Joe Flacco Sophomore Season Comparison

[Shawn`]

So with the win in Oakland, Joe Flacco completed his sophomore year. Alot of fans on these forums got on Flacco's back, said he's on a slump. This topic is to prove that notion wrong.

Here are the stats

1st year
Completions: 257
Attempts: 428
Pct: 60%
Yards: 2,971
Avg: 6.9
TD: 14
INT: 12
Sacks: 32
Fumbles: 11

2nd year
Completions: 315
Attempts: 499
Pct: 63.3%
Yards: 3,612
Avg: 7.3
TD: 21
INT: 12
Sacks: 35
Fumbles: 8

My biggest concern with Flacco this whole year has been that he's been holding the ball for too long, causing him to fumble, but he actually fumbled less than last year and I believe that should be worked on in the off season above anything else.

Joe Cool has improved in every statistic, which should dispel this whole 'sophomore slump' thing that people throw around with Flacco. It's clear that we have a franchise QB that can only get better as the front office gathers weapons over time.

What people need to realize that it takes time for a QB to develop. Peyton Manning didn't come into the league throwing 49 TD passes.

Joe Flacco has shown a lot of improvement and under the right coaching and mentoring, he can be an elite QB in the years to come.

[mdrsharon]

I still think he is the man, but he does need to get rid of the ball a little quicker.

[MagicianCamille]

Joe needs better pocket presence and some athleticism to get away from defensive linemen who break the line. I've really been frustrated with him in that area this year. Aside from that, how can you argue that he's improved across the board...

If it wasn't for a certain kicker we'd be at least 11-5 again...

[D-Rey]

Agreed and if we can get him a deep threat next year, he can be even better.

[UtahRaven]

Good info.... Joe will be better than Manning in the years to come!

[kash96ravenstotalfan]

Sorry to say that Joe did not play very well today. Anyone have his stats? He looked confused and hurried most of the game. Is it me, or did anyone else notice this? I love Joe Flacco, but I was a little concerned with his play today. Go Ravens.

[Shawn`]

[quote name='kash96ravenstotalfan' date='03 January 2010 - 06:40 PM' timestamp='1262565620' post='330075']
Sorry to say that Joe did not play very well today. Anyone have his stats? He looked confused and hurried most of the game. Is it me, or did anyone else notice this? I love Joe Flacco, but I was a little concerned with his play today. Go Ravens.
[/quote]

11/19 102 yards.

The Oakland Raiders secondary isn't as bad as their front 4. This defense has shut down a lot of elite QB's this season. Flacco wasn't an exception.

[Ravnet]

[quote name='mdrsharon' date='03 January 2010 - 07:33 PM' timestamp='1262565220' post='330053']
I still think he is the man, but he does need to get rid of the ball a little quicker.
[/quote]

The wide receivers have to get open.

[FerrariFan87]

Joe's lack of mobility this season has to be due, in part, to his ankle injury... I'm not convinced that it's fully healed.

[JaxFlaccoFan]

Flacco did not play well today, but I think some people are being too harsh on him. I don't have a problem with people saying he didn't play well today, but for some to claim he will never be a good QB or that Troy Smith is better is just ridiculous. As many have said, he is only a second year QB with a less than stellar receiving corps. When Flacco has struggled this year (both Cincinnati games, Green Bay, and Oakland), it has usually been due to a common theme:

1) Mason was taken out of the game either by being covered by an excellent CB or by being double covered (this is why we need an elite, bigtime receiver). I love Mason, but against top notch CBs, he is struggling to get open.
2) Clayton could not get open.
3) The check down to Rice was eliminated.
4) The running game wasn't working that well and he was being put in a lot of third and long situations.
5) The OL played poorly and Joe was under an intense pass rush, especially when blitzed. If his initial read isn't open, he often has too little time to look for his second receiver, let alone a third receiver. This is why he checks down to Rice so often after his first choice is covered. All these teams have to do is take Mason out of the game and cover the checkdown pass. We could counter this by going to Williams or Washington as our first read more often, but for some reason we rarely do this. Where was Williams today?

For this to change:

1) We have to upgrade our WRs and get a true No. 1 receiver.
2) Improve our ability to pick up the blitz. Joe needs to read the blitz better and call audibles at the line. I'm not sure it is pocket presence as some claim as much as it is not reading the blitz properly before the ball is snapped. Some of the sacks he has taken, he only has about two seconds to get the ball out. Even an elite passer will struggle under these conditions.

People say he holds onto the ball too long and needs to get rid of it quicker, but what is he supposed to do if his receivers are covered. If he throws it away, people complain that he is inaccurate. If he tries to force it, he may throw a pick. As bad as a sack is, i would rather have him get sacked than throw a pick. Even though he played poorly today, at least he didn't throw a pick which would have been disastrous in a game like today.

I also think the play calling hasn't really helped him at times. We should have been running at the corners early today. We did this in the 4th quarter and got a lot of big runs. I'm not sure why we ran up the middle on almost every running play for the first three quarters. We need to mix it up and run inside and outside and keep them guessing a little bit.

