http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/22507 Recent articles about Troy Smith en-us An update on the Baltimore Ravens. Joe Flacco, Troy Smith and that other guy are all competing for the starting job. Let's not kid ourselves. That other guy has no shot. Here's what Flacco had to say regarding the competition: "We don't really have anything against each other. All we're trying to do is win a spot and do the best we can do. It's just the nature of the position. I don't really have any hard feelings." I bet you Troy Smith has a few hard feelings, especially if he doesn't win the job. Smith had a horrible showing in practice this week (1-5 with 3 INTs); however, I still think Smith is the lead horse to start week one at home against the Bengals. The Ravens haven't even hit full-squad practices, so I'm not going to freak out about such terrible numbers. Smith has dropped a dozen pounds since last year, so he should be even more elusive than Happy Feet Boller and certainly more so than Mr. Big Flacco. I'm not sure why I'm such a supporter of Smith. I'm definitely an OSU hater, so I suppose it's because I think he has a chance to be a solid NFL QB. Don't make me look foolish, Heisman. Suggs to skip training camp. Is anyone surprised? Does anyone care? Does it really matter? Sometimes I forget he's on the team. After Pryce went down with an injury, Suggs played as though he were sitting out. Disappeared. Poof. Ghost. Last year was a great year to QB against Baltimore. No other team in the league gave up more deep-ball plays than your "#1" Ravens D. The secondary shares the blame, but the secondary can't guard guys forever. You've got to pressure the QB. Few other things: Second-round draft pick Ray Rice has signed a four-year deal. Third-round safety Tom Zbikowski has also signed with the team. Samari Rolle is excused from the team to deal with his father's untimely death (heart attack) last week. Then again, death is never timely. Sort of like Kyle Boller in the pocket. My bad. That was mean. All the best to the Rolle family, and, Kyle, get that clipboard ready. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 15:12:20 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294483 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/294483 AccuScore's NFL simulator was used to analyze how much Brett Favre would help a variety of teams rumored to be possible destinations. The simulations do not expect Favre to have as much impact on other teams as one might expect simply because he would be joining a team just months before the start of the season. It obviously takes far more than eight weeks to master a new offense. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:43:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291747 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291747 Each year in the NFL, many players break out. Some come out of nowhere like Ryan Grant and some were good but just got better like Braylon Edwards. Either way, both occur commonly and some of these players could end up making it to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl when the seasons over. I'm going to do my breakout players by day at different positions. Today its quarterback and running back where players like Derek Anderson and Grant could affect a whole team's season. Quarterback: Jay Cutler Broncos: Cutler may have thrown 20 touchdowns last year, but he is only reaching his potential. The Broncos acquired some new targets for Cutler in Keary Colbert and Darrell Jackson and if Brandon Marshall is suspended, it will soften the blow. Plus he always has Tony Scheffler to throw the ball to and he is on the verge of becoming an elite tight end. Don't be surprised if Cutler throws 30 touchdowns this year. Trent Edwards Bills: Edwards was solid as a rookie last year as he was a very good game manager and ended up throwing 7 touchdowns. Now that he has a full year of the offense under his belt along with a 6'6 red zone threat in James Hardy, don't be surprised if Edwards throws 20 touchdowns this year. Drew Stanton Lions: Many people forgot about Stanton last year as he went on injured reserve with a knee injury during preseason. But he is a name you want to remember this year. If the Lions struggle out of the gate, Stanton should see some playing time and with the targets he has in Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson, he could put up some big numbers. That and the fact the Lions usually play from behind, it wouldn't be surprising if Stanton threw at least 15 touchdowns. JaMarcus Russell Raiders: The Raiders got some new weapons on offense this offseason and nobody benefits more than Russell. Russell now has a year of learning the offense and has a good group of receivers led by Javon Walker and Ronald Curry. When the Raiders start pulling it together later on in the season, people will be talking about how well Russell is performing and how he could lead them to the playoffs in 2009. Troy Smith Ravens: If you've read my previous posts, you can see that I am very high on Smith and think he should be the starter in Baltimore. He was solid in limited playing time last year and could thrive under new offensive coordinator Cam Cameron as he will take pressure off of him by getting a ground game going. Joe Flacco might be the long term answer for the Ravens, but don't be surprised if Smith shines when he gets his chance. Tyler Thigpen Chiefs: When most people see this, the first thing that comes to mind is, "Who?" but Thigpen could have a big impact this season. Thigpen has already impressed the Chiefs as he passed Damon Huard for 2nd on the depth chart entering training camp. Thigpen has a strong arm, good mechanics and 4.7 speed which is solid for a quarterback. He's only a few bad