In today’s weekly press conference, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh spoke on Joe Flacco’s readiness for week one.
The Baltimore Ravens got their best news of the offseason last Saturday when starting quarterback Joe Flacco finally returned to practice. Sidelined for most the offseason with a back injury, there was question if Flacco would be ready for week one.
Head coach John Harbaugh dismissed any concerns today, saying Flacco is “ready to roll” for week one against the Bengals.
John Harbaugh said that Joe Flacco had no setbacks after returning to practice this week. "He's ready to roll."
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 6, 2017
But of course, even with the reassurance from the head coach, it’s always nice to hear it from Flacco himself. When asked about his back Flacco said, “it’s not ideal but I feel good and ready to ago.”
Joe Flacco: "it's not ideal but I feel good now and I'm ready to go." pic.twitter.com/ABucKXgZM4
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) September 6, 2017
Flacco is referring to the limited time he’ll have to prepare against the Bengals. With just eight days to prepare since his return, Flacco has a tight window. He’ll need to develop chemistry with the first-team offense, especially his receivers. We don’t know if he’s done any throwing behind close doors, but it’s highly unlikely.
The biggest concern for the Ravens is not just Flacco’s status week one, but his health going forward for the full 16-game season. According to Flacco, his back injury is not expected to linger. Take that as you will, but it’s a good sign for the team moving forward. The team’s success rides on the play of the man under center.
The Ravens took just one backup quarterback on the 53-man roster and none on the practice squad. From what we’ve seen from Ryan Mallett this preseason, he doesn’t bring a whole lot of confidence if put in as the starter. Staying healthy is going to be crucial, especially given all the injuries the Ravens have suffered this offseason.
Even with Flacco’s return, the Ravens will still relying heavily on the defense. There are still many questions that have yet to be answered on the offensive side of the ball.
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But with how good the defense is expected to be, the offense only needs to be average at best.