Tag: JOE FLACCO
Browns’ Njoku: ‘I’m so proud of this team, but — we aren’t done yet’
The Cleveland Browns(11-5) are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2020 after dominating and routing the Jets(6-10) 37-20 at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Thursday night.
After Deshaun Watson went down with a shoulder injury in November, many thought the Browns had no shot of getting to the playoffs. P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson both struggled, and Thompson-Robinson is out for the season with a hip injury.
Enter veteran Joe Flacco, who was signed off the street by Cleveland in November. The 17-year veteran was outstanding against his former team, the Jets; he completed 19 of 29 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns. The Browns had 429 yards of total offense and had no problems moving the ball against the Jets.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski knows when players go down, others have to step up, and that’s what we’ve seen in Cleveland.
“You know, it’s the greatest team sport there is,” Stefanski said. “You hate to lose great players, and we lost some great players along the way. But go ask those guys; they tell you it’s a team sport. I know this. Those guys that weren’t with us tonight, they were with us tonight on the field, and they got our back, and we got theirs.”
Browns TE David Njoku, who had six catches for 134 yards, added: “Anything is possible. It’s just the will to not give up, the will to keep pushing through everything. Obviously, when Deshaun went down, it hurt a lot. When Nick (Chubb) went down, it hurt a lot. So many injuries this year that we have went through, but we didn’t quit. We rally together and push through. That is why I’m so proud of this team, but — we aren’t done yet.”
Back to Flacco, he has thrown for over 300 yards in four straight games, and Browns coach Kevin Stefanski is happy with how he’s leading the offense.
“Yeah, I think you guys know, just having watched Joe now, and we as coaches are getting to know Joe and that type of thing, but he battles like crazy,” Stefanski said. “Joe is, I think, very excited to have his family here watching him. It’s a special moment for them. Again, it’s a great story. I know you guys love this story, but I’m just happy for Joe. I’m happy for him having this success, being a part of a football team. He’s got something left in the tank.”
What the 38-year-old Flacco is doing right now is nothing short of amazing, but he’s trying to stay in the moment.
“Yeah, I don’t want to step back yet,” he said. “I mean, obviously, we’re going to have a three-day weekend here where I’ll probably get a chance to, but I want to try to stay in the moment as much as possible. Every now and then, you get a couple. Right, now it’s already midnight, but you’ll get a couple of hours here before I fall asleep that you’ll kind of get to lay around and think about how cool of a night it was. And hopefully, I’ll try to let those 2 hours linger as long as possible so I can enjoy it a little bit because, by the time you wake up the next day, you’re like, okay, that felt good, but we got to start to move on a little bit.”
The Browns have two things that travel: a running game and a top-flight defense; if Flacco can be steady and avoid turnovers, Cleveland has a chance against anyone in the AFC, which is crazy when you consider where they were six weeks ago.
Jets’ Saleh: ‘I’m just proud of the guys because we didn’t quit’
The New York Jets(1-1) got an improbable win in Cleveland(1-1) against the Browns on Sunday. Down 30-17 with just under two minutes left in the game, the jets fought back.
First, it started with a busted coverage from the Browns as Joe Flacco connected with Corey Davis on a 66-yard touchdown. Then, Justin Hardee recovered Braden Mann’s onside kick. From there, they would go 53 yards in nine plays, which ended with a 15-yard Garrett Wilson touchdown reception from Flacco.
Finally, the Jets sealed the victory when Ashtyn Davis intercepted Jacoby Brissett’s pass on the Bronws’ final drive.
“For sure. I do not know where it ranks, but it is up there,” said Flacco about whether this was the craziest ending to a game in his career. “Look, at one point, you’re sitting on the bench, and they have the opportunity to run the clock out. Obviously, when he scores, you are thinking, okay, that is not what he is supposed to do. But I am sure they were still thinking, ‘okay, it is 30-17.’ That play to CD (Jets WR Corey Davis) obviously quieted the crowd a little bit. You have to give credit to the guys on the sideline, the guys that were in this game.”
Jets coach Robert Saleh was happy with the way his guys fought and glad to get a win.
“You can hear it. We’re off the snide. I love the way this feels,” he said. “[We have to] find a way to stack them up. There is a lot of stuff that we have to clean up, but I’m just proud of the guys because we didn’t quit. That’s probably the biggest thing that I’ll take away from it.”
The comeback would not have been possible if Browns running back Nick Chubb had just gone to the ground instead of scoring what appeared to be the game-clinching touchdown. Additionally, Browns kicker Cade York would miss the extra point.
“Yeah, you know what, that’s going to be one that shows up on Friday for us as teachable moments,” said Saleh about Chubb’s touchdown. “I’m sure (Browns Head Coach Kevin) Coach Stefanski is very, very detailed. I’m sure that’s in their vocabulary, and I’m sure it’s just one of those moments. They scored, and the echo on the headset was that they gave us a chance; let’s see what happens.”
