Morning notes
Even on the last day of training camp open to the media and public, injuries continue to be a major theme. The biggest news involved wide receiver Derrick Mason, who sat out the latter half of practice with a right knee injury. In response to a query about his health, Mason, whose right knee was iced and wrapped, later said, "I'm fine."
Mason was injured while running a route with quarterback Troy Smith guiding the offense. Mason found an open area in front of cornerback Corey Ivy and spun back to Smith. But Mason appeared to land awkwardly and stayed on the turf for at least a minute after the conclusion of the play. With the help of a trainer, Mason limped off the practice field. A few minutes later, he appeared to be putting pressure on the knee and watched from the sideline.
Safety Ed Reed did not practice due to an undisclosed condition not involving the shoulder that initially kept him on the physically unable to perform list. Asked about Reed, Harbaugh said, “Ed had some issue right before practice that came up last night that he was in the training room. I don’t have the details on it yet.”
Cornerbacks Chris McAlister (right knee), Samari Rolle (left leg), Fabian Washington (neck spasms), Derrick Martin (head) and David Pittman (undisclosed) took part in individual drills, but that was the extent of their participation.
In a move to add depth to that position, the team re-signed Anwar Phillips, whom the Ravens waived on Aug. 1 to sign running back Alex Haynes. In addition to Phillips, the healthy cornerbacks included Ivy, Frank Walker and Ronnie Prude.
The list of players who did not practice this morning included: offensive tackles Adam Terry (sprained left ankle) and Jared Gaither (right ankle); defensive tackles Kelly Gregg (arthroscopic knee surgery) and Kelly Talavou (sprained shoulder); linebackers Dan Cody (right foot) and rookie Tavares Gooden (hip); running back Willis McGahee (arthroscopic knee surgery); and tight end Todd Heap (right calf).
Defensive end Trevor Pryce doubled over in pain early in practice and had his left wrist -- the one he fractured last season -- re-taped. Fullback Lorenzo Neal had both ankles taped, and guard Adrien Clarke's left calf was wrapped.
Other observations:
* Kyle Boller and rookie Joe Flacco played solidly this morning. Boller tossed a 35-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Marcus Smith on a deep post pattern, and Boller even completed a pass to Smith despite getting hit by either linebacker Antwan Barnes or defensive tackle Justin Bannan. Boller's only mistake was a leaping interception by Ivy.
During a drill where each quarterback was given three snaps to get a first down, only Flacco succeeded. In fact, with Flacco under center, the offense churned out five first downs against the first defense, putting Matt Stover in position to successfully kick a 42-yard field goal.
Troy Smith avoided any interceptions, but had two passes deflected at the line of scrimmage and would have been sacked twice.
* Stover went 5-of-5 on field goals, converting attempts of 20, 34, 42, 47 and 51 yards.
* Offensive line coach John Matsko didn't get lost in the good feelings associated with the end of training camp. When linebacker Ray Lewis blitzed Boller up the middle, Matsko bellowed at center Jason Brown, "Wake up, Jason!"
Comments
Troy is too short , he jumps to get the ball over the O-line , Kyle is Kyle and Joe is very , very young,,,,,,,,,,,,,,it may be a long season.........
Posted by: Jim from Dundalk | August 14, 2008 1:26 PM
I dunno. Kyle may be less Kyle this year. Everytime I read, I see "Kyle had a solid day".
Maybe this offense will pick up for him.
Unless the OL can't block, then it doesn't matter which guy you throw in there.
Posted by: Mike from Abingdon | August 14, 2008 4:11 PM
Even still I'd still rather see them start Kyle or Troy and let Flacco sit for a year. There's no reason to ruin him when everyone's injured and with no O line at all, he'll be sacked more than David Carr was with Houston. Sit him and save him for next year when hopefully they can shore up the O line.
