Baltimore Ravens: 5 Reasons To Appreciate Joe Flacco
Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) talks to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) after their 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. The Ravens won 30-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Reason 1: The Ravens Rivals Fear Him
There was a time when Joe Flacco couldn’t beat the Steelers. There was a time when he would unravel in the big moments against the Steelers. Flacco grew into a leader the moment he marched 92 yards in Pittsburgh to silence the crowd and take control of the division. Since that moment in 2011 the rivals of the Ravens have feared what Flacco could do when the stakes are high. There is a reason that the Ravens have won 8 of the last 11 games against the Steelers. Flacco marched the Ravens right past their demons against the Steelers.
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Most quarterbacks have trouble against the Patriots on the road. Flacco walks into Gillette Stadium with confidence knowing that he can outduel Tom Brady. The Ravens beat the Patriots twice as the visiting team in the playoffs. If Lee Evans catches a masterful last second pass in 2011, the Ravens would have walked away with that victory as well. So often the Patriots and Steelers stand in the Ravens way. So often Flacco doesn’t flinch at all and gets the Ravens past them.
You know that seen in “Die Hard” where John McClain’s wife knows he is alive because the bad guys are losing it. She was wrong, Flacco can make you more frustrated than anybody. He isn’t perfect. You can argue that he is not “elite” if you want to go down that road. At the end of the day he has won more road playoff games than any quarterback in NFL history and he gives the Ravens a chance. Do you think his status among his peers matters when he is leading a game winning drive? Do you think Mike Tomlin isn’t nervous when Flacco has the ball? I know he is because he has seen firsthand what he can do.
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