Chester Taylor/Musa Smith

[Shockers]

does anyone know who the 2nd string rb is for baltimore this season? smith was the front runner at the beginning of preseason, but i have heard that taylor is the guy now. both had impressive numbers tonight.

taylor - 10 carries for 117 yards 2 tds, 1 rec for 7 yards

smith - 10 carries for 19 yards, 4 rec for 77 yards

who is running with the first team so far in the preseason (besides jamal's 4 carries)?

[aussieboy]

Im pretty sure Musa would get the job if Lewis were to miss time.

Taylor's numbers are kinda skewed by some 80yarder he did.

[T-DIDDY]

Everyone says to handcuff Musa, but it seems Chester has been doing pretty good as the 2nd stringer. I've only got to see one Ravens game on TV and Taylor looked like the man. I might be drafting Lewis tomorrow, and I'm probably going to handcuff Taylor, not Smith. Hopefully I won't need either of them. It is also a possibility that they are both used in relief of Lewis. Dam RBBC's.

[Guinness13]

My vote would be for Musa

[T-DIDDY]

I remember last year when everyone said to take Larry Johnson as Holmes' handcuff, but when it came down to it, it was Blaylock. LJ was never the #2 on the depth charts, but people in my league drafted him way too early and wasted a bench spot most of the year. I don't think Smith has every made it to #2 on the charts. I'm going to let someone draft Smith, and then pick up Chester in the last round.

[gladee88er]

It seems like a crapshoot until you look at it. Whoever they throw to more right now would get the nod if Lewis went down. My feeling is with M. Smith at the moment. That 80 yd.run padded the pre-season stats, thats all-Musa is the man!

[The Great Gambini]

I think people are leaning towards Musa Smith because he has power like Lewis does. But I would guess they'd use Taylor and Smith, keeping both fresh and giving defenses different looks.

[Kensat30]

Is it just me or has Musa Smith looked extraordinarily AVERAGE this preseason. The guy is a power running back in the style of a Jamal Lewis, but he is much more slow and plodding type. He just doesn't have the same explosion to the hole that Lewis brings.

Chester Taylor has looked much more impressive than Musa in both the quickness aspect and the ability to break through tackles. Couple that with Chester's NFL experience and I don't think Musa has any chance at all of becoming a featured back in Jamal's absence. If anyone is the handcuff here it is Chester Taylor IMO. Most likely a RBBC between the two though.

[IRON CHEF]

Is it just me or has Musa Smith looked extraordinarily AVERAGE this preseason. The guy is a power running back in the style of a Jamal Lewis, but he is much more slow and plodding type. He just doesn't have the same explosion to the hole that Lewis brings.

Chester Taylor has looked much more impressive than Musa in both the quickness aspect and the ability to break through tackles. Couple that with Chester's NFL experience and I don't think Musa has any chance at all of becoming a featured back in Jamal's absence. If anyone is the handcuff here it is Chester Taylor IMO. Most likely a RBBC between the two though.

Despite Musa's ploddingly average running skills, I think that if either one of them was the clearcut starter it would be him. He fits the mold of a back like J Lew, which leads me to believe they will put him in to fit the offense and serve as a poor man's Lewis.

With that said however I think it is closer to a RBBC than anything else right now.