games from Brodie Croyle from starting and if Croyle plays anything like last year, Thigpen could be playing quickly. Running Back: Marshawn Lynch Bills: In his rookie season, Lynch ended up with over 1100 rushing yards to go along with 7 touchdowns. The scary part is, he missed 3 games. If Lynch played the whole season, Adrian Peterson might not have ended up with the rookie of the year award. Lynch's sophomore campaign should be even better as he now has a year of the offense under his belt and it doesn't hurt that he plays the Dolphins and Jets a combined 4 times. By the end of this year, Lynch could be mentioned in the same breath as the elite running backs in the league. Selvin Young Broncos: With Travis Henry gone, Young is now the starting back for one of the best rushing attacks in the league. He had a solid rookie year averaging over 5 yards a carry for 729 yards. WIth all of that in mind, Young looks like he's ready to put up big rushing numbers in typical Broncos fashion. Don't be surprised if he has over 1300 rushing yards this year. LenDale White Titans: Many people bash White for his weight, but last year he had a career best 1110 yards in the starting role with 7 touchdowns. But if those numbers sound impressive, get this, he played all of last season on a torn meniscus. Now with Chris Johnson in the backfield to help carry the load, White could be even more productive this season. 1200 yards and double digit touchdowns isn't out of the question. Pierre Thomas Saints: When people think of Thomas, two questions come to mind. First, who names their son Pierre and the other is who is this guy? Well, I can only answer one of those questions but it should help. When Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush both went down with injuries, Thomas had his first career start in week 17 against the Bears where he had both 100 rushing and receiving yards. He is a north south runner and a good receiver. So basically he is what you get when you combine McAllister and Bush. With McAllister and Bush's health issues, Thomas could get some starts for the Saints this year and it wouldn't be surprising if he had over 1000 all purpose yards. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:34:24 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285316 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285316 AOL's Ryan Wilson today posted an article with the title, "It looks like Joe Flacco will be the Ravens starter at some point in '08," and he proceeds to offer no evidence that I could see other than the fact that Flacco took most of his mini-camp snaps from the shotgun formation. There might be other evidence hiding in there somewhere. I only read the post once. And even that was a struggle. It physically pains me to read anything that suggests someone other than Troy Smith as the starter for the 2008 Baltimore Ravens. If anything, I think Flacco taking shotgun snaps is strong evidence that the team doesn't plan to start Flacco this year. Baltimore will be pounding the ball between the tackles, not running a shotgun offense. Besides, Flacco's "advantage" is his strong arm, but to whom exactly do you suggest he throw the ball? Who does Baltimore have that is capable of stretching the field? Derrick Mason? No. Mark Clayton? No. Demetrius Williams? Sorry, but I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid quite yet. If Flacco is to be the future starter of the Baltimore Ravens, it's in everyone's best interest that it not happen this year. Give Troy Smith a chance to fail, and give Flacco time to improve his footwork and decision making. He also needs to learn how to play out of a formation other than shotgun, and the front office needs to pull the trigger on a wide receiver who can better complement our strong-armed, gulp, future. Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:42:19 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/281211 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/281211 During the course of the NFL season, many unexpected things happen; from players breaking out, to teams who were Super Bowl favorites not making the playoffs So I thought it would be fitting if I continue my lists with my top ten shocking predictions of the 2008 NFL season. 1. Troy Smith will be the starting quarterback for the Ravens week one: Many people would expect Kyle Boller or possibly Joe Flacco to be starting for the Ravens, but they may have forgotten about Smith. The former Heisman trophy winner last year looked good in limited playing time and so far the team is really impressed with what they have seen in mini camp. Flacco could be the long term answer for the Ravens, but don't be surprised if Smith starts for the next year or two. 2. The Cowboys won't be representing the NFC in the Super Bowl: For the last two years, many people have been saying that the Cowboys are the team to beat in the NFC. But come playoff time, they don't beat anyone. This team has loads of talent but for this team to succeed, ego's can't be colliding in the locker room and the odds of that happening aren't very good. 3. The Pittsburgh Steelers won't make the playoffs: Many people think the Steelers are going to win the AFC North again but if you look inside the numbers, the odds aren't very good. The Steelers have the highest strength of schedule in the league and their offensive line had lots of issues last year and the loss of Alan Faneca won't help. Looking at that, the Browns are the best bet to win this division. 