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Is Joe Flacco elite?

Just a guess, but I think that question will be asked quite a few times over the next couple of weeks. While the inanity of the discussion that usually follows that question is not something I wish to emulate, there’s no particular reason not to take an in-depth look at Flacco’s career. The table below shows Flacco’s performance in six key metrics — all relative to league average (1.00) — for each season of his career:

Flacco career

As you can see, with the exception of his great interception rate — which justifies its own post during this pre-Super Bowl period — Flacco’s career performance has been rather average. His touchdown rate, like those of many quarterbacks, has bounced up and down throughout his career. His sack rate was below average during his first three years, improved significantly in 2011, and landed right at the league average in 2012.

ELITE

That is an elite Fu Manchu.

In the three main statistics — Y/A, NY/A, and ANY/A — Flacco has consistently finished in a tight window around the league average. His ANY/A has been slightly better than his NY/A thanks to that lofty interception rate, but suffice it to say Joe Flacco is, and has been for years, a league average quarterback.

If we look at ESPN’s Total QBR, Flacco ranked 27th as a rookie in 2008, 15th in 2009, and 12th in 2010, signaling a young quarterback improving and on the rise. In 2011, he ranked 14th, perhaps signaling a leveling off, and then this past season, he finished 25th. The positive spin would be that he’s a league-average quarterback, and the negative one (at least prior to this post-season) would have been that he was regressing.

On the other hand, here is how Flacco has performed in the playoffs in each game, as measured by AY/A:

Flacco playoffs

Flacco has been oustanding in the playoffs over the last three years. In seven games, he has averaged 8.8 AY/A and 7.8 Y/A, while throwing 15 touchdowns and just two interceptions.

Let’s not forget, however, that from 2008 through 2010, his poor play in the postseason caused Jason Lisk to compare him to Kyle Boller, despite his team’s impressive record. That said, perhaps that was just a new version of the SI cover jinx, as Flacco has been great in the postseason since Lisk’s article, at least, for Flacco. How great?

In the regular season this year, Flacco averaged 7.17 AY/A, but in three playoffs games in January he’s averaged 10.89 AY/A; he’s thrown 93 passes this postseason, and since he’s averaged 3.72 AY/A more than we would expect (based on his regular season performance), we could say that he’s gained 346 Adjusted Yards over expectation. Among all quarterbacks with at least 50 regular season passes (to exclude players like Frank Reich), that is the second largest amount of Adjusted Yards over expectation of any quarterback in a single postseason since 1970. The table below shows each quarterback’s number of playoff games, regular season pass attempts, regular season AY/A, and then his cumulative playoff statistics for that year. The final column shows the number of Adjusted Yards provided over average.

RankYearQBTmPGRS AttRS AY/AAttPYDTDINTAY/AAY ov Exp
12003Jake Delhommecar44496.41029876110.4408
22012Joe Flaccorav35317.2938538010.9346
31992Troy Aikmandal34736.9897958010.7339
41993Jeff Hostetlerrai24197.3395244015.5318
51986Phil Simmsnyg34686.2584948011.3292
61980Jim Plunkettrai43206.192839739.2287
71988Joe Montanasfo33977.3908238110.4283
82007Eli Manningnyg45295.5119854617.8278
91979Vince Ferragamoram31103.969585337.4242
101985Jim McMahonchi33137666363010.5233
111989Joe Montanasfo33869.58380011012.3228
121991Erik Kramerdet22655.671590418.8224
131978Terry Bradshawpit3368778790849.9224
142009Kurt Warnercrd25137.1595845110.8220
151981Don Strockmia11305.1434034110.2219
161974Terry Bradshawpit31483.850394318.2218
171981Scott Brunnernyg21903.151386637.3215
181995Rodney Peetephi23754.9302983011.9210
191985Tony Easonnwe42995.448367509.7208
202008Kurt Warnercrd45987.613511471139.1204
212000Trent Dilferrav42265.573590318.3202
222011Tim Tebowden22716.3474522010.5197
232009Mark Sancheznyj33644.968539427.8196
241976Terry Bradshawpit21925.153440318.6187
251982Lynn Dickeygnb22186.459592539.4178
261970Johnny Unitasclt33215.256478428.4174
272010Matt Hasselbecksea24445.681530717.7173
281990Jim Kellybuf33468.4828515210.5173
291989John Elwayden34166.382732438.3164
301979Terry Bradshawpit34726.682758648.5156
311994Dan Marinomia2615767519509.2152
321982David Woodleymia41794.676625556.6152
331993Brett Favregnb2522571535537146
342008Ben Roethlisbergerpit34696.389692317.9144
351997Randall Cunninghammin288576534426.9143
361995Troy Aikmandal34327.780717419.4139
371996Brett Favregnb35437.571617519.5137
382010Mark Sancheznyj3507689616517.5136
392002Kelly Holcombcle11067.3434293110.3132
401986Pat Ryannyj2556.134256409.9128
412007Philip Riverssdg34606.386767447.8125
421982Paul McDonaldcle11494.937281108.1119
431991Warren Moonoti26556.476596528118
442003Peyton Manningclt35667.8103918948.9118
451994Neil O'Donnellpit23706.277535307.7117
462011Joe Flaccorav25426.463482418.2114
471975Roger Staubachdal33486.679670748111
482001Vinny Testaverdenyj14415.540268308.2108
491982Eric Hippledet1863.238298126108
501999Jeff Georgemin23298.375635719.7106