Posted by: Adam | August 14, 2008 4:26 PM
Jim,
Yeah, but we picked up a 37 year old FB, a guy who was mixing cement two weeks ago, and then his buddy- Keith Weinrich who was the cement finisher. Drink the Kool Aide, Jim. It's all good!!!
Posted by: Martin G. | August 14, 2008 5:28 PM
You have to wonder if billick is smiling to himself believing that he could have brought a healthy team through august.
Posted by: patrick | August 14, 2008 5:29 PM
ANY WAY U LOOK AT IT---THE OFFENSE IS NEW AND/OR INEXPERIENCED. A NEW SYSTEM MAY NEGATE ANY ADVANTAGE THAT BOLLER HAD OVER THE OTHER TWO.
THE RAVENS WILL GO AS FAR AS THEIR DEFENSE WILL CARRY THEM THIS YEAR. IF TROY SMITH CAN PLAY AS SMART AS TRENT DILFER DID & THE RAVENS D RETURNS TO CHAMPIONSHIP FORM, THERE COULD GO PRETTY FAR THIS YEAR.
HOWEVER, IT SEEMS POSSIBLE THAT INJURIES AGAIN COULD DESTROY ANY REAL CHANCE THE RAVENS HAVE TO RETURN TO THE TOP. IT IS SURPRISING THAT SO MANY ARE ON THE INJURED LIST---BEFORE THE FIRST DAY!!!
MAYBE THE RAVENS ARE SIMPLY TOO OLD TO RETURN TO CHAMPIONSHIP FORM??? ALL THE INJURIES, ESPECIALLY TO KEY PLAYERS HAS TO BE A SERIOUS CONCERN.
EX-BIRDMAN
Posted by: jesse morgan | August 14, 2008 6:02 PM
I haven't been to many training camp practices, but from what I read, it seems like Flacco continually gets better.
Posted by: J | August 14, 2008 6:40 PM
I basically still LOL at anyone who thinks Troy Smith is taking this team anywhere.
What has he done in the NFL?
So far, he seems to pass for below 50% completion %, dirt balls, and make questionable decision. And get balls batted at the LOS.
Unless Troy shows me otherwise against Minnesota, I don't think he's the best option for this team to win.
Posted by: Dave MacMickey | August 14, 2008 9:13 PM
what good is a tough hard nose training camp if you can't field a team at the end of it?
all these leg injuries in training camp is inexcusable.
Posted by: jdxprs | August 14, 2008 10:17 PM
It seems like this canp wasn't as brutal as the media made it out to be just like Billick's "Camp Creampuff" wasn't as soft as it was made out to be.
Many of the guys who were injured, Reed, Terry, Heap, Cody, etc. went into camp mostly hurt. It looks like the Ravens will go into the season with a great defense, solid to great special teams and a conservative offense. The more things change the more they stay the same.
The most immediate significant change will be Cameron. It will be interesting to see what he can get out of basically the same cast of characters.
The award for the most overused phrase that happens to be wrong goes to " We've know what Kyle can do". Actualy we don't because this is his first time in a whole new system.
Steve Young got a lot better as soon as he left Tampa and joined the 49er's. Dilfer's career was heading south fast before he came to Baltimore. To make a bad analogy, we all knew the Orioles were going to be terrible this year but guess what, they aren't.
Posted by: OHNO | August 14, 2008 10:52 PM
Actually you're the first person I've heard say "we've know what Kyle can do"so I guess is isn't overused.However,we know what Kyle did under Fassel,Kavanaugh,Billick and whoever else was offensive coordinator so what makes you think it's going to be any different under Cam Cameron?It's not.He'll hit the short dink passes,miss the long bombs,either underthrown or out of bounds,fumble at least once a game,trip over his own or somebody else's feet and throw at least one interception at a critical point in the game after staring down a rciever.That much we know.Can Flacco or Smith do any better?That we don't know.Only time will tell.Or maybe a magic 8 ball,lol.
Posted by: Burt from Essex | August 15, 2008 2:00 AM