I have watched Pro Football for 30 years now so I decided to go back and rank the QBs of the Baltimore Ravens (1996-2009) and the Baltimore Colts (1980-1983).  The Indianapolis Colts have no claim on the QBs from 1980-83 in my own opinion because they played in Baltimore and that’s why they are included here.  The rankings of every QB that has started at least 1 game for Baltimore since 1980 is listed here.  Here we go:

 1. Joe Flacco - I know.  Flacco has only played two seasons with the Ravens but he is already tied with Kyle Boller for the all-time lead in wins in team history (20).  Flacco has played in 32 games (all starts) for the Ravens and he has completed 572 of 927 passes (61.7%) for 6,584 yards with 35 TD passes and 24 INTs (84.9 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 87 times for 236 yards (2.7 ypc) with 2 TD runs so far with the Ravens.  Flacco is 20-12 (62.5%) as the starting QB of the Ravens. 

 2. Vinny Testaverde - Testaverde was the first starting QB of the Ravens after the team was stolen from Cleveland.  He played in 29 games (all starts) for the Ravens and he completed 596 of 1,019 passes (58.5%) for 7,148 yards with 51 TD passes and 34 INTs (82.8 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 68 times for 326 yards (4.8 ypc) with 2 TD runs with the Ravens.  Testaverde was only 8-20-1 (28.6%) as the Ravens starting QB but it wasn’t nearly all of his fault.

 3. Steve McNair - McNair came to the Ravens at the end of his career and he turned in some solid performances for the team.  McNair completed 428 of 673 passes (63.6%) for 4,163 yards with 18 TD passes and 16 INTs (79.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 55 times for 151 yards (2.7 ypc) with 1 TD run with the Ravens.  McNair was 15-7 (68.2%) as the Ravens’ starting QB.

 4. Trent Dilfer - I really wanted to rank Dilfer higher as he was the starting QB for the Ravens when they won the Super Bowl…..but he was just a game manager.  Dilfer completed 134 of 226 passes (59.3%) for 1,502 yards with 12 TD passes and 11 INTs (76.6 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 20 times for 75 yards (3.8 ypc) with the Ravens.  The Ravens were 7-1 (87.5%) in games that Dilfer started during the regular season.

 5. Bert Jones - Jones played in the early 80’s for the Baltimore Colts.  He did not go to Indianapolis with the team when it moved which gets him some brownie points here.  Jones completed 540 of 959 passes (56.3%) for 6,755 yards with 46 TD passes and 45 INTs.  He also carried the ball 58 times for 333 yards (5.7 ypc) with 2 TD runs in the 80’s.  Jones was only 9-25 (26.5%) as a starting QB for the Colts in the 80’s.

 6. Tony Banks - Banks proves that a great defense can carry you far.  Banks completed 319 of 594 passes (53.7%) for 3,714 yards with 25 TD passes and 16 INTs (75.7 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 43 times for 150 yards (3.5 ypc) for the Ravens.  Banks was 11-7 (61.1%) as a starting QB for the Ravens.

 7. Jeff Blake - I used to love watching Jeff Blake throw the ball long but he just wasn’t that good of a QB.  Blake completed 165 of 295 passes (55.9%) for 2,084 yards with 13 TD passes and 11 INTs (77.3 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 39 times for 106 yards (2.7 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Blake had a 4-6 (40%) record as the Ravens starting QB.

 8. Jim Harbaugh - Harbaugh was little more than a game manager for the Ravens.  He completed 164 of 293 passes (56%) for 1,839 yards with 12 TD passes and 11 INTs (72.9 QB Rating).  Harbaugh also carried the ball 40 times for 172 yards (4.3 ypc) with the Ravens.  Harbaugh had a 5-7 (41.7%) record as the Ravens’ starting QB.

 9. Eric Zeier - Zeier was one of the QBs inherited from the Browns.  He completed 184 of 318 passes (57.9%) for 2,367 yards with 12 TD passes and 5 INTs (87.3 QB Rating).  Zeier also carried the ball 23 times for 42 yards (1.8 ypc).  He had a 3-4 (42.9%) record as the Ravens starting QB.

10. Kyle Boller - Boller has played in the most games in Ravens history (53) at QB but he just wasn’t that good.  Boller completed 746 of 1,311 passes (56.9%) for 7,846 yards with 45 TD passes and 44 INTs (71.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 147 times for 440 yards (3.0 ypc) with 2 TD runs in his career with the Ravens.  Boller was 20-22 (47.6%) as a starting QB for the Ravens.

11. Elvis Grbac - Grbac only lasted one season with the Ravens and he didn’t play that well.  He completed 265 of 467 passes (56.7%) for 3,033 yards with 15 TD passes and 18 INTs (71.1 QB Rating).  Grbac also carried the ball 21 times for 18 yards (0.9 ypc) with 1 TD run.  Grbac was 8-6 (57.1%) as the starting QB of the Ravens showing that you don’t need solid QB play to win in the NFL.

12. Anthony Wright - Wright played in 16 games (14 starts) for the Ravens and he completed 258 of 444 passes (58.1%) for 2,781 yards with 15 TD passes and 17 INTs (71.9 QB Rating).  Wright also carried the ball 46 times for 141 yards (3.1 ypc) with the Ravens.  The Ravens were 7-7 (50%) under Wright when he started the game.

