Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco unfazed by preseason struggles

After the Baltimore Ravens handed quarterback Joe Flacco a six-year, $120.6 million contract that temporarily made him the NFL’s highest paid player, many expected he would become a more consistent player now that the pressure of getting long-term security was over. He played like an elite QB in the postseason last year, but has been erratic during the majority of his NFL career, and his play in this preseason isn’t exactly a good indicator that that will improve anytime soon.

Flacco’s turnovers in three preseason games have been very costly. He has been intercepted four times in six quarters of work. He’s been picked off in every game. Flacco threw an interception on his first drive of the preseason. Last night vs. the Carolina Panthers, he threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown. He threw another interception in the red zone.

In total, he’s averaging one interception every 10.5 pass attempts. It’s easy to think Flacco may actually regress now that he’s got his big contract and won’t work as hard as did before, but Flacco insists that’s not the case, and to him, it’s all about winning:

"People don’t realize: It’s about the money, but it’s really not. It’s about going out and winning it again."

Flacco is just 28, and has already accounted for 63 victories (including the playoffs) over his first five years in the league, the most to start a career in the Super Bowl era, so it’s probably safe to say Flacco isn’t about to change his ways, even with a big payday and a Super Bowl ring.