It’s your turn Troy Smith.
Nine days after Kyle Boller received the start trying to win the Ravens starting quarterback job, Smith will receive the same opportunity when his team faces the Minnesota Vikings at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in a preseason game at M&T Bank Stadium.
Both Smith and Boller failed to separate himself in the Ravens quarterback competition through training camp. Smith, a former Heisman Trophy winner, is trying not to get too worked up over the importance of this game.
But, the 2006 fifth-round pick also knows how he plays against the Vikings could go a long way toward helping the coaching staff decide who will start in the Ravens season opener Sept. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I try to take everything as the same,” Smith said. “I try to treat every situation with the same kind of morale, just put your all into every situation. You don’t want to put too much into one and say that one is more important than the next, because you never know. Even though it’s preseason, sometimes it could be your last play. You never know.”
Ravens coach John Harbaugh was noncommittal about how much Smith will play against the Vikings. Boller played most of the first half in the Ravens 16-15 preseason opening win Aug. 7 at the New England Patriots.
Against the Patriots, Boller completed 11-of-15 passes for 102 yards, but he also threw an interception and had a lost fumble. Smith didn’t commit any turnovers, but was erratic under center as he completed 5-of-12 passes for 74 yards.
“We want to see Troy play quarterback well and do the things that winning quarterbacks do. Move the team, make good decisions, operate the offense and avoid costly mistakes,” Harbaugh said.
The Vikings (0-1) come to Baltimore after losing 34-17 in their preseason opener against the Seattle Seahawks. In the loss, Vikings quarterback Tavaris Jackson completed 8-of-12 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown. However, Minnesota is expected to rely heavily on its running game after rushing for an NFL-best 2,634 yards, including 1,341 yards from running back Adrian Peterson.
However, in the preseason teams are more concerned about the players on their own roster and the Ravens have plenty of questions they have to answer. Injuries continue to plague the team and the Ravens are likely to be without projected starters safety Ed Reed (shoulder), cornerbacks Chris McAlister (right knee), Samari Rolle (left leg) offensive tackles Adam Terry (sprained left ankle) and Jared Gaither (right ankle), defensive tackle Kelly Gregg (knee) running back Willis McGahee (knee) and tight end Todd Heap (calf).
“It’s an issue, and if you look around the NFL it’s always the big issue — getting guys healthy,” Harbaugh said. “The way you get healthy, stay healthy, is to build yourself up all through the offseason, all through training camp and all through the season. It starts in February and it goes right on through to February. … Are we any more concerned about it now than we were then? We’re not.”