Wilson added: “As soon as Chubb scored. Coach said, ‘they just gave us our only chance.’ We go down 30-17, and then (Jets WR Corey Davis) CD has a quick touchdown. At that point, we are all believing. Now we are going to get this onside kick. As soon as they scored, we were like, ‘Oh, that is kind of quick; we still have a shot at this.”
Throughout the week, many called for Saleh to bench Flacco, but to the 15-year veteran’s credit, he had a solid performance as he was 26/44 for 307 yards and four touchdowns on Sunday. Despite everything, Saleh still trusts Flacco.
“Joe is 37 years old; he has been in this league a long time,” Saleh said. “He has seen the worst of times and the best of times. He knows that last week wasn’t his best game. You just trust that a guy like Joe, who has been in this league long enough, will rebound. You knew that he will take care of the football and that he would get the ball where it needed to go and give ourselves a chance.”
You can say the Jets got lucky against the Browns, but good teams make their own luck. Not to say the Jets are a good team. However, they beat a good team on the road, which could be something to build on.
Jets’ Saleh does not rule out quarterback change
On Sunday, Joe Flacco and the jets’ offense had a lot of struggles in the team’s 24-9 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in the season opener at MetLife Stadium. New York scored only nine points; Flacco was sacked three times and under pressure throughout the game. In addition, the Jets were terrible on third-down conversions(2/14).
The 15-year veteran finished the game 37/59 for 359 yards, a touchdown, and an interception. The touchdown came when the game was out of reach.
During Sunday’s loss, the MetLife Stadium crowd called for QB Mike White to replace the 37-year-old Flacco. It did not happen, but it could be something that Jets coach Robert Saleh may do if the offense continues to struggle while Zach Wilson(knee) recovers from injury.
“Right now, everything’s always under discussion and under review, talking with Rob (Calabrese), talking with Mike (LaFleur),” Saleh said. “Obviously, we’re not done with our postgame evaluation and all that stuff, and much appreciated with the passion with quarterbacks and all that stuff, but Joe’s (Flacco) been very, very steady throughout OTAs, training camp.
“Last year, threw four over 300 on Miami in a really good game. We’ve got all the utmost faith in Joe. Does that mean something can’t happen tonight? I’m not going to promise you anything, but at the same time, as of now, Joe is our starting quarterback.”
When asked if a final decision was made about who would start on Sunday, Saleh said the following:
“Yeah, it’s more likely going to be Joe, guys, but to be honest, the doors open on every position every week.”
The Jets are in rebuild mode right now, and few people think they are very good. According to Saleh, he’s watching everyone who’s mocking the Jets and is taking receipts.
“We’re all taking receipts on all the people who continually mock and say that we aren’t going to do anything,” he said. “I’m taking receipts, and I’m going to be more than happy to share them with all of you when it’s all said and done.”
Regarding Flacco, the Jets might want to go with Mike White, who was decent in the preseason and threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns in a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last season in his first career start. He’s younger(27) and probably won’t be much worse than Flacco was on Sunday.
We’ll see what Saleh does as the team travels to Cleveland to face the Browns.
Jets’ Flacco on facing Ravens: ‘There’s going to be some different emotions that I haven’t experienced before’
New York Jets coach Robert Saleh made it official today when he announced that Joe Flacco will start at quarterback against his former team, the Baltimore Ravens, on Sunday in the season-opener at MetLife Stadium.
According to Saleh, second-year quarterback Zach Wilson(knee) will likely return at the earliest in Week 4 against the Steelers.
The 37-year-old Flacco is grateful for the opportunity to be a starter in the NFL.
“Yeah, I mean, I’ve talked about it a lot. It should be an exciting one,” Flacco said. “Listen, anytime you get a chance to lace them up on Sunday and try to put yourself and the team in the best situation you can; it’s a lot of fun; grateful for the opportunity, but yeah, obviously, there’s going to be some different emotions that I haven’t experienced before with this one…
“I think at the end of the day, it is like every other game once the dust settles and the game gets going. It’s a football game. You’re lining up, and you’re playing against the guy across from you. So, I’ve played it enough to know that at some point, that’s going to be the time; maybe the first snap or two will be even extra kind of crazy feelings that go into it, but after that, I’ve been a part of a bunch of playoff games and all those things, and it’s a football game at the end of the day. It’s just a matter of when it settles in and when you can let your mind calm down a little bit.
The 15-year veteran spent 11 seasons in Baltimore and won a Super Bowl with the Ravens. He last played for the Ravens in 2018, where he would eventually lose his job after injury to current Ravens starter Lamar Jackson, but despite losing his job due to injury, Flacco had no ill will towards Baltimore.
