Boller to start vs. Pats; Dewey cries

This is a cruel joke, right? What does Baltimore have to gain by starting Kyle Boller in the team's first preseason game, which is against the New England Cheatriots?

Kyle Boller is a known entity.

Here are the things we know:

1) He is a quality backup quarterback, maybe not in the NFL but definitely in Baltimore, where he enjoys familiarity, mediocrity and the ire of fans who at one point or another shelled out $90 for one of his jerseys.

2) He is not a quality starter. He probably never will be, and regardless he is not the future of Baltimore.

3) He trips over his feet. A lot.

4) He's inaccurate.

5) He consistently stutter-stutter-stutter-steps his way to low completion percentages.

6) He can't get it done in the red zone.

7) He is a product of Jeff Tedford. (Green Bay fans, take note: Don't be so quick to throw Brett Favre out with the bath water.)

Interestingly, I heard J.O. on the radio this morning saying he thinks Boller will open the season as the team's starting quarterback. I don't get it. I suppose it's time to man-up and have faith in my team. Clearly Troy Smith isn't being shown much love outside of Blogimore, and what the hell do I know? I live in California, watch games half-sauced in a bar with no sound, and haven't played a down of football since I was about 14, and even that was in someone's backyard.

C'est la vie.

The Boller Era continues.