It looked like stereotypical Kyle Boller.
Under pressure during the third quarter of last week?s 22-3 win over the St. Louis Rams, the fifth-year Ravens quarterback was in the grasp of a Rams player when he flicked the ball toward tight end Quinn Sypniewski, trying to prolong theplay.
However, it was the wrong decision, as the errant pass was intercepted by linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa.
During his first three years with the team, Boller, the one-time starter, would have been showered with jeers from the M&T Bank Stadium crowd; the same crowd which once cheered when he fell to the ground with a toe injury during the 2005 season opener.
Now, many of the team?s fans are finding such a mistake is becoming the exception to the rule when it comes to Boller, who will start his third game of the season Sunday at the Buffalo Bills (1-4).
“If he needs to make the tough pass, he?s going to make it,” said receiver Derrick Mason of Boller, who had 36 touchdowns and 34 interceptions entering the season. “But he knows now he?s not going to put this offense in a compromising position, as opposed to him sitting back throwing the ball out of bounds. He won?t make that throw that you probably shouldn?t make and get an interception. He?s not going to do that now. He?s either going to pull it down and run or check it down and throw it out of bounds.”
Boller has played in four of the seven games this season, becoming starter No. 1A rather than just the No. 2 quarterback behind Steve McNair, who is nursing a lingering back injury. Boller has completed 51-of-81 passes for 471 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.
He?s won both of his previous starts, including a 20-13 victory over the New York Jets in the second week of the season.
After the win over the Rams, Ravens coach Brian Billick said he expected Boller to start against the Bills.
“Clearly, we have gone down a path now with Steve to get healthy,” Billick said Monday. “We?ll see how Steve progresses. It?s great to still have him there, but we kind of went past that in starting Kyle last week, and it was pretty evident that we were going to do the same thing next week.”
For Boller, the advanced notice has allowed him to mesh with the offense.
“The main thing is you just prepare as a starter,” Boller said. “[Getting] the reps is the biggest thing, to be able to get that timing down and to kind of go through the repetitions of what it?s going to be like in the game.”
Even with Boller?s success, Billick maintains McNair will regain the starting job when he?s healthy. Boller, who recently signed a one-year extension, said he has accepted his role.
“I haven?t been a starter in awhile and haven?t had the chance to start, so every opportunity that I get, [I will] hopefully take advantage of it,” Boller said. “Just help this team win, do anything I can to help get a ?W? on the road.”
