Joe Flacco was purported to mentor from the sidelines as Zach Wilson’s backup quarterback this season.
Then got here the Jets’ preseason opener towards the Philadelphia Eagles Friday evening.
Wilson suffered a bone bruise and a meniscus tear when scrambling throughout the Jets’ second offensive drive of the sport. The Jets are optimistic Wilson may solely miss two to 4 weeks and nonetheless be prepared for the group’s season opener towards the Baltimore Ravens. However, Wilson may probably be out longer relying on what’s discovered throughout his surgical procedure, which will probably be in Los Angeles on Tuesday.
That seemingly leaves Flacco to carry down the offense to begin the season.
Throughout the preseason, Jets coach Robert Saleh has been on file as saying Flacco has loads left in his tank. On Sunday, Saleh reiterated his confidence within the 15-year veteran.
“He’s a professional, he’s a veteran, he’s been there, he’s achieved that,’ Saleh mentioned. “He’s a Super Bowl MVP, he’s a world champion, he’s gotten the massive contracts, he’s just about checked each field you possibly can verify. He is aware of tips on how to play the sport. He’s very calm, he’s collected.
“We had the two-minute drive, very smooth in his operation. He’s a veteran and I just expect him to approach it like he has his entire career.”
Flacco has achieved all of it in his profession. He began as a rookie in 2008 and led the Ravens to the AFC Championship earlier than shedding to the eventual Super Bowl champions Pittsburgh Steelers. He additionally seemed “elite” at occasions, together with in 2012 when the Ravens gained Super Bowl XLVII and Flacco was named the sport’s MVP. But Flacco hasn’t carried out to that very same degree the previous few years.
In 2018, the Ravens chosen Lamar Jackson with the thirty second choose general and he later supplanted Flacco because the starter throughout the season whereas main the group to the playoffs. A 12 months later, Baltimore traded Flacco to the Denver Broncos in change for a fourth-round choose. He began the primary eight video games for the Broncos in 2019 earlier than a neck damage prematurely ended Flacco’s season.
After Denver launched Flacco, he bounced round from the Jets to the Eagles as a backup earlier than being traded again to New York final 12 months after Wilson suffered a knee damage. Now Flacco finds himself in the same state of affairs taking part in for Wilson due to an damage.
While Flacco is assured he can nonetheless be a 17-game starter within the league, he’s having fun with his present function with the Jets.
“I love being here and completely focused on what I’m doing,” Flacco mentioned. “Right now, that’s going on the market and training and having one of the best days that I can.
“Whenever I’m out on that subject, I push myself to be higher and to have the ability to say I had one of the best day that I may have. Right now, that’s what I’m centered on.
“I’m happy with what I’m doing and I love helping out a young guy and playing my role with this team. But I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t have the desire to be good at what I do. I still believe I can go out and play this game.”
In his two days training with the primary group offense, Flacco has had his up and down moments. On Sunday, he accomplished 17 of 19 passes however threw an interception. He adopted that up by going 9-for-13, however he additionally threw a near-interception that Sauce Gardner couldn’t fairly haul in.
If Flacco is the beginning quarterback for the primary few weeks of the common season, rookie wideout Garrett Wilson is assured in Flacco’s potential to guide the Jets’ offense.
“It is a lot of experience there with Flacco,” Wilson mentioned. “I feel like he takes some paces off and puts some pace on the ball and he does a good job of making passes receiver friendly as they’re pretty easy to catch. He takes some off the ball when you’re running a slant route versus when you’re running an out route and he can put some zip on it, things like that.”
Flacco, who didn’t play within the Jets’ preseason opener towards the Eagles, can have two preseason alternatives to probably prepare for the common season. New York will host the Atlanta Falcons on Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. and the group will play the Giants to wrap up the preseason.
If Flacco begins towards the Ravens Week 1 on Sept. 11, he’ll play towards the franchise that drafted him 18th general within the 2008 draft and the one he spent 11 seasons with. Many athletes typically downplay dealing with a former group, however Flacco didn’t do this when he was requested about probably beginning towards the Ravens and his former coach John Harbaugh.
“I’ve been in a lot of games where guys have played their past teams and coaches have played their past teams and usually the emotions are definitely crazy,” Flacco mentioned. “Guys attempt to act so cool, however I’ve thought of it a tiny bit.
“It’s so far away, who knows what’s going to happen at this point, but I’ve definitely thought about that a little bit. I’m going to try to make sure it’s not the biggest deal in the world, but I’ve seen guys go through it. It’s a different thing.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com