Baltimore Sun PhotoIt's looking more and more likely that Troy Smith will get that first crack at the Raven's open quarterback job. It's being treated as a three-man race, but Flacco is playing like a rookie and the team would be taking a step back by handing the job to Boller. I think he was the young guy I was grooming on Madden five years ago if that tells you anything about how many chances he's failed to win the job in Baltimore.
Smith is looking to build on what he showed as a starter in the last two weeks of last season. After dropping his first start against the Seahawks, Smith rebounded to lead the Ravens to a victory against the Steelers in the finale (video) -- and it wasn't even against the scrubs as it was a game the Steelers were trying to win in order to move up as a playoff seed. Smith helped lead the Ravens to a 17-0 lead -- their largest of the season -- and the win snapped a Ravens nine-game losing streak*.
If he does hold onto the starting spot this season, he'll have to pay a little more attention to his blind side. Left tackle and future NFL HoFer Jonathan Ogden rode off into the sunset and attempting to fill his shoes will be 2nd-year guy Jared Gaither out of Maryland. Todd Heap is a reliable commodity -- when he's healthy -- and Mason and Clayton on the edges are more than adequate. If Willis McGahee can get up to speed on the playbook, he'll become invaluable to Troy's success, despite a young line. And Baltimore is uniquely set up for a young quarterback to etch himself into the hearts and record books -- not every city has Trent Dilfer as an obstacle to such greatness.
A Buckeye getting reps with the first team at an NFL camp is significant for two reasons. First, it allows us to finally start fantasizing about all-Buckeye NFL teams (though we're a little thin at RB for the moment with only Pittman representing -- this, of course, is subject to change soon). Second, it's another move in the direction of establishing quarterback as a position top preps should come to Ohio State to play. Yes, Pryor is huge, but if you're a prototypical NFL quarterback, where are you going to go to school if given the choice between USC and OSU? The last time a Buckeye quarterback opened the season as the starting quarterback of an NFL team, gas sold for $1.03 a gallon. And that needs to change.
This is yet another example of Smith proving the naysayers incorrect. Whatever your thoughts on Inn-And-Out burger indiscretions, money from boosters or the curious play in the Florida game, you can't say that he hasn't excelled at proving doubters wrong.
* This win also featured the first of what figure to be many NFL games that see Smith and Santonio Holmes recording touchdowns against each other.
Comments
ooooo strange way to conclude that nice article. he also won a heisman trophy.
it's great to see troy prove everyone wrong. what i saw last year, he has a lot to work on. that said, he was the only thing that made watching the ravens interesting.
try this one on for size: Todd Boeckman is almost guaranteed to go higher in the draft that Troy Smith...if only for the fact that Todd is 6'5" 245lbs.
"curious play"
awww man, i hate that rumor
and wow, bobby hoying. that seems like forever ago
Hey, Craig Krenzel won a couple games for the Bears. Seems to me that if your choice boils down to Good Rex/Bad Rex and Kyle-friggin'-Orton, I'd make sure I kept Krenzel's number in the rolodex.
I hate it that Troy's a Raven. I just see nightmares of Troy running and throwing all over the Steelers.
I would love to see Smith as the starting quarterback for the Ravens when they take on Carson Palmer and the Bengals and they can duel it out as a sort of college pride battle. As a Michigan fan, Troy Smith haunts my dreams but I can't say that I don't respect him immensely because he got it done. I don't care about the booster scandal because god knows that Michigan has seen it's fair share of booster scandal headlines with the Fab 5.
I will say that I loved his burn on JaMarcus Russell and his ridiculous sweater during the NC game this year.
Yeah, Russell looks to be a Chess King shopper. At any rate, glad to have a Wolverine stop by from time to time.
And Joe, as a Steeler fan, how torn will you be to see Troy light up your boys?
Hoying looked good in '97 for Philly, then the wheels fell off. '98 was one of the worst statistical seasons for a QB in NFL history, excluding Ryan Leaf's magically horrific year.
Troy is a winner and a competitor. Players play harder for him. That's leadership. He'll be a solid pro if he gets a fair shake.