Another perspective on Flacco.

[vmax]

It's definately gut check time for Joe.

 

Each week, thanks to play-by-play game dissection by ProFootballFocus.com, I'll look at one important matchup or individual performance metric from one of the Sunday games, and this week it's an analysis of Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco, days after the Ravens fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and replaced him with Jim Caldwell:

"If the offensive output by Ravens was a referendum on the validity of the move from Cameron to Caldwell, it would qualify as an unmitigated failure. Flacco's box score figures themselves don't look too bad (20 of 40 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and an interception) but when you consider most of the "good" stuff came in garbage time and most of the bad getting them to garbage time, the true picture emerges.

"There was no blindingly obvious change in play-calling philosophy from Cameron to Caldwell, but when you go three-and-out on your first five possessions (netting only 25 yards in the process) it's difficult to spot trends anyway. Before having to go exclusively 11 personnel (three wide receivers) from the two-minute mark of the first half on, the Ravens used their base package -- two wides, two backs --more than normal (48 percent as opposed to Cameron's average of 36 percent). If there were any difference, Baltimore ran more frequently, but the sample size was small because of the way the game played out.

"When the Ravens eventually did manage to move the ball late in the half, Flacco served up a terrible interception on a two-yard out, and it was returned by Chris Harris 98 yards for a pick-6. Flacco eyeballed Anquan Boldin from snap to throw and it was probably one of the easiest plays Harris has had to make all year.

"The truth is that Flacco is inaccurate and inconsistent. In ProFootballFocus.com's adjusted accuracy ratings (which counts drops as completions and discounts throw-aways, batted passes, spikes and when the QB was hit as he threw) he ranks 32nd of 37 qualifying players with a 68.1 completion percentage; by way of comparison Peyton Manning is fifth with 78.7 percent. Flacco has not played well now since the 55-20 demolition of Oakland five weeks ago. As an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year, he's not giving the Ravens the easy decision they hoped he might. And for one week, the change to Caldwell did not bear fruit."

 

 

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20121217/week-15/#ixzz2FLyNAwdj

[papasmurfbell]

yeah Jeremy and Scott talked about that. It is shocking.

[varaven45]

 

I can't figure out Joe and what the FO ought to do. On the one hand, maybe he overcomes this slump and moves beyond this funk. On the other hand, maybe Joe is destined for more of the same and what we have seen is all we are going to get.

 

Here is hoping Joe rights the ship !

[oldno82]

Unless Flacco leads this team to the Super Bowl, he can kiss a big contract goodbye.

And, I'll add this, if we lose out the next 3 games as bad as the Denver game, he could be out of Baltimore.

[papasmurfbell]

They have to tag him. I have to agree with Vinny that they hope they get a good offer for him.

[OutsideRzAcE]

You cannot get rid of Flacco unless you have a good backup plan. Without a good backup plan we could be AZ. If they get desperate perhaps they look at a guy like Rivers via trade.

[OutsideRzAcE]

By the way that article was a real bummer. Thanks a lot Max!

[varaven45]

You cannot get rid of Flacco unless you have a good backup plan. Without a good backup plan we could be AZ. If they get desperate perhaps they look at a guy like Rivers via trade.

 

Bingo. Who you going to pursue ? There's no one out there and do decent QBs in the draft. About the best we can do is pick up a decent FA who could nudge and/or mentor Joe. That and maybe picup Norv Turner as OC is the best we can do.

[Spen]

I don't think Flacco is the answer and I think the sooner the team moves on the better. At least in the long run. Having said that, I don't see any way he is not here next year. And I am not sure he shouldn't be. If you blame Cameron you cannot judge Joe solely on three games after Cam's firing.

 

So while I hope, really hope, that he is not the starter next year I kind of think he should be.

[cravnravn]

So we are going to pay Joe 16 mil with the franchise tag? who's the fool here?

 

His agent is still going to demand a big contract..This is going to be an UGLY off season,

 

Im saying Joe walks

[varaven45]

Crav,

 

I just dont think we can just let Joe walk. Not yet. There are way too many teams with dire QB situations - Az, Jets, KC, Buffalo - which will result in too much market competition and will Joe and his agent some leverage. Thus, we should tag Joe. Additionally, we need to draft or acquire another QB (fellow Hokie Tyrod aint the answer) who will either help or push Joe. I dont who he is but we need him.

 

Remember what's happended at SF with Jim Harbaught and to Alex Smith. Notwithstand the Kapernick move - which I still dont agree with- Harbaugh had amazingly resurrected Alex Smith's career this year. Maybe John Harbaugh and the OC (?) can resurrect Joe's career while he plays under the franchise tag.

 

What are the options ? And remember this....if Joe walks, teams will be chomping at the bit and he's gone. Who are we going to get ?

 

Tough call. In the end, I think the decision on Joe will come down to "discretion is the better part of valor".

 

[Spen]

I think the decision will come down to "Joe is probably better than most random QBs we can pick up" so its really risky for a GM to let him walk. So therefore even if they don't think he is the answer long term I think he will be back.

