Quote:Still that play should've never happened.. even with Tom Brady or Manning under center.  If that mental mistake never happens none of the other stuff happens and Flacco doesn't break the bank. 

 

Flacco has always played over his head in the playoffs though..  He's been like a poor man's Eli Manning.

 

I totally agree the play shouldn't have happened.     Yet,  considering Joe Flacco's rocket arm strength,  he was well suited to effectively execute the play once Broncos S Rahim Moore was out of position.

 

Being that the Ravens are the only NFL team to qualify for the playoffs the previous 5 seasons and he's performed at a high level in the playoffs,   his value is magnified.   

 

While Joe Flacco probably wouldn't have been offered the contract terms if the Broncos would have held on to defeat the Ravens in the 2nd Round of the playoffs,   the Ravens still needed to find a way to keep Flacco long term.  If the Ravens were forced to use the Franchise Tag on Flacco,  they would have probably had to use the exclusive Franchise Tag on him.   Otherwise,  a team like the division rival Browns,  with a boatload of Salary Cap space,  easily could have made Flacco an offer the Ravens wouldn't have been able to match.   The two 1st Round picks the Ravens would have received as compensation if they lost Flacco in that scenario wouldn't have solved the Ravens QB situation for at least the short term.    It's far from a given it would have led to an effective long term replacement for Flacco.

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