frozen joe flacco fan

Ya just gotta love Mike Preston. In a recent article in the Baltimore Sun, he is quoted as saying the best way the Ravens can help Joe Flacco is by rebuilding the defense. In the same article, he describes the Ravens offense as boring. Ya can't have it both ways, Mike! We need a Wide Receiver!!! I agree that we could have won five more games last year if our defense could have held a late lead but fixing the defense won't help Joe on offense. This entire thread is delusional. Unless the FO's strategy to fix the offense is addition by subtraction, we're in serious trouble. Upgrading the offensive line has been a priority since 2012. With the exception of Ronnie Stanley, its been a revolving door with very little continuity. Names like Oher, Osemele, McKinney, Monroe, Zuttah, Wagner, Gradkowski and others have passed through but the door still operates like a rusty gate. Giving Joe Flacco more weapons has been a priority since losing Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Ray Rice et al. How's that project coming along? As recent drafts have shown, we're lucky to hit on one or two picks a year. At last count, we need a legitimate center who can solidify the interior of the line, a right tackle, a running back who can run, catch and block in the backfield, a healthy TE and at least one if not two stud WRs. Meanwhile, we've lost a starting center, a starting right tackle and a pro bowl RB, named Huge Check. Remember, Mike Preston, the best defense is a good offense! Remember the likes of Johnny Unitas to Ray Berry & John Mackey, Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, Aaron Rodgers to Jordy Nelson, Joe Montana to Jerry Rice and Dwight Clark, Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swann and Franco Harris, Troy Aikman to Michael Irvin and Emmit Smith, Ben Rothlisberger to Antonio Brown and Leveon Bell, The Red Rifle to A.J. Green and two good running backs, Mattie Ryan to Julio Jones and two good running backs, Dak Prescott or Tony Romo to Dez Bryant and Ezekial Elliott. Oh yeah, then there's Tom Brady to Gronkowski, Edelman, Floyd, Hogan, Amendola, Bennett and LaGarrette Blount! Who said it doesn't matter to whom Tom Brady throws? Or how 'bout Trent Dilfer to Shannon Sharpe, Brandon Stokely and Jamaal Lewis? If you don't get it, you don't get it. The point is this. If it ain't broke, make it better. Well, its broke! Fill in the blank: Joe Flacco to ________? We don't need the best player available in the draft without regard to his position. We need playmakers who can step in on day one and make an immediate impact at specific positions of need - WRs, RT @ C on offense and CB, pass rusher and ILB on defense. We have seven picks and these are our seven biggest needs. Its not deciding who is the "best player available" on the board.

That question is too easy. Brady, Rodgers and Brees are the Top Three. Beyond them an argument can be made that Ben Rottenburger is fourth and when he played Peyton Manning rounded out the Top Five. This brings into focus two interesting points. How did Joe fare in head to head competition against the "Top Five". Also, the only reason Joe has not played in more Super Bowls than he has is he has had to compete against three od the above "Top Five" QBs throughout his career to advance to the SB. Give Joe Flacco a 25 point in a Super Bowl and I think he finds a way to win in unlike Mattie Whats's His Name. It sounds like you are jealous of Joe Flacco, Mr. Tru11. Get over it. Let me guess. A QB's job is to ............ WIN????????? If Joe were a Professional Golfer or Tennis Player, I'd give him all the blame for our lack of success in the last two seasons. Last I heard, football is a team sport.

The glaring and obvious disparity between his YPA in 2016 vs. other years is simply a function of two things. One is executing the play called. The second is dumping the ball off to a sure-handed back, like Juice was and Danny Woodhead will be, when nobody else can gain separation. That being said, there were a number of times when Joe pulled the trigger prematurely 'cause he was afraid of having someone crash into his left leg. When will some of his most ardent critics get it? A receiver's job is "see the ball; catch the ball." That's not what Aiken, Moore, Waller, Perriman and Wallace have demonstrated they can do consistently. Again, Justin Tucker appears to have better hands. Until and unless Ozzie fills the holes in the offensive line and brings in some stud wide receivers, nothing as in nada will change. You criticize Joe for having tunnel vision and throwing too many times to Dennis. Besides Dennis, who is Joe's Go To man/ The answer is clear. It was Steve Sr.. Now its .............????????????????? Fill in the blank and we can put this to bed.

