Baltimore Ravens: Playing Joe Flacco During Preseason Not Worth Risk
By Joe Serpico
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe said he will play Saturday against the Detroit Lions. Is it worth risking another injury in a preseason game?
Joe Flacco has participated throughout training camp, but we have yet to see him play in a game since tearing his ACL in November against the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams. Sounds like that could change this weekend.
Flacco told Mad Dog Sports Radio that he will play against the Lions on Saturday.
“I’ll be ready to go this week, and you know, do a typical third preseason game,” Flacco told Adam Schein of Mad Dog Sports.
It’s great news to hear that Flacco feels he is ready to take the next step in his progression. He has looked good in camp and said he could have suited up for the first two preseason games, but chose not to.
“I could have played in the first two preseason games,” Flacco said. “But you just kind of think, is it worth it to get a total of three series when you’re putting yourself at risk? Is that really worth it?”
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He makes a good point about the risk of getting hurt in those games. So why put yourself at harm in a meaningless preseason game on Saturday? To use his own words, is that really worth it?
The third preseason game is usually the dress rehearsal before the start of the regular season. Most teams around the league will have their starters play the first half and sit out the final preseason game. That will likely be the case for the Ravens.
Flacco is one of a long list of players that ended on injured reserve last year, but his injury came late in the season. There still has been no news on whether other injured stars such as Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith and Elvis Dumervil will take the field Saturday. If the Ravens do decide to hold those guys out, why not do the same with Flacco?
John Harbaugh also has a competition for the job behind Flacco. Josh Johnson has been impressive when on the field, while Ryan Mallett has done little to keep his job as the backup. Let those guys battle it out as it is unlikely that the team keeps three quarterbacks,
If Flacco is still wearing a brace on his left knee at this point of the preseason, there is no reason to subject him to another hit that could shred his knee once again. Unlike in years past, he is working with the same offensive coordinator. He knows the offense so playing just to see how his knee will react to a hit seems like a questionable decision.
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Flacco said in the interview that he needs to go out there and get hit. That is understandable, but why do that in a game that means nothing. Another two weeks of not getting hit seems to be the smarter decision for him and the Ravens.