Baltimore Ravens: Outside the Preseason Stats

Aug 7, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback

(2) throws a pass in the third quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

2.   Tyrod Taylor as a Viable Backup Quarterback

While Vice President of the United States under George Washington, John Adams complained to his wife, “My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.”  Well, he never had to serve as the backup quarterback for Joe Flacco!

Flacco’s endurance – never missing a start – is simply not normal NFL behavior for this position where 330-pound thugs hit you while you are standing still and looking in the opposite direction.

Like many Ravens fans, I am sure I’m not alone when sublimating (that means to choose to not think about something) the possibility of Flacco going down and Tyrod Taylor becoming The Man.  It was simply too awful to leave in the front of the mind, and it therefore needed to be swatted away.

But after three games of seeing Taylor play this preseason, I have a sense that it is no longer a dreadful option in the category of a hard drive crash of the offense. We always knew he was a superior athlete who could run, but the passing has significantly improved coming into this year. He is 25-for-38 with two touchdowns and an interception in the preseason.

There is no suggestion in these remarks that the Ravens would be just as good with Tyrod Taylor as with Joe Flacco; the simple statement is that the drop-off would look less than in that past. This is likely Taylor’s last year in the wings, while Keith Wenning will be learning with a view toward primary backup next season.

3.   Kyle Juszczyk – The Fullback Who Can Do It All

Kyle Juszczyk was destined for Harvard University when he successfully learned how to spell his last name at age five. I have a doctorate after 12 year of post-secondary education, but I have to look up the spelling of his name every time I include it in an article. He needs to buy some vowels.

Picked in the fourth round of the draft a year ago, he had a learning season in 2013. He distinguished himself on special teams as a lead blocker for Jacoby Jones and in making many special teams tackles.

As a fullback, Juszczyk struggled in the 2013 camp with lead blocking, and the Ravens chose to return Vonta Leach. But Leach is now gone and Juszczyk will be expected to handle this role in 2014. He has looked very capable in this capacity.

Juszczyk has also been able to handle pass blocking well, and most exciting has been his use as an additional target out of the backfield. After three games, he has the most receptions on the Ravens with 10 for a total of 90 yards.