Your arguments are way to logical and objective! I agree with your assessment almost entirely but would add that Dennis Pitta was also coming off a dislocated and second fractured hip injury. Additionally, the O-line Joe has had to work with after the Super Bowl run has been slightly less than stellar. You will never convince his critics though. They will continue to produce stats that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Joe had a lousy, stinking year despite the fact he threw for more than 4,000 yards. Yes, his YPA was low this year but so were the YAC stats for his some of his receivers who couldn't catch a cold. I'd include Wallace, Aiken, Perriman, Waller and Moore in that list. The best play all year for a Raven receiver getting some YAC was the TD play that SSS made against Cincy and as you pointed out Steve is 37. Hey, maybe Justin Tucker should try out as a receiver, huh? He made some circus catches in practice at the Pro Bowl! The guy was non-chalantly catching one-handed and back-handed. Give him an O-line and you'll see the Old Joe Flacco back.

Yeah, Mel Kiper or somebody summed it up in a quote by saying the same thing. Perriman makes some circus catches now & then but drops routine catches that a Pro has to make. So far, he's been an enigma. IDK how many times I uttered the words "you have to make that catch if you're professional." Its more than working out with a Juggs machine. Somebody needs to whack him with a beach noodle or make him blink just when the ball arrives when he's about to catch a pass in practice.

Boo! I disagree. You surely wouldn't be as benevolent if the same collapse had occurred with Joe Flacco at the helm. We kinda experienced some kind of collapse in the second half of the SB in 2013. This SB was eerily reminiscent to that one. Other than the lights going out, what caused our collapse in that SB? The only difference was Joey Ice brought his team back; Mattie Ice melted with the game on the line. Please RSVP!

Hoorah! I agree with you!

I would agree Stewart is no Eric Weddle but he has been good enough to start on a Super Bowl winning team since he left our house and he's still a starter for Denver. Gary Kubiak must have seen something in him. So, are you saying Elam is a keeper? I realize he's still playing on his first contract but I think he's a bust. He's just taking up valuable space on the 53 man roster. I question how well the talent evaluation thing has worked out on him. I really hope the light bulb goes on for him this year but the bulb is looking pretty dim at this point.

BINGO! This was all about Kyle Shanahan's ego. Like father like son! I have said I don't blame the loss on Matt Ryan and I'm sticking to my guns on that point. It is amusing though to read so many posts by the Flacco haters and critics who would have blamed Joe for not calling an audible if he didn't like the play call(s). I can't count the number of times some of our loyal fanbase bashed Joe for not calling an audible in similar situations this year but he wasn't given a pass like they gave Matman in this thread. If I remember correctly, the complaint several of Joe's most ardent critics used was ---- a veteran, Franchise QB should be able to veto the OC's play call if he thinks its not going to work. Didn't MattVP come into the NFL the same year as Joe? So, I guess he should have audibled out of the pass plays that were called and run the ball since he's a veteran, Franchise QB. Gimme a break! OR at least be consistent with your critique of Joe's on the field decision-making. In the real world, calling audibles doesn't work like your Madden football computer game. There's a word called insubordination. This story was all about a young OC who wanted to put his foot on the throat of the Patriots instead of just beating them so as to make a bigger name for himself before he departed to run the WCO in SF. I would love to hear what all the Flacco critics would be sayin 'bout the collapse if Joe had been at the helm instead of the Ice Man. I got news for them. The Ice Man is right here in Ballmer and his name is Joe Flacco. Joe's a Super Bowl MVP; Matt is a league MVP. I'll take the former anyday, all day!