[kash96ravenstotalfan]

[quote name='JaxFlaccoFan' date='03 January 2010 - 08:34 PM' timestamp='1262568875' post='330236']
Flacco did not play well today, but I think some people are being too harsh on him. I don't have a problem with people saying he didn't play well today, but for some to claim he will never be a good QB or that Troy Smith is better is just ridiculous. As many have said, he is only a second year QB with a less than stellar receiving corps. When Flacco has struggled this year (both Cincinnati games, Green Bay, and Oakland), it has usually been due to a common theme:

1) Mason was taken out of the game either by being covered by an excellent CB or by being double covered (this is why we need an elite, bigtime receiver). I love Mason, but against top notch CBs, he is struggling to get open.
2) Clayton could not get open.
3) The check down to Rice was eliminated.
4) The running game wasn't working that well and he was being put in a lot of third and long situations.
5) The OL played poorly and Joe was under an intense pass rush, especially when blitzed. If his initial read isn't open, he often has too little time to look for his second receiver, let alone a third receiver. This is why he checks down to Rice so often after his first choice is covered. All these teams have to do is take Mason out of the game and cover the checkdown pass. We could counter this by going to Williams or Washington as our first read more often, but for some reason we rarely do this. Where was Williams today?

For this to change:

1) We have to upgrade our WRs and get a true No. 1 receiver.
2) Improve our ability to pick up the blitz. Joe needs to read the blitz better and call audibles at the line. I'm not sure it is pocket presence as some claim as much as it is not reading the blitz properly before the ball is snapped. Some of the sacks he has taken, he only has about two seconds to get the ball out. Even an elite passer will struggle under these conditions.

People say he holds onto the ball too long and needs to get rid of it quicker, but what is he supposed to do if his receivers are covered. If he throws it away, people complain that he is inaccurate. If he tries to force it, he may throw a pick. As bad as a sack is, i would rather have him get sacked than throw a pick. Even though he played poorly today, at least he didn't throw a pick which would have been disastrous in a game like today.

I also think the play calling hasn't really helped him at times. We should have been running at the corners early today. We did this in the 4th quarter and got a lot of big runs. I'm not sure why we ran up the middle on almost every running play for the first three quarters. We need to mix it up and run inside and outside and keep them guessing a little bit.
[/quote]
Actually, I think Joe will be a great QB

[JaxFlaccoFan]

[quote name='kash96ravenstotalfan' date='03 January 2010 - 08:42 PM' timestamp='1262569320' post='330250']
Actually, I think Joe will be a great QB
[/quote]
I do too. All he needs is a little more experience and a little more help.

[PurpleChaos]

[quote name='Shawn`' date='03 January 2010 - 07:31 PM' timestamp='1262565077' post='330047']
So with the win in Oakland, Joe Flacco completed his sophomore year. Alot of fans on these forums got on Flacco's back, said he's on a slump. This topic is to prove that notion wrong.

Here are the stats

1st year
Completions: 257
Attempts: 428
Pct: 60%
Yards: 2,971
Avg: 6.9
TD: 14
INT: 12
Sacks: 32
Fumbles: 11

2nd year
Completions: 315
Attempts: 499
Pct: 63.3%
Yards: 3,612
Avg: 7.3
TD: 21
INT: 12
Sacks: 35
Fumbles: 8

My biggest concern with Flacco this whole year has been that he's been holding the ball for too long, causing him to fumble, but he actually fumbled less than last year and I believe that should be worked on in the off season above anything else.

Joe Cool has improved in every statistic, which should dispel this whole 'sophomore slump' thing that people throw around with Flacco. It's clear that we have a franchise QB that can only get better as the front office gathers weapons over time.

What people need to realize that it takes time for a QB to develop. Peyton Manning didn't come into the league throwing 49 TD passes.

Joe Flacco has shown a lot of improvement and under the right coaching and mentoring, he can be an elite QB in the years to come.
[/quote]
How many of those passing yards were check downs to Rice? Note to Cam and Joe....you have WR's and it is OK to use them

[Ed_Reed20]

[quote name='PurpleChaos' date='03 January 2010 - 09:10 PM' timestamp='1262571051' post='330304']
How many of those passing yards were check downs to Rice? [i]Note to Cam and Joe....you have WR's and it is OK to use them[/i]
[/quote]

The don't consistently get open. Today was the perfect example. With Mason blanketed by Asomugha, no one else did anything. Clayton couldn't shake Stanford Routt and Washington didn't see the field much.

[JohnJohnson]

There is way too much pressure on him, and he doesn't have the pocket presence to handle it yet. Our pass protection is looking scary the past two games, they need to make some adjustments. Flacco can only do so much in 2 or 3 seconds, I'm just happy that he didn't get clobbered for turnovers like in the Steelers game.

The lack of pass protection could also be affecting his mental game; a QB needs to be able to trust his offensive line. His cautiousness today probably helped us.