbac:

That was a whole lot more than we got from McNair!

**festivus** · 11-16-2007, 03:09 PM

Originally Posted by StingerNLG

I think Wilcox and one other guy. Hell, after this season's debacle so far I'd take 9-7 in a heartbeat.

People don't often realize those things.

Yes, because they are hysterical, and have short memories.

Darnell Dinkins, I believe.

**crazyraven** · 11-16-2007, 03:10 PM

That was a whole lot more than we got from McNair!

Say what you want about mcnair. The fact is Boller has yet to guide this team to a playoff game or a 13-3 record.

Boller has a golden opportunity. I'm in favor of him being in the starters spot but there is nothing in his past that suggests he can turn this thing around. If he does, its great but if he cant isn't it time to move on? The fans arent really thrilled about him playing because you have threads where posters are hoping to see a medicore appearance. Again hoping that the strength of this team (Defense) seals up wins. I see this as his Very Last Chance. If he doesn't make things happen....hes gone along with Billick.