WELL, AT LEAST the percentages are in Ravens coach Brian Billick's favor to get this one right. He was wrong about Scott Mitchell. He was wrong about Stoney Case. And Tony Banks. And Elvis Grbac. And Jeff Blake.
And now he's about to give us rookie quarterback Kyle Boller over veteran Chris Redman. Ready or not, here he comes.
That's the word that has been leaking out of the Ravens' training complex for about a week now. And since Boller has taken most of the snaps with the first team the past three days in preparation for his second straight preseason start tonight against the New York Giants, it has become apparent that Billick has installed Boller as his starter for the opener in Pittsburgh on Sept. 7.
This has everybody nervous - the players, front office, coaching staff and fans.
Why?
Because Billick's Achilles' heel since he has been in Baltimore is evaluating talent, especially at the quarterback position. As one league official said recently, "If Brian had to make a choice between John Unitas and Stoney Case, he would have taken Stoney Case."
True.
And if he selects Boller over Redman as expected, Billick will have made the wrong choice in this situation, too, one that could have significant ramifications for a team allegedly ready to contend for a playoff spot.
The same coach who has asked us to take leaps of faith with Mitchell and Grbac is stepping out boldly again. That same coach is about to entrust his offense to a rookie who had one good season in college and completed only 48 percent of his passes in the first two preseason games against defenses composed of second- and third-string players.
Say it ain't so, Brian. Please.
Is this guts, or is he nuts?
Joe Theismann, an ESPN analyst and former Washington Redskins quarterback, has been a diehard Billick and Ravens supporter. But he says it should be Redman.
"Chris Redman, in my opinion, should start for the Baltimore Ravens," Theismann said. "I think the fact that he got hurt last year set him back a little bit. But still, he got a year under his belt. He has all the tools and I think the Baltimore Ravens are set for the future with really two fine quarterbacks."
First of all, though, let's remember that we're not talking about Dan Marino vs. John Elway. The Pep Boys have more notoriety than Boller, Redman and No. 3 quarterback Anthony Wright.
