It took about four seconds after the 21-7 loss to Cincy for their studio switchboards to light up and another ten seconds for fans to calling for the ouster of Brian Billick and benching of Steve McNair.
Billick did bench McNair but that is unlikely to change the Ravens fate.
When I want a professional view on both Billick and McNair I call Chris Landry. There might not be a man who knows more about each man.
Landry is an analyst for Fox Sports Radio and can be heard weekends on “Fox College Game Time Rewind,” Saturday’s and “Fox NFL Game Time Rewind,” Sunday. Heco hosts the shows with John Fricke and both can be heard on WBAL every weekend from 11pm till 2am.
He is one of the most respected scouts in the NFL and a veteran of over 15 drafts. Having served with the
When with the Oilers and later Titans he was involved in drafting such players as Steve McNair, Eddie George, Jevon Kearse, Derrick Mason, Samari Rolle, and Jon Runyan.
He recommended Brian Billick as a head coach to the Ravens and feels that he is still a great offensive mind.
Landry on McNair: “There is no one with a bigger heart or a quicker mind. But that said he no longer can consistently throw the ball deep and his legs are gone. The mind is there but his ability to perform at the same level as last year is just is not there. I love the guy, he is a professional and a great man but his skills just aren’t there anymore.”
Landry on Billick: “It really does not matter if he plays McNair or Kyle Boller right now their offense might be the easiest in the league to defend. They have a compact offense they don’t expand and they can’t go deep consistently. Brian did not suddenly get stupid he just does not have a quarterback that can run his offense. If Boller were the guy they would not have gotten McNair. As for Troy Smith he is not a starting NFL quarterback so there will have to be a change.”
Landry on the Ravens quarterback history: “ Ozzie Newsome and his team of scouts are among the best in the league at evaluating talent with over 70 players playing in the league that were drafted by the Ravens. They have had a bit of a blind spot when it has come to quarterbacks. My guess is that the starting quarterback of the 2008 Ravens is not on the roster at this time. I expect that they snag a quarterback from another NFL roster and they will draft a QB that they will groom his for the future. ”
Landry on luck of getting the right quarterback: “Of all the positions drafted the toughest one to get right is quarterback. Everyone points to Tom Brady but few remember that the Pats QB coach at the time was the late Dick Rehbein and he was impressed with Brady and Tim Rattay. On draft day Rehbein still did not know which player to draft. The story goes that he tossed a coin and the Pats took Brady. The point is that it takes luck and the ability to bring the player along in time.
You can also find Chris Landry college and pro thoughts on his website.
http://www.landryfootballacademy.com/