I see your point and I agree. As I have said before, IMO one of our problems seems to be talent evaluation. A case could be made that its the same as drafting but its not the same in my mind. We seem to have a problem deciding who to keep and who to release after they have made the roster. I've seen some players who learned under our system move to other teams and be very successful. Darian Stewart is just one of several examples. I would have parted company with Matt Elam long ago. I realize that part of it is getting the most bang for the buck but it still seems to be part of a habitual bad habit, that is not recognizing who is a keeper and who is not.

I agree with your thinking on this. The salary cap has made a lot of difference in the NFL. Not re-signing a draft pick does not negate the quality of the pick. Retention of the great picks is a different challenge for the FO due to the dead money we have had to carry lately and Joe's big contract. I think we've had more than our fair share of salary cap casualties recently. I really hated to see Torrey, Kruger and Jarret Johnson leave the fold. To me, I'd rather lose a free agent like Boldin than a drafted Raven because of the return on the investment (ROI). Hopefully, the dead money thing will improve now that Pitta has returned and the Ray Rice debacle is over but our dead money carryover is still one of the highest in the league.

The track record doesn't seem as bad as some have suggested. You've listed 20 picks. By my count, at least 7 were great picks (35%), at least 4 others were good picks (20%) and the jury's still out on 2 picks (10%). IDK what the percentages should be but it seems to me that hitting on 50% or more is pretty good. It is also apparent from your list that our success with 2nd rounders has improved in the second half of our team history. That's a good thing! Obviously, it is important to differentiate between a good pick and how well the player performed once drafted. For example, Sergio Kindle might have been a dynamite pick but an unfortunate accident hurt his chances to have a successful career in the NFL.

No argument here. The logic is too sound!

That settles it then! We won't trade our entire 2017 draft picks to Atlanta for Mattie Ice so he can be Joe's back up. End of paragraph.

Don't take things so personally, BmoreBird22! It was a collapse. You're absolutely right about that. However, the collapse started in the pressbox where Kyle Shanahan was calling the plays in the second half. His ego got the best of him and he just lost sight of the objective, which is to win the game Instead, he was trying to run up the score when that was not necessary. It came back to haunt him as it usually does in similar circumstances. I don't blame the collapse on Matt Ryan or the Atlanta defense. I blame it on the coaching. As so many of our games went this season, this game was lost by the Falcons as opposed to being won by the Patriots. Agree?

I beg your pardon but I didn't promise you a rose garden. I was simply correcting your inaccurate post. You said that Matty Ice Cream and his offense put them up by 25 and the defense collapsed. Its elementary, my dear Watson! That's not what happened. The Atlanta defense created two turnovers and scored a TD on a pic six. Unlike Mattie Ice Cream, Joe Flacco was the MVP of a SB. If you are having Mattie envy, consider this. Which would you rather be --- a league MVP or a SB MVP/ To me, its a no brainer. That being said, while Joe was deservedly the SB MVP, I could just as easily awarded it to Anquan Boldin or Jacoby Jones.

Your quote is pointless but that's beside the point.

Absolutely! I'd love to have Ray, Shannon Sharpe and Ed Reed on the sidelines coaching up our guys! It won't happen 'cause of their other interests but Ray's knowledge of defense is incredible and he is an inspiration to young players. Ed would be a great secondary coach and Shannon is Sharp. What's not to like! Unfortunately, John Harbaugh's ego would be too big to make it happen.

