Reality: Ravens secondary has improved, but it’s been against lesser competition.
Perception: Joe Meoli of the Baltimore Sun shared that the Ravens secondary was 31st in the league after the first 12 games of the season, giving up 273.9 yards per game. Over the last four games, they improved to 24th, allowing 248.7 yards per game, but look at who they faced in those games.
In the final four games of the year, the Ravens faced Ryan Tannehill, Blake Bortles, Case Keenum, and Connor Shaw. In the next 3 games, the Ravens (if they were to win) would face Ben Roethlisberger, Tom Brady, and (potentially) Peyton Manning. Quite a difference, isn’t it?
However, the last four games have given the Ravens secondary some much needed practice and confidence. Lardarius Webb played his best game of the season Sunday. Matt Elam played well, and Rashaan Melvin looked really good. Confidence is a good thing with these guys, and they will need it going into Pittsburgh Saturday night.
Reality: Baltimore’s 2014 offense may have been the best Ravens offense ever.
Perception: I know… that feels really strange typing it as much as it feels weird reading it.
Since the Testaverde years the Ravens have never been an offensive team, so there probably isn’t much competition for the “best offensive Ravens team”. But think about all this for a minute…
The Ravens offense this year set a franchise-record for points (409) and a franchise-record for yards (5,383). Joe Flacco set career highs in touchdowns (27) and in yards (3,986).
And in the last three weeks, the Ravens offense didn’t show up for 3 quarters (Browns), 4 quarters (Texans), and 2 quarters (Jaguars). Meoli of the Sun found the Ravens have had 13 three-and-outs in the last quarter of the season, while they only had 12 three-and-outs in the first three quarters of the year combined.
So the 2014 Ravens offense might be the best Ravens offense ever, and yet they didn’t play very well for a number of games… does that remind you of any other team?
Hint: That Ravens 2000 team didn’t score an offensive touchdown in five straight games, and won the Super Bowl.
Reality: Joe Flacco will become the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to start a playoff game in six of his first seven season.
Perception: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers… none of the “best quarterbacks in the NFL” have accomplished what Joe Flacco has done in his young career.
But yet, fans around the country (even in Baltimore) question his “fire” and “passion” and if he is even interested in playing.
Flacco was on the Dan Patrick Show Monday and Patrick asked him if he ever cried at movies. Flacco said he cries all the time. Patrick followed that up with asking about his “lack of emotion” shown during games. Flacco said “football is different.”
It’s okay to be fiery and show passion outwardly, but it’s also okay to not to. A non-profit organization, Young Life, has a saying “Earn the right to be heard.” Flacco is letting his play on the field speak, not his mouth. Flacco is so even keeled that it helps the offense on the field stay calm. Steve Smith Sr has played a long time and for a lot of quarterbacks. He said that Joe’s calmness helps to calm him down.
Have you ever been around someone that barely speaks?
When they do, everyone in the room listens.
That’s how Flacco works. We didn’t see it Sunday (and we don’t have to), but Flacco was ticked and went into the locker room at halftime and gave an “intense and powerful speech” to his teammates. After the game, Ravens teammates credited Flacco’s speech for helping snap them out of the funk.
Listen, sometimes I’d like to see some outward passion from Flacco, but I’m not complaining.
All he does is win.
You can’t say that for most of the quarterbacks in the league. I’m not going to get into any “elite” debates, but I’ll just say it again… Flacco will become the first quarterback in nearly 50 years to start a playoff game in six of his first seven seasons.
And he has won at least one playoff game in each of those years.
