Dhani Jones v.s. AFC North Quarterbacks

Dhani Jones, linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals, analyzed the AFC North quarterbacks in detail this past week. Colt McCoy, Joe Flacco, and Ben Roethlisberger were all under the microscope as Dhani sized up the competition. What he had to say about Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco may surprise you.

According to Jones, Joe Flacco makes bad decision while put under pressure. While this has been seen, I think Jones based this off of Flacco’s dispicable week two performance against the Bengals where he threw 4 interceptions. Though this proved to be a crucial game down the stretch that costs the Ravens a number two seed, Joe seemed to bounce back after that throwing only five more picks the rest of the season. It’s unfair to knock him for that one poor performance. While he has had trouble in the clutch, he has improved little by little each season. Eventually, all the pieces will click into place and Joe Flacco should be a force to be reckoned with.

I often find myself cursing Flacco and not giving him credit for his accomplishments. I’ve been quick to judge Flacco throughout his career but honestly, he’s done one heck of a job having only played three seasons. He has much to work on but in time should get the hang of things. His first step is conquering the Pittsburgh Steelers. And he won’t have to wait long to do that as they are scheduled to meet in Charm City week one. Once he gets that monkey off his back, it should be smooth sailing through the playoffs. I think it has become more mental than anything. The media constantly criticizes him for his performances against the Steelers that the pressure feels insurmountable. Once he finally proves the doubters wrong, he should have a much more positive view in the media…and maybe Jamie Dukes will stop bashing him.