[RavenMad]

I also think that we have a lot of other areas we need to address so picking up a QB in a weak QB class isn't ideal. Giving Joe another season under the tag and a new OC will allow us to finally see what he has and make a decision for the 2014 draft when there might be better options.

[Spen]

I also think that we have a lot of other areas we need to address so picking up a QB in a weak QB class isn't ideal. Giving Joe another season under the tag and a new OC will allow us to finally see what he has and make a decision for the 2014 draft when there might be better options.

 

If the team has questions about him and still sincerely believes he can be a franchise QB then I agree with you. If they do not, then there is no reason not to explore a change sooner rather than later.

I have seen enough, I don't think most good QBs that have been in the league for 5 years still struggle with mechanics as often as Joe does nor do I think at this point his pocket presence will improve. I still think he doesn't read the field well either. I'd love to be wrong, having him be a good franchise QB would be the best possible solution.

[vmax]

The Ravens will keep Joe until they have a sure replacement. That means somebody better than Joe or a draft pick who they believe in.

 

At least Joe hasn't gone Mark Sanchez on us.

 

I do not want to go through another decade of garbage at the QB position....that's worth the franchise tag to me even though it would be ridiculous money to pay Joe. It's been proven that this team can win with him. Let's at least keep cranking out winning seasons until a replacement is found.

 

I'm with RavenMad...there are too many holes to fill on this team. I think they can rebuild and win at the same time.

[vmax]

This is sobering...

 

Flacco's erratic play has undoubtedly lowered the Ravens' confidence in him. But it hasn't lessened his chances of returning. The Ravens won't -- and honestly can't -- let him walk. This isn't necessarily an endorsement of Flacco. It's just the reality of the situation. Although Flacco's play has been frustrating, a look at the quarterbacks who will be available this offseason makes Flacco seem like Tom Brady. Would the Ravens do any better with Michael Vick, Alex Smith, Carson Palmer, Kevin Kolb or Ryan Fitzpatrick? The same goes for the draft, where there's no prospect a team would take over Flacco. Plus, the Ravens know how long it took to find a quarterback with the talent of Flacco (think back to the days of Kyle Boller, Anthony Wright and Jeff Blake and Chris Redman).

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_/id/61539/joe-flacco-should-still-be-in-ravens-future

[oldno82]

This is sobering...

That is depressing. I guess Joe stays with the franchise tag but it sure tastes bitter to have to pay him the average of the top 5 NFL quarterbacks.

[cravnravn]

This fanbase will go ballistic if they put the tag on Joe and he has a year like he is having..

[papasmurfbell]

Can we have a raise of hands for the people who said sign him over the last couple of yrs.

[varaven45]

Ouch. I think it's time to return to the Stone Age and that 2000 D. Nah . But it's nice to dream every so often.

 

Regardless, Joe needs to somehow/someway get his collective act together and the FO needs to fix the OC position and straighten out the OL. With our current system, Johnny U or Joe Montana would be running for their life. It's a lot on Joe but not all on Joe- it's bigger than that !

[papasmurfbell]

I think Joe can win but he needs to be surrounded by the right talent.

[thundercleetz]

Lets he honest, the chances of finding a replacement immediately for Flacco are slim to none. I think our best bet is to draft a guy in the third round, get Norv Turner to be the HC, and just see what happens next year.

 

Or an alternative would be to fire Harbaugh, sign Kyle Shanahan to be the head coach, and draft a tough as nail, true badass to play QB in a pistol system that places an enormous emphasis on our extremely talented running backs.

 

On a side note, if we go one and done in the playoffs I think Harbaugh is done. Harbaugh is a great organizer and motivator but I am not sure how much football he knows. For example, I don't think he could run an offense or defense by himself. So he relies on his coordinators a lot, which is a double endged sword. Great when you have a big egoed coach loke Rex Ryan, but when you have an inflexible coach like Cam. IMO our next guy would have to be a true football guy. A genius who knows his X's and O's like the back of his hand. I think Kyle Shanahan is going to be the next big thing when it comes to coaches.

 

 

“ I studied every potential Xs and Os play and issue possible. I spent my whole life working on that. My goal was that any question a player could have about anything on the field, I'd be able to answer it. ”

—Kyle Shanahan

 

Great article here explaining Shanahan's genius:

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000113501/article/kyle-shanahan-on-coaching-fast-track-after-adapting-redskins-o

[papasmurfbell]

I hope the having Norv as HC is a joke. I think Kyle would be a bad choice. If they were to replace Harbs I would jump on Payton in NO. He is not under contract after the season. So far he and NO have not reached a new deal. I would also look at Arians, Zimmer, Roman or Fangio from SF, Bradly in Sea, andf Fewell in NY.

[thundercleetz]

Right I meant Norv as the OC. But I'm still under the opinion that Kyle Shanahan would be an awesome choice.

[papasmurfbell]

I give him working his offense around the parts he has (hey Cam take a look at smart coaching) but I still want to see more before I would turn him into a HC.