Joe Flacco ACL Injury: Baltimore Beatdown staff reacts to the loss of their beloved quarterback

Today is truly the worst day in Ravens' history.

It was a win, albeit an ugly one. We lost our starting running back, and his future in his jeopardy. We also lost our quarterback, his future also being up in the air.

But we lost more than a quarterback. The season had been hopeless for a while. But it was nice seeing a familiar face in the backfield, still leading his team in his signature stoic manner as if they were 9-0. The ship was certainly sinking quickly, but we had a damn good captain going down with the U.S.S. Baltimore.

Now our captain is gone. On a team where leadership was sparse, Flacco was something akin to an elder tribe chief. One who had seen some things, some good, and some bad. Among all of the younger players, he stands like a bastion of good work ethic, loyalty, and a desire to win. He has years worth of wisdom and wise sayings bottled up, and chooses to only release it at select times.

"Let’s go win a [flipping] game. [Fudge]!" - Joseph Vincent Flacco

But now we have to cope with a team without our 'Elite Dragon'. It's going to be an adjustment, albeit a hard one. The Baltimore Ravens simply aren't the same without their manchu-loving signal caller.

It is with great regret that I present to you something I wish I didn't have to. Our staff reactions to the injury of Joe Flacco.

Matthew Stevens

I'm beyond devastated by the loss of Flacco. We could play the hindsight game and say that the ravens should have benched him earlier, but it wouldn't have been the right or fair thing to do.

This resigns the ravens to the top pick in the draft unless Schaub suddenly turns into a player he has yet to show during training camp.

Wola Odeniran

What could go wrong for the Ravens this year did go wrong. It just wasn't meant to be it seems like. The last time I can remember the Ravens having these amount of injuries to key players season would be back in 2007 when This season is a complete disaster. So much that I wouldn't count it in terms of getting a real assessment of the team in many aspects. Props to Joe Flacco staying in the game after tearing his ACL and dealing with a MCL injury as well. You won't find a tougher QB in the NFL.

Kyle Barber

This season has been lost for weeks, and putting in three back-up lineman against the defensive front from St. Louis was an absolutely terrible idea. Last week was the game I hoped they had Schaub playing instead of Flacco. The season wasn't worth salvaging, and now the team loses Justin Forsett and Joe Flacco to terrible injuries. This hurts. Plain and simple.

Nathan Beaucage

Our relationship is a troubled one. You throw a duck for a pick, I yell obscenities at the television and denounce you as ever being "elite." Then you lead the team on a game-winning drive and redeem yourself. Your 2012 playoff run will forever earn you a place in football lore, and you will always be a hero to Baltimore.

While this season is an absolute dumpster fire, I fear for the future. Will you ever be the same? I'm being dramatic here, but you're my favorite player, and this is tough. Seeing my Ravens lining up without you, and donning my No. 5 jersey without you around is going to be weird. I sincerely hope you are at full strength come 2016, that way we can truly see what you can do with a real NFL wide receiver, Breshad Perriman.

Godspeed Mr. Flacco, godspeed.