The first of what I intend to be a running series of "grades" for each player, position by position, on this year's team. I'll give my thoughts on how they performed in 2008 and where I see them fitting into the plans for 2009. And I'll begin at QB.
Joe Flacco (R): The future of the Baltimore offense hangs on the capable right arm of the first QB in NFL history to start and win 2 playoff games as a rookie. That by itself should tell you all you need to know about Mr. Flacco. We all know he's poised, "unflappable," "Joe Cool." We all know to divide his season into two distinct periods: his first 5 games, during which he threw 1 TD and 7 interceptions, and every game since (including three playoff games), during which he threw 14 TDs and 8 interceptions (and only 5 until the AFC Championship Game ... that Steeler D will do that to a QB).
Where does he need to improve? Well, beating Pittsburgh is a start --- Flacco went 0-3 against the Steelers to start his career, and 5 of those 8 "second period" interceptions came against that ferocious defense. But talk of improvement shouldn't obscure the miracle that was Flacco's rookie campaign, Let me say it again: He accomplished something that has never before been done --- in nearly 40 years of playoff football (that is, since 1970, when the NFL introduced a playoff system to determine who plays for the league championship), he is the first rookie QB to win 2 playoff games. How does a franchise that had become a national punchline on the subject of bad quarterbacking end up with such a treasure? It boggles the mind.
Just for fun, let's compare Mr. Flacco to some of his more illustrious (for the moment) peers during their rookie years. We'll examine the following categories:
- W-L record as a starter
- Regular season completions-attempts-yardage-completion %
- Regular season TD-INT
- Regular season passer rating
- Record in first 3 playoff games (not necessarily confined to rookie year)
Joe Flacco: 13W-6L; 257-428-2971-60%; 14TD-12INT; 80.3; 2W-1L
Ben Roethlisberger: 14W-1L; 196-295-2621-66.4%; 17TD-11INT; 98.1; 2W-1L
Eli Manning: 1W-6L; 95-197-1043-48.2%; 6TD-9INT; 55.4; 1W-2L
Vince Young: 8W-5L; 184-357-2199-51.5%; 12TD-13INT; 66.7; 0W-1L
Jay Cutler: 2W-3L; 81-137-1001-59.1%; 9TD-5INT; 88.5; No playoff appearances
Matt Ryan: 11W-6L; 265-434-3440-61.1%; 16TD-11INT; 87.7; 0W-1L
And some equally big names who didn't start as rookies:
Carson Palmer (2Y): 6W-7L; 263-432-2897-60.9%; 18TD-18INT; 77.3; 0W-1L (injured in only playoff appearance)
Philip Rivers (3Y): 14W-3L; 284-460-3388-61.7%; 22TD-9INT; 92.0; 2W-1L
Tony Romo (4Y): 6W-4L; 220-337-2903-65.3%; 19TD; 13INT; 95.1; 0W-2L
So what does this prove? Probably nothing. But it certainly suggests that Flacco can more than hold his own---and in general, at a much earlier point in his career---with those who are widely considered to be the top young QBs in the league. Give him another year behind an ever-improving offensive line, throwing to better receivers, coached by one of the brightest coordinators in the game (and hopefully at least one more year with Hue Jackson as well), and I like his chances at surpassing them all by the time he's done.
Status for 2009: The unquestioned starter --- unless we've all been much deceived, the sky's the limit for the kid. With a year under his belt, though, it's time for him to take command as the unquestioned leader of the offense.
Troy Smith: The starter's job was his to lose back in the preseason. A hard-luck case of tonsillitis cost him that chance and set in motion the Joe Flacco era much earlier than anyone expected (or, no doubt, desired). Still, he worked his way back into playing shape and, as a running-passing threat out of the special "Suggs Package" (essentially an option-based scheme in which he was a threat to pass, run, or hand off the football) gave us some of the most memorable gadget plays in the brief history of the Ravens. Against the better teams, the Suggs Package made fewer appearances---he only took one snap the whole postseason. Still, 3 of 4 for 82 yards and a TD ain't too shabby for a guy who will probably always be perceived as too small to start in the NFL.
Status for 2009: Entering his 3rd season, Smith is the unquestioned backup. Still, his unique blend of athleticism and toughness should continue to give Cam Cameron reasons to design ways to get him onto the field --- perhaps even against stouter defenses, when there's more on the line. In the meantime, he'll continue to learn how to play QB in a legitimate NFL offense, and if called upon to step in for an injured Flacco, he'll at least bring plenty of confidence to the job.
Todd Bouman: Signed to be an unthreatening backup to Flacco until Troy Smith returned from injury, Bouman wasn't called upon to take a single snap the whole year. (To nobody's disappointment except Mr. Bouman, I'm sure.) Someone should do a story on his contributions to the team, however minor and unglamorous --- if nothing else, he surely provided the youngsters with a veteran's presence and perspective at practices and in meetings.
Status for 2009: Barring another unexpected injury to Smith next August, I expect the Ravens will wave goodbye to Todd Bouman and use their 3rd QB spot to develop another youngster.
Kyle Boller: Boller played in two preseason games before a shoulder injury landed him on IR and unofficially closed the book on perhaps the most disappointing draft pick the Ravens ever made. Those preseason games were microcosms of the whole sad Boller era: middling stats (a 70% completion percentage, but only 5.3 yards per attempt), 2 interceptions, 2 sacks, and 2 fumbles. In light of the dawning of the Joe Flacco era, I hope even the most embittered fans can find a soft spot in their hearts for our bumblin', stumblin', fast-talkin' bust of a franchise QB. Few Ravens tried as hard (or absorbed as much punishment) as Kyle Boller, yet he never lost his optimism or his sense of humor. If asked, I'm sure he'd have nothing but praise for an organization that drafted him to be the savior yet only ever coached him not to lose games, that threw him from Day 1 into one of the most inept offensive systems of the past decade. Here's hoping the impending fresh start is kinder to him.
Status for 2009: Boller signed a 1-year deal for 2008, and even if his former mentor (and biggest advocate) Brian Billick were still with the club, there'd be no reason to resign him. With John Harbaugh at the helm, there's even less. He'll land with some team looking for an experienced backup and a solid "character" guy. Most likely that's the most he'll ever amount to---the game always seemed just a little too fast for him at this level---but maybe some coach smarter than Billick will figure out how to hammer some technique into that powerful right arm and knock some poise into that head. If so, and if by some miracle Boller has a glorious 2nd act somewhere far from Baltimore, it couldn't happen to a more deserving guy.
Keywords: Baltimore Ravens post-2008 season player grades: Quarterback
