Joe Flacco may have the starting Raven's QB job by the
throat—Troy Smith's throat.
Troy Smith is out with an illness—a serious case of
tonsillitis. Kyle Boller is dealing with
a bad shoulder injury (some say as well as a bad passing arm). Head coach John Harbaugh is looking for a few
good men—one healthy QB would do.
By Bill Smith
Flacco is the Last
Man Standing
By far, the starting QB was the most important pre-season
decision John Harbaugh faced in his first year. But he won't make the decision
because Joe Flacco is the only QB that is healthy enough to play in the first
game against the Bengals on Sunday. Boller was placed on IR this week and he is
no longer a candidate.
Serious Illness
Some may scoff at a pro player getting benched by a childhood
illness but for adults, the infections that accompany tonsillitis can be very
serious. Smith could miss at least a
couple of weeks. He too is a candidate for the Injured Reserve list if it
extends beyond that. He has lost 20 pounds since coming down with the illness
two weeks ago. He must regain his
strength. Based on the problems with
injuries along the O-line the Ravens have suffered this year, Smith would be
the better candidate. He is far more
mobile than Flacco and has outperformed both of the other candidates in the
pre-season.
Mobility is Key
The Ravens were impressed by the way Flacco responded in his
first start Saturday, when he went 18-for-37 for 152 yards and a
touchdown. There are unconfirmed and
conflicting reports that the Ravens have signed Joey Harrington to provide
backup until Smith is healthy. With a
line that may have to use the 4th string LT, the Ravens had better
hope Smith recovers and still sign another backup soon.
Bill Smith is a
former coach of several semi-pro teams and has scouted talent. He is a senior writer for http://BrutusReport.com. He has
also published several novels on http://ebooks-library.com/index.cfm and edits http://fryingpanpolitics.blog.com