Ravens have work cut out for them
You give the Ravens a break because it's only Day 1, but they have a lot of work ahead of them. The young offensive line has some talent, but no clue where they are going. How often does an NFL team not return one offensive lineman to their starting position from the previous year?
It will take the Ravens four or five games into the season before the offensive line develops some timing and cohesiveness. It's good that new coach John Harbaugh has the Ravens hitting more in training camp because it will get his young team up to speed more quickly. But there is no substitute for actual game conditions.
There were four fumbles in the morning practice before I stopped counting, three of them by quarterbacks. Why is quarterback Troy Smith fumbling like Jeff Blake and Tony Banks? It's been disturbing so far, and he has only been on the practice field for three days.
And yes, as usual, Kyle Boller fumbled a snap.
In two of the three previous seasons, recently retired offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden was late arriving to training camp, but he was in Westminster this morning for the first practice.
Ogden took the time to work with some of the younger tackles like Jared Gaither and Oniel Cousins. Gaither has been starting in Ogden's old spot on the left side.
"When I played, I always swore that after I retired I would come back on the first day of the next training camp with a martini in my hand, and a smile on my face," Ogden said. "If I was sipping a martini, that might have been too much. But I do have a smile on my face."
As for Gaither and Cousins, both need to improve their technique. Both stand up too high, and both are too stiff and mechanical.
One of the team's main goals this season was to stay healthy, especially in the defensive backfield. But for the very first practice, the Ravens were without starting cornerbacks Chris McAlister, Samari Rolle and safety Ed Reed. The Ravens had to start Frank Walker and Corey Ivy, their No. 4 and No. 5 cornerbacks.
Rolle was absent because of a death in the family while McAlister and Reed were on the sideline because of injuries. This was not a good omen.
The first fight of training camp belonged to rookie offensive tackle Joe Reitz and outside linebacker Jarret Johnson. Reitz showed some confidence by going after Johnson, but he better watch his back at night. That's when a lot of the vets will get even.
After several off season minicamps and a couple of practices, rookie safety Haruki Nakamura (Cincinnati) looks a lot better and smoother than fellow rookie Tom Zbikowski, a third-round pick out of Notre Dame.
Comments
Any shot Zbikowski does not make the team?
Posted by: Alex | July 25, 2008 1:28 PM
Look i said it before and i will say it again,the teams that win in this league win because they have stud offensive tackles and a good i said good qb that can just manage the game. Outside of brady and manning the rest are just good. This team can't win games with this inexperienced offensive line no matter what they try and tell the fans or how much you want to believe otherwise. Gaither might be good one day, but terry was a bust out when we drafted him number 2 then and he will remain a bust out to this day.It won't matter who the qb is because he will be runnin g for his life. Why this team didn't look to address there line problems in free agency only ozzie knows.I am going on record today the first full day of camp and not waiting for the season to start so that i can't be blamed for saying i told you all so.
Posted by: bob lancione | July 25, 2008 1:38 PM
The team really needs to add depth to the secondary. Give the qb's a break they are realizing that it is there job to lose or gain. They'll shake there jitters by next month... I can't explain Boller though... although he may be key for the offense in 2008
Posted by: Dmanraven | July 25, 2008 2:28 PM
Nice comments about the offensive line. Why would they move those guys all around?? I have information which I believe is accurate. Offensive line coaches wanted to give Chester a longer chance at OC and leave the remaining line in tact from last year. The team was 4-2 without Ogden with Chester at OC, Brown at LG, Grubbs at RG, Yanda at RT and Terry or Gaither at LT. They rearranged the whole thing and now have gone from a Super Bowl contender this time last year to a sorry excuse of a team hoping to get 5 wins as they did a year ago. Why the hall pass for Harbaugh and Cameron. They should be building upon a solid young group instead of this whole 'rebuilding'. It is amazing how big a difference a year makes.
Posted by: jim | July 25, 2008 2:42 PM
the Ravens will go as far as the offensive line takes them. Do not start Flacco until well into the season. Do no do to him what they did to Boller.
Posted by: lewesjim | July 25, 2008 2:48 PM
How does Fabian Washington look?
Posted by: Don Fisher | July 25, 2008 2:53 PM
Wow...Bob, Dmanraven, Jim and lewesjim. I can understand all of your frustrations. The offensive line yes definantly questionable at this time among other positions, but it seems as if you guys are giving up on the season only after the first full day of training camp. Give it a chance. I think we could be better than most think, but you won't know that by just reading observations from Day 1 of camp. GO RAVENS!
