Flacco Stakes Claim as Top AFC North QB

**NeilPatrickBanana** · 01-13-2013, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by BlitzburghRockCity

The thing that sucks the most is that both teams, Steelers and Ratbirds, entered the season with question marks on the offensive line, secondary, and linebacker. Both had strengths at QB, WR, and RB. The Steelers went in the opposite direction and could not close out games. They lost their edge last year and never regained it this year.

I'm not ready to say that Flaccid is a better overall QB than Ben, there's no way just yet but he has stepped up his game in the clutch these last two seasons. It's up to Ben to regain that edge.

agreed. that is a completely fair assessment

**LatrobePA** · 01-13-2013, 08:38 PM

Flacco has been money, as much as it pains me lets hope Brady and crew send em packing...

**jdehoff83** · 01-13-2013, 08:43 PM

Originally Posted by NeilPatrickBanana

i know what you mean.

i think people treat losing in the playoffs as this black mark... it's not...in the free agent era, there are no dynasties. Everyone loses in the playoffs... if you are good enough to get there with regularity (peyton), then that's impressive enough IMO.

Ben has a great playoff record, because he's gone on a super bowl run, 3 out of 6 times. But he's also missed the playoffs 3 times... missing the playoffs is much worse than 1 and done, right?
Playoffs and Super Bowls have weight... but they aren't the only factor. Talent and consistency matter... so does potential. (in terms of "ranking" or "labeling" QBs)

As for Flacco... I think he's consistently "good". For everything Steelers fans do to make excuses for Ben (playcalling, oline, wrs, coaches, etc).... Flacco until very recently had one of the worst OCs in football (cam cameron is an epic moron, and steelers fans should thank him for our last super bowl trip). And his 2 WRs... they aren't super stars. Boldin is pretty much what Ben had in Ward for a lot of years. And Torrey Smith is just starting to learn how to do something other than running a deep fly patterns. Jacoby Jones is terrible.

And they are back in the AFC Championship game with a defense that was pretty average this year (17th total yards), and a running game that was just good (11th).

Flacco deserves to be recognized for what he's accomplished. just as steelers fans hate hearing that Ben is a game manager (he's not), Flacco has earned similar recognition.

(yup... i pretty much just lynched myself.... lol)

Dude i got the rope.. id take boldin and smith over wallace and brown..these guys make catches out of their way from flaccos "elite" passes. Smith has learned how to run different routes. Wallace? He cant run a slant w/o thinking hes gonna get blown up. Boldin is sure handed i cuss him everytime he makes some ridiculous catch why? Because we dont have it and we desperately need it.. heath is the most dependable receiver we have and hes a fn te!

**NeilPatrickBanana** · 01-13-2013, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by jdehoff83

Dude i got the rope.. id take boldin and smith over wallace and brown..these guys make catches out of their way from flaccos "elite" passes. Smith has learned how to run different routes. Wallace? He cant run a slant w/o thinking hes gonna get blown up. Boldin is sure handed i cuss him everytime he makes some ridiculous catch why? Because we dont have it and we desperately need it.. heath is the most dependable receiver we have and hes a fn te!

i noticed during the ravens game, when flacco threw that deep sideline pass that Smith shorted the route, to go up and take the ball over the CB, that many on this board said it was a bad throw, and Smith made a great play. While Smith did make a great catch... the throw was PERFECT. That's exactly where you put the ball when the CB faces up the WR on that route and there is no underneath zone.

i'd take baltimore's top 2 over our top 2 as well... but it's not a huge difference. Torrey Smith is really coming into his own as a deep threat, but he's got a long way to go. His none deep routes, are sloppy, just like Wallace. Boldin catches everything, but he's getting long in the tooth, where as Brown is just starting to become a stud possession WR.