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          NFL Nation

          Is Flacco better equipped to handle blitz?

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterSep 17, 2014, 02:00 PM ET
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          Defenses were relentless on Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco last season. He was the third most-blitzed quarterback in the NFL.

          That strategy might have to change this season. In Thursday's win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Flacco completed 11 of 13 passes (84.6 percent) against five or more pass rushers, throwing two touchdowns and averaging 8.8 yards per attempt. It's his highest completion rate against the blitz in five years, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

          Why is Flacco better equipped to handle the blitz? The biggest improvement is pass protection. The offensive line, which has three new starters from the group that ended the season, has picked up pressure more consistently this year. The other factor is Flacco getting rid of the ball quicker, which is something offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak has emphasized.

          Flacco will get plenty of chances on Sunday to show he has turned the corner against extra pressure. The Cleveland Browns have blitzed about one-third of the time in the first two games of the season with limited success. Quarterbacks have completed 68.4 percent of their throws and have posted a 116.6 passer rating when Cleveland sends five or more rushers.

          The Ravens were unable to handle the blitz last season. Flacco's passer rating (70.9) ranked 35th in the NFL in 2013. That's the reason why defenses blitzed him 216 times, an average of 13.5 per game. Only Alex Smith (222) and Cam Newton (219) were blitzed more than Flacco.

          If Flacco continues to have success against the blitz, fewer teams are going to send more than four pass rushers.