“It?s the same old Kyle!”

“That guy cost some great defensive players the best years of their professional lives!”

Had someone just been passing through town, they would have thought Boller was the starting quarterback who had thrown three interceptions, fumbled a couple of times and cost the Ravens their chance at the playoffs.

Here?s the rub, Baltimore. Boller capably came off the bench Sunday when starter Steve McNair went down with a cut on his hand and guided his team to a 27-17 victory over the Cleveland Browns that clinched the team?s first playoff berth in three seasons and fourth in club history.

Sure, he stumbled a time or two just like the old days, but he also showed why head coach Brian Billick has been so steadfast in his support of the fourth-year quarterback. Boller helped lead five scoring drives and threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns.

It wasthe second time this season the former Ravens starter entered a contest with McNair injured. Both times, he acquitted himself very nicely. On Sunday, with so much on the line, he delivered a performance that looked surprisingly McNair-like. He managed the offense, picked his spots and threw the game-winning bomb when the time came.

The Ravens? players are realizing the importance of having an experienced backup quarterback late in the season, much like the Philadelphia Eagles are up north. Some people, myself included, felt like Donovan McNabb?s season-ending injury a few weeks back also signaled the end of the Eagles? season. Jeff Garcia had other ideas. The one-time 49ers starter has kept his team not only in the playoff hunt, but chasing the NFC East crown, as well, proving a lot of doubters wrong.

Unlike Garcia, Boller probably is not going to pilot the Ravens the rest of the way. Still, history shows that having guys like Garcia and Boller is a very good thing.

One need only look down south to Washington during the 1987 season. After starter Jay Schroeder was sidelined with a separated shoulder, Doug Williams, a former Tampa Bay starter in the early 1980s, came in and led the Redskins on an unlikely Super Bowl run.

The same thing happened for the 1990 New York Giants when Phil Simms broke his foot late in the season, giving way to Jeff Hostetler.

Garcia has a real shot to do what those two men did. The NFC is incredibly weak this season and anything is possible.

McNair likely will return this week, possibly signaling the end of Boller?s game-day action. The haters might still be out there, but he can hold his head up high, knowing he did his job.

Matt Palmer is a staff writer for The Examiner. He can be reached at [email protected].