Ryan Mallett's performance in week 16 vs the Pittsburgh Steelers is something a lot of people didn't see coming including yours truly.I was wrong. I know it's one game but I was wrong. I thought that Ryan Mallett wouldn't be a good fit for the Baltimore Ravens. The way he performed against the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 16 proves that he still has a lot of talent. You can't teach arm strength either. His one game performance in my opinion has certainly sealed a spot for him as the Ravens backup for next season behind Joe Flacco.
I thought that Mallett ran out of chances especially due to his recent stint with the Houston Texans. I originally thought that signing Mallett would be a bad idea. My colleague Yitzi Weiss wrote an article recently questioning why everyone is so down on Mallett. Weiss was right because I didn't think he was capable of an efficient performance against a rival like the Steelers especially with everything that was on the line for Pittsburgh.
The Ravens did their due diligence finding out where Mallett is emotionally and he's happy Baltimore gave him a chance. Mallett was 28 of 41 for 274 passing yards against the Steelers to along with a touchdown pass with no interceptions. Adding to that, Mallett had a 95 QB rating and a completion percentage of 68.
I learned a lot about myself," Mallett noted via Baltimore Sun. "It's through God's grace that I'm here and able to be in this position with this organization. I felt like I was placed here by something greater [than] football."
Mallett's teammate and Ravens runningback Buck Allen was certainly happy for after the Ravens victory over the Steelers. Allen talked about how much of a pro Mallett is which is impressive because the quarterback has had a lot of drama to deal with during this season.
"If you look at him, you were in the huddle, you'd think he'd been here all year, the way he carried himself,"Allen noted via Baltimore Sun. "He's such a pro, and that's why he got the job and did what he did today. I just want to congratulate him."
In what overall has been a lost season for the Ravens, they have young players who are making a name for themselves in a positive manner. If Mallett can build off of his performance going forward, he could make himself into a quality starter in this league. Flacco is here to stay in Baltimore, but other NFL teams who need a quarterback could be intrigued by Mallett.