4. The Buffalo Bills will make the playoffs: The Bills had a solid year last year at 7-9 but this year, they can be even better. They now have a clear choice at quarterback in Trent Edwards as well as an every down back in Marshawn Lynch. The receiving corps also improved as the team drafted 6'6 James Hardy in the second round. The defense is also improving as Paul Posluszny will be healthy and Leodis McKelvin should improve the secondary and the return game. Plus they don't have the strongest division. Other than the Patriots, they play the Dolphins and Jets a combined 4 times. If they play .500 football the rest of the year, the Bills would have a 10-6 record which should be good for a wildcard birth in the AFC. 5. Jonathan Stewart will win offensive rookie of the year: Most people say that Darren McFadden will be the clear choice for rookie of the year honors. But Lane Kiffin already came out and said that he will be using him in a Reggie Bush type role. Stewart is most likely going to be the feature back in Carolina as DeAngelo Williams hasn't proved he's able to carry the ball 20 times a game. Stewart has fresh legs as he wasn't used that much in college so he should see lots of carries this season and could bring a ground game the Panthers haven't had in a while. Speaking of the Panthers... 6. The Carolina Panthers will make the playoffs: The NFC South is a weird division. Every single year, a different team wins it. This year could be the Panthers turn. Jake Delhomme was having a great season until it got cut short by Tommy John Surgery. If his great play carries over, the Panthers are in good shape. Plus they have one of the best receivers in the league in Steve Smith for Delhomme to throw to. If Julius Peppers and the rest of the defense improves, this team could be dangerous in the NFC. 7. The Oakland Raiders will be a playoff spoiler come December: This offseason, the Raiders did a very good job of getting talent through free agency and the draft. JaMarcus Russell now has a full year of the offense under his belt and the defense is much improved with the additions of DeAngelo Hall and Gibril Wilson. The Raiders may not start off that great as they have lots of new players adjusting, but by the end of the year, they can stop some teams from making the playoffs and possibly be a 7 or 8 win team. 8. Keith Rivers will win defensive rookie of the year: Like Patrick Willis last year, Rivers has the chance to step in right away and be the leader of a defense. The Bengals have gotten some young defensive talent in the draft the last couple of years and now with the addition of Rivers, they are headed in the right direction. 9. Drew Stanton will be the starting quarterback for the Lions by the end of the year: If Stanton didn't have a season ending knee injury in preseason last year, there was a good chance he could have been starting as a rookie. But Jon Kitna is now 35 and isn't the long term answer. The only problem with Stanton is Mike Martz was spending the preseason last year changing Stanton's mechanics. Now he's gone and he will now have two different offensive coordinators in two years. But if the Lions are going to struggle, there isn't a better time to start the Stanton to Calvin Johnson connection. 10. Matt Forte will run for 1,000 yards as a rookie: With the release of Cedric Benson, the Bears think they have found the bruising back they were looking for in Forte. Forte should be the feature back for the Bears and with the weak passing game, will be the focal point of opposing defenses. His running style is perfect for the cold games in December. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:22:51 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278916 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278916 What's what in Charm City. Quick snapshot of Baltimore's offensive line, linebackers, quarterbacks, cornerbacks, and also the coaching situation. Nothing groundbreaking here. Just my two cents. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:58:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278507 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278507 It has been the source of a major debate for years. Who is the best Raven - Jonathan Ogden or Ray Lewis? It's really no contest. The most physical, technically sound and dominating player is Ogden. The player with the most impact on franchise history is Lewis. It's an interesting debate because you're dealing with two of the best players at their positions in modern times, if not in the history of the NFL. And they also happen to be the team's first two draft picks. Lewis is often the popular choice because of his charisma and leadership. He has overwhelming statistics backing him up, and he was the driving force behind the league's best defense when the Ravens won the Super Bowl after the 2000 season. He became the face of the franchise. But let's dig beneath the surface. Unlike Lewis, Ogden didn't have any assistance from his teammates. Each week, his job was to take out the best defensive pass rusher, if not the best player, on each team. For 12 seasons, no one did it better regardless of whether Ogden lined up against Greg Lloyd, Joey Porter or Dwight Freeney. And it was man on man. For the nine seasons he was here, Ravens coach Brian Billick went into every game knowing he didn't have to worry about his quarterback being blindsided. He didn't have to take away from his passing game and use a tight end or running back to double with Ogden to block an opponent. That's a huge luxury when you don't have to game plan for the other team's best player. Weaknesses? Ogden had none. His pass-protection sets were perfect. His feet were amazingly quick, not just for a man his size but also for a man of any proportion. Ogden could take out one, two or three players on any running play. There has never been an offensive tackle with his combination of speed, power, size and athleticism. Lewis was as dominant in his peak years. Like Ogden, he could take away an opponent's desire to play against