The Baltimore Ravens have been struggling all preseason with their quarterback situation and it isn't getting any easier as news surfaced today that "there is a growing fear" last year's starter could miss the entire season.Kyle Boller, who started eight games in 2007, could miss all of '08 after he banged up his shoulder during the August 12 meeting with the Vikings. An MRI on the shoulder turned out to be worse than expected and he isn't showing a lot of movement around the practice field.
Boller was unable to throw Tuesday and struggles to raise his arm over his head. While jogging onto the field in sweatpants and a baseball cap, Boller never moved his right arm and crossed his left arm across his body to scratch his right ear.This would obviously be a blow to the Ravens weakest position, but lets be honest, Boller wasn't exactly booking flights to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. If he's out, Harbaugh will have to pick either second year Troy Smith or rookie Joe Flacco to be the brains of the offense. With Smith still not 100 percent from a stomach virus that kept him out of Saturday's game, Flacco will be the man this Thursday in the preseason finale against the Falcons.
"He's got MRIs that are being looked at," head coach John Harbaugh said.
"I've prepared myself," Flacco said. "If that's the case, then I get another chance to work with all the guys and we'll see what happens. I just want to get better and develop more chemistry with the receivers."For Raven fans everywhere, the news of Boller is a tad bittersweet. As commenter Defender said (better than I ever could) on Pro Football Talk, "Let me get this straight, there's a "growing fear" that the Ravens might not have Kyle Boller this season? If I were a Ravens fan, I'd have a "growing fear" of him actually BEING the QB."
Awkward high five to MDS at PFT
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-27-2008 @ 12:07PM
caj said...
I'm pretty tired of all the Kyle Boller bashing that's gone on for years now. I'm not a Ravens fan, but you can say one thing about Boller - he's been the butt of plenty of jokes and yet has been a very good sport about it. He doesn't whine or throw tantroms like some. He hasn't given up or quit. He just puts his head down and continues to work hard.
He hasn't had the sparkling career that a lot of NFL qbs have had. But he did manage to accomplish the one thing that tens of thousands of young men aspire to every year - he made it to the NFL.
I hope he's able to heal from this injury and eventually have the opportunity to play on some level again. Good luck, Kyle.
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8-27-2008 @ 1:15PM
Dave said...
Bad news for Boller who really looks like a legit NFL backup QB (one who can go in and make plays for 2 quarters and control and offense for maybe one week) but not a starter. We should see what Troy Smith can do. Maybe (unlikely) he will be this years Derek Anderson and come out and way overperform expectations. He has everything you love except size...Flacco's time is definately sooner than later though.
-Dave
http://www.eSellOut.com
NFL Tickets at a price anyone can afford.
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8-27-2008 @ 2:35PM
Steven Larjnuggets said...
Flacco Flacco Flacco! Troy Smith sucky on da dong!
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8-27-2008 @ 5:48PM
Alicia said...
OOOOOOOOOOkay on the sucky on da dong. Anyway, I am not entirely convinced that Kyle Boller would not be booking his ticket to Hawaii if he were to play because the Ravens are going to be awesome this year. That is what you call OPTIMISM!
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9-06-2008 @ 4:09PM
Steven Larjnuggets said...
Boller is horrific. Just another great example of a horrible draft
pick. Flacco has a large amount of potential, and the Ravens have
nothing to lose starting him over an unimpressive Troy Smith. Flacco
can lounge in the pocket, has the size, and the arm strength to be
fantastic in the NFL. Troy can scramble...and has the arm strength
of a sissy little girl. Boooo to those who believe he will fail
simply because he faced horrific defenses w/ Delaware...horraaaay
Flacco!
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