No one should be happier to see Steve McNair wearing a Ravens jersey than Kyle Boller. Think about that for a moment or two. From day one, Boller has been unfairly thrown to the wolves by the Ravens. As a rookie in 2003 he was anointed the opening day starter over Chris Redman – a move that was obvious after Brian Billick left Redman in to play the final quarter of a preseason game against and behind many scrubs that failed to survive final cut down day that season.
Boller’s first assignment that season – the archrival Steelers on the road. Talk about a baptism by fire!
Boller was told to manage a simple game plan – don’t turn the ball over, move the chains, manage field position and let the defense dictate the flow by providing them a long field to defend.
The plan failed. The offense was miserable and naturally Boller was the most popular choice for fall guy by fans and observers of the team.
During year 2 of his career, the Ravens brought in Jim Fassel as a consultant to mentor Boller and help to develop his impressive physical skills, refine his mechanics and to somehow slow the game down mentally for the hyperkinetic kid from southern
Well that didn’t work either!
The Ravens sent offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh packing and hired Fassel to replace him. They then brought in Rick Neuheisel to be the team’s quarterback coach. Boller had more voices in his head than Linda Blair in The Exorcist. One coach continued to champion mistake free football. Another exclaimed the virtues of the vertical game while a third professed that completion percentage and efficiency is the right path to follow for longevity at quarterback in the NFL.
The results were no different despite the quantum leap in talent at the wide receiver position with the additions of Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton.
Boller has been a failure and a very good defense has seen three years stripped away from their collective careers in the process.
And while Boller can fairly be blamed for many of the Ravens’ struggles, he isn’t the one who made the decision to draft him, to start him and to serve up undying devotion to him despite his inadequacies. As a result of such devotion, resentment within the Ravens’ locker room reared its ugly head – a head that looked to the left at Billick and then to the right towards Boller.
Boller has taken it all in stride. He’s worked hard to refine his game. He’s shown toughness and has always been a solid teammate. It just hasn’t produced consistent results. Sure, there have been a few flashes when it appeared that things might be coming together but those hopes were always dashed by the next Ravens’ road game.
Everyone wants a change at quarterback. And though he would never admit it, maybe Boller wants a change also.
And with McNair as the starter with his history of injuries, make no mistake about it there will be opportunities for Boller. In the past, Boller seems to perform better when there are no expectations as evidenced by his performances against prevent defenses (twice against
McNair could be the Ravens’ starter for the next three seasons. Boller has 2 years remaining on his contract and assuming he’s a backup for those two seasons and given his less than stellar results thus far, it is doubtful that Boller will be in demand around the NFL. Perhaps the Ravens could extend his contract on the cheap and by 2009 he might resemble the quarterback the Ravens thought they drafted. There still could be a chance that Boller is the Ravens future. After all, by the start of the 2009 season, Boller will be only 28 years old.
But what if McNair doesn’t come? What happens then? Is Boller then the starter or Kerry Collins’ backup?
At this point in time with McNair’s arrival seemingly bordering on imminent, it would be a devastating blow to the franchise if for some reason he doesn’t come to
As Boller prepares for the opening practice of mandatory mini-camp tomorrow, quietly he should be championing McNair’s arrival. His future in
