Baltimore Ravens: 3 Weaknesses Entering the 2015 Season

Aug 13, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Mat Schaub (8) throws before the preseason NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Backup Quarterback

Matt Schaub might have quieted a few critics with his performance in the first preseason game, but the tape speaks for itself. He has become an inconsistent option and was beat out by rookie Derek Carr last season. The Oakland Raiders wanted to ease Carr into the season at some point, but Schaub’s play was so terrible that the Raiders felt they were better off going with the rookie. That’s a major fall from his 2012 Pro Bowl season in which he threw for over 4,000 yards and 22 touchdowns.

He entered this training camp with zero pressure knowing that he was going to be the backup. He has struggled mightily since joining the Ravens.

He already had a reputation of being a turnover machine after throwing just 10 passes last season, two of which were intercepted. Then, there was a six-day period in which Schaub threw a total of nine interceptions during minicamp practices, more than the entire Ravens secondary accounted for a season ago. This comes after an bad showing at OTAs as well.

Bryn Renner is not here to make the roster either. He was out of football last season, was working at a country club in North Carolina before the Ravens brought him in. Renner threw a terrible interception that led to the Saints go-ahead score, but made up for it by scoring the game-winning touchdown with two seconds remaining. There is little hope for Renner to stick around as the third-string option as the team hasn’t carried three quarterbacks during the regular season since 2009.

The quarterback play has drawn fire from teammates as Terrell Suggs has been badgering Schaub for the most of camp. One would think that if the players see that Schaub is struggling, the coaching staff notices it as well. John Harbaugh has been supportive of Schaub thus far, but a few more interceptions this preseason will change his mind.

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