BALTIM BALTIMORE’S QUARTER QUARTERBACK BUILDING BUI BACK UP BA TEN YEARS IN, FLACCO PRIMED TO LEAD RAVENS’ RETURN TO PLAYOFFS By Patrick Gleason
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Ten NFL seasons? Upon first glance, it’s hard not to do a double take when seeing how long Joe Flacco has been the Ravens’ starting gunslinger. Whoa, 10! Since he was tabbed with the 18th-overall pick in 2008, Flacco has built one of the best pro careers in Baltimore football history. Johnny Unitas and No. 5 are the only quarterbacks to win a championship and play for at least 10 years in Charm City, thus, firmly planting themselves in the undisputed top tier of local legends. And like Unitas, Flacco is historically good. (Double take?) Yes, historically. A quarterback’s chief purpose is to lead his team to victory. Well, for Flacco, his 94 total wins (including playoffs) rank third among active starting quarterbacks since he entered the NFL. Additionally, his 84 regular season victories during this span are the fifth most by a signal-caller through this point of a QB’s first 10 seasons. Similarly, Flacco’s postseason success can’t be ignored, with his 10 playoff victories dating back to 2008 standing second only to Tom Brady (11). Of Flacco’s 10, seven of those wins have occurred on the road, marking the most by a quarterback in NFL history. The Ravens’ all-time leading passer in every major category – yards, touchdowns, completions and attempts – Flacco most recently threw for a single-season Baltimore football-record 4,317 yards in 2016. Additionally, his proven clutch factor has appeared time and time again, evidenced by his 26-career game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime. 22
BALTIMORE RAVENS GAMEDAY
Let perhaps the most impressive nugget not be forgotten: Leading Baltimore to the Super Bowl XLVII title in 2012, Flacco became the second quarterback in NFL postseason history (Joe Montana - 1989) to throw 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions. (This feat cannot be overstated, and its allure will never fade.) The fact of the matter is, “Joe Cool” plays his best football on the grandest stages and when the pressure is most intense. With the exception of Brady, one would be hard pressed to find a quarterback who has performed at a consistently higher level in the past decade of postseason play. Just take a minute to let these figures sink in: • In the Ravens’ last 10 playoff games (since the 2010 season), Flacco is 196of-327 for 2,563 yards, 24 touchdowns and four interceptions (104.1 rating). (The Ravens are 7-3 in these postseason contests.) • In Baltimore’s last six playoff games (5-1 record), Flacco has thrown 17 touchdowns and a paltry two picks. Completing 119 of 200 passes for 1,691 yards, he owns a stellar 111.1 QB rating. • Flacco has thrown at least two touchdown passes in eight-straight playoff games, marking the longest streak in NFL postseason history. • Flacco’s streak of 197 passes without throwing an interception in the postseason (from 1/22/12 to 1/10/15) is the second longest in NFL playoff history (Drew Brees, 226). Sure, this is a lot of talk about playoffs – a place Flacco and the Ravens are determined to return in 2017 after missing out the past two seasons.
MOST TOTAL WINS BY QBs (Includes Playoffs / Since 2008)
Rank 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Player Record Tom Brady . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108-35 Aaron Rodgers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100-52 Joe Flacco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94-59 Ben Roethlisberger . . . . . . . . . 93-49 Drew Brees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89-62 Matt Ryan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89-62
After all, the questions are fair, with pundits continuously asking: Can they get back? Is there a sense of urgency? Will Flacco guide them again? “It is tough to label one year or another as more important, just because you are not coming off a great year or because you are coming off a Super Bowl – whatever it may be,” the quarterback states. “Every single year in this league is super important. “But I will say this,” he affirms. “We have a very high standard here, and we know we belong in the playoffs year-in and year-out. I have a lot of confidence in this team and our ability to win football games.” Just as the Ravens have confidence in Flacco’s proven – and historic – ability to lead Baltimore back to where it belongs. 24
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WE HAVE A VERY HIGH STANDARD HERE, AND WE KNOW WE BELONG IN THE PLAYOFFS YEAR-IN AND YEAR-OUT. I HAVE A LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THIS TEAM AND OUR ABILITY TO WIN FOOTBALL GAMES. – Joe Flacco BALTIMORERAVENS.COM 25