If you are a Baltimore Ravens fan, you probably jumped for joy at the team’s selection of Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco with the 18th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Then, you thought about how many quarterbacks have lined up for the Ravens throughout team history, and you promptly slumped back into your couch and thought “uh oh…”
But take heart, things will be different this time around. Joe Flacco will be a solid player in less than two years, and here’s five reasons why.
5. Flacco has no one really challenging him for the starting job. – Kyle Boller and Troy Smith are veterans, but have no real claim on the starting job. The Ravens will be one of the few teams with an open race for a starting quarterback, and its really Flacco’s job to lose.
4. No offensive gurus allowed. – While Cam Cameron is regarded in circles as such, he won’t have to answer for personnel decisions and managing egos. That’s on Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, and that makes for better development with Joe Flacco and forming the playbook around his strengths.
3. Joe Flacco has nothing to lose. – He might have been a high draft pick, but he can still play with the chip on his shoulder of coming out of Delaware and fewer expectations heaped on someone like Chad Henne or Brian Brohm.
2. The Ravens fan base has nothing but patience. – Ravens fans have seen the worst out of their quarterback play, and are willing to wait a while if they seem even an iota of potential. It could’ve come through for Kyle Boller, but Billick and company gave him too much too fast under too much pressure.
1. Joe Flacco will not be expected to win games for the Baltimore Ravens. – The Ravens have been contenders with a super defense and a fairly middlin’ offense. They don’t need Joe Montana or Joe Namath to walk through the door, so Joe Flacco is just fine.
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