I think our O-line will be good this year, just give them some time.

Marques has never been known for his 6 pack abs, or being "cut". However, he does have a good motor and gets the job done. It's good to have him back.

Why has it taken so long for a reporter to write specifically about the fact that we have no O-Line--most of the fans have been saying this for the get go. All the reporters just mentioned this fact in passing that is not the best but developing. This is the number one issue- next address the rec. crew and thirdly, the QB--get off smith, boller and flacco as the number one thing to write about and get on newsome to get offensive lineman--

If we are in transition, why have we not jettisoned the big salary guys and why are we trading draft picks for c+ players. Why no receivers. Why no o lineman. OZ needs to go.

You are being really unfair to Billick and Newsome, They did find a quality quarterback, He's starting for Cleveland.

And we didn't get Brett Favre because why?

I have an idea. Why don't they make Ozzie Newsome play quarterback for one quarter. Then he can see what a crappy offensive line he has created, if he can stop running long enough.

I have been saying for five years that Boller not only never had a fair chance because of his OL and putrid WRs, but he would be lucky to survive serious injury. His luck just ran out. If you think Flacco or Smith will fare better, or even survive, I have some great 8-track tapes to sell you -- they're coming back. Instead of scanning the waiver wires for a QB, they should be looking for a real GM.

This article may be the understatement of the year. A quarterback cant be great behind our line. All the way back to the Superbowl season our line has been a problem. The O-line was refered to as "Cows". No Respect given to any but Ogden. We dont draft Lineman early because "good ones can be had in the later rounds".

I think you could add the following to your statement about not finding a quality QB in the draft - They haven't been able to find one in a trade or via free agency either. Mitchell, Grbac & Stewart are 3 that pop to mind.

Rich

I have lost all faith in Ozzie Newsome. As if the Browns' resurgence coinciding with the Ravens' collapse is not enough to reveal Savage as the true brains of the bunch, now we have to sit and watch as Ozzie fiddles and Rome burns. Who would have ever believed that Kyle Boller would be anywhere near a Ravens' uniform under the new regime? The loss of Boller (although I would never wish injury on anyone) actually IMPROVES the Ravens' QB position because they will now be forced to find another body to take his spot. Culpeper is still available, but little else. Do something, dammit! I'm paying 300 bucks a game for this ragtag outfit!

Can you explain why Billick was tied to Boller? Ozzie drafted him after failing to get Leftwich. And it's not like Billick benched a superstar to let him play. Ozzie keeps getting a free ride with all the scrub QB's HE's signed and drafted.

Ravens, Chris Sims is available from Tampa. He would love to get a chance in Baltimore.

didn't he draft Anderson, whom Billick got rid of and the Browns made a started, and didn't he do pretty good last year.

"Ravens' QBs can't keep taking pounding"

- Really?? WOW! News Flash! Was this nugget dug up from 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, or 2007? There is a long line of former Raven QB's clinging to NFL disability insurance.

It's a bit puzzling to me that folks automatically assume that the OL will be a disaster this year. Sure we lost a future hall of famer. But the Ravens have dedicated a ton of high picks (first 4 rounds) on offensive linemen (Grubbs, Yanda, Terry, Brown, Cousins, Chester) the last 4 years. With the exception of Chris Chester, all of these appear on the way to produce commensurate with their draft status. And the Chester pick is offset by Gaither who may end up being a steal as a supplemental 5th rounder. I think this unit is going to be fine if the starting tackles (Terry, Gaither) are healthy and only improve during the course of the season. The QB, whoever it may be, will need another excuse if we end up with another underwhelming performance from that position.

Ok Mike, maybe premature on the Boller outlook (hope he's ok) but you are right about the line, it needs work and by the way so does the secondary and we need a receiver or two as well.
Still I remember a team going for no wins in preseason and winning the superbowl...

These guys have an interesting take on the Boller/QB situation:

http://thesportsbizzo.com/2008/08/the-bizzos-afc-north-preview/

welcome back to Baltimore Vinny Testaverde!!!!

