Football. It was the only subject on the minds of Ravens players and coaches Monday as the team began its 20-day training camp at McDaniel College in Westminster.
It was a welcome break from last year, when training camp talk centered on rookie holdouts, the arrival of Steve McNair and the uncertainty of head coach Brian Billick?s future following a 6-10 season.
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Billick said thelack of distractions helped the Ravens go through what he considered a positive workout as the team prepares for a scrimmage against the Washington Redskins Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium.
“The whole team looked sharp, crisp, they understood the tempo and they got in and out of the drills at the tempo that we needed.” Billick said. “It was an excellent start to camp. Any time you?re not distracting from the task at hand it?s a positive thing. That?s the good thing about camp so far that there?s been no distractions, and that?s why quite frankly we started off as well as we did because there wasn?t a lot else to focus on.”
A big plus for the Ravens, Billick said, is having all eight draft picks signed along with having McNair ? who joined the team last June ? starting under center for a second season.
“Being able to go forward with a veteran quarterback that knows your system is huge because everything springboards off that in terms of changes, the looks you want to look at,” Billick said. “It?s just a great starting point.”
McNair said he expects the Ravens to compete for a title after finishing 13-4 and winning the AFC North division title last year, especially with the addition of running back Willis McGahee, who signed with the Ravens in offseason after rushing for 990 yards with the Buffalo Bills last season.
“It?s a 180-degree turn,” said McNair comparing the last two training camps. “I?m not rushing like I was last year trying to get in and fit in with this offense. I?ve been a part of it for a year now plus an offseason so I?m very comfortable. I can go out there and relax and not think a lot.”
Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said the team?s mindset entering training camp began earlier this month. The players focused on moving forward after a 15-6 loss in the divisional playoffs to the eventual-Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts last winter.
“The last coupleof weeks at least 25 or 30 of us have been together, so coming out here was like ?OK let?s just go to work together now,?” Lewis said. “It?s just exciting to be back out here.
There?s a lot of new faces and true, true veterans when you look at a guy like Willis McGahee that?s over here picking up our system. [McGahee?s] understanding how loose and how fun we are when we come out here and work together. So, I think it was just anticipation for us coming out here today.”
