Joe Flacco Highest Paid Player In The NFL

[selby56]

I wouldn't say that because Flacco and Eli's first 4 years are comparable that it means that after this year Flacco is suddenly going to become a 4500 yard 32 TD quarterback. That is a stretch. Different systems, different people, different coaches.

Also, Flacco is in his 5th year, not his 4th year, so if he is going to mirror Eli we should be seeing it by now. Instead of a big jump in numbers like Eli had in year 5 we are seeing a minimal jump or a decline by Flacco. His season yards jumped slightly by around 200 over the three previous seasons, his TDs jumped 2 over the previous season but were 3 less than his best, his completion percentage was the 4th lowest of his 5 year career...not the sudden increase in production that we saw in Eli in year 5.

I wouldn't argue that Smith or Boldin were the sole reason that Flacco was successful, because they didn't have great seasons. Boldin has had the worst 3 season stretch of his career while in Baltimore. Smith has yet to crack the 900 yard mark in yards or have more than 50 catches. All this points to is my original point that Flacco isn't a franchise QB, because if he was they would have better numbers. I repeat, franchise QBs make those around him better.

Never said that Flacco would be like Eli. I was saying that Eli struggled much more (in my opinion) the first four or five years of his career than Flacco has. Like you said, different players and such, but stats wise neither is clearly better than the other (minus the year Eli went crazy for almost 5,000 yards).

I'd even venture to say that Flacco was just only slightly less, if not just as productive as Eli was this past season.
Player A:

Player B:

Which one is the boarder-line elite franchise QB? Which one is the average-at-best QB?

As far as the receivers not getting over 1,000 yards goes...pretty irrelevant to me. It doesn't matter who is catching the ball, he is getting it to them and putting up yards and numbers, while also limiting his turnovers and helping them win games. Sounds like a franchise QB to me.

[duane1969]

I guess our point of view of what a franchise QB is is where the division occurs. When I think franchise QB I think of a guy who leads his team, who makes the players around him better, who can carry his team when the running game is struggling, who can shred an opposing defense with his arm, who makes opposing defenses worry...Flacco is none of those things. For me, a franchise QB isn't just a guy who doesn't screw up and lose the game.

Flacco is 28 years old. Arguably he has 4 or 5 good years left before he starts to decline. Assuming he plays at this same level with similar stats he will finish somewhere around 15th-20th in passing yards and 25th-33rd in TDs. I just don't see franchise QB in those career numbers.

[selby56]

I guess our point of view of what a franchise QB is is where the division occurs. When I think franchise QB I think of a guy who leads his team, who makes the players around him better, who can carry his team when the running game is struggling, who can shred an opposing defense with his arm, who makes opposing defenses worry...Flacco is none of those things. For me, a franchise QB isn't just a guy who doesn't screw up and lose the game.

Flacco is 28 years old. Arguably he has 4 or 5 good years left before he starts to decline. Assuming he plays at this same level with similar stats he will finish somewhere around 15th-20th in passing yards and 25th-33rd in TDs. I just don't see franchise QB in those career numbers.

Your definition of a franchise QB sounds like my definition of an elite QB. Seems to me like you're thinking of the Brady's and Rodgers of the NFL. When I think of a "franchise QB" I picture someone that the franchise can be comfortable keeping around for most of their career. I think of someone that has proven they can get the job done and the franchise doesn't need to explore other options or bring in competition. Matt Hasselbeck was a franchise QB for the Seahawks in my opinion, for instance. Matt Schaub is a franchise QB in my definition. And I think Joe Flacco has done enough to prove he can get the job done and the Ravens don't need to explore other options.

I guess we might be able to agree that we hardly ever seem to see eye-to-eye on much, haha.

[duane1969]

I think we could agree more often if you would just admit that I am right more often