Posted by: Tom | July 25, 2008 3:02 PM
Mike,
Tell all the fellas jumping off the bay bridge here to get a clue. It's the first day of training camp and we have a lot of talented young o-linemen. They will take their lumps but in the long run it will pay off. Besides anyone who has watched the NFL at all knows that it doesn't matter how you start, it's how you finish.
Posted by: Dave | July 25, 2008 4:07 PM
How did all of these guys get injured prior to camp??? It's absolutely ridiculous!
Posted by: Jake | July 25, 2008 4:33 PM
The 2nd comment on this post by lancione was so negative I think i'll just go shoot myself.
but going on record for the first day of camp and making solid conclusions about the the team I think is very premature.
Grubbs, Brown and Yanda are tough guys.
I think Cam has this offense going in the right direction, and from hearing and reading everything, I think he's one of the top coordinators in the NFL.
As for the tackles its still very early.
Posted by: Cracker Man | July 25, 2008 4:52 PM
Well well...if it's not my old pal Bob Iancione spewing his negative venum in football. Let's see....Gary Williams can't coach, the Oriole's will stink forever and now, according to Bobby I., the Ravens will be 1-15. Why do you even bother following the teams, Bobby boy?
Love your stuff Preston....all the way back to covering Balto County HS basketball in the mid 80's.
Posted by: Rob K. | July 25, 2008 6:07 PM
Were Smith's fumbles also on the snap from the center?
About a year ago, Randy Cross, the much decorated 49er center and guard and now commentator said the majority of these kinds of fumbles were the center's fault. Given the new O-line that would make sense.
Posted by: GHTS | July 25, 2008 6:16 PM
The line was playing out of position. Grubbs is a natural left guard, Brown a natural center and Yanda a guard. The changes should work better. What bothers me is Terry at right tackle, he has clearly shown he is only a left tackle,
The team badly misses James Harris in the front office. He was the key to the Ravens in free agency. Ozzie got a lot of credit he didn't deserve and clearly has been asleep at the switch since. We have 8 mill under the cap we should have gotten a right tackle.
Posted by: Dave | July 25, 2008 6:54 PM
How does Fabian Washington look early on?
Posted by: Luke | July 25, 2008 7:05 PM
This is what good teams do during training camp, test players at different positions to see what the right fit for the season will be like. You guys all of a sudden became coaches and are now able to judge good talents, please let see what the final product will look like at the end of this "training camp" before judging.
Posted by: D | July 25, 2008 7:36 PM
look it's the first day of camp with the whole team, people actin like the ravens been a couple weeks in camp. Just chill.
Posted by: Kevin | July 25, 2008 9:01 PM
As a Redskin fan back in 1982, I watched the young offensive line (the hogs) play poorly for the first part of the season before becoming the dominant force in the NFL for years to come. It takes time for O-line to gel and the young kids on the Ravens line are no different. Don't expect to see a drastic difference in line play until we are well into the season. The tackles are the big question mark the interior of the line should be fine.
Posted by: Brian | July 26, 2008 12:32 AM
So Mcalisters hurt before the first day...... Rolle's unavalable ........so Ivy and Jimmy Walker started...............Dynomite.....ya know I dont think I'm a genious....,I dont think I have a high IQ,.....I dont have a crystal ball ......or a fortune teller.... not even a Ouija Board.......But if you have the number 2 run defense in the NFL....and your defense hasn't given up 100 yards rushing in a year and a half. and not even 5 100 yard games in 5 years....but your secondary gave up more big pass plays than any other team in the leauge.......common sense should tell you that addressing that concern.... along with your weak offensive line should have been your first 2 priorities.......now how that translates into Joe Flacco at pick 18, Ray Rice, Tom Zibakowski and Haruki Nakumura... I will never understand ....but somehow I get the feeling that when the Ravens Face Braylon Edwards twice, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes twice, Terrel Owens, Andre Johnson, Plaxico Burress, Javon Walker and Johnny Lee Higgins ,Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, Antoine Randle El ,Santonio Holmes, Devon Thomas and Malcolm Kelly, and Jerry Porter... this reality will manifest itself once again....maybe then Ozzie Newsome, Eric Decosta and John Special Teams Harbaugh will get the message.
Posted by: Rob | July 26, 2008 2:01 AM
Nakamura is going to be a lot better than people realize and shut people up that didn't think we should have taken another safety. The guy can just play......end of story.
Posted by: Kevin | July 26, 2008 10:44 AM