Over at NFL.com, NFL analysts Michael Lombardi and fan-favorite Jamie Dukes (NOT!) debated the effect that the signing of Baltimore Ravens RB Ray Rice will have on QB Joe Flacco.
Lombardi spoke about the top tier QB's and their current deals, such as Eli Manning, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and how Flacco compares to them, contract-wise. If Flacco is a "second-tier" Qb, what is the market in dollars for him. Lombardi feels that Flacco proved he can be a great player but is currently in that "limbo-area" right now.
Dukes begs to differ, in that he feels that Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome should still not be sure what QB he is getting for the next contract. Dukes reminds us that Flacco had a QB Rating under 80 for half of his 16 regular season games last year. Despite acknowledging that Flacco outplayed Brady in the AFC Championship Game, he also said Flacco was horrible in the Ravens Divisional Round playoff win over the Houston Texans.
Dukes not only puts Flacco in the second-tier, he says he is "at the bottom" of it, below Tony Romo for example. Flacco, he says, is not carrying the team, Ray Rice is. Admittedly, Dukes says the talent is there, but the consistency is not.