I don't cosider late 4th round an early pick. Grubbs 1,Terry 2, Cousins 3, Yanda 3. But that hardly equals a ton. Maybe we just have bad luck on offensive draft picks. I used to think it was the line coach now I am not sure why but a 2 second pocket is not conducive to passing. Our Quarterback backpeddles and the defense is waitng for him when he gets there. Troy Smith runs Kyle Boller throws short. Who could blame either one?

Billick has to be HAPPY that he no longer has to deal with the Ravens QB mess.

Here's the deal. We have probably seen Boller for the last time on the field as the Ravens QB. If the coaches can't evaluate Smith tonight and Flacco plays, that should end the QB competition. Flacco wins by default. Since he's the future anyway, just hand him the ball and hope, as earlier writers have accurately said, the O-line gives him some protection. Meanwhile, the Raven's shouldn't just let Smith stand on the sidelines. The kid has plenty of athletic ability. Find ways to use his skills much like the Steelers did in the early days with Slash.

The front office seems to have it's collective head in the ground when it comes to QB's. As for O linemen....well we have Grubbs...

At least with the game on, we won't have to deal with the media's love affair with the convention thing.

I am not a football expert, but I know what I see when watching the offensive for the last few years. The offensive line has been the weak link of the team for the last few years, and it is absolutely MIND BOGGLING why the Ravens have not adressed this weakness. Then again, I firmly believe that OZZIE is NOT the great general manager some credit him to be. The guy has never found a good quarterback or capable wider receiver. I am also convinced that Phil Savage was the true judge of talent. Now that he's gone, what have the Ravens produced in the draft? What has Savage done for Cleveland?
Hmm, the KINGMAKER is gone and now the true OZZIE will be exposed!!
The Ravens are turning into the Orioles. I'm afraid its' going to be several years now before this team will win again.
On defense, Ray Lewis, Chris McCalister and Rolle are all past their prime and WILL NOTplay 16 games this year. Their backups are too young and inexperienced and will be schooled quite often this year.
Yes, indeed, the Ravens are turning into the Orioles!

Boller could have been the franchise quarterback somewhere else, but not here. Just about any quarterback in the NFL would get happy feet and look like Boller behind this O line and throwing to these receivers. Here's the dumb solution we're going to get this year - play a quarterback with legs and no arm because there won't be a pocket and anyone to throw to.

Yes, Ravens management DID find a good QB in Derek Anderson...and the real genious of the draft, Phil Savage, took him with him to Cleveland. HE knows talent when he sees it.

I love how everyone bashes the O-line here, true they aren't the best unit in the league, but I think the biggest problem is Receivers. Take Mason and Quadry Ismail out of the picture, who have we had? I NEVER see our receivers get seperation, we ALWAYS seem blanketed. I don't think Brady or Manning could do any better here. We need a lot of work. Enjoy this season and next years HIGH draft pick, maybe we'll get a stud tackle or WR.

The sky is falling!! The sky is falling!! I have an idea. Let this team play a few games with their starting lineup in tact and then judge how bad (or good) they will be. We have yet to see the Ravens throw their entire first unit on the field. It may never happen, but they should have Heap, Williams, McGahee, Gaither and Terry on the field in week 1. I am of the opinion that these guys are somewhat vital to our success. Look around the league at what other teams are doing without some of their key starters in the preseason. Without Braylon Edwards, the Browns are awful. The Colts have been horendous without Manning. The Pats the same without Brady. I think it is impossible to evaluate this team at this point other than to say, if some of, if not most of, the guys that have missed time do not play, they are in deep trouble. If those guys come back, like we hear they will, who knows what will happen.

