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          NFL Nation

          Can Joe Flacco continue his NFC South domination?

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterNov 18, 2014, 01:00 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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          Joe Flacco is going for a sweep of the NFC South on Monday night, when the Baltimore Ravens play at the New Orleans Saints.

          In his victories against the other NFC South teams, he has averaged 297 yards passing with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. His Total QBR against the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers is 97.0 (out of a possible 100). How impressive is that? That's the second-highest QBR of any quarterback against a single division in the same season since ESPN began QBR in 2006, and you make an argument that it's actually the best.

          The highest Total QBR for a quarterback against one division in the same season is 97.5, which was set by Josh McCown against the NFC East last year. But it should be noted that McCown made only one start against the NFC East in 2013.

          Flacco has taken advantage of a division where Carolina, Atlanta and Tampa Bay all rank in the bottom 10 in pass defense. He gets a similar opportunity against the Saints, who have the ninth-worst pass defense. New Orleans has allowed an average of 255 yards passing with 16 touchdowns given up and six interceptions.

          The Saints' secondary is as beaten up as the Ravens' defensive backfield. Keenan Lewis, the Saints' top cornerback, is struggling with a knee injury, and safety afety Jairus Byrd suffered a season-ending knee injury in October. Byrd's backup, Rafael Bush, suffering a fractured tibia last Sunday.

          Flacco hasn't enjoyed the same success against the rest of the NFL. He is 3-4 this season against the teams outside the NFC South with a Total QBR of 47.1. He has averaged 232.8 yards per game with seven touchdowns and six interceptions.