Not true. Ryan's offense had nothing to do with the pic six interception for a TD and the stripped fumble which led to the other TD. Did you miss the game? That game was not won by the Patriots or Tom Brady; it was lost by the Falcons. Here's why: The Falcons' coaching staff's playcalling was horrendous in the second half. They arrogantly assumed the game was over at half-time and they let their huge egos influence their decision-making. Clearly, their intent was too humiliate the Patriots by running up the score rather than to focus on winning the game. My youth football players were taught by me to never feel sorry for your opponent but also to never disrespect them. Dan Quinn and Kyle Shanahan share equally in what was the biggest collapse in SB history. There was no conspiracy. It was all about having your MVP QB and your highly touted offense destroy their opponent after they were already defeated. That's all! Its called Football 101 Like Bill Belichick says, there's no mystery. Just Do Your Job! Leading 28-3 with 8:30 to go in the 3rd quarter, they should have shortened the game by running the football. Time was the enemy of the Patriots at that point. Glad Kyle Shanahan and Matt Ryan aren't in BMore! I'll take Julio though. He's just a beast!

Here's the difference, Mr. Purple. One Smith reported back for active duty when our season was on the line; the other Smith didn't. One demonstrated his old-school toughness; the other Smith shutdown his game due to, IDK, poor conditioning, nagging injury-proneness, concussion protocol or whatever. The point is he wasn't there. The other walking wounded including Yanda, Dumerville and Suggs played in the Pittsburgh game and nearly pulled it out without All-World Jimmy. Wouldn't that have been a story for the Jimmy lovers? Don't get me wrong, Mr. Purple, Jimmy's good but maybe he's not the impact player that you think he is. Samari Rolle probably isn't a good analogy. Didn't he play in the same backfield with three or four other All-Pro caliber defenders?

There is some merit in what you've said unlike some of the meritless posts on the blog site. He may be a "Top 5" corner when healthy although I think there are probably more than five of his peers who would vehemently disagree with your assertion. However, isn't that like saying an employee is Heck when they're well but they're sick too darn much? I haven't proposed getting rid of him but I would make a trade for him if some young stud like Jalen Ramsey came on the market. There is such a thing as "having a nose for the ball" and I'm not sure Jimmy has a strong sense of smell. Week in and week out, game commentators like Rich Gannon and others comment on how far off the LOS the Ravens' defenders play, resulting in easy third down conversions. If Jimmy is to be Harbaugh's floor general, so to speak, he has to be the leader of the defense and, clearly, he isn't. In order to be the leader, he has to be on the field for every snap. While you and others may disagree, interceptions are a key indicator of a defender's skill in reading plays and beating one's opponent to the POA but don't take it from me --- ask Malcom Butler. OR, ask Ed Reed who I affectionately used to refer to as The Magician 'cause he would appear out of nowhere. With all due respect to Jimmy's skill set, he isn't the "Leader of the Pack" like Richard Sherman or Talib Aquib are and he had zero as in nada pics this year even as we tied for the league lead in interceptions. By the warped logic that some members of our blog would cite, Jimmy's 0 pics would be an indication of his great coverage ability but there's a fallacy in their thinking. Since some of Jimmy's finest fans have used the "They don't the ball Jimmy's way so how can he intercept any passes" defense, it would be interesting to know how many of our league leading interceptions occurred when Jimmy was on the field, viz a viz when he was a spectator. IDK but it has aroused my intellectual curiosity. As for your suggested solution to the problem, I would agree. I submit that our defense went from #3 to #27 for one reason ---- lack of depth at the CB position. It was the same problem our offense had when the other Smith went down with an ankle injury. There was nobody with the same skill set to replace him. Tom Brady missed the same number of games this year and NE did OK without him. Our team has to do much better with talent evaluation and "coaching the younger players up". Incidentally, I like your comment about setting the bar too high, and, yes,I probably have. Great high jumpers & pole vaulters do it all the time! I only wish our coaching staff would set the bar higher for Jimmy and some of our other players. We need more playmakers and "over-achievers" on this club. Without a shadow of a doubt, this team should have been capable of posting a better record than 8-8, with or without our "Top 5?" cornerback.

Pure speculation on your part.