“It’s part of the business, and obviously, your competitive nature has certain feelings about it, but a lot of those things are out of my control to a certain extent,” he said. “Like I said, what I’ve been trying to do ever since then is kind of just keep my head down and work and get better at football and look for the best opportunity.”
This will be Flacco’s last chance to prove that he can still be a starter in the NFL, and fortunately for him, he’ll have at least three weeks to show the Jets he’s still that guy. If he has success, those three games could be even longer.
Jets QB Joe Flacco talks Daniel Jones
Football is a game of continuity. The coaching staff and everyone on the field must know the assignment and what they’re doing at all times. However, coaches change, personnel change and players must learn new things.
Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is learning a new offensive system for the third time in four seasons as New York hired former Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll as their head coach in the offseason.
According to Jones, learning a new offense takes time.
“I think I do have some experience with it now, so that’s helped in the process in learning it,” Jones said after the joint practice with the Jets on Thursday. “I think the toughest part is that it takes time, it takes the reps, it takes practice, it takes meetings, having the conversations, correcting things, getting on the same page, moving guys around. All that takes time; there’s a process to it. That’s what we’ve been doing, and I think we’ve done a good job up to this point. Like I said, the next couple of weeks are important for us before we kickoff in Nashville.
Jets QB Joe Flacco is with his fourth team in four seasons, and like Jones, had to learn new offenses. According to the 15-year veteran, if Jones plays well, he and Daboll can be together for many years.
“You would obviously like to get in with a good guy that you really like and gain a rapport with,” Flacco said. “When you’re back there playing quarterback, you’re not having to think about all the little details because you’ve just done it for long enough that it just comes naturally, so I can relate to that a little bit, and for him at this point, it is what it is. I would say to him; hopefully, he has as much success as possible this year so that it doesn’t have to happen anymore, and I think the good thing with him is this offense is created by the head coach, so if they can do well together, then they can be in it together for a long time.”
Flacco had some praise for the 25-year-old Jones:
“I think he’s a hell of an athlete and a great young quarterback, so I wish him the best of luck.’
The time is now for Jones to make it happen if he wants to stick around in New York after this season. He’s not Daboll’s guy, which could make things challenging, but if he wants to be Daboll’s guy, Jones is going to have to show him and the organization a lot in 2022.
Jets place Becton on IR, sign Brown, Wilson has surgery
On Tuesday, the New York Jets placed RT Mekhi Becton on injured reserve after he sustained a season-ending right knee injury on August 8. The 23-year-old Becton injured the same knee in 2021, which caused him to miss 16 games. However, this is a different injury. The No. 11 overall pick out of Louisville was Joe Douglas’ first draft pick as general manager of the team in 2020.
The day before, New York officially signed five-time Pro Bowl LT Duane Brown. The 15-year veteran was around the team during the Green & White practice last Saturday night, and after the injury to Becton, the Jets were expected to sign Brown.
According to reports, it’s a two-year, $22 million deal.
Last season, the 36-year-old had a Pro Bowl season with the Seahawks. While in Seattle, Brown played with current Jets RT George Fant.
Obviously, losing Becton was a big blow to the Jets, but being able to add a Pro-Bowl left tackle in Brown is a solid signing for the team.
In other Jets news, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, quarterback Zach Wilson’s arthroscopic knee surgery was deemed a success. There were no surprises from the original diagnosis. New York reportedly won’t put him on the field until he’s completely healthy.
Wilson hurt his knee while scrambling against the Eagles in the team’s first preseason game. When Wilson’s injury was announced, he was expected to be out 2-4 weeks, so veteran quarterback Joe Flacco will probably be the starter Week 1 for the Jets against his former team, the Baltimore Ravens.
New York returns to the practice field on Thursday as they prepare for their Monday night showdown against the Atlanta Falcons at MetLife Stadium.
Jets lose Wilson in preseason win over Eagles
The goal of the preseason is to get some good work for your starters and young players and, most importantly, leave the game with no injuries.
Unfortunately, for the Jets in their preseason opener at Lincoln Financial Field against the Philadelphia Eagles, that did not happen.
First, the good news, the Jets defeated the Eagles 24-21. Not ultra important, but good news.
Now, the bad news. Jets second-year quarterback Zach Wilson left in the first quarter and did not return when he injured his right knee after scrambling from the pocket. Wilson tried to cut and his knee slightly buckled. He walked to the locker room on his own power, surrounded by team officials.
At this point, the Jets wait for the MRI on Saturday.
According to Jets coach Robert Saleh, Wilson’s ACL is intact, but he’ll wait until the testing is done.
“I’m always concerned until I get the final evaluation,” Saleh said after the game. “We walked off the field with great, positive thoughts, and it’s been opposite. We’ve walked off the field with bad initial readings, and it was opposite. I’m not going to put anything out there, just let it play out, and we’ll see tomorrow.”
