January Joe

[1/28/01]

I'm a believer in playoff Flacco. And to be this high on a guy that threw 2 picks is pretty amazing.

[arnie_uk]

I'm a believer in playoff Flacco. And to be this high on a guy that threw 2 picks is pretty amazing.

what did you see in the second pick? Objectively?

[K-Dog]

what did you see in the second pick? Objectively?

Joe said in the post game he didnt see the safety lurking.

[1/28/01]

what did you see in the second pick? Objectively?

I saw a throw that Flacco will take 10 times out of 10 times. I think perhaps it was slightly overthrown, but there was little effort to go up make a play. At the very least, you have to get a hand on the ball to changes its flight and live to play another down. Of course I'd rather have the throw back entirely, but you need to trust your "#1" to make a play. It just didn't happen.

[arnie_uk]

Joe said in the post game he didnt see the safety lurking.

no he didn't. He said he seen him, he said he seem them doing that all game. But he said he thought he'd get it in there

[AsianRice]

I saw a throw that Flacco will take 10 times out of 10 times. I think perhaps it was slightly overthrown, but there was little effort to go up make a play. At the very least, you have to get a hand on the ball to changes its flight and live to play another down. Of course I'd rather have the throw back entirely, but you need to trust your "#1" to make a play. It just didn't happen.

cuz we didn't have any true #1WR for more than a decade....

[arnie_uk]

I saw a throw that Flacco will take 10 times out of 10 times. I think perhaps it was slightly overthrown, but there was little effort to go up make a play. At the very least, you have to get a hand on the ball to changes its flight and live to play another down. Of course I'd rather have the throw back entirely, but you need to trust your "#1" to make a play. It just didn't happen.

I don't honk underthrown is the right description. It was deep enough, just too much infield, if it was more to the sideline it likely isn't intercepted. But yea, that still pic floating around where it shows Torrey tacklING the guy before the ball even hits his hands is bad. You have to try and bat that ball in the air

[AsianRice]

Kind of weird we invest all our money to defense and we have a high octane passing offense in every playoff....

[1/28/01]

I don't honk underthrown is the right description. It was deep enough, just too much infield, if it was more to the sideline it likely isn't intercepted. But yea, that still pic floating around where it shows Torrey tacklING the guy before the ball even hits his hands is bad. You have to try and bat that ball in the air

Yeah agree. After I said over thrown I thought to myself that wasn't really accurate thing to say. To the sideline more where only his guy could (try) make a play on it would have been preferred.

[arnie_uk]

Yeah agree. After I said over thrown I thought to myself that wasn't really accurate thing to say. To the sideline more where only his guy could (try) make a play on it would have been preferred.

he seemed to throw it off his back foot. I think he knew the safety was coming and he had to get it out asap, but just didn't quite have his feet set. I wouldn't even had smith going deep if I was kubes because Flacco will throw that every time. Esp single high safety.

I've said before, if it's single High, I think we automatically send Smith deep, that's how much we value that pass. Yup can't expect joe not to throw that. Just poor execution by both.

[Greatness]

This is Dean Pees fault! Fiery Flacco was ice cold putting up 30 points and we still lost! You can't ask for more! I'm still hot.

[cursona pirate]

Joe flacco is a monster, he is the anti peyton. He plays his best football when it matters in the post season isntead of padding reg season stats and going nowhere in jan/feb like peyton. Honestly he's better than rodgers in the playoffs and it's not close.

Thanks dude. Ive heard a lot from Pats fan on their opinions on Flacco. Majority of them positive.

[ratedr]

Kind of weird we invest all our money to defense and we have a high octane passing offense in every playoff....

Heh, it's pretty annoying really.

[gooftroop]

A really bad decision by Joe, given the situation. 30 seconds and no timeouts left? Sure. Middle of the second quarter? Okay. But not when you have to score on that possession, it's 2nd and five, and you have a timeout and almost two minutes remaining. Would've been a bad decision even if it was only one-on-one, instead of one-on-two. Indefensible, any way you look at it, IMO.

