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Joe Flacco: What Makes Him So Polarizing?

By Chris Schisler

Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore (80) celebrates with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) and Ravens guard Marshal Yanda (73) after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth quarter during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore (80) celebrates with Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) and Ravens guard Marshal Yanda (73) after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth quarter during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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Joe Flacco Is Calm, Cool and Collected But He Doesn’t Put Everyone At Ease

He is a Super Bowl MVP who has won more road playoff games than any quarterback in NFL history. He is the best quarterback the Baltimore Ravens ever had (and it isn’t even debatable). With accolades like these, you would think that Joe Flacco would be the most unanimously heralded player on the Ravens.

Before his Super Bowl victory, Flacco’s father told the media that he was “pretty dull.” Flacco is as mild mannered as a person can be. His teammates have time and time again displayed great affection for him. Flacco is the quarterback and he leads by example. He is humble, he doesn’t throw his teammates under the bus and he is tough as nails. Why is he such a polarizing figure, and why does his name start a firestorm of debate amongst NFL fans?

Flacco has the resume of a great quarterback. Since Flacco became the Ravens starter in 2008, the Ravens have been to the playoffs six times. Flacco has been to the AFC Championship three times. He has outdueled Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and most recently Ben Roethlisberger in playoff games. He tied a record held by Joe Montana and Kurt Warner for a playoff run with 11 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

Flacco has never had incredible season statistics though. He has never thrown for 30 touchdowns in a season and while he has come close he hasn’t gotten over 4,000 yards in a season. These are marks that great quarterbacks have been expected to surpass. With this generation’s “Joe Cool” it has never really been about the stats. The inconsistency between his resume and his stats is what sparks the debate.

The difference between Flacco and the other quarterbacks in the elite conversation, is that Flacco hasn’t really had the opportunity to put up big time numbers. The Ravens have always been a run oriented team and have seldom had elite weapons for their arguably elite quarterback. Flacco has never been asked to put up big time numbers.

Flacco gives the Ravens a chance to win. In the big moments he steps up and plays majestic football. He is a clutch quarterback and when he is on fire, he is impossible to stop. In the last two minutes of a football game, he can deliver as well as any passer in the NFL. Flacco isn’t about numbers he is about moments. Those moments have added up to big time success for the Ravens.

The problem is that we live in a world that cares about numbers. Stats mean more than wins in these arguments. A prime example of this is when people use Peyton Manning’s incredible stats to catapult him over the incredible championships of Montana and Brady. Numbers that don’t add up when it matters most are just numbers.

Next: Baltimore Ravens: Why 5-11 Could Turn Into 11-5

There are better quarterbacks in the league than Joe Flacco. Aaron Rodgers does things that shouldn’t be humanly possible. Tom Brady is the legend that keeps growing. Flacco has a habit of outdueling elite quarterbacks in the biggest moments. You don’t have to like it, but Flacco is elite.

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