Baltimore Ravens: Everything we learned in loss to Steelers
2. Joe Flacco is having a better season but he is what he is:
This is an objectively better Joe Flacco. He’s putting up decent numbers and he is playing at a level more akin to his earlier success than his stagnant struggles. The problem is that at this point Joe Flacco is what he is. Flacco missed Lamar Jackson wide open in the end zone.Michael Crabtree as open as a Motel 6 and Flacco’s red zone pass didn’t give the veteran receiver much of a chance. The Ravens quarterback is making mistakes that would be forgivable for a rookie like Jackson, but that standard is not for somebody who has done it this long.
Flacco may not have thrown an interception against the Steelers, but he certainly made mistakes. Two weeks in a row, Flacco has delivered a clunky performance. Flacco is what he is. When he’s at his best he is capable of things Jackson isn’t ready to do. When Flacco plays to this end of the meter, you have to think putting in Jackson would yield at least comparable results. The problem is that the Ravens veteran quarterback has made the idea of seeing what Jackson can do appealing.
Flacco is the best bet for the Ravens to win but the Ravens may want to start thinking about next year. While Flacco was on pace to potentially keep his job next season, the three game losing streak has accelerated the clock on launching the Action Jackson era in Baltimore. The Ravens probably won’t bench Flacco, because a playoff spot is still on the line and barring a mid season firing of Harbaugh, the coaching staff will be desperate to save their jobs. Flacco is what he is, and seeing what Jackson can bring to the table as a starting quarterback is not a bad idea.