To Whom It May Concern: Wow, this blog should be re-titled "How Great Thou Art, Jimmy!". I've watched the Ravens since 1996 but that's not the point here, is it? What's very clear here is that you and some of Jimmy's other defenders' bias is showing (no pun intended). The Ravens' CBs couldn't play press coverage effectively if their lives depended on it. That's the simple truth but many of you cannot handle the TRUTH because you are in denial (not to be confused with the river in Egypt). My biggest problem with this Smith is that he cannot stay "on the field". Whether its bad luck or bad genes, its mox nix to me. He hurts the team by being sidelined with his nagging injuries. He has missed a total of 22 out of 96 games in six years or nearly 25% of the games. That's not my opinion; that's a fact! To put that into perspective, its nearly 1 1/2 seasons of playing time that he's missed and during which time he didn't shut down anyone but himself and our defense. Some on this blog have opined that Jimmy and John are a Top 5 CB and a Top 5 head coach, respectively. Some have added that our defense was a Top 3 defense with Jimmy (that's true). We have the No. 1 Placekicker in All-World Justin Tucker. So, why aren't we winning more consistently? Oh, I forgot, its all Joe Flacco's fault! Well, here's a news scoop for you Jimmy protagonists (aka alibi artists, defenders and advocates). Blaming the Ravens' lack of success this year on Joe or Jimmy for that matter is as laughable as blaming last night's SB loss on Mattie Ice Cream. More games are lost in the Not For Long league than games are won. What happened last night was reminiscent of the bone-headed playcalling I have watched for most of John Harbaugh's tenure here. Big egos caused the collapse of the Falcons, not Matt Ryan or Julio Jones but I digress. I wish Jimmy Smith well but I would trade him in a heartbeat for a young shutdown corner like Jalen Ramsey.

Torrey Smith or Mike Wallace? Its Mike Wallace hands down. Torrey plays way too soft and gives up on routes. Mike had a great 1st half with 39 catches but then tailed off in the second half. He proved he was worth his salt in the first Pittsburgh game when he jumped up after a big hit late in the game. Whether he ran out of gas or whether the OC change had something to do with his reduced production in the 2nd half of the season is a valid question. I don't think we utilized him that effectively in the second Pittsburgh game. Joe went to him right out of the gate for a short pass completion but then we didn't target him much at all in a game where he should have been featured in a homecoming game against his former team. When he was utilized correctly and when Joe was given adequate protection, Wallace was a "baller" and had his best season since 2012. If the team decides it cannot afford Wallace's $5.75 million salary, we should try to upgrade our #1 WR position. Clearly, Torrey would not be an upgrade. Obviously, we will still need a FA complementary receiver to fill the void vacated by Steve Jr..

So, where did he rank in interceptions among the league's best CBs? I know how he ranked on our team. He ranked behind Tavon Young, Jerraud Powers and Will Davis. They combined for 5 pics and Jimmy had 0, while our team tied for the league lead in interceptions. Thanks so much for your professorial explanation of what a CBs job is but you neglected to mention that shutdown corners also have a knack at intercepting passes. I'm sure your explanation for that will be its b/c the opposing QBs just don't throw in his direction that often and that is part of it. However, it also has to do with the gross amount of real estate that he yields to the opponents' #1 WRs. He usually plays way off the #1 WR so that he doesn't give up the home run sort of play but he gives up a lot of short gains on obvious passing downs that move the chains. He rarely, if ever, jumps routes b/c he's afraid of getting burned. So, who said anything about cutting him? We have too much invested in him to get rid of him. I'd just like to see him stay healthy and play a whole season. I'd also like to see him demonstrate his "shutdown corner" technique on a more consistent basis. After all, he's a Top 5 CB according to some of you. In his defense, I do believe he has the same problem as Joe Flacco. Because he hasn't had much of a supporting cast in the secondary since the Super Bowl run, he probably feels like he has to "carry" the defense on his back and do it all by himself. I just don't see him being out there alone on an island like Derrell Revis was in his prime. It looks like he's had to have a lot of deep help from the safeties this year.