I assume Ravens fans hope that he’s the next Aikman and not the next Delhomme, but such is the danger of three-game sample sizes. Of course, Flacco has now excelled in consecutive postseasons. He gained 114 Adjusted Yards over expectation in 2011, giving him 460 AY over expectation the last two years in the playoff. That’s the second most by a quarterback in consecutive postseason appearances:

RankYearsQBTmsAY ov Exp
11988;1989Joe Montanasfo;sfo511
22011;2012Joe Flaccorav;rav460
32008;2009Kurt Warnercrd;crd424
41978;1979Terry Bradshawpit;pit380
51990;1993Jeff Hostetlernyg;rai339
61992;1993Troy Aikmandal;dal335
72009;2010Mark Sancheznyj;nyj332
82003;2005Jake Delhommecar;car325
91989;1990Joe Montanasfo;sfo297
101991;1992Troy Aikmandal;dal297
111980;1982Jim Plunkettrai;rai294
122006;2007Eli Manningnyg;nyg283
131985;1986Tony Easonnwe;nwe268
141986;1989Phil Simmsnyg;nyg233
151985;1986Phil Simmsnyg;nyg228
161981;1982Don Strockmia;mia213
171994;1995Troy Aikmandal;dal205
181979;1981Don Strockmia;mia204
191987;1989John Elwayden;den197
201973;1974Terry Bradshawpit;pit192
211994;1995Rodney Peetedal;phi191
221995;1996Brett Favregnb;gnb191
231993;1994Neil O'Donnellpit;pit189
241974;1975Terry Bradshawpit;pit180
251989;1990Jim Kellybuf;buf178
261991;1993Erik Kramerdet;det172
271979;1982Terry Bradshawpit;pit169
281970;1971Johnny Unitasclt;clt168
292009;2010Aaron Rodgersgnb;gnb168
301995;1997Randall Cunninghamphi;min165
312007;2008Eli Manningnyg;nyg162
321975;1976Terry Bradshawpit;pit148
331987;1988Joe Montanasfo;sfo145
341991;1992Warren Moonoti;oti141
351977;1980Ken Stablerrai;oti125
362004;2005Tom Bradynwe;nwe125
371989;1991John Elwayden;den116
381989;1991Warren Moonoti;oti115
391982;1983Joe Theismannwas;was108
401985;1987Jim McMahonchi;chi105
411976;1977Ken Stablerrai;rai100
421981;1982David Woodleymia;mia98
432010;2011Drew Breesnor;nor92
442007;2010Matt Hasselbecksea;sea85
451979;1980Vince Ferragamoram;ram84
461993;1994Brett Favregnb;gnb83
471982;1987Tommy Kramermin;min80
482006;2007Philip Riverssdg;sdg72
491978;1979Ron Jaworskiphi;phi72

So yes, Flacco has been great this postseason, especially compared to his mediocre self. Of course, Jeff Hostetler and Mark Sanchez exhibited similar traits, too. It’s fair to give Flacco a pass for his first couple of seasons, but over the last three seasons, he ranks 14th among the 23 quarterbacks to throw 1,000 passes during that time. Winning the Super Bowl won’t change that fact, and I don’t think Flacco’s reputation will change significantly unless and until he improves in the regular season. Jim Plunkett was outstanding in the 1980 postseason after a mediocre regular season (and for that matter, career), culminating in a Super Bowl victory. But even with a second Super Bowl in ’83, Plunkett’s career is more remembered as a talented quarterback who played well in big moments but was far from a great player. That’s not such a bad reputation. The other obvious comparison is Eli Manning, who seemed to use his first Super Bowl victory as a spring board into a better career. More on him later this week or next, too. Apollo Creed once said to Rocky Balboa, “You fight great, but I’m a great fighter.” Flacco has played like an elite quarterback during these playoffs, but that doesn’t make him one until he does it again and again.

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