Joe Flacco has been a very important member of the Ravens
Joe Flacco may not be the best player in Ravens history, but few players have been more important than the purple and black:
Joe Flacco came on the scene in 2008 and it sparked the best era in Ravens history. The purple and black won a playoff game five years in a row. They went to the AFC Championship three times and won Super Bowl XLVII. Without Flacco, who had a magical 2012 playoff run, Ray Lewis would have just one ring. Without Flacco, Ed Reed wouldn’t have a ring.
The Baltimore Ravens were desperate for stability at the quarterback position. Since 2003, the Ravens had been playing a non stop game of musical under centers. The Ravens kept coming back to Kyle Boller and it never worked. Steve McNair gave the Ravens a glimpse of having a legitimate quarterback but it only really lasted for a season. The arrival of Flacco meant that a great defense didn’t have to go to waste. The arrival of Flacco meant that the Ravens could be perennial contenders.
Things have changed since that five year run. The Ravens have missed the playoffs in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The Ravens won the Super Bowl in 2012 largely because Flacco played incredible football. He tied a record held by Joe Montana and Kurt Warner, throwing 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. Flacco threw a miracle “Hail Mary” to Jacoby Jones to take the Denver Broncos to overtime. He was nearly flawless in the Super Bowl. Because he delivered the Ravens a championship, he got paid like a champion.
Must Read: Baltimore Ravens: Life Before Joe Flacco
Measure Flacco By Importance Not Greatness
The frustration Baltimore feels with Flacco isn’t going away anytime soon. Since the magic has worn off, Flacco has been disappointing, we all know that. The problem is that Flacco was never an incredible quarterback. He was a good quarterback who elevated his play in the biggest games. He was never supposed to be Tom Brady. John Harbaugh and company just asked him for some stability at the most important position. Like him or not, that’s what Flacco has given Baltimore.
More from Ebony Bird
- Will Baltimore Ravens be rewarded for risky Lamar Jackson decision?
- The Baltimore Ravens Big Gamble
- Ravens Super Bowl odds present fascinating insight on Lamar Jackson’s future
- Should Baltimore Ravens be interested in this recently released WR
- Do the Baltimore Ravens have serious interest in this free agent wide out?
The Super Bowl is the most important part of any great quarterbacks legacy. The problem is that it isn’t always the best way to measure greatness. Dan Marino never won a Super Bowl and Flacco will never touch the realm of greatness that Marino is in. Flacco’s legacy isn’t measured in greatness. It is measured in importance.
Without finding a franchise quarterback, some of the greatest Ravens of all time wouldn’t have Super Bowl champion on their resumes. Terrell Suggs, Marshall Yanda and Haloti Ngata are a few examples of this. Other than Ray Lewis, no Raven has been more important than number five.
A Chance To Bounce Back:
The Ravens quarterback is far from finished. The Ravens owe Flacco an awful lot of money in the next two years of his contract. He isn’t going anywhere, and there isn’t a viable successor on the roster. For better or worse, Flacco can still add to his legacy. In 2014 he threw for 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and had his sharpest season. There is a blue print for making it work with Flacco.
Next: 5 reasons to appreciate Joe Flacco
The Ravens have to do a few things. They have to get Flacco rolling out of the pocket more. They need to speed up the tempo of the game; Flacco seems to respond well to a no huddle attack. Finally, they need to stop asking Flacco to put the team on his back. It’s something that Flacco has never done. If the Ravens ask Flacco to be a solid quarterback on a good team, it will work. Flacco is important to the Ravens success, but he’s never been a Tom Brady or an Aaron Rodgers.