Kyle Boller will start at quarterback because McNair is out with a partially dislocated left shoulder. Boller, kicked around like a crushed paper cup by media, Ravens fans and opposing defenses most of his career since being picked 19th in the first round in 2003, does one thing well.

That one thing causes the Browns concern.

''Boller throws the ball downfield better,'' defensive back Daven Holly said yesterday. ''McNair distributes the ball quicker. He's quicker with his decisions. Boller holds onto it and has a stronger arm. He scrambles better.''

McNair was being booed out of M&T Bank Stadium before the injury to his non-throwing shoulder made the decision to switch to Boller easy for coach Brian Billick. The Ravens are near the bottom of the league in takeaway-giveaway at minus seven, and McNair is a major reason why.

McNair has thrown four interceptions and lost seven fumbles, accounting for exactly half of Baltimore's 22 turnovers. Only the Bears (23), Texans (24) and Rams (24) have turned it over more often. Boller has thrown three interceptions and lost one fumble.

''Obviously, Kyle is cranked up and ready to go,'' Billick told reporters in Baltimore Wednesday.

McNair was the quarterback Sept. 30 when the Browns beat the Ravens 27-13 in Cleveland Browns Stadium. He completed 34-of-53 passes for 307 yards, but for all that throwing he mustered only one touchdown pass, a four-yard play to tight end Quinn Sypniewski. The Ravens' longest pass play that day turned into a 30-yard gain on a short pass to running back Willis McGahee. The longest play to a wide receiver covered 19 yards on a pass to Mark Clayton.

Deep passes have hurt the Browns this season, and they know first-hand from past experience that Boller is capable of letting it fly.

Last year in Baltimore, the Browns fought back from a 17-3 deficit to tie the game 17-17. Boller ended the comeback with a 77-yard scoring pass to Demetrius Williams. The Ravens won, 27-17.

The Browns gave up a 40-yard touchdown pass to Steelers' receiver Santonio Holmes in the opener, a 41-yard touchdown pass to Ronald Curry in Oakland and a 34-yard touchdown pass to Donte Stallworth in New England. They did not give up a long touchdown pass in Pittsburgh last week, but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger did score on a 30-yard touchdown run.

Roethlisberger's gallop notwithstanding, the Browns believe they are getting better defending the deep ball, although as recently as Oct. 28 in St. Louis, cornerback Leigh Bodden was beaten on a 39-yard pass from Marc Bulger to Torry Holt on the first play of the game.

''Once you stop the run, then you have to stop the big play and make them go the length of the field,'' Holly said. ''As the year goes on, we're getting better (defending deep passes). It was a new secondary and everybody was getting used to each other. The more we're together, we'll gel even more.''

The Browns hope they will have time to mount a rush on Boller if he does hold the ball longer. McNair threw those 53 passes in September and the Browns did not sack him once. They sacked Roethlisberger four times last week after recording only seven sacks in the first eight games.

JSchudel@news-herald.com