13. Randall Cunningham - Randall Cunningham played in 6 games (2 starts) for the Ravens and he completed 54 of 89 passes (60.7%) for 573 yards with 3 TD passes and 2 INTs (81.3 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 14 times for 40 yards (2.9 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Ravens.  The Ravens were 2-0 in games started by Cunningham.

14. Chris Redman - Redman played in 10 games (6 starts) for the Ravens and he completed 106 of 198 passes (53.5%) for 1,111 yards with 7 TD passes and 5 INTs (71.3 QB Rating).  Redman also carried the ball 13 times for 12 yards (0.9 ypc) in his time with the Ravens.  The Ravens were 3-3 (50%) in games started by Redman.

15. Troy Smith - Smith has played in 14 games (2 starts) with the Ravens and he has completed 48 of 89 passes (53.9%) for 558 yards with 3 TD passes and 1 INT (79.7 QB Rating).  Smith has also carried the ball 29 times for 109 yards (3.8 ypc) with 2 TD runs.  The Ravens are 1-1 in games started by Smith.

16. Mike Pagel - Pagel played in 24 games (all starts) for the Colts in the 80’s in which he completed 274 of 549 passes (49.9%) for 3,634 yards with 17 TD passes and 24 INTs.  Pagel also carried the ball 73 times for 523 yards (7.2 ypc) with 1 TD run for the Colts.  The Colts were 7-16-1 (30.4%) in games started by Pagel.

17. Greg Landry - Landry played in 27 games (1 start) in the 80’s for the Colts in which he completed 38 of 76 passes (50%) for 470 yards with 2 TD passes and 4 INTs.  He also ran the ball 8 times for 37 yards (4.6 ypc) with 1 TD run with the Colts.  They were 1-0 when he started.

18. Stoney Case - The Ravens turned to Stoney Case for part of one year and he sucked.  Case played in 10 games (4 starts) for the Ravens and he completed 77 of 170 passes (45.3%) for 988 yards with 3 TD passes and 8 INTs (50.3 QB Rating).  Case also carried the ball 36 times for 141 yards (3.9 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  Somehow the Ravens were 2-2 in games started by Case.

19. Scott Mitchell - Mitchell really stunk for the Ravens.  He played in 2 games (both starts) for the Ravens and he completed 24 of 56 passes (42.9%) for 236 yards with 1 TD pass and 4 INTs (31.5 QB Rating).  Mitchell also had 1 carry for 1 yard with the Birds.  The Ravens were 0-2 in Mitchell’s starts.

20. Mark Herrmann - Mark Herrmann played in 2 games (1 start) for the Colts in the 80’s.  He completed 18 of 36 passes (50%) for 256 yards with 0 TD passes and 3 INTs (38.7 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 1 time for 0 yards (0.0 ypc).  The Colts lost Herrmann’s only start.

21. David Humm -Humm played in 3 games (1 start) for the Colts in the 80’s.  He completed 20 of 47 passes (42.6%) for 220 yards with 0 TD passes and 3 INTs (30.5 QB Rating).  Humm also carried the ball 1 time for 5 yards.  The Colts lost Humm’s only start. 

If the Ravens have proved one thing over the years it’s that you don’t need an elite QB to win in the NFL.  Joe Flacco is easily going to be considered the best QB in Ravens’ history when he retires.

The Ravens will be without DT Terrence Cody for the next two weeks due to a torn meniscus in his left knee which required surgery.  Cody played in 3 pre-season games for the Ravens and he had 7 tackles.  Cody is a monster at 6′4″, 349 pounds and I have come away impressed with him in what little I have seen.  Just what the Ravens need….another D-Lineman that will require a double team to let Ray Lewis run wild.

The Ravens have lost 29-year old WR Donte’ Stallworth indefinitely as he will require surgery on a broken left foot.  Stallworth caught 4 passes for 73 yards (18.3 avg) and he also carried the ball 2 times for 7 yards (3.5 ypc) this pre-season.  The Ravens now feel great about not dealing Mark Clayton who will be the #3 WR for the Ravens when the season starts.

The Ravens have released 24-year old CB Doug Dutch.  Dutch had 6 tackles and 3 passes defensed for the Ravens this pre-season.  This is not much of a loss for the Ravens as it would have been more shocking if he made the team.  In retrospect the Ravens pretty much handed QB John Beck over to the Redskins.

The Ravens have acquired 25-year old cornerback Josh Wilson from the Seattle Seahawks for a conditional 5th round pick.  Wilson played in 12 games (all starts) for the Seahawks last season and he had 45 tackles, 1 sack, 13 passes defensed and he had 2 interceptions which he returned for TDs (126 combined yards).  He played in 40 games (24 starts) in his three years with the Seahawks and he had 130 tackles, 2 sacks, 22 passes defensed and 6 INTs (261 return yards, 3 TDs).  This was another outstanding trade Ravens’ GM Ozzie Newsome as I wouldn’t be surprised to see Wilson starting at some point in 2010.