Wilson’s injury seemingly could have been avoided if he had run out of bounds on his scramble instead of trying to cut back inside. When asked if Wilson should have gone out of bounds, Saleh said, “One hundred percent.”
Saleh did say Wilson was in good spirits.
“He’s in good spirits,” Saleh said. “He’s fine, a little frustrated obviously, but he’s as good as you can be in this situation.”
If Wilson is lost for the year, at this point, the 37-year-old Joe Flacco, who did not play Friday night, would be the guy. Recently, Saleh said Flacco is still a viable starter in the NFL.
“You guys know how I feel about Joe, everyone does, the whole world does,” he said. “Joe’s a phenomenal football player. He’s having a great camp, and he’s got a lot of juice left in the tank.”
It’s been a rough week for New York as they lost RT Mekhi Becton, probably for the year, with a leg injury, and now Wilson, who missed four games last season with a sprained PCL in his right knee.
Hopefully, good news is on the way for the Jets.
Back to the game, quarterback Chris Streveler would connect with WR Calvin Jackson on a five-yard touchdown pass with 16 seconds left to give the Jets the win. Streveler finished the game 6/9 for 62 yards and two touchdowns.
Eagles’ Sirianni talks Jalen Hurts’ illness, DeVonta Smith’s debut
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was expected to start and play against the New England Patriots on Thursday night at Lincoln Financial Field, but after he went through warmups, the Eagles decided to keep him out.
After the game, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni explained what happened.
“He came in and wasn’t feeling great,” Sirianni said. “We put him through pregame warmups. He wanted to go out there and go through pregame warmups. He came back in and still wasn’t feeling good. We evaluated him, and we just decided it wasn’t in his best interest to play with what he was feeling. We evaluated him. He is fine now. He is doing okay now, but that is why we held him out…
“He actually went to the hospital to get evaluated for his stomach. Like I said, came back, everything is good, and he is going to be okay.”
According to Sirianni, the pain had to be bad for Hurts not to play.
“He’s a tough guy, so it must have been hurting him pretty good for him to let us know about that,” Sirianni said.
Without Hurts, Philadelphia went with veteran QB Joe Flacco. The Eagles, who had joint practices with the Patriots this week, rested many of their starters on Thursday night and were blown out by New England 35-0.
However, a bright spot for Philly was the debut of rookie WR DeVonta Smith.
The number 10 overall pick, who missed time due to a knee injury, caught two passes for 19 yards. Smith had a couple of drops, but he was happy to be out on the field.
“It felt good just to get out there and get back in a groove with my routine before the game and stuff like that,” he said. “Just to get back out there and get back to myself.”
Flacco tried to connect with Smith on a deep pass in the second quarter, but it appeared he misjudged the ball in the air.
“Yes, I took too long to look back at the ball,” Smith said. “That is a great throw by [Eagles QB] Joe [Flacco] and I have to do my part.”
Sirianni added on Smith’s performance: “Yeah, you know, looked like he was a little antsy at first. Dropped a couple balls, and he was a little late with his eyes on the deep ball that [QB] Joe [Flacco] threw him. He made a couple plays there. That’s what happens with young wideouts. They have to play and go through the ups and downs a little bit, and the preseason is for that to happen. He ran a good route on that return route on a third down. Thought he ran a couple other good routes, too. Again, we will look at the tape to see totally how he played, but I’m glad he got in there and was able to play a good, meaningful first half and take a couple hits and have to go against some of those tight coverage looks he had to get.”
The Eagles get back at it next Friday when they travel to MetLife Stadium to battle the Jets in their final preseason game, and as they did with New England, Philadelphia will have joint practices with New York next week, so the Eagles may keep a few starters out against the Jets.
Report: Ravens had “direct discussions” with Kaepernick; may bring in RGIII for workout
Free agent QB Colin Kaepernick to the Ravens looks like it still could be a possibility. According to the Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec, team president Dick Cass has had “direct discussions” with Kaepernick, and the 29-year-old quarterback is interested in joining the team.
The Ravens brought in Arena League QB David Olson after Ravens QB Joe Flacco went down with a back injury. Currently, Ryan Mallett is Flacco’s backup. The team may also bring in free agent QB Robert Griffin III for a workout, according to Zrebiec.
Should be interesting to see what the Ravens decide to do with their quarterback situation.
Bisciotti says he spoke to Ray Lewis about it this morning. Sad Kap has made assurances that there will be no protests during anthem
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) July 30, 2017
Regarding Kaepernick, Dick Cass mentioned that organization has heard from lot of fans about the potential signing.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) July 30, 2017
Ravens president Dick Cass said team has had direct discussions with Colin Kaepernick. Says Colin wants to play. Ravens weighing decision
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) July 30, 2017