When the Ravens open the preseason against the Washington Redskins tonight, fans at M&T Bank Stadium will welcome a new defensive coordinator, another highly touted first-round draft pick and perhaps a different quarterback.
Last season, it was Joe Cool who led the Ravens to the AFC championship game. But at this year's training camp, Fiery Flacco has surprisingly surfaced at times.
One day after not reading the defense properly, Flacco walked to the sideline and threw down his helmet in frustration. A few days later, he missed an open receiver in the end zone, which led to his clapping his hands in the middle of the field and shouting an expletive in disgust.
It'll be interesting to see whether Flacco returns to his usual calm self or he continues to show an emotional side.
"No one should read anything into that," a teammate said. "If you know Joe, he is just pushing himself harder than anyone else."
With 31 days left before the Sept. 13 season opener, the pressure is on Flacco and the Ravens to improve their passing attack. The Ravens averaged 175.5 yards passing last season, fifth-worst in the NFL.
But some media and fans haven't been impressed with the progress at training camp. Flacco has thrown a high number of interceptions, which is uncharacteristic of the 2008 first-round pick. Last season, the rookie threw five interceptions in his last 11 regular-season games.
Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron isn't panicking.
"I'd be concerned if he weren't throwing some interceptions, because now's the time to test your limits," Cameron said. "The only way your quarterback can grow is to try to squeeze some balls in at this time of year to find the limits - find the limits of the receiver, find the limits of the defender, find the limits of your protection.
"Then, as the season approaches, obviously it starts to change. Now, if he's doing it every snap, which he's not doing that, [I'd be concerned]. But that's the only way I know."
In the preseason opener, Flacco is scheduled to play at least the first quarter. Troy Smith will quarterback the second and third quarters, and John Beck will finish.
For all the quarterbacks, Cameron's message is simple: Hit your targets.
"In the preseason, I want to throw completions," Cameron said. "That could be up the field [or] underneath. I want to see completions inside the numbers, up the field, sideline to sideline. That's what we're going to try to do this preseason.
