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Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco is Running Out Of Excuses

By Connor Brooks

Dec 12, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) walks off the field after being defeated by the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 12, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) walks off the field after being defeated by the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Ravens will give him all he needs to win this year, but it is up to Joe Flacco to preform. He is out of excuses and out of people defending him.

During the end of the year “State of the Ravens” press conference with the Ravens brass, a message was sent. That message was that Joe Flacco needs to get it together. Steve Bisciotti said it and the rest of us agreed. Flacco has to be better in order for the Ravens to compete for a championship.

We all have seen Flacco be good. We have even seen him preform “elite”. Everyone knows what he is capable of doing with this team. In 2014, he put up great numbers and led the Ravens to the Divisional playoff round. He is still just 32 years old, so it isn’t like his skill-set has diminished since then. When Flacco performs elite, the Ravens team is elite. You saw them beat down a Dolphins team, who made the playoffs, 38-6. He threw four touchdowns and had a QB rating of 119.2. When Flacco is elite, so are the Ravens.

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During Flacco’s first 5 years, the Ravens made the playoffs every year and won at least one playoff game. Flacco didn’t put up flashy stats but he was a good quarterback. It was clear he would be the Ravens quarterback for years to come after struggling to find one. And finally, in 2012, he put up the greatest playoff performance of any quarterback in NFL history. He threw 11 touchdowns, and no interceptions, and had late-game heroics to win the super bowl for the Ravens.

After the super bowl, he signed a contract to become the highest paid player in NFL history. Since that contract though, he has not played like a star. The team has failed to make the playoffs 3 out of the past four years and Flacco has been ugly, albeit 2014. The Ravens can’t afford to have another bad year from their quarterback. If they do, it might be time to start looking for another.

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There is no more excuses for Joe Flacco. Ravens fans have defended him for years. In 2013, it was because of the lack of weapons and the starters missing from the super bowl season. In 2015, it was because of the coordinator change and all the injuries around him. This past season, it was because of the significant injury he suffered during the 2015 season. He missed practices in the offseason due to rehab and got behind. Then a coordinator change mid-season and the injury hindered him during the regular season.

But they need to open their eyes and see that it was just bad Joe Flacco. He failed to get better at footwork and continued to throw off of his back foot. He failed to be better in the pocket and have better awareness. Flacco failed to be aggressive and instead checked down constantly. And Flacco failed to go through his progressions and look off defenders. He failed.

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The excuses are done now. It is time for Flacco to step it up. He has the coordinator he wants. The Ravens have a top-notch defense. The front office will supply him with all the weapons he needs to succeed. But it is up to Joe to produce. He is getting paid like a top quarterback, but it is time for him to start playing like one.

The Bottom Line:

Ravens fans are tired of watching them. We are spoiled and that is good. The Ravens don’t lose a lot and they aren’t used to it. Did you not see all the empty seats at M&T Bank Stadium this year? It is up to Flacco to win this year. We wouldn’t ask it of him if everyone didn’t know that he was capable. We’ve seen him do it. We have seen him hoist the Lombardi Trophy.

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Time has run out for the Flacco excuses. Nobody is asking him to carry this team on his back. He isn’t Aaron Rogers or Tom Brady. But he is the Ravens franchise quarterback and he is paid like those guys. So it is time for him to prove that he is worth the money. This year is playoff or bust for the Ravens. If it doesn’t happen this year, Joe Flacco might be looking for a new job along with John Harbaugh.

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