Ravens QB Flacco says he’ll be ready for Titans
Veteran has missed just 6 games in his 10-year career.
Just six days after suffering a concussion, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco was on the practice field Wednesday and wasn’t limited in working on handoffs and throwing to his receivers.
He then stood in front of his locker after theworkout and eliminated any ambiguity about whether he’ll be ready to play Sunday when the Ravens (4-4) face theTennessee Titans (4-3) at Nissan Stadium in Nashville.
“I feel real good, definitely ready to go,” Flacco said. “I honestly felt good pretty quick after it all happened.”
Flacco, whowasputinconcussion protocol after taking a high shoulder/forearm to the head from Miami Dolphins linebacker Kiko Alonso as he slid after a 9-yard run in the second quarter of the Ravens’ 40-0 victory Thursday, has passed the necessary tests and was a full participantinWednesday’spractice.
The only visible sign he’d recently been the victim of a high hitwere the stitches, covered by tape, on his left ear. Alonso’s hit knocked Flacco’s helmet off and left him with a bloody ear in addition to the concussion.
“My ear is whatever. I don’t really feel it. It’s not like there’s anything brushing up against it. I just have a couple of stitches in it, but my ear doesn’t feel bad or anything,” Flacco said. “It’s not really that big of a deal.”
Ravens coach John HarbaughsaidMondaythatthere was a good chance Flacco would playagainst the Titans. Now, there appears to be no doubt that will be the case barring Flacco experiencing a setback this week.
Flacco said it was his first concussion and he maintained that he hasn’t experienced any concussionsymptoms, such as dizziness or headaches, since shortly after the hit happened.
“I remember getting hit, standing up, looking down atmy chinstrap. Alittle foggy about a couple things after that, but once I had time to sit down and gather my thoughts a little bit, I felt pretty good,” Flacco said. “I’veneverhadanythinghappen like that before. Never even had a mild concussion or anything like that. I think I’ve been pretty fortunate, honestly, to not have to deal with anything like this. And even in this situation, I feel pretty fortunate. I feel like it could have been a lotworse and I don’t think it ever got to that point. I felt good pretty quicklyafterwardandhaven’t really felt anything since.”
Flacco has missed just six games in his 10-year career. All six came during the 2015 season when he tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee in November. He had surgery in December and was back on the field sevenmonths laterwhen the Ravens startedtraining camp before the 2016 season. He hasn’t missed a game since, and he’s playing this season through a back injury that sidelined him throughout the preseason.
His toughness and durability have long been lauded by teammates, who didn’t seem surprised to see the quarterback back on the practice field.
“We know Joe is tough. He’s taken hits before — I don’t think any like that, none to the dome — but he was able to shake it off and get back out there again,” rushlinebackerTerrell Suggs said. “It was good to have the four days off, though, to get him back (and) get his senses back.”
Whatwas striking, though, was Flacco’s nonchalance about the incident. He said he held no ill will toward Alonsoandhe acknowledged that theyexchangedtextmessages the day after the game. While he said he’s slid in a similar manner on a number of occasions and not gotten hit like that, he said it is often “unavoidable” for defensive players on plays like that.
Asked whether he’d be hesitant to run the ball on a third-and-10 in the future, Flacco said:“No, Idon’t care. What are you going to do? Sometimes you get hit and sometimes you get knocked out, I guess. That’s just part of the game.”