Baltimore Ravens: 4 Things Fans Should Be Looking for in Preseason

After the first week of training camp, the Baltimore Ravens have yet to answer any of the questions that have plagued them throughout the offseason.

They will have a chance to do just that, though, when they take on the Atlanta Falcons in their first game of the preseason, as well as their other three preseason games.

While winning these games is always nice, the Ravens will be focusing on a few specific aspects of their game.

With this in mind, here are four things the fans should be looking out for during the preseason.

The Offensive Line

The Ravens have been dealing with questions regarding their offensive line since it got dominated in the AFC Championship Game. Unfortunately, those questions still loom large.

Bryant McKinnie's absence has been perhaps the biggest story for the Ravens thus far in training camp. Meanwhile, the Ravens have been trying rookies Kelechi Osemele and Jack Cornell at right tackle.

While McKinnie is supposedly set to return on Monday, he is still an aging, potentially out-of-shape liability.

Michael Oher has also had an up-and-down career, giving up a great deal of sacks last year while being penalized regularly.

On the flip side, Oher and the Ravens offensive line did improve last season in run blocking. This year, the addition of Bobbie Williams might even improve that run-blocking.

There are a few key things to watch for along the offensive line.

First and foremost, the tackles need to show the ability to keep Joe Flacco upright. They'll get opportunities to take on premier pass-rushers like John Abraham and Chris Long during the preseason. If they neutralize these top defensive ends, that would bode well for their prospects in the regular season.

Second, the offensive line needs to display chemistry. Part of that will be evidenced in their run-blocking and ability to open up holes. Another part will be how well everyone picks up blitzes in pass protection.

The talent is there for the Ravens' offensive line to show big improvement from last year. The preseason is their chance to make it happen.

Positional Battles

The Ravens have numerous positions up for grabs, and these positional battles have received a lot of press throughout the offseason.

The preseason is a great chance to identify front-runners in these positional battles. Currently, there are battles at running back, receiver, tight end, left guard, cornerback and kicker, among others.

There are a few ways to gauge the tide of these battles.

First, the amount and time of a player's reps clarify where a player stands. For instance, whether Jimmy Smith or Cary Williams start at cornerback against the Falcons in the first preseason game will go a long way in determining who will open the season as the starter.

Second, an elite performance can be the difference between winning and losing a major role. Each player will have to be at his best to ultimately earn an increased role.

All in all, perhaps the most exciting part of the preseason is determining who will ultimately make up the Ravens roster.

These positional battles, then, are one of the most exciting things to watch in these otherwise meaningless games.

Development of the Passing Game

Joe Flacco has torn up training camp so far, but that means nothing. His first true test will be against the Atlanta Falcons in August.

Flacco is one of the most divisive players in the NFL. Despite the controversy his play can stir, everyone agrees that Flacco will need to take the next step for the Ravens to be special.

How Flacco performs in the preseason will be our best chance as fans to get a feel for whether that step is coming or not.

Statistics will only be part of the picture in analyzing Flacco.

Flacco needs to first look in complete command of the offense. That entails getting the ball out quickly, feeling pressure effectively, finding open receivers and occasionally throwing the ball away when necessary.

Second, Flacco needs to show timing with his receivers, especially on medium and deep routes.

While Flacco excelled at passing to his tight ends and running backs last year, his completion percentage was abysmal when passing to his receivers.

If Flacco shows better chemistry with Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin, that would carry over to the regular season and give Flacco a real chance to break out.

Ultimately, Flacco's performance will likely be the most discussed aspect of the Ravens preseason. He needs to excel to show that he is ready to break out.

The Pass Rush

The Ravens will be without Terrell Suggs in the preseason and most of the regular season, which will give other players a chance to shine.

Of course, this has a lot of Ravens fans terrified at the prospect of losing their entire pass rush.

For sure, the Ravens don't have a single proven pass-rusher on the roster beyond Suggs. Still, the Ravens have a deep group of players who might be able to exploit matchups en route to generating a solid pass rush.

The Ravens open against Matt Ryan of the Falcons and Matt Stafford of the Detroit Lions. If they can get to these quarterbacks, that would help Ravens fans forget about Suggs temporarily.

If Ryan and Stafford are allowed to operate without being pressured, though, the Ravens might have to look into finding another option to rush the passer.

After this, the Ravens will take on Blaine Gabbert of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the St. Louis Rams' Sam Bradford.

These players are prone to making mistakes under pressure. If the Ravens can pressure these two and make some big plays, that would show that they still have their killer instinct without Suggs.

The performance of the Ravens' outside linebackers and defensive ends will be key throughout the season. A solid preseason would help set the stage for multiple players to step up in a big way.