[ravensnick]

A really bad decision by Joe, given the situation. 30 seconds and no timeouts left? Sure. Middle of the second quarter? Okay. But not when you have to score on that possession, it's 2nd and five, and you have a timeout and almost two minutes remaining. Would've been a bad decision even if it was only one-on-one, instead of one-on-two. Indefensible, any way you look at it, IMO.

I put that 100% on torrey. Joe threw a nice ball. And that saftey made a great play on the ball. But if Boldin was running that route, Boldin is coming down with it. Torrey will not under any circumstance fight for the ball.

[StingerNLG]

A really bad decision by Joe, given the situation. 30 seconds and no timeouts left? Sure. Middle of the second quarter? Okay. But not when you have to score on that possession, it's 2nd and five, and you have a timeout and almost two minutes remaining. Would've been a bad decision even if it was only one-on-one, instead of one-on-two. Indefensible, any way you look at it, IMO.

 

Indefensible huh?

 

Your #1 speed receiver on their BACKUP CB that just came in the game (remember, that wasn't Browner) with a single high safety, and you're not taking that shot?

 

Come on.  Want to debate the throw itself and where it headed, fine.  But indefensible bad decision?   No way.  

 

I'd bet you a ticket to a Ravens game that Aaron Rodgers, Andrew Luck, and a bunch of other QB's worth their salt take that shot if they have it.

[flynismo]

The first quarterback in NFL history to throw multiple TDs in eight straight postseason games.

 

Atta boy!!

[Tank 92]

It only took 7 freakin' years for many to recognize the talents of The Flacco.  Welcome aboard! 

[The Mom Gene]

I don't honk underthrown is the right description. It was deep enough, just too much infield, if it was more to the sideline it likely isn't intercepted. But yea, that still pic floating around where it shows Torrey tacklING the guy before the ball even hits his hands is bad. You have to try and bat that ball in the air

I agree with 1/28.   If Torrey goes UP, instead of trying to push the guy out from under it...  He catches that ball.  He tried to defend the pass instead of catching it.

[The Mom Gene]

Kind of weird we invest all our money to defense and we have a high octane passing offense in every playoff....

I'm not sure we have done that of late.  I think we have invested highly in the offense with bringing in players like Forsett, Daniels, SSS, and drafting guys like Juice, Tallifierro, Gillmore, Troussiant, Campanaro, etc.

 

That being said, I don't think there is another team out there that balances as well as we do.... 

It just goes to show you how GOOD we really can be...  And that's our January Joe at work...  Working with the guys he has.  I don't find it annoying at all.

[flynismo]

I agree with 1/28.   If Torrey goes UP, instead of trying to push the guy out from under it...  He catches that ball.  He tried to defend the pass instead of catching it.

I definitely agree that Torrey should have played the ball, but at the same time, by now, Flacco has to know who and what Torrey's style of play is, and adjusted the throw accordingly. I would like to have seen that pass thrown to his outside shoulder. That would have been a tougher catch to make for Torrey, but it also would have likely caused Torrey to naturally box the safety out since he would have had to turn his body that direction to make the catch.

I mean, I do get the fact that this is the NFL and the QB has to trust his guys to make plays....however....this is a recurring theme with Torrey. Guarantee you SSS makes that catch 9/10. I bet more often than not, Marlon Brown makes that catch as well.

 

I think Flacco's response in the presser was very telling....normally, if he makes a bad throw or decision, he will outright say "I screwed up". When asked about this play, he said "Even though I saw the safety cheating over to that side, I liked the matchup and took my shot. Unfortunately it just didn't get there." That's about as close as you'll ever hear Flacco throwing someone under the bus, but if you read between the lines...he knows that ball should have been caught.

[ratedr]

Look at what Torrey did and look at what Dez Bryant did. That's a #1 vs. someone who's not.

