Ravens Kick off Harbaugh Era In Winning Way

Though the team did not make much effort to establish the run, the offensive line failed to open any big holes for Ray Rice or the other running backs in the second half.  The offense only averaged 1.7 yards per rush.

2^nd Half Defensive Line 

The defensive line struggled mightily as players such as Amon Gordon, Lorenzo Williams, and J’Vonne Parker were consistently pushed back by the Patriots offensive line.  Gordon did register a sack.

Patriots (and former University of Maryland ) running back Lamont Jordan carried 19 times for 76 yards.

Derrick Martin 

Martin committed a 15-yard facemask penalty and missed a tackle allowing a first down in the process.  While Martin has played well in camp, he took a step back tonight in a very tight competition for the reserve defensive back spots.

Ugly

4^th Quarter Offense 

Joe Flacco looked like an overwhelmed rookie in his first NFL action.  Flacco fumbled once and did not complete a pass in 3 attempts.  The offensive line gave Flacco no time to throw. 

Troy Smith 

No, not for his quarterback play but for his sideline behavior. What compelled a potential starting quarterback to dive after an errant throw on the Ravens sideline, putting himself at risk for injury? On top of that, he failed to even make the catch. Though Smith was unscathed, it was not something you would expect from a potential starting quarterback. While not a big deal, it shows some immaturity.

Here is a breakdown of how the quarterbacks performed in the first preseason game:

Kyle Boller

Boller made some nice throws, particularly on the opening drive, when the offensive line gave him time to throw.  As in the past, he struggled to complete passes when pressured, which is nothing new.  Boller looked fairly comfortable in Cameron’s new system.

Boller did not take care of the football and had two turnovers.  He fumbled on a sack and threw a pass into triple coverage that was intercepted by Shawn Crable in the 2^nd quarter.

Overall:  Boller had a solid game completing 11-15 passes for 102 yards.  The two turnovers leave a bad impression with the coaching staff.  Boller appears to be virtually even with Troy Smith in the starting competition.

Troy Smith 

Smith made some great throws including a 30-yard strike to Darnerien McCants.  He made an even better throw that was threaded between two defenders but was dropped.  Smith also showed his mobility carrying 3 times for 6 yards.

Smith still stares down receivers and nearly threw two interceptions.  He needs to improve his accuracy to receivers coming out of the backfield.

Overall:  While Smith only completed 5-12 passes for 76 yards, he showed some positive flashes.  He appears to be right with Boller in the quarterback competition.  Look for Smith to receive the start against the Minnesota Vikings next Saturday.

Joe Flacco

Flacco was overwhelmed in his first NFL action as most rookie quarterbacks are.  He aimed his first pass to the outside and threw a pass behind another open receiver.  In his defense, Flacco had little time to throw behind a porous offensive line.

Flacco will certainly have better days than this.  Quarterback-starved Ravens fans have no reason to panic.

Overall:  Flacco did not complete a pass in 3 attempts.  He lost a fumble on a sack.  He is clearly the third-string rookie quarterback at this point, but the Ravens should bring this young and talented quarterback along slowly.  He is the future of the franchise.

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