Power Ranking the NFL’s 10 Best Quarterbacks

8. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco helped the Ravens win the Super Bowl, but he has had an up-and-down career and isn’t worthy of being a top five quarterback.

Flacco threw 11 touchdowns and avoided an interception in four playoff games, but the Ravens got some breaks that propelled them all the way. However, Flacco is sure to receive the big bucks for his playoff performance, and he is also sure to warrant national attention.

Still, I believe that there are better quarterbacks than Flacco. Flacco completed less than 60 percent of his passes in 2012 and has struggled with accuracy, as his main tool is his strong arm and ability to go deep. He uses that well, but a strong arm is never enough.

Feb 3, 2013; New Orleans, LA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the San Francisco 49ers 34-31 in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

A 9-4 playoff record (which Flacco has) is incredible, and so is the fact that Flacco has won a playoff games in each of his five years. He is a big-game quarterback, but there are better, more consistent quarterbacks. The Ravens lost once and almost lost again to the Steelers this year, and Roethlisberger missed both of those games. Baltimore also beat the Chiefs and Chargers by three points each, while losing to the Eagles.

Flacco deserves the heat for that inconsistency, and he still has things to prove. While I believe he is a great playoff quarterback and the Ravens franchise quarterback, he is being overrated by some due to his playoff performance. Flacco isn’t as good as his playoff performance might suggest, because he got breaks. Jacoby Jones’ game-tying Hail Mary catch should have been intercepted, and that would have stripped Flacco of seven playoff touchdowns.

And if that pass was intercepted, Flacco would be back here in all quarterback rankings, where he belongs.