Travis Thomas: Does Joe Flacco Have An Identity Crisis?
Perhaps my question is more of a ubiquitous question for the Ravens as a whole. But from covering this team all season, I feel as though I have been watching two different versions of Joe Flacco.
Nobody was tougher on Joe after the monster contract than me. Nobody supported Joe and gave credit where it's been due this season more than me. But honestly, I feel like I've been trapped on an emotional roller coaster with this guy. Just last week I blogged how I thought the Ravens would apply a strangle hold on the AFC North behind the play of Joe Flacco.
If you ask 10 people which QB they trust in a big game, Andy Dalton or Joe Flacco, 10 out of 10 would say Flacco. The Super Bowl Ring doesn't hurt either of course. But increasingly I find myself wondering who Joe Flacco really is?
Coming into the game against Cincinnati he was straight ballin'. He had tossed 7 TD's in his past few games and looked elite. I ignored the fact that those numbers came against awful teams. In my mind this was Joe Flacco embracing his rightful perch at the top of the Ravens pecking order. Five Quarterbacks threw for more than 300 yards in Week 8. Tom Brady was 30-35 for 354 yards and 5 TD's, Stafford put up crazy numbers as he rallied his team back from a 21 point deficit, Russell Wilson rallied his troops as well. And then there is our next opponent, arch nemesis Big Ben Roethlisberger who set franchise records with 522 yards and 6 TD's.
Our guy, our QB, Joe Flacco in a big game against the Bengals: 17-34, 195 yards, no TD's and 2 INT's.
During my Ravens Post Game Show with Terry Ford, we took calls that ranged from play calling to injuries. But the most common denominator of conversation was the play of Joe Flacco. In the next few weeks the Ravens face Heavyweight Contenders at Quarterback: Big Ben, Drew Brees and Philip Rivers.
I wonder which Joe Flacco will show up for the fight.
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