him. Like Ogden, he became the prototype because former great ones such as Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke couldn't run sideline to sideline like Lewis. Each week, Lewis is largely responsible for taking out the team's top running back. And he has beaten down some of the best, including Eddie George, Corey Dillon, Jerome Bettis, Edgerrin James and Curtis Martin. At the same time, Lewis brought an energy and a personality to a franchise that was as bland as the black-and-white practice uniforms the Ravens wore when they first moved to Baltimore for the 1996 season. When opposing offenses play against the Ravens, the first player they game plan against is No. 52. And Lewis never comes off the field, even in passing situations. The Ravens were, and still are, Lewis' team. His energy and passion force his teammates to play at higher levels. His pre-game dance gets an entire city excited before home games, and he motivates the team with fiery pre-game and halftime speeches. But unlike Ogden, Lewis had help in front of him. In 2000, he had two big defensive tackles named Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams in front of him. Now, he has tackles Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg taking on blocks in front of him, allowing him to roam untouched. Am I saying Lewis was a product of the system? No, he was already a great player, but the system made him better. Lewis was never the kind of linebacker, even in college, who could shock and shed offensive linemen. And if he had to do that as Butkus or Nitschke did, he wouldn't have been as effective because he has a history of shoulder problems. Ogden had no help from the system. In fact, he dominated with an offense that was predictable. The Ravens' running game was built around two players - running back Jamal Lewis and Ogden. The Ogden vs. Lewis debate will go on for years. Ogden had 11 Pro Bowl invitations in 12 seasons, and Lewis has had nine in the same time span. Each is highly competitive and extremely passionate about football. You couldn't go wrong by building your franchise around either, and fortunately the Ravens selected both. But if Lewis had to make his living going up against Ogden every Sunday, he would have been just like all the other defensive greats who lined up against Ogden. Lewis would have been nullified, because Ogden has been the best player to ever wear a Ravens uniform. Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:43:12 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277958 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277958 Its hard to pick the front runner or even the dark horse for the starting job in Baltimore. Joe Flacco has the front offices confidence, Kyle Boller has the experience, and apparently Troy Smith seems to have the swagger and drive to earn the starting nod. Good article about how Smith is getting attention in mini camps. Wed, 28 May 2008 23:08:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/271960 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/271960 This in depth analysis of the offensive line includes the projected starters for the upcoming season, statistics and injuries from the past season, an overview of players on the line and an outlook for the 2008 season. Sat, 17 May 2008 15:30:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268112 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268112 Joe Flacco dropped back in the pocket, scanned the field, cocked his arm and tossed a spiral far downfield. Mark Clayton sprinted under the ball and made the catch in stride, one step ahead of the defender. Ah, if only playing quarterback in the NFL was that easy. Instead of pumping his fist or showing any outward sign of pleasure, the first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens simply walked away from the line of scrimmage and awaited another opportunity. "I'm just moving onto the next play. The last thing I'm thinking about is the play I just completed," Flacco said. "This is a new offense for me, and I'm worried about the next play and making sure I know what to do." Flacco endured a steady rain during his first day on the job at the team's mandatory minicamp Friday. Wearing a red jersey with the No. 5, the 6-foot-6 rookie from the University of Delaware set out to prove he's worthy of the 18th overall pick in the NFL draft and capable of starting in his first season. The first hurdle Flacco encountered was getting over the sense of awe that comes with being alongside some of the finest players in his profession. "There's guys out there I've been watching on TV for who knows how many years now, and they're getting after it," he said. "This is football at a high level. You know that coming in, but you don't know what level it is. To go out there, get the first practice out of the way and really find out what it's about was really fun." It might take a while before Flacco becomes entirely comfortable being around one of the most intimidating players in the league, a standout linebacker who makes a living chasing down quarterbacks. "Yeah, it's definitely different to see Ray Lewis come into the locker room and be on your team. I'll get used to that, but I don't know if I am right now," Flacco said. "… He was just joking around with me, telling me he was going to get a pick off of me, all those kind of things. We'll see." CLICK it 4 the full read.......just for the record i still dig flacco (lol) !!! i don't see him starting, but he's going to be an asset to this team!!! Sat, 10 May 2008 04:19:03 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265409 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/265409 As a Baltimore fan, anytime you hear the words "arm strength" and "upside," your mind heads straight