Game Ball of the Week

by Bruce Raffel on Sep 29, 2010 9:23 AM EDT in Sprint Game Ball of the Week

(This post sponsored by Sprint)

This headline will be reappearing on a regular basis throughout the rest of the season, as we will be giving out a virtual game ball to one player on the Baltimore Ravens after each game, win or lose. This week it was a tossup between two guys whose success was directly linked to each other. Both QB Joe Flacco and WR Anquan Boldin have the other guy to thank for his success Sunday. Flacco threw for three touchdown passes and Boldin was on the receiving end of all three passes. Was it Joe who made Anquan look good by dropping those passes into his waiting hands or did "Q" just run under balls that were just thrown up in the air?

What came first the chicken or the egg? This is pretty much a toss up, but I'm respectfully presenting this award to Anquan Boldin. Had Flacco thrown those same three TD passes to three different receivers, then Joe would be the easy decision. However, for Boldin to be as open as he was on pretty much all three receptions means he earned those receptions by running routes that got him into the clear to haul in those passes.

Boldin's eight receptions for around 150 yards and three scores was the best performance of any receiver in the league this weekend. Knowing that Flacco was looking for him didn't stop Anquan for finding the seams in the Cleveland Browns' secondary and not only making the catch, but running such great routes that it was surprising how in the clear he was when he made those catches. Flacco targeted him over and over and in addition to those three TD catches, he caught five other balls despite the Browns attempt to steer coverage to his side of the field.

Flacco also had a solid game, returning to respectability after a weak performance against the Cincinnati Bengals the prior week. However, a lot of other NFL QB's had much better games than Joe, but no one did better than Boldin's numbers. Therefore, congrats to "Q" for a breakout week, which could be the springboard onto bigger things and a chance to represent the Ravens in the Pro Bowl early next year in Hawaii.

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Comments

Not a day goes by

Where I don’t think how lucky we are to have a guy like Ozzie. When he saw an opportunity to bring in a much needed top notch receiver for a couple of draft picks, he pulled the trigger. Then he pretty much got picks back with some of his draft day magic.

Hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more of these Flacco to Boldin performances. This could just be the beginning…..

"Me no function beer welll without."

by StuckInUtah on Sep 29, 2010 9:30 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

I dont wanna shit on Q's parade

Q def deserves this award and I’m glad that this site is doing it. Does anyone think it would’ve been possible for us to go after peppers during the off-season and still keep Q? I was watching him play against the packers and he dominated the entire game, that was just the kind of player we needed to light fire to our sack total. I’M JUST SAYING, I KNO HOW SOME OF YAW GET ALL CRAZY BOUT DIS SHIT.

by Raven_all_day on Sep 29, 2010 11:45 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

This is Getting Ridiculous

First, I am not taking anything away from Q or even Flacco for that matter -either one deserves the recognition.

But really? First it was the “Prilosec Post”, then the “Xfinity Feature”, we are all waiting for the Viagra “Poll” of the week and now “Sprint Headline”??? The marketing is just getting over the top… What a Brave New World we live in. Huxley and Rand would be proud… “Minority report” here we come…

by vlad755 on Sep 29, 2010 1:21 PM EDT reply actions

Its only fair that Boldin gets the game, seeing as how he was named the AFC Player of the Week.

-This comment brought to you by Vagicil

"Me no function beer welll without."

by StuckInUtah on Sep 29, 2010 1:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Just be grateful we don’t have the KY His-and-Hers Jelly background anymore.

The Orioles are going to open a can of Buck-Wieser on your ass......

by Zachary Beard on Sep 29, 2010 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions

If it is sposored by Viagra,

wouldn’t it be spelled as the “Viagra Pole of the Week?”

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Sep 30, 2010 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions

That Would Be

A little too obvious. Good marketing is subtle.

by vlad755 on Sep 30, 2010 11:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Well deserved by Q

This 1st game at home by Boldin just adds to Ozzie Newsome’s greatness as a GM. Even his ardent critics (yes, there are some in the National media) have to acknowledge this was a great get from the Cardinals by Ozzie.

Q was outstanding and we should be encouraged by what we saw Sunday from both Flacco and Boldin in paticular but Housh and Mason too. The chemistry is starting to click with all 3 WR’s “seeing” the same things. The last TD play called for 88’s meaning double post routes and a (9) go route. Rex Ryan called a for Cover 0. Once they saw that, Mason ran a dig route, Housh ran a seam route and Boldin a post. Great unselfishness right there. Touchdown! Shout out to McGahee for the blitz pickup.

Congrats to Q for becoming the fastest player in NFL history reach 600 receptions. Accomplished this feat in just 98 games.

by Ravens One on Sep 29, 2010 3:10 PM EDT reply actions