Photo: Getty Images - Chris McGrath
- Troy BallardIf nothing else, at least we can say that Joe Flacco is a confident dude.
During a radio interview with a local Baltimore sports station, Flacco made the bold assessment that he thinks he's the best quarterback in the NFL. We're talking about the same Flacco that is the quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens. He said it.
But one has to wonder if there might be some merits to his comments, as irrational or ridiculous as they may seem.
I'd like to open with this -- I do not believe that Flacco is the best quarterback in the NFL. I'd venture to say that he isn't even close to the top-five, and top 10 may even be pushing it. His numbers have not reflected that of a top quarterback, and he has been fortunate enough to have a stifling defense covering his back.
And.. I doubt I am in the minority in this view. Most, if not all, would agree that Flacco is far from the top talent at quarterback in the NFL. His statement, no matter how he intended it to come across, is both bold and reflective of his attitude.
Under normal circumstance, I would dismiss Flacco's comments as total insanity and move on. But as some may remember vividly, there was another quarterback that made a similar statement at the beginning of last season.
Eli Manning, anyone?
Before the 2011 season began, Manning dropped the bomb that he believed he was in the same quarterback class as Tom Brady. Hilarity ensued. NFL fans were ruthless with Manning (much like Flacco is being treated now), and he was put on a pedestal.
Look how that turned out.
By no stretch of the imagination am I comparing Flacco to Manning, but the situation is so similar it's almost laughable. There was an unbelievably small minority that thought Manning was an elite quarterback, and there is an even smaller one in Flacco's case. Both are heavily criticized. Both watched their numbers dip the year before making those comments. And most of all, the two have been eternally stuck trying to prove themselves their entire careers.
Who knows, maybe this kind of pressure to perform is just what Flacco needs. That extra push to get him into the elite level and lead the Ravens to the Super Bowl. This next season is Flacco's to lose, and the stakes have never been higher in Baltimore.
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