Last year the first time the Steelers played the Ravens on Monday night, the announcers were just enamored with Flacco and were worshipping him, like he was the best thing since sliced bread. One of them, I believe it was Tony Kornheiser had the audacity to say that he may be the best rookie EVER. Whenever I heared that, I couldn't believe what I just heard and therefore my dislike for him started to flourish. He lead the Ravens to a 10-6 record and a 6th seed in the AFC playoffs. Yes its grea that he was the first rookie QB to win his first two playoff games as a QB, and did so on the road. Yes that's impressive, but in my mind doesn't even compare to what Ben Roethlisberger did his rookie season.
In Ben's rookie season, he won 14 straight games before losing to the Patriots. He lead the Steelers to the number one seed in the playoffs, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. I personally think Ben's 14 wins in a row, is MUCH more impressive then Flacco's 1-6 record, and winning his first two playoff games. Ben lead his team to the number 1 seed, and he lost to the Pats, which in turn cheated to win the game. I have no problem in saying that if the Pats wouldn't have cheated for their Super Bowls, Ben and the Steelers would have at least 1 or 2 more Super Bowls. What did Flacco do agaisnt the Steelers and do in big games in his rookie season he CHOKED! Just look at the playoff game agaisnt the Steelers, he had to lead his team back, and what does he do, he throws an INT. Case closed I say. Theirs no argument. Ben will always be a better quarterback, and despite it being a feel good story, I cannot stand Joe Flacco one bit, and HATE how everyone say how he's soo good.
Let's see what he does in his first five years. Will he have two Super Bowls? Will he lead a Super Bowl winning drive? Will he have the most wins in his first five years in the league? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!! Their is no comparison. Ben has always been the better QB, and will continue to be. No one better give me the crap argument, O Ben has always had the steady defense behind him. Flacco has a great D behind him, and the toughest linebacker in the league in Ray Lewis. They essentially have the same teams, but what makes or breaks a good team is a good QB. Steelers have a GREAT QB, and the Ravens have a HORRID QB in Flacco. Case closed. Their is no comparison. Thus is why I cannot stand Joe Flacco and will cheer ever time he makes a mistake, and further continues to support my argument. Today when it came down to the clutch, Flacco lead his team on a late 4th quarter drive, lead them to field goal range, but the kicker missed the field goal. O well? Should've gotten the TD. FLACCO SUCKS!
Flacco is for real.
ReplyDeleteWhen Flacco came to Pitt, I hoped that he would be a reliable backup to the Pittsburgh native Tyler Palko. I, along with almost every Pitt fan, loved Tyler. Unfortunately, Pitt fans never saw the NFL ability in Joe since his Pitt days consisted of him wearing a baseball hat and signaling plays to the offense.
ANYWAYS, I would agree that Joe Flacco is no Ben, nor has he had 6 seasons under his belt. In their rookie seasons, both quarterbacks were phenominal, both led their teams to a postseason birth and both made it to the AFC Championship game (even more interesting, both threw 3 interceptions) not bad for a rookie season.
You said Flacco choked last year, possibly, or was it that the Steelers defense was just the best defense ever? Would you say Ben choked in the 04 AFC Championship game as well? 3 interceptions later and the Pats are going to the Super Bowl.
One big difference between the two quarterbacks in their rookie seasons was their wide receivers. Ben had two legit wide receivers, Hines and Plaxico. Flacco on the other hand had, uh Derrick Mason? Kelley Washington? Mark Clayton. No thanks, especially considering Mason was at the end of his career. I believe that Hines and Plaxico helped Ben more so than Mason, Washington and Clayton helped out Flacco.
You said that Flacco choked against Minnesota. Let me remind you that the Ravens were all but out of that game in the fourth quarter. Flacco brought his team back from a 17 point defecit and gave them a great opportunity to send the game into overtime. However, the kicker missed the 40 yard field goal. Now, I would like to think that Harbaugh told Flacco just get us into field range, correct? He did his job, but the kicker didn't do his. I think the choker is the kicker, not Flacco, how could it be Flacco, he brought them back from a 17 point defecit! He gave them a chance when they had no business being in that game.
So would you say that Ben CHOKED against the Bears when we lost in week 2? Ben was unable to get us into the endzone, so we had to kick a field goal. We all know how the game ended, but isn't the situation pretty similar, for the exception that the Steelers didn't have to come back from a 17 point defecit? I believe in both situations that the kickers were the ones who choked, not the quarterbacks.
I believe Flacco is easily a top 10 quarterback in the NFL today. Since quarterbacks are judged based on their Super Bowl wins, I would rank Ben in top 3, behind Brady and in the mix with Peyton.
Time will only tell how good Joe Flacco really is, but as of today, he has the potential to be a Top 3-5 quarterback.
Ok I mean your post is pretty convincing Jeff. I mean I guess I will have to admit that Joe Flacco is a good QB. You defintely had some really good comments to say, and your post was really good. I commend you on the writing for sure. I guess I would have to admit Flacco is a top 10 QB, just because I can't think of 10 other good QB's in the league. Most teams have awful quarterbacks and that's why they are good. The reason I didn't like Joe Flacco to behin with was 1. He was on the Ravens, and if their's one team to HATE in the league its the Ravens because their a divisional opponent. 2. Becuase they said he may be the best rookie ever. Yes Flacco did not have the receivers that Ben had, but Ben won 14 straight games. He eventually ended up losing to the Patriots, which may I remind you CHEATED. If they did not cheat, I'm convinced the Steelers would've won the game and ultimately won the Super Bowl. They had the best team that year, but when a team does something to gain an advantage of any sort, it gives them they upper hand. Belichick is a genius of a coach, but to go to cheating measures to try to win games? I think that just shows you the character of Belichick. He is a genius of a head coach (Refer to my post), but he is very cocky, and thinks he's better than any other coach in the league. Yes that may be true, but come on man be a man, and admit you lose. Admit that your players are injured. Is it too much to ask to go shake the opponent's coaches hand, and admit you lost on neutral terms?
ReplyDeleteOkay enough on my rant about Belichick. Back to Flacco. Flacco showed promise is his rookie season I will give him that, as I said earlier the only reason I did not like him was that he was compared to being the best rookie QB ever. That got on my nerves, because Ben had a better rookie season, and is a better QB overall. That is a biased comment, I know, but I mean how can am I supposed to like the guy when he's the quarterback on the team I can't stand most?
So in conclusion I will admit Flacco is a decent QB right now. Probably top 10 like you said, just because most teams have QB's that suck, and that's why they are not that good. Flacco did not have a better rookie season than Ben, and Ben has always and always will be a better QB than Flacco. We will see where Flacco ends up in his first five years, but I'll bet that he doesn't end up with 2 Lombardi trophies, and the most wins of any QB in his first five years in the league. So nice job on your post, it was very well written. It half convinced me that Flacco is a decent QB at best right now, but Ben will always be better, and will continue to be a better QB than Flacco