Earlier this week, Ravens safety Ed Reed made some waves by telling SiriusXM NFL Radio that quarterback Joe Flacco needs to get rid of the ball faster, and that the offensive line needs to do a better job of blocking.
On Wednesday, Flacco and others addressed the situation.
“I talked to Ed about it,” Flacco said, via Aaron Wilson of the Carroll County Times. “It’s not really that big a deal. I don’t take things that bad. It’s Ed. It’s not a big deal.”
But when linebacker Ray Lewis speaks up for Flacco, calling him a “straight-up winner,” and Flacco says “I wish those guys didn’t have to come to my defense,” it’s hard to believe it’s not a big deal.
Coach John Harbaugh also tried to downplay the situation.
“I’m sure Ed wishes things had come out a little bit better,” Harbaugh said. “I know where Ed’s heart is. We know each other. We understand each other.”
That’s fine, but the Ravens can expect CBS cameras to be focused on the sidelines to see whether any frustrations are emerging, if the offense struggles against the Patriots like it did against the Texans.
And if the offense struggles and the Ravens lose, look for a more chatter to come from Baltimore, whether it’s other players complaining about Flacco, Flacco complaining about offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, or Ravens fans complaining about another season of unfulfilled expectations.