[ratedr]

I do hope next season that Flacco will just stop relying on Torrey to make contested catches (assuming Torrey is on the team).

[redrum52]

I don't honk underthrown is the right description. It was deep enough, just too much infield, if it was more to the sideline it likely isn't intercepted. But yea, that still pic floating around where it shows Torrey tacklING the guy before the ball even hits his hands is bad. You have to try and bat that ball in the air

He said over thrown which I think it was. Like you said, I think it was too far in field. A pass like that should've been closer to the sidelines, I think. Though I was disappointed, I had a very little trouble coping with loss and think we'll be a force next year. I like that the schedule will test this team and we'll get a good idea of what they're capable of.

I also think people are being to tough on Torrey. The angle on that is kind of difficult to gauge and it seems it was too far in front of him to tell if he could've made a better play to seperate the db from the ball.

I fully blame the defense and a conservative Dean Pees for not being more aggressive with a 2 td lead. He waits until the goal line to finally call an all out blitz.

[redrum52]

Look at what Torrey did and look at what Dez Bryant did. That's a #1 vs. someone who's not.

The pass to DEZ was easier to make a play on, though it was thrown higher. That was also just an amazing play by Dez. Not many wrs can make that play and Dez himself didn't even do it.

[ratedr]

The pass to DEZ was easier to make a play on, though it was thrown higher. That was also just an amazing play by Dez. Not many wrs can make that play and Dez himself didn't even do it.

The point is Torrey didn't even make the effort. He was tackling the defender while the ball was still in the air.

[StingerNLG]

http://espn.go.com/blog/baltimore-ravens/post/_/id/17396/dont-second-guess-joe-flaccos-fourth-quarter-decision?ex_cid=espnapi_public

 

For once I agree with Jamison Hensley.   I have ZERO issue with that call.  

 

So, if you're going to applaud how Flacco went for the jugular on that fourth down, you can't wring your hands over his decision to heave that fourth-quarter pass. That same attack-style mentality is a major reason why Flacco has become one of the best postseason quarterbacks.

This wasn't Flacco simply chucking up the ball for grabs. Flacco was trying to capitalize on a favorable matchup. He noticed cornerback Logan Ryan, who was on the field because Brandon Browner had injured his knee, had lined up across from his favorite deep threat.

 

And this is why I agree with Hensley.   And I still maintain that any other big-time QB makes that call, and I bet a Dez Bryant or Roddy White makes that catch and scores.

[ellicottraven]

Simply stated, Flacco was the best QB not just in that game, but the entire playoffs till that point! Nobody is going to easily wrest away the mantle of January Joe from Flacco any more! He is quite simply the best clutch and post season QB in the league!

[baltimorefan328]

Reason I love Joe is he doesn't look for excuses. Whether it was Peyton doing it or not, the report comes out AFTER he loses that he played the last month with a torn quad. Or when the steelers lose it always comes out Ben played through some injury and wasn't 100%. Win or Lose, injured or not Joe isn't going to say anything about it, isn't going to complain and just plays. Even last year with a sprained MCL he didn't even look to that to explain his poor play the last 2-3 weeks last season, he just said he didnt get the job done. Joe's not the only guy like this but it just makes me respect him even more

[AsianRice]

I'm not sure we have done that of late.  I think we have invested highly in the offense with bringing in players like Forsett, Daniels, SSS, and drafting guys like Juice, Tallifierro, Gillmore, Troussiant, Campanaro, etc.

 

That being said, I don't think there is another team out there that balances as well as we do.... 

It just goes to show you how GOOD we really can be...  And that's our January Joe at work...  Working with the guys he has.  I don't find it annoying at all.

We are a very well-balanced organization but we can't seem to draft any legit WR.  Hopefully, Kubiak will give some of his valuable inputs in drafting a legit WR and TEs...... We seem to miss some of those stars in previous draft....