Joe Flacco regressed in bad loss to the Carolina Panthers

Joe Flacco was having a great season the Carolina game was a step back from that.

Hold on. 39 attempts and only 192 yards last week. Those are not the numbers we are used to from Joe Flacco this year. Is this a blip on the radar, or a sign of Flacco’s regression potentially rearing its head?

Up until the Saints game, Joe Flacco had been looking more like the quarterback of the past. He had been throwing the ball deep, and been more aggressive in trying to move the ball down the field. The game against the Carolina Panthers ended up being one of his worst passing games of the season. Even worse than the Bengals game. Let’s look into what caused Flacco’s regression.

Before the game against Carolina, Flacco was back to his career average in both yards per attempt and adjusted yards per attempt. These were huge impact points in Flacco’s struggle last year, and a good sign and factor in the Raven’s success this season. The Panthers game was a completely different story.

This was likely the worst game Flacco has had since the debacle in London last year against the Jaguars. This week, he averaged just under five yards an attempt, and barely over three yards per adjusted attempt. Flacco definitely underplayed how he should have when you look at the advanced stats as well.

Thanks to NFL next gen stats, Flacco was one of the lowest quarterbacks in +- expected completion. At -6.9%, he was the 4th worst of the week. It gets worse when you look at intended air yards and actual air yards, as Flacco was the worst in the league this week. He missed a lot of throws, and it hurt the team.

You’ve heard it from a handful of players on the team, and John Harbaugh as well. They didn’t play as well of they should have, and they didn’t show up. Flacco’s regression is a worrying sign of this as well. With a short leash and rookie Lamar Jackson on his heels, Flacco cannot afford any more games like this.

Joe is already tied for the league lead in attempts. He has all new weapons as compared to last year, although he should be meshing with them by now. It doesn’t seem like he is there yet, as Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Willie Snead all have lower catch rates than their career average.

The pressure might be cracking Joe Cool finally. They have missed on the playoffs three years in a row. The team controlled their own destiny last season, and blew it to a division rival. Fans want to see Lamar Jackson, and Flacco needs to prove it was just a blip, and he can get back to throwing downfield.

The next three weeks, or even possibly just this next week could determine who takes the helm of the Ravens offense. If Flacco’s regression is real, the team may need to look to Jackson. For Joe to keep his job, he needs to remember what got it done in the past. Sling that ball downfield, and let your strong-arm lead the team, Mr. Flacco.