Owings Mills, MD -- (Sports Network) - Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced that veteran Kyle Boller will be the starting quarterback for the team's preseason opener against the New England Patriots on Thursday in Foxboro.

Boller is competing against former Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and rookie first-round pick Joe Flacco for the starting job.

"[The Patriots are] obviously a great football team," said Boller. "It's going to be awesome just to play somebody besides our defense. That's going to be exciting to be able to go out there and just play football again, get out there in the game. I know it's preseason, but it's still a football game. It's important, and we've got a lot to accomplish."

Boller completed 168-of-275 passes for 1,743 yards with nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 12 games for the Ravens last season.