for Kyle Boller, which is why I can't say that I'm thrilled with Joe Flacco. Even if he pans out, trading up to #18 was a stretch. Baltimore probably could have bypassed Flacco at #26 even, and then waited until he dropped to them at the top of the second. Even then, I think it would have been a stretch. I had hoped Baltimore would take a corner in the first round, but instead it's former first-round selection CB Fabian Washington, who played under Rex Ryan's twin brother Rob in Oakland: "They sound alike, they look alike, other than the haircut, and they say the same jokes. Everything's the same, so you feel like you went out of one office and right back in the same office." Washington ran a 4.29/40 in 2005, making him the fastest player clocked during that year's NFL Combine. He'll pair up nicely with Chris McAlister, but he needs to be a better tackler, which is why Oakland benched him last year after the Broncos game. He became expendable as soon as the Raiders scooped up DeAngelo Hall in the offseason. Then in February, Washington was arrested for a scuffle with his girlfriend. He took responsibility for the offseason incident, apologized, and will avoid prosecution if he stays out of trouble for long enough. It sounds like maybe this guy just needed a change of scenery. If he plays like a former first-round selection, and all we gave up was a fourth-round pick, that's a good deal. Still, I wish the Ravens would have picked up more support in the defensive backfield. They chose a couple of safeties on day two, but those guys are special-teamers, not starters. There hasn't been much word on QB Troy Smith, who played well in limited action last year. It seems that the front office is content to let Smith, Boller and Flacco battle it out for the starting job, though my guess is that Boller gets the starting nod. If that's the case, chances are Smith will drop to #3 on the depth chart, which would be a shame. Smith has potential, but he may never get a fair shot because the front office is in love with Flacco. We never gave Derek Anderson a chance to perform, and look at what he's doing now in Cleveland. Since we already know Boller is a career backup, my vote is to let Smith be the starter, plant Flacco on the bench, and let Boller do what he does best, which is stay out of the way and play only when needed. Blogimore's QB Power Rankings: 1) Troy Smith 2) Kyle Boller 3) Joe Flacco Sun, 04 May 2008 12:39:45 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263315 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263315 Nearly eight months ago, Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, reclining in a McDaniel College dorm room during training camp, let out a deep sigh and contemplated the future of his roster. Steve McNair was aging, Kyle Boller wasn't an acceptable long-term option, and Troy Smith looked like he had years of development ahead. If the quarterback was supposed to be the tip of the sword in an offense, Newsome's options wouldn't be breaking skin much longer. When the subject of a franchise quarterback arose, Newsome didn't even wait for a visitor to finish his question: "Next year, would you be willing to spend a first-round …" "Yes," Newsome said, leaning forward with conviction. "That might be the time. We were involved in the talks (to draft) Brady Quinn. There have been some good quarterbacks to slip down in the first round the last few years." NICE ryan is one of my faves to come out of this draft, now this would be excellent to see what happens , Click it for the rest of the article ;0 !! Fri, 11 Apr 2008 04:25:01 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/235085 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/235085 The hype to Sunday's Super Bowl is on! Will Plaxico Burress and Tom Brady suit up or will injuries keep them out of the biggest games of their careers? Will Ahmad Bradshaw continue to steal the thunder from Brandon Jacobs? Will the Giants defense be able to contain the Patriots offense? These and more questions surround what should be an exciting Sunday in the National Football League. Let's take a look at the latest headlines from the past week. Sat, 02 Feb 2008 23:00:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/120942 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/120942 As the curtains close on a very disappointing season for the Baltimore Ravens, fantasy owners have a mixed bag of results to sift through. If you were invested in anyone throwing the ball, you were likely reaching for a crying towel. If you were an early investor in RB Willis McGahee or managed to sneak in WR Derrick Mason onto your 2007 team, then it wasn't such a bad year. With that being said, expect major personnel changes in Baltimore during the off-season. Their 5-11 record, despite a veteran-laden team resulted in the disposal of Coach Brian Billick and the subsequent hiring of incoming Head Coach John Harbaugh. Harbaugh is expected to bring a hard nosed attitude based on his previous job as secondary coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. Thu, 24 Jan 2008 04:47:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/81511 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/81511 Troy Smith is one of five candidates eligible for the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week award after leading the Ravens to a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. As of Wednesday morning, Troy ranked 2nd to Green Bay's Brandon Jackson in the voting. If you can find it in your heart to think about the 2007 season just one more time, give Troy your support at NFL.com (link below). Wed, 02 Jan 2008 20:18:12 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/58535 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/58535