Smoot Lays the Smack Down (Preseason Week 1)

While it IS early, I am disappointed what transpired last night. I did not see the game and can only hope that our starters basically did not see the field.
For the good of all, a statement needs to be made with the steelers. We don't necessarily need to win, but our first needs to prove it can do some damage against their first.............
HTTR

Disappointing, to be sure, but I'll withhold some judgment until I see more.

We saw that we have some problems in pass D, at least when we leave these guys out on an island. But we're trying to see who will step up, and that's one way to do it. (To say no one stepped up last night is an understatement!)

As for the O, the pass-pro was better than we feared, at least until Devin Clark began to get beaten like a drum. But we did not do much in the run game, which concerns me as well. Of course, the Raisins are one of the best defensive teams in the league, but still.

Overall, though, not scoring ANY points and giving up 500 yards of O is not acceptable in any context. Sure, we can take the positives here (what else is there to do?), but WTF? As a skins fan who lives and dies with this friggin team, I do not want to be subjected to a pathetic beat-down like that in ANY CONTEXT! It's preseason for Baltimore too, but they looked fine. Why did we suck so very bad? Oy.

It was only a preseason game. But it was only a preseason game for Baltimore also. As others have pointed out, to perform so dismally is disconcerting.

The last time we had a truly poor preseason was in Gibbs 2nd season where expectations were high and the players seemed to have a cavalier attitude about the offense's lack luster performance ("It will be fine in the regular season"). We went on to a losing record. I am hoping this year and the reaction to this preseason game is not a repeat of that debacle.

Those teams that played their starters longer on O (philly & NE) likely have fewer bubble players on their rosters that they need to look at for extended periods. For all those that have commented on d. clark's performance, consider it part of the coaches strategy to get some serious looks at these guys. The backup O linemen might be playing a lot this year so they really need to make the right decisions when its time to trim the roster.

Equipment Manager: Ladell Bettis?? Really? :)

It's funny how folks are giving up on Barnes and at the same time are praising Rinehart, a 3rd round pick that took a year to develop.

Also, kudos to the offensive line for playing well, I know just about everyone was predicting gloom and doom about that unit before they took a snap.

On a positive note Orakpo is a BEAST!! The offensive line had to hold him on almost every play to keep him from sacking the QB

I am far from a Terp fan. But third rounders typically do need seasoning before they are ready for the big time. Otherwise they'd be first rounders.

Yeah I understand like Cooley needed a full year before contributing right? If you make the right pick, the guy will contribute right away. Barnes is a rookie, so I wasnt expecting much, but to put him ahead of Smoot is crazy. Tryon will be the 4th corner(scary), Barnes will see only see time on special teams at best.

In Barnes' defense, he was playing injured (hyperextended knee). And to me, that shows you what kind of player he is. He wants to be there for his team and he wants to move up the depth chart.

Its all well and good to want your young DB's to get reps(Barnes.Tryon), but neither of these guys is ready for live bullets..If we had to rely on them in a regular season game,we'd be screwed.....Its time to look at a FA nickle corner right away