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          NFL Nation

          John Harbaugh: Joe Flacco 'playing at the highest level you can play'

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterDec 8, 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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          MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh was answering a question about how Joe Flacco jumpstarted a key 97-yard drive with his legs when he stopped and gave his quarterback some unsolicited praise.

          "It’s funny, Joe plays so well and so steady so consistently we just kind of take it for granted," Harbaugh said following the Ravens' 28-13 win over the Miami Dolphins Sunday. "He’s playing at the highest level. He’s playing at the highest level you can play at, and this victory down here proves it.”

          Flacco completed a season-high 75.8 percent of his passes (25 of 33) and threw for 269 yards against the NFL's No. 2 pass defense. He also accounted for three of his team's four touchdowns (two passing and one rushing).

          But this has been the type of performance Flacco has delivered recently in his first season in Gary Kubiak's offense. He has recorded a passer rating better than 100 in three straight games for just the third time in his career. The only time he had a streak of four consecutive games with a 100-plus rating was the 2012 playoffs, which ended with Flacco being named Super Bowl MVP.

          How impressive has Flacco's latest run of success been? He's the only quarterback in the NFL to post a rating better than 100 in each of the last three weeks.

          On Sunday, Flacco beat the Dolphins with his legs as well as his arm. After throwing an interception in the end zone, Flacco started the next drive by taking off from his own end zone and running for 15 yards. That dash came on the first snap of what became a 12-play, 97-yard touchdown drive that ended the first half and closed the Ravens to within 10-7.

          "I was surprised initially when I dropped back and they brought the blitz off the right side," Flacco said. "I just wanted to make sure that nobody really came free and just saw a big hole open up and just ran, just took it. It got the drive going and I’m glad to take those when I can.”

          That was only Flacco's seventh run of 15 yards or longer in his seven-year NFL career. Since entering the league in 2008, Flacco has produced the 22nd-most rushing yards by a quarterback (617).

          “I think a lot of people underestimate Joe’s speed," wide receiver Kamar Aiken said. "He has a lot more than a lot of these QBs in the league."