2012 Players To Watch: Joe Flacco

So far this off season Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Joe Flacco has been steadily improving, just as he has done each year since he was drafted by Baltimore in the first round

Last season Joe was given a receiving core of two second year tight ends, a bevy of rookies with no NFL experience, the ever steady (but slow) Anquan Boldin and an injured Lee Evans. Flacco did not have his best statistical year but it was actually quite amazing that he was able to create quick chemistry with the young players. Especially since he lost his two top targets from the previous years in Derrek Mason and Todd Heap.

This year Flacco will have another year with the savvy veteran Boldin and a second year to work with speedster Torrey Smith, who will be participating in his full NFL off season with the team. It will also be Joe's first year with possibility of having is new favorite target in Dennis Pitta running with the "ones" as well.

m aBy all accounts Flacco has looked sharp this preseason. Leading many reporters and front office staff to come out a publicly say how far he has grown since last season. This season Joe has all the weapons he could ask for and what looks to be a very strong running game once again.

I personally think this will be the year that "Joe Cool" comes out of his "shell". After the first quarter of the AFC Championship in New England Flacco seemed to realize what he needed to do to be the one to carry this team. He willl go into this season with a better understanding of the players he is working with and when and how to use them to the best of their abilities.

This , plus Flacco's growing leadership on the field and in the locker room could be the recipe for his best season yet as a pro. The Ravens have never asked Flacco to be the one to take over a game and win it but he proved he could do that multiple times last season. By the end of 2012 I think Joe will be able to win the game for his team on a consistent basis and he will have his best all around year in the NFL.

As I am sure most fans have Joe Flacco number one on their list of players to watch, I think he will be a quite a nice surprise for the City of Baltimore because Joey Flacco is turning into a man right in front of our eyes.

Year	Age	Tm	Pos	No.	G	GS	QBrec	Cmp	Att	Cmp%	Yds	TD	TD%	Int	Int%	Lng	Y/A	AY/A ▾	Y/C	Y/G	Rate	Sk	Yds	NY/A	ANY/A	Sk%	4QC	GWD	AV
2010	25	BAL	QB	5	16	16	12-4-0	306	489	62.6	3622	25	5.1	10	2.0	67	7.4	7.5	11.8	226.4	93.6	40	294	6.3	6.4	7.6	2	4	12
2009	24	BAL	QB	5	16	16	9-7-0	315	499	63.1	3613	21	4.2	12	2.4	72	7.2	7.0	11.5	225.8	88.9	36	218	6.3	6.1	6.7	1	2	13
2011	26	BAL	QB	5	16	16	12-4-0	312	542	57.6	3610	20	3.7	12	2.2	74	6.7	6.4	11.6	225.6	80.9	31	203	5.9	5.7	5.4	2	3	12
2008	23	BAL	QB	5	16	16	11-5-0	257	428	60.0	2971	14	3.3	12	2.8	70	6.9	6.3	11.6	185.7	80.3	32	276	5.9	5.3	7.0	1	2	11
Career					64	64	44-20-0	1190	1958	60.8	13816	80	4.1	46	2.3	74	7.1	6