One last point on the whole blame game. Ozzie can not help that these guys are injured. Take Ed Reed for example. The guy plays in the pro-bowl and is fine. Then he shows up for camp with a mysterious shoulder injury? You can try to build depth, but if you look around the league, it is nearly impossible to have depth at every position. Remember, two years ago, the Ravens were 13-3 with a nearly identical roster. The biggest difference between that season and last season was the injuries. While the QB play dropped off, the injuries put this team behind the 8 ball and it really did not matter who played QB for them.

I live in Williamsburg Virgina -now --- and mostly we get the Redskins on three channels at a time (I had Baltimore Colts season tickets for years so you can guess how much I like the Redskins)--rarely, do we get a "live" Ravens game. I have taped all the preseaon games (MASN)and watched the next day. How in the world do you determine what kind of team you will have by what you see in these scrimmages? I just hope what I have seen is not what I will see.

Even if the offensive line could protect, you still have to have competent receivers to throw to. Have the Ravens ever had decent receivers? NO

its simple math why Ravens recievers never get seperation. You can only run about 25 yards in 3 seconds...So if your QB doesn't have more than 2.5 to3 seconds of pass protection, your WR will be waiving his arms down field why Our Friend Kyle is laying on his back.

OK. Here is the deal w/ Ozzie. He is a great GM and has an incredible knack for picking defensive players in the first round. He has even found some gems in undrafted free agency. However, no matter who the coach is the offense continues to falter. It's the same thing every year because I don't think Ozzie knows a good offensive player to save his life. I will give him Jamal Lewis, Ogden and Heap, but after that they are all busts.

I have always backed Ozzie, but with a new coach in Harbaugh, the same things keep rearing their ugly heads. No pass protection, receivers that can't catch or run routes and QB's that trip over their own feet. Injuries continue to have their toll on the Ravens. We had a ton of injuries last year and we have a ton this year. Something has to change besides the coach. We also need a little luck.

The Ravens are going to have a winning season and win the AFC North. Every year we make predictions and assumptions off of what we see, but until the season begins we just dont know. This team is going to surprise the NFL this year and alot of those questions will be answered as to what we have (offensive line, receivers, etc). Many of us FANS are either Upset or Dissapointed in this team from last year. Lets look at the genious in this team right now. A team will not be able to look at anything (film) from this preseason and get any assessment of the Ravens. Flacco will have all the pieces together and watch he make it work and the line will hold up. This game is about strategies and the Ravens always have a good running game and with the emergence of Ray Rice and Mcclain at running back, you can never tell what they will do. What helps a receiving game is making the defense stack the box with eight and if the Ravens can balance out the Offense with the Run and pass, they will be dangerous. Remember, Pittsburg's Big Ben was suppose to sit a while and stepped in and managed the games and team to a 15 and 1 record that year. Every Quarter back is not Kyle Boller, we have to face the fact he is not a good quarter back. All and all I do understand and agree with the majority of your assessments of this team, but lets give them a chance atleast and then come back a talk about the missing or non pieces we have on this team.
Remeber this everytime we think the Ravens are going to be good there not, and when we trash them they step up. Maybe this will make them made and they prove us all wrong!
Prediction: Ravens will when the Super Bowl!

"This is the one position where the Ravens have failed to find a quality performer in the draft..." Oh, come on Mike. How about a little honesty? Go after Oz hard just like you did with Billick. Please don't tell me you honestly think the Ravens have found quality performers at the WR posistion, or at least arguably at Right Tackle. The talent issues on offense, as a result of the draft, go far beyond QB. Also, while Boller may have been Billick's boy, good old Oz wanted Leftwich in that draft. Don't confuse the facts with the agenda.

Ozzie is well respected in the NFL with the exception of Baltimore. Pro bowl talent on both sides of the ball. Two sure fire hall of famers. But if if you really give it some thought, you will probly know why you don't like Ozzie. I think I know why.

I have never seen anyone flip flop on our line more then you mike. One minute they are young and athletic and talented the next minute we need better lineman, so which one is it Mike. I think the line is going to be fine they just need time to gel together. I really like the interior of our line a lot.