Marc Uhlmann
Joe Flacco this. Joe Flacco that. Joe Flacco this. Joe Flacco that.
Ya, I’m sick and tired of it as well but such is life in the 24/7 media circus that we live in today. Baltimore Ravens’ Quarterback Joe Flacco is getting ‘just a little bit’ of attention this week and why shouldn’t he? He has delivered his team to their second Super Bowl and the first of his career. He’s been outstanding in the playoffs to this point and deserves the accolades that he is getting. The guy is a good quarterback Steelers’ fans and it doesn’t make you less of a fan to admit that.
Is he one of the best in the NFL though? No, he isn’t and he isn’t even the best in his own division but you’d be hard-pressed to hear anyone say otherwise this week. As we near the kickoff of Super Bowl XLVII you’d think that Flacco had not only played well, but also cured cancer, ran the mile in 1 minute and flew to Mars and back in one night.
In a recent poll by nfl.com, Flacco was listed 6th among Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers, and Eli Manning. Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger was listed 8th. Behind Russell Wilson. If you didn’t think this was a “what did you do for me lately” society than here’s your proof.
All Roethlisberger has done is win two Super Bowls in three visits and plays with more injuries in a season than most guys will have in a career yet the respect continues to be be absent for him.
Roethlisberger doesn’t need me to tell him that his play late in the season the last couple of years hasn’t been his best work and I know he’d hate for me to blame injuries so I won’t. Fact of the matter is, the resume speaks for itself yet fans and experts always seem to gloss over him and want to talk about other QBs who have big stats, yet fewer wins and fewer championships.
Former Ravens’ Head Coach Brian Billick recently said “Flacco isn’t in the discussion yet with Brady and Peyton Manning. He’s more like Roethlisberger.” He’s more like Roethlisberger?!?!? Brian Billick knows far more football than I do, but gimme a break!
The bottom line for Ben Roethlisberger is that we the fans get far more ticked off about the lack of respect than I really believe he does. With that said, whether or not Flacco wins on Sunday will not matter. The gauntlet has been thrown down and Roethlisberger should be more than ready to get back on the pace he was prior to his injury in 2012.
He still has plenty of time to accomplish great things in Pittsburgh and force people to put him into the proper discussion about just who the top quarterbacks in the league are. Hopefully, Todd Haley and Mike Tomlin allow him to the freedom to do just that.
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